Jump to content

List of princes and princesses of Orange

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Princes/Princesses of Oranges
Bertrand I of Baux was the first sovereign Prince of Orange.
William III was the last ruling Prince and had the longest reign at 51 years.
Willem-Alexander had the longest tenure as the Dutch heir apparent at 33 years.
Catharina-Amalia is the current Princess of Orange.

The title Prince of Orange was initially used upon the rulers of the Principality of Orange. Following the principality's dissolution and absorption by France, the title continued being used by members of the House of Orange-Nassau, until the formation of an independent Kingdom of the Netherlands. Since the kingdom's formation, the title of Prince of Orange is bestowed upon the Dutch heir apparent. The current holder of the title is Catharina-Amalia, eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander.

When the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815, the monarchy initially followed Salic law.

In 1983, the Constitution of the Netherlands was amended to ensure absolute primogeniture, meaning that the sovereign is to be succeeded by their eldest child, regardless of sex.[1]

Principality of Orange

[edit]

Until 1340, it was customary for all sons of the prince of Orange to inherit the title. Only the direct line of descent to Raimond V is shown here.

House of Baux

[edit]

The house of Baux succeeded to the principality of Orange when Bertrand of Baux married the heiress of the last native count of Orange, Tiburge, daughter of William of Orange, Omelaz, and Montpellier.[clarification needed] Their son was William I of Baux-Orange. Bertrand was the son of Raymond of Baux and Stephanie of Gevaudan. Stephanie was the younger daughter of Gerberga, the heiress of the counts of Provence.[2] For a genealogical table, see the reference cited:[3]

No Name Picture Arms Birth Created Prince of Orange Ceased to be Prince of Orange Death Other titles while Prince of Orange Princess
of
Orange
1. Prince Bertrand I 1110/1115 1173
After the death of his brother-in-law, Raimbaut, Count of Orange, the County of Orange was elevated to a principality in 1163 by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I.[clarification needed]		 April/October 1180 Lord of Baux Tibors de Sarenom

Bertrand I used as Prince of Orange the coat of arms of the House of Baux: a 16-pointed white star placed on a field of gules. Later on, the Princes of Orange quartered the legendary bugle-horn as a heraldic figure into their coat of arms.

House of Baux-Orange

[edit]
No Name Arms Birth Became Prince of Orange Ceased to be Prince of Orange Death Other titles while Prince of Orange Princess
of
Orange
2. Prince William I 1155 31 October 1180 bef. 30 July 1218 Co-Prince (with brothers); Lord of Baux 1. Ermengarde of Mévouillon
2. Alix
3. Prince William II – 31 October 1180 bef. 1 November 1239 Co-Prince (with his brother); Lord of Baux Précieuse
4. Prince William III – aft. 1 November 1239 1257 Co-Prince (with his uncle); Lord of Baux Giburg
5. Prince Raymond I – bef. 30 July 1218 1282 Co-Prince (with his brother and nephew) Lord of Baux Malberjone of Aix
6. Prince Bertrand IV – 1282 aft. 21 July 1314 Lord of Baux Eleanore of Geneva
7. Prince Raymond IV – aft. 21 July 1314 1340, aft. 9 September Lord of Baux and Condorcet Anne of Viennois
8. Prince Raymond V – aft. 9 September 1340 10 February 1393 Lord of Baux 1. Constance of Trian
2. Jeanne of Geneva
9. Princess Mary – 10 February 1393 October 1417 Lady of Arlay, Cuiseaux, and Vitteaux Prince John I

House of Chalon-Orange (also House of Ivrea of Anscarid dynasty)

[edit]

The lords of Chalons and Arlay were a cadet branch of the ruling house of the county of Burgundy, the Anscarids or House of Ivrea. They married the heiress of Baux-Orange.

No Name Picture Arms Birth Became Prince of Orange Ceased to be Prince of Orange Death Other titles while Prince of Orange Princess
of
Orange
10. Prince John I none – 10 February 1393 October 1417 2 September 1418 Lord of Arlay, Cuiseaux and Vitteaux Princess Mary
11. Prince Louis I none 1390 October 1417 3 December 1463 Lord of Arlay, Arguel, Orbe, and Echelens 1. Jeanne of Montbéliard
2. Eleanor d'Armagnac
3. Blanche of Gamaches
12. Prince William II none – 3 December 1463 27 September 1475 Lord of Arlay and Arguel Catherine of Brittany
13. Prince John II none 1443 27 September 1475 15 April 1502 Count of Tonnerre; Lord of Arlay, Arguel and Montfaucon; Admiral of Guyenne 1. Jeanne de Bourbon
2. Philiberte of Luxembourg
14. Prince Philibert 18 March 1502 15 April 1502 3 August 1530 Viceroy of Naples; Prince of Melfi; Duke of Gravina; Count of Tonnerre, Charny, Penthièvre; Viscount of Besançon; Lord of Arlay, Nozeroy, Rougemont, Orgelet and Montfaucon, Lieutenant-General in the Imperial army. no wife

House of Chalon-Orange

[edit]

Rene inherited the principality of Orange from his uncle Philbert on the condition that he bear the name and arms of the house of Chalon-Orange. Therefore, he is usually counted as one of the Chalon-Orange and history knows him as Rene of Chalon, rather than "of Nassau".[2]

No Name Picture Arms Birth Became Prince of Orange Ceased to be Prince of Orange Death Other titles while Prince of Orange Princess
of
Orange
15. Prince René 5 February 1519 3 August 1530 15 July 1544 Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Guelders; Count of Nassau, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Breda, Diest, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. Anna of Lorraine

House of Orange-Nassau (first incarnation)

[edit]

William of Nassau inherited the principality of Orange from his cousin René. Although William descended from no previous Prince of Orange, as René had no children or siblings, he exercised his right as sovereign prince to will Orange to his first cousin on his father's side, who actually had no Orange blood. This began the Dutch Royal House of Orange-Nassau.

No. Name Picture Arms Birth Became Prince of Orange Ceased to be Prince of Orange Death Other titles while Prince of Orange Princess
of
Orange
16. Prince William I (the Silent) .:[4][5] 24 April 1533 15 July 1544 10 July 1584 Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Friesland; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Breda, Lands of Cuijk, City of Grave, Diest, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. 1. Anna van Egmont
2. Anna of Saxony
3. Charlotte de Bourbon
4. Louise de Coligny
17. Prince Philip William [6] 19 December 1554 10 July 1584 20 February 1618 Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Eindhoven, City of Grave, IJsselstein, Diest, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. Éléonore de Bourbon
18. Prince Maurice [7][8][9] 14 November 1567 20 February 1618 23 April 1625 Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, Overijssel and Groningen; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. no wife
19. Prince Frederick Henry [4] 29 January 1584 23 April 1625 14 March 1647 Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. Amalia of Solms-Braunfels
20. Prince William II 27 May 1626 14 March 1647 6 November 1650 Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders and Overijssel; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. Mary, Princess Royal
21. William III 14 November 1650 14 November 1650 8 March 1702 King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Baarn, Bredevoort, Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, 't Loo, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Soest, Ter Eem, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon. Queen Mary II of England

Titular princes of Orange

[edit]
No. Name Picture Arms Birth Became Prince of Orange Ceased to be Prince of Orange Death
1 John William Friso
Johan Willem Friso		 14 August 1687 8 March 1702 14 July 1711
2 William IV
Willem Karel Hendrik Friso		 1 September 1711 14 July 1711 22 October 1751
3 William V
Willem Batavus		 8 March 1748 22 October 1751 9 April 1806
4 William VI
Willem Frederik		 24 August 1772 9 April 1806 16 March 1815 7 October 1840

Monarchy of the Netherlands

[edit]

Heirs apparent

[edit]
Portrait Name Tenure Life details Monarch Ref.
William (II)
Willem Frederik George Lodewijk		 16 March 1815 – 7 October 1840
  (25 years, 6 months and 21 days)		 6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849
(aged 56)
XXX		 William I
William (III)
Willem Alexander Paul Frederik Lodewijk		 7 October 1840 – 17 March 1849
  (8 years, 5 months and 10 days)		 19 February 1817 – 23 November 1890
(aged 73)
XXX		 William II
William
Willem Nicolaas Alexander Frederik Karel Hendrik		 17 March 1849 – 11 June 1879
  (30 years, 2 months and 25 days)		 4 September 1840 – 11 June 1879
(aged 38)
XXX		 William III
Alexander
Willem Alexander Karel Hendrik Frederik		 11 June 1879 – 21 June 1884
  (5 years and 10 days)		 25 August 1851 – 21 June 1884
(aged 32)
XXX
Willem-Alexander
Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand		 30 April 1980 – 30 April 2013
  (33 years)		 27 April 1967
(age 58)
Eldest son of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus, Willem-Alexander alexander became heir apparent following his mother's ascent to the throne. Following Beatrix's abdication, he assumed the position of King.		 Beatrix [10]
Catharina-Amalia
Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria		 30 April 2013 – present
  (13 years, 4 months and 6 days)		 7 December 2003
(age 22)
Eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, Catharine-Amalia assumed the title Princess of Orange upon her father's ascent to the throne. A 1983 constitutional change altered the succession law to follow absolute primogeniture, ensuring the eldest child would be the heir apparent even if female.		 Willem-Alexander [11][1]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Hofverberg, Elin (October 7, 2022). "The Future Queen Regnants of Generation Z". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Cite error: The named reference Grew 1947 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ↑ Ross, Kelley L. Ph.D. "Princes of Orange, 1171–1584 AD". Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  4. 1 2 Cite error: The named reference Rietstap 1861 746 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ↑ Rowen, Herbert H. (1988). The princes of Orange: the stadholders in the Dutch Republic. Cambridge University Press. p. 29. ISBN 0-8063-4811-9.
  6. ↑ Rietstap, Johannes Baptist (1861). Armorial général, contenant la description des armoiries des familles nobles et patriciennes de l'Europe: précédé d'un dictionnaire des termes du blason. G.B. van Goor. p. 746. Philip William used his father's original arms
  7. ↑ Rietstap, Johannes Baptist (1861). Armorial général, contenant la description des armoiries des familles nobles et patriciennes de l'Europe: précédé d'un dictionnaire des termes du blason. G.B. van Goor. p. 746. a la exception de celebre prince Maurice qui portai les armes ...
  8. ↑ Haley, K(enneth) H(arold) D(obson) (1972). The Dutch in the Seventeenth Century. Thames and Hudson. p. 78. ISBN 0-15-518473-3.
  9. ↑ Anonymous. "Wapenbord van Prins Maurits met het devies van de Engelse orde van de Kouseband". Exhibit of a painted woodcut of Maurice's Arms encircled by the Order of the Garter in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  10. ↑ Vanderwal Taylor, Jolanda (December 2, 2025). "Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  11. ↑ "The Princess of Orange". Royal House of the Netherlands. Archived from the original on January 14, 2026. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_princes_and_princesses_of_Orange&oldid=1361197698"