The Dutch royal family has welcomed a new member after Prince Pieter-Christiaan tied the knot with his long-time partner Anita van Eijk. A select group of family and friends, including the groom's aunt Queen Beatrix, were in attendance for the wedding in Apeldoorn's Het Loo Palace.
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In the moment he said "I do" Pieter-Christiaan, who is the third son of Princess Margriet, lost his claim to the throne. Under the Dutch constitution members of the royal household must seek permission from parliament before making their vows or else face being removed from the line of accession.
The prince decided to forego the procedure, however, as he is at the lower end of a long list of potential heirs and there is very little chance of him ever being called on to become king. It seems almost certain that any petition for official approval would have been granted, though, as several of the country's leading politicians were there to congratulate him on his big day.
Pieter-Christiaan and Anita, who is a communications consultant, have been looking forward to their walk down the aisle since last February when they announced their engagement. And the celebrations are set to continue through the weekend, as the civil wedding is to be followed by a formal religious blessing on Saturday afternoon. |
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