One of Princess Amalia's bodyguards was responsible for a security scare when she accidentally left her gun behind at the youngster's school. The officer, who has not been named, left the weapon in the toilets during an incident that happened in October.
It has only just come to light and the school, the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague, has confirmed that it took place.
According to local broadcaster Nos, a fellow pupil found the gun and reported it to staff. The weapon was never in the hands of any students and it was given back to the security guard immediately.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Amalia of the Netherlands, 12, started senior school in August
The officer works for the Surveillance and Protection police department who are responsible for protecting the Dutch royal family. A police spokesperson said the incident was "a human error that never should have happened".
"The pupil who found it in the toilets alerted the bodyguard immediately," they added.
Princess Amalia, who is the eldest child of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, started attending the Sorghvliet this year. The protestant school is continuously ranked in the top ten schools in the country by local publication Elsevier.
Prinses Catharina-Amalia vertrekt vanuit huis naar het Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in Den Haag, video: Z.M. de Koning.
Posted by Het Koninklijk Huis on Sunday, 23 August 2015
Her first day was recorded on video and posted on the royal family's Facebook account
Amalia, 12, was filmed riding her bike on her first day of senior school in August. In a rare move, the Dutch king and queen decided to publish the short footage on the royal family's official Facebook account.
The clip shows the princess setting off for school on her bike – the preferred mode of transport in the low-lying country – like most children her age.
"It is in the princess' interest that she can travel to school in peace," the caption read. "Her school is private. The princess has, like her peers, the right to a normal youth. Because her life will largely be devoted to public duties in the future, it is important to respect her privacy."
Amalia, who is first-in-line to the Dutch throne, has two younger siblings – Princess Alexia, ten, and eight-year-old Princess Ariane.
