Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau-Vollenhoven

Prince Bernhard Lucas Emmanuel of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 25 December 1969) is a Dutch racing driver, entrepreneur and member of the Dutch royal family.

He is the second son of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Pieter van Vollenhoven. Before the succession of his cousin Willem-Alexander as King, he was a member of the Dutch Royal House and eleventh in the line of succession to the Dutch throne. With Willem-Alexander's succession however, he is no longer a member of the Dutch Royal House, and is no longer in line to direct succession to the Dutch throne, but still retains his membership of the Dutch royal family

Early life and education

Bernhard was born on 25 December 1969 in Nijmegen in the Netherlands. He is the second son of Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven. He has three brothers: Princes Maurits, Pieter-Christiaan, and Floris. It was a courier business that used students to deliver packages by public transport using the free public transport card for students that education minister Jo Ritzen had introduced earlier that year. In 1999, the company was suspected of fraud, because they were not paying payroll taxes over lease cars provided to some employees. In 2002, the name Ritzen Koeriers was changed to Logistieke Meesters, at which time Bernhard was no longer involved in the business.

Levi9 Global Sourcing He is a co-founder of a nearshoring IT company called Levi9 Global Sourcing.

Chapman Andretti Partners In 2015, he founded the company Chapman Andretti Partners with Menno de Jong, named after Colin Chapman and Mario Andretti who are not personally related to the business. In 2016, the company bought the Circuit Zandvoort in Zandvoort. but it was postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. Several environmental groups litigated against the racing event to be held in the natural dunes, but were unable to stop it. In 2021, the company was criticized for having asked musicians including the band Chef'Special to perform at the Grand Prix without direct financial compensation.

Marriage and family

While studying in Groningen, Bernhard met Annette Sekrève, (born 18 April 1972). The couple announced their engagement on 11 March 2000. They married in July 2000. The civil ceremony was performed on 6 July 2000 by the Mayor of Utrecht, Annie Brouwer-Korf, in the Spiegelzaal of the Paushuize in Utrecht. The marriage was blessed two days later, on 8 July 2000, by Dr Anne van der Meiden in the Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht. They have three children: Isabella Lily Juliana (born 2002), Samuel Bernhard Louis (born 2004), and Benjamin Pieter Floris (born 2008). According to a royal decree of 5 July 2000, the children were granted the family name van Vollenhoven, without titles. In January 2026, Bernhard and Annette announced that they were to divorce.

Upon the announcement of the planned abdication of Queen Beatrix, which took place on 30 April 2013, it was also restated that after the abdication, the children of Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven would no longer be eligible for the throne. They would also cease to be members of the Royal House. He is still a member of the extended royal family, but he rarely takes part in official duties.

Health Bernhard has been receiving treatment for Crohn's disease since 2002.

In 2013, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, for which he has been on the intensive care for a month. After his recovery, he created the foundation Lymph & Co, which has spent over 2 million euros on lymphoma research.

Ancestry