Same-sex marriages have been allowed in the Netherlands since 2001, but it has always been thought that this does not apply to the royal family, as it is assumed that there is an heir to the throne.
However, now Prime Minister Mark Rutte has explained that any king or queen can marry a person of the same sex, reports the BBC.
The heiress to the Dutch throne, Princess Amalia, turns 18 in December.
Rutte explained that these were “theoretical situations”, but the next queen could marry a woman, according to BNR.
“The Cabinet of Ministers does not believe that the heir to the throne or the king should abdicate if he or she wants to marry a partner of the same sex,” the prime minister said in response to a written question in parliament from his own Liberal Party.
The question arose after a book published in the summer hypothetically asked what would happen if the heir to the Dutch throne wanted to marry a member of the same sex.
The book does not speculate on the personal life of Princess Amalia, and there is no indication that the wedding is in the process of preparation, emphasizes the BBC.
However, the question remains as to what will happen if children appear in a same-sex marriage – adopted or born with the help of a donor. Will they be able to inherit the throne?
“It’s quite difficult.” According to the Dutch constitution, the successor of a king or queen can be a “legitimate descendant”.