Princess Annemarie of Bourbon-Parma, Duchess of Parma and Piacenza (née Gualthérie van Weezel; born 18 December 1977) is a Dutch consultant, former journalist, and a member of the House of Bourbon-Parma and the Dutch Royal Family. She is the wife of
Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma
Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma, Duke of Parma and Piacenzapretender to the defunct throne of the extinct
Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma and Piacenza ( it, Ducato di Parma e Piacenza, la, Ducatus Parmae et Placentiae), was an Italian state created in 1545 and located in northern Italy, in the current region of Emilia-Romagna.
Originally a realm of the Farnese ...
and the Carlist claimant to the Spanish throne. As such, Annemarie is considered Queen Annemarie of Spain by Carlists. She is the Countess of Molina in her own right, having been bestowed with the title by her father-in-law,
Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma
Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma and Piacenza (8 April 1930 – 18 August 2010) was the head of the House of Bourbon-Parma from 1977 until his death. Carlos Hugo was the Carlist pretender to the throne of Spain and sought to change the political directi ...
Her Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''.
When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it takes ...
'' Princess Annemarie de Bourbon de Parme in the Netherlands as a member of the extended royal family.
Annemarie worked as a television journalist, specializing in European politics, for the Dutch station '' NOS Journaal''. In 2011, she authored the book ''De smaak van macht'', which focused on the lives of five former Dutch prime ministers. In 2019, Annemarie left journalism and became the first woman to make partner at the consulting firm Ward Howell International.
Early life and family
Annemarie was born on 18 December 1977 in The Hague to
Hans Gualthérie van Weezel
Johan Stephan Leonard "Hans" Gualthérie van Weezel (born 26 July 1941) is a Dutch former diplomat and politician. He worked as a diplomat for the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs between 1970 and 1977. Subsequently he served in the House of Re ...
and Gerarda Gezina Jolande "Ank" de Visser. Her father is
Christian Democratic
Christian democracy (sometimes named Centrist democracy) is a political ideology that emerged in 19th-century Europe under the influence of Catholic social teaching and neo-Calvinism.
It was conceived as a combination of modern democratic ...
European Council
The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union. It is composed of the heads of state or government of the EU member states, the President of the E ...
, and as the Dutch Ambassador to Luxembourg. She is the granddaughter of John Gualthérie de Weezel, who was the head of The Hague police and a member of the Dutch Resistance during World War II. Through her great-grandmother, Cecilia Louise Boissevain, she is a descendent of the patrician
Boissevain family
Boissevain is the name of a Dutch patrician family of Huguenot origin.
History
The family originates from the Dordogne in France.
Lucas Bouyssavy (1660–1705) appears to have been the founder of today's Boissevain family.
Annemarie attended Gymnasium Haganum from 1990 to 1992, before transferring to the Lycée international des Pontonniers in
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
, obtaining a French baccalaureate in 1995. She studied corporate communication at James Madison University in the United States from 1995 to 1996 before completing law school at Utrecht University in 2002. She also completed a master's degree in media studies at the University of Groningen in 2003 and studied law at the Sydney Law School and Chinese business law at East China University of Political Science and Law.
After completing her studies, she worked as a parliamentary journalist in The Hague and in Brussels for '' NOS Journaal''. She specialized in European politics and authored a book about five former Prime Ministers of the Netherlands in 2011 titled ''De smaak van macht''. In her book, she interviewed Piet de Jong, Dries van Agt, Ruud Lubbers, Wim Kok, and Jan Peter Balkenende about their time in office.
In June 2019, Annemarie left her job as a journalist and began working as a recruiter for the consulting firm Ward Howell International in Amsterdam in October 2019. She became the first woman partner at Ward Howell International in 2019. She advises companies on diversity and inclusion, as well as female leadership. Annemarie is a member of the Leading Executives Advancing Diversity Network.
Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma
Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma and Piacenza (8 April 1930 – 18 August 2010) was the head of the House of Bourbon-Parma from 1977 until his death. Carlos Hugo was the Carlist pretender to the throne of Spain and sought to change the political directi ...
La Cambre Abbey
La Cambre Abbey (french: Abbaye de La Cambre, ) or Ter Kameren Abbey ( nl, Abdij Ter Kameren) is a former Cistercian abbey in the City of Brussels, Belgium. It is located in the Maelbeek valley between the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos an ...
on 28 August 2010, but was postponed due to the illness of the prince's father. In a final announcement about his deteriorating health, the Duke of Parma conferred Carlos as the next Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma and bestowed Annemarie with the title ''Contessa di Molina'' (Countess of Molina). The couple married in a Catholic ceremony at La Cambre Abbey on 20 November 2010. The wedding was attended by Máxima, Princess of Orange, Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, Queen Beatrix, Prince Jean of Luxembourg, and Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza. According to a 1996 decree issued by Queen Beatrix, Annemarie and her husband are part of the
Dutch nobility
The Dutch nobility is a small elite social class constisting of individuals or families recognized as noble, and with or without a title of nobility in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The existence of nobility was established in the Constituti ...
and are entitled to the princely Bourbon-Parme title with the style '' Royal Highness'' in The Netherlands as members of the extended royal family.
Anne Marie and Carlos have three children:
* Princess Luisa Irene Constance Anna Maria of Bourbon-Parma, Marchioness of Castell'Arquato ( Dutch: Prinses Luisa Irene de Bourbon de Parme; born 9 May 2012, The Hague).
* Princess Cecilia Maria Johanna Beatrix of Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Berceto ( Dutch: Prinses Cecilia Maria de Bourbon de Parme; born 17 October 2013, The Hague).
* Prince Carlos Enrique Leonard of Bourbon-Parma, Hereditary Prince of Parma and Piacenza, Prince of Piacenza ( Dutch: Prins Carlos Enrique de Bourbon de Parme; born 24 April 2016, The Hague).
Annemarie
Annemarie (or Annamarie, Annmarie) is a Danish, Dutch and German feminine given name. It is merging of the names Anne and Marie.
Notable people named Annemarie
* Annemarie Biechl (born 1949), German politician
* Annemarie Bischofberger (born 1960 ...