Crown Princess A Victim in Vile Deepfake Attack

Princess Catharina-Amalia, the 21-year-old heir to the Dutch throne, has been the victim of a sophisticated 'deepfake' pornographic attack, an incident that has triggered a joint investigation by Dutch authorities and the FBI. The manipulated videos, which featured the Princess, were created using artificial intelligence to superimpose her face onto the bodies of others. These videos were circulated on a variety of digital platforms, including a site called MrDeepFakes, which has since been shut down. The site also featured deepfakes of over 70 other Dutch women.

This incident is the latest in a series of challenges the Princess has faced. In 2022, she was reportedly the target of a similar deepfake attack. Her personal safety has also been a concern. Following threats from organized crime gangs, Princess Amalia was forced to live and study in Spain for over a year, missing out on a typical student life. Her father, King Willem-Alexander, and mother, Queen Maxima, have both spoken publicly about the emotional toll these security threats have had on the family.

The Princess, who is fluent in Spanish due to her mother's Argentine heritage, recently completed her studies in Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics at Amsterdam University. Her recent academic work focused on the very issue she now faces, with her thesis exploring the legal and ethical implications of deepfake technology. The royal family also recently announced she will be studying Dutch Law at the same university next year.

In addition to these threats, Princess Amalia has also been a frequent target of body-shaming on social media and in the press. In 2020, Portuguese magazine Cara was forced to issue an apology after labeling the then 16-year-old Princess "plus-sized." Despite these personal attacks, the Princess has continued to engage in public life, recently attending a military ceremony with her father after a horse-riding accident left her with a broken arm. These incidents have not only highlighted the threats posed by modern technology but also the unique and difficult life faced by those in the public eye.

In the Netherlands, creating such content is a serious crime, and law enforcement continues to investigate in an attempt to bring the creators to justice.