A palace fit for a princess
Where will Alexia live?
Door Saskia Jonker
By Saskia Jonker
Saskia Jonker
Eindredacteur. Is in haar vrije tijd op een missie om alle restaurants in Stad uit te proberen.Cheerleaders van de wetenschap Copy editor. In her free time she is on a mission to try out all the restaurants in the city.Cheerleaders van de wetenschap
Kamerlingheplein 1
asking price: € 1,299,000
This national monument is 370 square metres and located behind the Nieuwe Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat, a stone’s throw away from the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences. We figure Alexia might want to study psychology, but the faculties where previous royal offspring have studied history or law are also close by. If it turns out she’s more interested in economy or biology, Zernike is a short bike ride away. In other words, an ideal location.
The giant property, which used to house a secondary school, has no fewer than six floors. That means security can have their own floor and if Ariane decides to come to Groningen in a few years, she can move in with her sister. The princess won’t even have to go to IKEA, since all the furniture, including massage chairs, and the artwork, come with the house. But the luxury doesn’t stop there: there is also a covered rooftop terrace with a great view, a jacuzzi, and a sauna, as well as three parking spaces outside. The property also boasts a basement with a second bathroom. We’d move in in a heartbeat.
Radesingel 17
€ 1,295,000
The Radesingel is already home to several student houses, so it can handle another one. With Alexia being the most stylish of the three royal sisters, she’d probably appreciate the tasteful décor: modern, with original elements preserved. A lovely detail sure to please the princess: the faucets in the bathroom are gold – well, brass, but it looks like gold – and the kitchen boasts a wine fridge.
The house is 304 square metres and has two kitchens and three bathrooms, which means there is space for roommates; even royal students still need the quintessential student life experience. The south-facing, water-adjacent backyard, however, needs a little work, since you can walk into it from both neighbouring properties, which princesses working on their tan probably don’t want.
Herestraat 88
€ 1,975,000
Casually tucked away between the drab storefronts of an employment agency and a budget clothing store, this property at the Herestraat hides a roomy 458 square metres behind its front door. The oldest part dates back to the fifteenth century and it supposedly housed the mayor in the eighteenth century, so it’s possible one of Alexia’s ancestors actually set foot here. That should draw her in, don’t you think?
Should she decide to move in here, she’ll probably feel just as at home as she does in the royal palace: there are marble floors, adornments on the walls and ceilings, stately staircases, and even a sixteenth century sink in the kitchen. The hidden and walled garden affords a lot of privacy for someone who’s always being watched, and should she want to live up to her father’s name of Prins Pils, the Albert Heijn is around the corner at the Zuiderdiep.
Nieuwe Kijk in ’t Jatstraat 65
€ 450,000
This one’s kind of a fixer-upper, so who knows if the princess will be able to move in by September. Then again, the modest façade means no one would ever guess a royal lives in the building, which is a bonus for Alexia. Another advantage is that a princess moving into such a shabby and affordable house would go over well with the public. It might just silence republicans for another few years.
This property from the sixties comprises some authentic details, such as a strikingly green kitchen. At 193 square metres, it consists of two separate apartments, one on the ground floor and one of the first. That means there is plenty of space for security and/or Ariane. There is also a safe and walled garden, and although it currently still looks like a prison yard, we’re sure daddy’s royal gardeners can fix it up. The property has been sold subject to agreement, so perhaps the royals have already snatched it up.
Noorderstationsstraat 45
€ 545,000
In 1989, Alexia’s uncles Maurits and Bernhard moved into a property down the street, at number 78. That one isn’t on the market currently – potentially because it still belongs to the royal family, who knows – but this residence at number 45 is pretty good, too. It’s close to the city centre and the Noorderplantsoen, and if the princess needs to go home to do her laundry, the royal train can pick her up at the Noorderstation.
At 198 square metres and no fewer than six bedrooms, there’s plenty of room for Alexia’s study buddies, allowing her to experience the true student lifestyle. There’s also a lovely garden, so Alexia can throw all the barbecues she wants. While the realtor recommends renovating the property, we don’t think that will be necessary: the royal blue carpets in the bedrooms look soft enough.
