When one thinks of Prince Bernhard of Orange, one quickly thinks of his role in Amsterdam’s real estate market or his involvement with the Zandvoort racetrack.
But he had already parted ways with one of his most striking private properties in the capital: a nineteenth-century city villa on Weteringschans, right on the waterfront.
In 2011, the son of Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven purchased the 1882 property for €2,579,100. Twelve years later, in October 2023, the villa changed hands for €6.9 million.
On the waterfront on Weteringschans: the historic city villa
Anyone looking at the family tree of Prince Bernhard of Orange will immediately see his royal roots as the grandson of Queen Juliana. Yet, even at a young age, he chose not to pursue a public role at court, but rather to become an entrepreneur.
In 2005, he co-founded the real estate company Pinnacle with partners and became a familiar face in Amsterdam’s real estate world. In addition, he became a co-owner of the Zandvoort racetrack in 2016, playing a key role in bringing Formula 1 back to the Netherlands.
His most eye-catching private property in the capital, however, was located on Weteringschans. According to data from Bekende Buren and Pure Luxe, Bernhard purchased the 1882 property in 2011 for €2,579,100, with a mortgage of €2.5 million.
The city villa remained in his possession for twelve years. In July 2023, the property was put back on the market, and in October of that same year, the sale was finalized for €6.9 million, giving the nineteenth-century building a new owner once again after more than a decade.
Five stories, a private sauna, and a dock: how the villa is laid out
The historic city villa, built in 1882, has a living area of 431 m², spread over five floors. In total, the property has twelve rooms, including eight bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The heart of the home is the living area, featuring a spacious kitchen and an adjoining sunroom. In addition to all the built-in appliances, this space also includes a cooking and sink island and a private bar area.
At the very top is a loft floor that has been converted into a fitness room, complete with a sauna. Down in the basement, there’s space for a home office or lounge area.
The outdoor space is also remarkably spacious for the heart of Amsterdam: the property sits on a 468 m² lot. Behind the house lies a sunny garden of approximately 320 m², while a private dock for a boat awaits along the waterfront.
Nearly €16,000 per m²: from millions in profit to a new direction in AI
With a sale price of €6.9 million for 431 m², the city villa works out to nearly €16,000 per square meter. Based on the original mortgage of €2.5 million from 2011, that yielded an estimated profit of nearly €4.5 million, though any renovation costs are not included in that figure.
The sale on Weteringschans turned out to be a precursor to a bigger move. According to NH Nieuws, Prince Bernhard is now divesting himself of all his real estate and business interests, which he is transferring to business partners Menno de Jong and Coen Groeneveld.
He is also divesting his other business interests, including the Zandvoort racetrack, to focus entirely on new companies in the field of artificial intelligence.
