Study finds Dutch royals backed colonialism, benefited from it

A historical study commissioned by King Willem-Alexander concludes that the Dutch royal House of Orange-Nassau supported colonialism and shared responsibility for sustaining slavery and the slave trade, while rarely directing colonial policy itself. Researchers said the family’s involvement helped legitimize the colonial system over centuries. The study examined the period from 1600 to the present and was conducted by Dutch historians and human rights experts. Its findings describe royal support for colonial rule and slavery, but say the family generally had limited influence over policy decisions. The study also found that the royal family benefited financially from colonialism, particularly through trade connected to the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. Reports of the findings give different estimates of those gains, ranging from about €500 million to €650 million in modern terms. Another account gives a figure of 576 million without specifying the currency. The available accounts do not reconcile the differing totals or explain fully what income each estimate includes. Researchers said the family earned little or almost nothing directly from the slave trade.