Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday that Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia (17) can marry a person of whatever gender she chooses and she would not have to forfeit her right to the throne.

Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, 17, is the heir apparent to King Willem-Alexander.

PM Rutte was responding to questions from parliament that were after publishing of a recent book, “Amalia, Duty Calls”.

It argued that old laws would appear to exclude the possibility of a same-sex couple on the throne. However, same-sex marriage has been legal in the Netherlands since 2001.

“The government believes that the heir can also marry a person of the same sex,” Rutte wrote in his response to parliament.

“The cabinet therefore does not see that an heir to the throne or the King should abdicate if he/she would like to marry a partner of the same sex.”

Royal marriages do need the approval of parliament, however, and members of the royal house have on occasion given up their place in the line of succession, either to marry someone without permission or because they seemed unlikely to obtain it.

(With inputs from agencies)