After 1830 Anna stayed in The Netherlands as crown princess, and focused on this role. During her time in Holland, she studied the Dutch language, history and culture, and founded more than fifty orphanages. Anna spoke French with her spouse, as French was the international language of the European aristocracy, but she was tutored in the Dutch language by Arie van der Spuij, and came to speak better Dutch than William. She considered it her duty to fullfil her public role as a royal woman and charity was a part of this role: she founded the ‘commissiën van weldadigheid’ ('charity comission') in Soest and Baarn, and the Koninklijke Winternaaischool Scheveningen, a school in needlework for poor women and girls, and gave financial contributions to the schools Anna Paulowna and Sophiaschool. During the Belgian revolution, she founded the hospital Willemshospitaal in The Hague for wounded soldiers, whom she visited. After the death of her mother-in-law in 1837, she took over the protection of the charity organization ‘moedergenootschappen’ ('mother foundations').