Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 180

Last Iraqi Princess Badiya bint Ali has died at the age of 100

Iraqi Princess Badiya bint Ali has died at the age of 100. She passed away on 9 May 2020 in London.

Badiya was born in 1920 as the daughter of Ali of Hejaz (a state in the Hejaz region in the Middle East – modern-day western Saudi Arabia) and Nafissa Khanum. She was a niece of King Abdullah I of Jordan, King Faisal I of Iraq and Syria and Zeid, Crown Prince of Iraq. She was born in Damascus and spent her childhood Makkah Al-Mukarramah before moving to Iraq. Her brother Abdul Ilah served as regent for their first cousin King Faisal II of Iraq, and he was also Crown Prince of Iraq from 1943.

Badiya married Sharif Al-Hussain Bin Ali Bin Abdullah, and they had three children together.

Badiya was not present during the coup of 1958 during which her brother was killed, alongside most of the Iraqi Royal Family. This meant the end for the monarchy in Iraq. Badiya could hear the coup unfold and recalled in an interview with Al-Sharqiya TV in 2012, “I heard an explosion at around 6-6.30 a.m. and I jumped out of bed. I asked Hussein, ‘what was that?’ … I had a look at the Rihab Palace and saw smoke coming out of it.” She was informed by a member of staff of what had occurred. “I started crying and screaming, and when the kids’ English nanny asked me what was wrong, I said ‘They’ve killed my family.’”

Among those killed with the King were Princess Badiya’s brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, her sister Princess Abadiya and sister-in-law Princess Hiyam.

Badiya sought refuge in the Saudi embassy in Baghdad, which helped and her family to Egypt. She then moved to Switzerland before settling in the United Kingdom, where she lived until her death.

Badiya was the last surviving Iraqi Princess.

 

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Louise Auguste of Denmark – La Petite Struensee

On 7 July 1771, Queen Caroline Matilda of Denmark gave birth to a daughter at Hirschholm Palace. By her side was the baby’s father Johann Friedrich Struensee, the King’s royal physician. He was stroking her hair and holding her hand as a male accoucheur delivered their daughter. On 22 July, the day of Louise Auguste’s christening, Johann Friedrich Struensee and his friends Enevold Brandt were both ennobled as counts. Caroline Matilda’s husband was King Christian VII of Denmark, and he recognised the child as his own. Christian was mentally ill and under the influence of both Struensee and his Queen. The young Princess received the name Louise for her paternal grandmother and Auguste for her maternal grandmother. Rumours of her paternity were already circling, and in an attempt to counter them, Caroline Matilda asked her husband, her brother-in-law and her husband’s stepmother to stand as sponsors.

The following year, Struensee and Queen Caroline Mathilda were overthrown by Count Schack Carl Rantzau and the Dowager Queen Juliana Maria. Struensee and Brandt were arrested and shortly after, Caroline Mathilda was arrested, though she protested with the words, “I am the Queen; I will obey no orders except from the King’s own lips!” She was to go to Kronborg Castle, but she did not want to leave without her children. A compromise was made; the Crown Prince would remain, but she could take Louise Auguste as she was nursing her herself. She held her daughter tight throughout the journey. It was to be a harsh imprisonment, she was given the same food as the common prisoners, and it was a bitter winter. Kronborg Castle was by the sea and winds, and waves bashed against the walls. She had no proper clothes as she had hurriedly been brought there.

Although she denied a relationship with Struensee in an attempt to save him, when he confessed to it, so did she. On 28 April 1772, Struensee and Brandt were executed. Their right hands were cut off before they were beheaded. Little Louise Auguste lingered with her mother in Kronborg. Even though her mother had confessed to adultery, the court had declared her legitimate with all honour due to a King’s daughter. This was probably done to not enrage Caroline Matilda’s brother, King George III of the United Kingdom, further. Found guilty, the Queen was now dead by law. By May, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be sent to Celle, in Hanover. On the day of her departure, a lady from the court arrived to take Louise Auguste away from her. She held onto her for a long time before finally giving her up with the words, “Let me go away, for I now possess nothing here!” On 10 May 1775, Caroline Matilda died of scarlet fever at the Ducal Palace of Celle. She was still only 23 years old. Though the Danish court did go into mourning, it was not for its Queen but for a relation of the King; she was after all a first cousin to the King. Her children did remain in mourning for longer.

Louise Auguste would grow up with her elder brother Frederick, and they were very close throughout their life. He ruled as Crown Prince Regent from 1784 until their father’s death in 1808. He then succeeded as King Frederick VI. Her brother persuaded her to marry The Hereditary Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, who was 21 years old to her 14 years. This would unite the House of Oldenburg with the House of Augustenborg. They were married on 27 May 1786. Her brother would marry Marie of Hesse-Kassel four years later.

On 28 September 1796, Louise Auguste gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Caroline Amalie, who would eventually become Queen of Denmark as the wife of King Christian VIII. It had been nearly ten years since she had married and she reportedly underwent fertility treatments. A son named Christian August was born on 19 July 1798, followed by another son named Frederik Emil August on 23 August 1800. Louise Auguste and her husband could not have been more different. She was known to be outgoing and enjoyed being the centre of attention, while her husband was interested in philosophy and politics.

Over the years, Louise Auguste’s support for her brother made the relationship with her husband quite tense in relation to his political ambitions. Louise Auguste was widowed on 14 June 1814. She moved into the Augustenborg Castle where she set up her own court. She died there on 13 January 1843, having outlived her brother and having seen her daughter become Queen of Denmark. 1

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The Two Eleanors of Henry III by Darren Baker Book Review

Writing a book about medieval women is always a challenge, not in the least because of the lack of documentation. Many women have no recorded dates of births or deaths, and simply disappear from the pages of history written by men.

The two Eleanors of King Henry III of England are his wife Eleanor of Provence and his sister Eleanor of England. To me, it seemed a rather strange connection for a dual biography, and this feeling lasted throughout reading it. As the main subject of the book inevitably becomes the man these women have in common, I found the book more difficult to follow. Though you can tell that the book is meticulously researched and factual, it never quite seems to reach that sweet spot.

The Two Eleanors of Henry III by Darren Baker is available now in both the UK and the US.

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Queen Elizabeth II records her memories of VE-Day

Her Majesty The Queen has shared her memories of going outside on VE-Day, saying it was “one of the most memorable nights of my life.”

Listen to the clip below:

‘I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.’

The Queen was 19 years old on VE Day. More than thirty years later, she recorded her memories for a unique BBC Broadcast. #VEDay75 pic.twitter.com/jWf4bebj2e

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2020

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The Bonaparte Women: The daughters of Lucien Bonaparte

Lucien Bonaparte, a younger brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, was married twice and fathered a total of seven daughters (and seven sons). His first wife Christine Boyer died in 1800 of pulmonary disease. She was pregnant at the time, and the child died with her. He remarried to Alexandrine de Bleschamp in 1803.

Charlotte 

The Bonaparte Women: Charlotte Bonaparte Gabrielli

Victoire Gertrude

(born and died 9 July 1797)

Victoire Gertrude was the second daughter of Lucien Bonaparte and Christine Boyer. Though Victoire died the day of her birth, a bust was made of her with the inscription, “I shall see her again.” There is a painting where Christine is shown with the bust.

Christine Egypta

Christine Egypta was born on 18 October 1798, and she was nicknamed “Lili” in the family. She married on 28 March 1818 to Count Arvid Posse, but that marriage was annulled in 1823. During their marriage, they lived at Fogelvik. On 20 July 1824, she remarried to Lord Dudley Stuart, the youngest son of John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute. Their only son Paul Amadeus Francis Coutts Stuart died childless in 1889. Christine Egypta died on 19 May 1847 in Rome.

Letizia

Letizia was born on 1 December 1804 to Lucien’s second wife, Alexandrine. She married Sir Thomas Wyse on 4 March 1821. They had met during Thomas’ grand tour of Europe and had married in Italy before returning to his home in Waterford. They had at least two sons together: Napoleon Alfred Bonaparte-Wyse and William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse. They were poorly matched and separated in 1828, though they never officially divorced. Letizia moved to London after the separation, and she never saw her husband again. Her sons were raised by her husband’s brother and sister-in-law. Letizia threw herself into a lake in an apparent suicide and was rescued by Captain Studholme John Hodgson who became her lover. They went on to have three children Marie Bonaparte-Wyse, Adelina Bonaparte Wyse and Lucien Bonaparte-Wyse. Their children carried the last name Wyse because Letizia was still officially married.1

She died on 15 March 1871 in misery in an Augustinian convent in Paris.2

Jeanne

Jeanne was born on 22 July 1807. Unfortunately, very little is known about her. She married Marquis Honoré Honorati in  June 1825 and moved to Jesi in Italy. She died after falling ill after a carnival ball and died on 22 September 1829, at the age of just 22.

Marie Alexandrine

Marie Alexandrine was born on 10 October 1818. During her teenage years, she left home against her mother’s wishes. She married a count from Canino named Vincenzo Valentini on 29 July 1836. They went on to have two sons and two daughters together. Marie was known to be an author and a poet. She died on 20 August 1874 in Florence.

Constance

Constance was born on 30 January 1823 as the last child of Lucien and Alexandrine. She became a nun and Abbess of the Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome. She died on 5 September 1876.

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The Year of Queen Wilhelmina – Meeting Henry

“Only a German Prince will do.” – Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany in 1899

Emperor Wilhelm wasn’t the only who believed that only a German Prince would do for the young Queen Wilhelmina; her mother wanted it too. But while Emperor Wilhelm preferred Frederick William of Prussia, who also happened to be a quarter Dutch as the grandson of Princess Marianne of the Netherlands (daughter of King William I), Emma preferred the two youngest sons of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin – Adolf Frederick and Henry. Their sister-in-law Princess Elisabeth Sybille of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach – married to their elder brother Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg-Schwerin – was in contact with Queen Emma. In 1896, she and her husband were invited to The Loo Palace and Soestdijk Palace. The name’s of her husband’s half-brothers must have been mentioned during this time.

Wilhelmina had met both brothers for the first time in 1892 when she was just 12 years old. The meeting had happened at her aunt Sophie‘s golden wedding anniversary celebrations in Weimar but was unlikely to have made a lasting impression on the young Queen. A second meeting with Henry planned for 1898 had to be cancelled because Wilhelmina had been ill. It wasn’t until May 1900, another meeting was arranged.

From 8 May until 5 June, the two Queens were going to visit Schwarzburg, staying in the Weisser Hirsch hotel. Wilhelmina could take long walks without being seen, and she could also meet potential suitors. As Schwarzburg was also the home of Henry’s maternal family, and he happened to be visiting his grandmother, she met Henry first. In return, the two Queens also visited Schloss Schwarzburg and received an invitation for a walk and picnic from Henry’s unmarried aunt Thekla. Apparently, the picnic and walk were so much fun that Wilhelmina wondered, “if a walk hand in hand through life was to be recommended.”1

It should be noted that Henry’s brother Adolf never did show his face in Schwarzburg, but the Emperor’s candidate Frederick William did show his face. Wilhelmina thought he had a baby-face (they were actually only a few weeks apart in age) and quickly vetoed him. This left only Henry. Wilhelmina later wrote in her memoirs, “When he had left, a few days later, we had dinner with Grandmother Schwarzburg. I missed him very much, although it was a pleasant evening.”2

Henry was silent for a long time after the trip to Schwarzburg and did not contact Wilhelmina again until October. They were then engaged on 12 October 1900 with Wilhelmina writing to her former governess, “Oh Darling, you cannot even faintly imagine how franticly happy I am and how much joy, and sunshine has come upon my path.”3

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How King Charles II’s line made it back into the Royal Family

The merry monarch King Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland, famously fathered many children. However, his Queen Catherine of Braganza suffered three miscarriages, and they had no surviving legitimate issue. So how did King Charles II’s line make it back into the British Royal Family?

Coincidentally, both of the Prince of Wales’s two wives were descendants of King Charles II through an illegitimate line.

The Duchess of Cornwall is a descendant of King Charles II through the youngest of his seven illegitimate sons, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond. The line goes as follows:

King Charles II
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Lady Anne Lennox
George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle
George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle
William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle
Lieutenant-Colonel George Keppel
Sonia Keppel
The Hon. Rosalind Cubitt
The Duchess of Cornwall

In addition, the Prince of Wales’s first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, was also descended from King Charles II twice over and coincidentally also from his brother King James II. The lines go as follows:

King Charles II
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton
Lady Isabella FitzRoy
Lord Hugh Seymour
Colonel Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour
Adelaide Seymour
Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer
Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer
John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales

 

King Charles II
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Lady Anne Lennox
Lady Elizabeth Keppel
John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford
Lady Louisa Jane Russell
James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn
Lady Cynthia Hamilton
John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales

Although King James II had several surviving legitimate children, including Queens Mary II and Anne, his legitimate line has died out. Through an illegitimate line, Diana is also a descendant of his.

King James II
Henrietta FitzJames
James Waldegrave, 1st Earl Waldegrave
James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave
Lady Anne Horatia Waldegrave
Colonel Sir Horace Beauchamp Seymour
Adelaide Seymour
Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer
Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer
John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales

When The Duke of Cambridge eventually becomes King, a descendant of King Charles II and King James II will, at last, sit upon the throne.

Sarah, Duchess of York, also brought the line of King Charles II back into the royal family via three of his illegitimate children: Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, and Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex. The lines go as follows:

King Charles II
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Lady Anne Lennox
Lady Elizabeth Keppel
John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford
Lady Louisa Jane Russell
Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch
Lord Herbert Montagu Douglas Scott
Marian Montagu Douglas Scott
Ronald Ferguson
Sarah, Duchess of York

 

King Charles II
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith
Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch
Francis Scott, Earl of Dalkeith
Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch
Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch
Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch
William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch
Lord Herbert Montagu Douglas Scott
Marian Montagu Douglas Scott
Ronald Ferguson
Sarah, Duchess of York

The line of Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex, is disputed as she was recognised by several men.

King Charles II
Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex
Anne Lennard, 16th Baroness Dacre
Gertrude Brand, 19th Baroness Dacre
Henry Trevor, 21st Baron Dacre
Henry Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden
Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden
Margaret Brand
Andrew Henry Ferguson
Ronald Ferguson
Sarah, Duchess of York

King Charles II’s line also crept back into through the sideline of the Dukes of Gloucester. Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, born Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, was a descendant of King Charles’ eldest illegitimate son, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. Her son is the current Duke of Gloucester. The line goes as follows:

King Charles II
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
James Scott, Earl of Dalkeith
Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch
Francis Scott, Earl of Dalkeith
Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch
Charles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch
Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch
William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch
John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

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The Year of Queen Wilhelmina – Juliana: The twilight years (Part five)

Read part four here. 

The day before her official abdication, Juliana looked back on her reign with the words, “Life is beautiful but hard.”1 The following day, Juliana signed her abdication and her daughter became Queen Beatrix. Like her mother before her, Juliana returned to using the style and title of Her Royal Highness Princess Juliana. They went onto the balcony where Juliana spoke the words, “Just now, I have resigned the government. I present to you Beatrix your new Queen.” But it had not been such a happy occasion as before, with riots and smoke bombs making it nearly impossible for the speeches to be heard. Republicanism was on the rise. The new Queen’s first official visit was with the victims of the riots in the hospital the following day.

Juliana remained in the public eye for at least ten years after her abdication, and she kept up with the news. Her focus remained on social work, and she continued to visit institutes for the disabled and the like. She was present for the anniversary of the El Al disaster in Amsterdam in 1992 and in 1995, she attended the celebration for the 50th anniversary of the liberation.

Between 1987 and 1997, Juliana’s memory began to fail, much to Bernhard’s annoyance. He was often rude and impatient, leading to Juliana bursting out in tears. A friend of Juliana later said, “He was insulting and disparaging and fed her feelings of inferiority.[…] If she made a mistake or forgot something, he gave you a look like: see how forgetful she is. Like he was collecting evidence against her.”2 Yet, he remained the love of her life, and she still wished to be reconciled with him.

In 1998, Juliana broke her hip during a trip to the Keukenhof, and although she physically recovered well, her mental state took a hit as well. In 1999, she announced that she would no longer be appearing in public. She was continually nursed throughout her last years. Her memory failed her even more, and she was soon unable to recognise anyone, and she was often angry and confused. Bernhard refused to see his wife.

In March 2004, Juliana fell ill with pneumonia and her daughters rushed to be with her. At Irene’s insistence, Bernhard also came to see his wife. Christina, who was living in New York at the time, arrived too late. On 20 March 2004, Juliana passed away “peacefully.”

Juliana’s funeral took place on 30 March 2004. Her body was brought from Noordeinde Palace to the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. Her daughters dressed in white while female guests were requested to wear a white accent. Her musical daughter Christina sang, “It’s a gift to be simple.”

Nine months after Juliana’s death, her husband Bernhard also passed away.

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Dutch king says great-grandmother failed country’s Jews during the Second World War

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands publically acknowledged that his great-grandmother Queen Wilhelmina failed to protect the country’s Jewish population during the Second World War.

The Dutch King made his remarks during a historic speech at the ceremony of the Remembrance of Dead in Amsterdam yesterday. The Remembrance, usually held with a large crowd, took place in an almost empty Dam Square in Amsterdam at the National Monument. This was due to the Coronavirus crisis. It was also the first time a reigning monarch spoke during the ceremony. The speech came after the annual two minutes of silence, which commemorates all the war victims since the start of the Second World War.

During his speech, he said, “Fellow human beings felt abandoned, insufficiently heard, insufficiently supported, even with words. Also, from London by my great-grandmother, despite her steadfast resistance. It’s something that won’t let go of me.”

Queen Wilhelmina escaped during the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940 and managed her government in exile from London. She spoke on the radio 48 times over the years, though she only mentioned the persecution of Jews three times, leaving many wondering if she was indifferent to their plight. Around 75% of the Dutch Jews were killed during the war.

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The Year of Queen Wilhelmina – Juliana: Mother & Queen (Part four)

Read part three here.

Juliana had been dreading wearing the crown, and she thought it a huge sacrifice. Her first act as Queen was to present her mother with the Military William Order, the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for her actions during the Second World War. On 27 December 1949, Juliana signed the papers that recognised Indonesian sovereignty over the former Dutch colony.

(public domain)

The illness of her youngest daughter Christina and the arrival of the faith healer Greet Hofmans affected her already strained relationship with her husband. Greet first came to Soestdijk Palace in 1948, around the time Juliana became Queen after her mother’s abdication. Greet immediately promised not only to heal the poorly functioning right eye of Princess Christina but also the “dead” left eye. Her confidence won over Queen Juliana who would have done anything for her daughter. As Greet Hofmans’ influence at court grew, she became close friends with Queen Juliana, and soon their circle was expanding. Prince Bernhard soon realised that he had made a grave mistake in bringing Greet to Soestdijk. He told her that she could not stay the night any more, and it earned him the ire of his wife.

Soon there were calls to have her removed entirely from the court, but Juliana was deaf to the concerns. Juliana began to hold conferences in the Old Loo Palace, where pacifism and renunciation of the established religions were the main themes. Eleanor Roosevelt – who had been dragged along as a guest to the second conference – referred to them as a bunch of “fanatics.” The situation was becoming worrying, and it was feared that Greet influenced Juliana in the political sense.

It wasn’t until 1956 that the whole situation exploded in the press. Prince Bernhard had seen his marriage go to the edge of the cliff and was even told to go live with his mother by Juliana. They were headed for a divorce – which was unthinkable. It was Prince Bernhard who fought back via Der Spiegel magazine with inside information. He was only leaving Soestdijk Palace “feet first.” A commission was founded to investigate the matter, and they concluded that Greet needed to leave the court.

Juliana was reluctant to let her friend go, and it appeared she was unwilling to follow the conclusions made by the commission. Nevertheless, Greet visited the court for the last time at the end of August. In her Christmas Speech of 1956, Juliana briefly touched on the situation that had affected her so much, saying, “Why do some people attack others through devious means and with untrue claims?”

Juliana never saw Greet again, and her circle of like-minded friends slowly disappeared from the court. Christina would have a relatively normal life after receiving conventional medical care and thick glasses. Prince Bernhard would go on to father at least two illegitimate daughters; Alicia Hala de Bielefeld (born 21 June 1952) and Alexia Grinda-Lejeune (born 10 July 1967). This was only officially confirmed after Bernhard’s death.

Juliana’s shining moment came after the North Sea flood of 1953 where she could be the kind of Queen she wanted to be – no protocol and directly involved with the public. During the following months, Juliana spent a lot of time in the area and the shelters. On 31 January 1956, Juliana’s heir Beatrix celebrated her 18th birthday. While Juliana preferred to be addressed as “Ma’am” instead of Your Majesty, Beatrix was known to be more formal.

The year 1957 was a new beginning for Queen Juliana. She continued to visit the areas affected by the North Sea Flood, and she became more involved with visiting hospitals and youth homes. She also became the royal patron of two institutes for the blind. She wanted to be known as a socially involved Queen. She remained intensely religious, and although she no longer held the conferences, she still had some obscure ideas.

CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

In 1962, Juliana and Bernhard celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They spent the day itself in Lech in Austria, but Juliana was recalled home the following after a railway disaster that would cost 93 lives and remains the worst railway accident in the history of the Netherlands That same year, Juliana was hit by a great personal loss. Her mother Wilhelmina died on 28 November, and like her father Henry, Wilhelmina had requested a funeral in white. She was interred in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. She and Juliana had remained in close contact after the abdication, but Wilhelmina had withdrawn to a small flat intended for staff at the Loo Palace, where she died. There was a single floral arrangement on her casket with the words, “From the resistance.” There was also a flag, her Military William Order and a bible. Her funeral was the first to be broadcast on the TV.

Juliana was now also the mother of four women of marriageable age. Her second daughter Irene was the first to find a husband, but he was the Catholic Carlist pretender to the throne of Spain, Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma, which would cause quite the crisis. After long deliberation, Irene gave up her rights to the throne to marry him and would settle abroad with him. In 1966, the heir to the throne married German diplomat Claus von Amsberg. Although he would eventually become immensely popular in the Netherlands, his reception was cold. He had been a member of the Hitlerjugend and the Wehrmacht as a 17-year-old. Their loving engagement interview won over the hearts of many, but their wedding day still saw violent protests. In 1967, Princess Margriet married Pieter van Vollenhoven while Princess Christina married Jorge Pérez y Guillermo in 1975. Together, they would produce a total of 14 grandchildren for Juliana and Bernhard. The future King Willem-Alexander was born in 1967.

Juliana – who may have dreaded becoming Queen – had grown into her role and was perhaps even enjoying it. She loved to visit the people and also began to do more state visits. A servant later recalled, “If you recognise shortcomings in yourself, you’ll accept them in others as well. Juliana had an eye for human weakness. She was a warm and natural woman for whom the rules didn’t count, only the soul. She lovingly accepted people who did not fit the norm of perfection and what is right and normal.”1

On 31 January 1980, Juliana announced that she intended to abdicate on 30 April in favour of Beatrix.

Part five coming soon.

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