Queen Wilhelmina
Queen Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria of Orange Nassau, was born in 's-Gravenhage on the 31sy of Augustus 1880, as only child of the second marriage of king William III with Emma van Waldeck-Pyrmont. She was raised in isolation, She characterised life at the court in her memoirs as "the cage".
Queen Wilhelmina became heir to the throne by the death of her half-brother Alexander (21st June 1884). She became queen with the death of her father, on the 23rd of November 1890. She was however not yet 18 years of age and therefore her mother was appointed as queen-regent. Queen Wilhelmina was crowned on the 6th of September 1898 in the New Church in Amsterdam. On the 7th of February she married duke Hendrick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. This after some political negotiations. There was a scare that a marriage to a prince of to high nobility could jeopardise the Dutch neutrality. The German Emperor regretted the fact that his sons were not of marriageable age, since a marriage of such almost dynastical history would have confirmed the bonds between Germany and the Netherlands. Queen Wilhelmina's eye fell (after being directed by her mother) however on Hendrick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who was of lesser nobility. From this marriage their only child, Juliana, was born on the 30th of April 1909. Prince Hendrick was mainly interested in hunting and women. He even fathered a child outside the marriage. Chief of Police Van 't Sant tried to cover up the scandals caused by Hendrick, with bribes if he had to.
Queen Wilhelmina strongly believed in a unity between God, Country and Orange. William of Orange and king William I were her role models. During the first world war she fanatically supported the Dutch neutrality. During the 1920's when the governments economised severely on defence she considered resignation several times. It is hard to determine her what her exact influence on politics was, however it is clear that she was far from accommodating. Often she clearly took stands, even in politically sensitive cases. She was fiercely against the English during the Boer-war and send over a Dutch naval vessel to transport the Transvaal President Paul Kruger to Europe. She also resisted against the restoration of diplomatic-relations with the Vatican which were broken off in 1925. By categorically refusing to agree she succeeded in influencing the government, herewith approaching the boundaries of her constitutional powers.
Ever since the start of the rise of Adolf Hitler, in Germany, Queen Wilhelmina was convinced that a second world war was unavoidable and that this time the Netherlands would not be able to remain neutral. Due to a total lack of confidence in the Staff of the Dutch army, she replaced in 1940the head of the General-Staff Reynders by general Winkelman. When the Germans invade later that year she fled to England where she started a government in exile. In London Queen Wilhelmina became symbol of the Dutch resistance. She morally supported the people of the Netherlands by radio-speeches.
During her exile the queen gained more influence and political power. Indignated by the defeatist attitude of minister-president De Geer, she pushed for his resignation. He was succeeded by Gerbrandy. She rather would have had a new government but Gerbrandy would not let it come that far. Queen Wilhelmina hoped on a new organisation of rule after the war, without any of the existing political parties and a major role for the crown and the leaders of the resistance.
However when she returned, after the end of the war in 1945, the old political powers are mostly restored. This was a major disappointment for Wilhelmina. "I am leaving" she announced in may 1948 to minster-president Beel. The tired queen wanted to avoid a 50-year rule aniversary. Beel and Drees do however not want to cooperate in a swift succession.. A transition period is created in which Juliana performed her tasks and Queen Wilhelmina could rest until her birthday, followed shortly by her abdication. This abdication took place on the 4th of September 1948, and Queen Wilhelmina was succeeded by her only daughter, queen Juliana. The following years she resided in palace 't Loo. her last public act was during the floods of 1953, when she had herself immediately brought over to the area. Queen Wilhelmina died on the 28th of November 1962. Acording to her own wishes she was brought over in a white horse and carriage to rhe royal tomb in Delft.