Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands

Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (June 29, 1911 – December 1, 2004) was Prince Consort to the late Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and father of the current monarch, Queen Beatrix.

Death

Prince Bernhard died of cancer at the age of 93 in an Utrecht hospital (the Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht - University of Utrecht Medical Centre) on 1 December, 2004; until his death he suffered from malignant lung and intestinal tumours. On December 11 he was interred at the Nieuwe Kerk, Delft. Bernhard's funeral was different form those of Claus and Juliana in the manner that Bernhard's coffin was transported on the undercarriage of a cannon instead of in the traditional carriage used when the coffins of Claus and Juliana were transported to Delft. Together with the playing of many military marches and the forming of guards of honour by Second World War veterans this gave the funeral procession a military character as the late prince, who was regarded as a Second World War veteran himself, had wished. As a final tribute to his former military role in the Netherlands Air Force 3 modern F-16 and a World War II Spitfire performed a low fly-by during the funeral in a classic Missing man formation.

Related Topics:
Cancer - Utrecht - University of Utrecht - 1 December - 2004 - Lung - Intestinal - Tumour - December 11 - Nieuwe Kerk - Delft - Claus - Juliana - Cannon - Second World War - Veteran - Missing man formation

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