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.

Early life

Bernhard was born Count Bernhard Leopold Friedrich Eberhard Julius Kurt Karl Gottfried Peter zur Lippe-Biesterfeld in Jena, Germany, the elder son of Prince Bernhard zur Lippe (younger brother of the reigning Prince of Lippe) and Baroness Armgard von Sierstorpff-Cramm. Because the marriage of his parents did not conform with the marriage laws of the House of Lippe, Bernhard was only born with the title of "count". In 1911 the Reigning Prince of Lippe Leopold IV, gave Bernhard the title of "Prince zur Lippe-Biesterfeld".

Related Topics:
Count - Jena - Germany - Prince - Bernhard zur Lippe - Lippe - Baroness - Armgard von Sierstorpff-Cramm - 1911

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After World War I, Bernhard's father lost his German principality and the revenue that came with it. Bernhard spent his early years at Reckenwalde, the family's new estate in East Prussia (now Woynovo in Poland ), near the city of Züllichau (Sulechow). He received his early education at home. When he was twelve, he was sent to board at the gymnasium in Züllichau and several years later to board at a gymnasium in Berlin, from where he graduated in 1929.

Related Topics:
World War I - German - Principality - Revenue - Estate - East Prussia - Woynovo - Poland - Sulechow - Board - Gymnasium - Berlin - Graduated - 1929

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Bernhard then studied law at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and in Berlin, where he acquired a taste for fast cars, horse riding, and big-game hunting safaris. He was reckless and was nearly killed in a boating accident and an airplane crash, and he suffered a broken neck and crushed ribs in a 160 km/h (100 mi/h) car crash.

Related Topics:
Law - University of Lausanne - Switzerland - Berlin - Car - Horse riding - Hunting - Safari - Boat - Airplane - Km/h - Mi/h - Car crash

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