Princess Margriet of the Netherlands

Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet Francisca of the Netherlands (born January 19, 1943), Princess of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld, is the third daughter of Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard, the former Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. As a daughter of the late Princess Juliana and a younger sister of the current monarch, Queen Beatrix, she is currently seventh in line to the Dutch throne.

Related Topics:
Netherlands - January 19 - 1943 - Orange-Nassau - Juliana of the Netherlands - Prince Bernhard - Queen Beatrix

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Princess was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where the family had been living since June 1940 after the German occupation of the Netherlands. The Ottawa Civic Hospital in which Princess Margriet was born was placed temporarily outside the jurisdiction of Canadian law so that she would have exclusively Dutch, and not dual, nationality. Since she is a descendant of King George II of Great Britain, and is therefore theoretically in line for the British throne, she became a British subject anyway after a 1957 court case filed by the Prince of Hanover (who was also a prince of the UK)decided that all persons in line for the British throne are British subjects. She was named after the marguerite, the flower worn during the war as a symbol of the resistance to Nazi Germany. (See also the book When Canada Was Home, the Story of Dutch Princess Margriet, by Albert VanderMey, Vanderheide.)

Related Topics:
Ottawa, Ontario - Canada - 1940 - German - Netherlands - Ottawa Civic Hospital - Nazi

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Insert non-formatted text here

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A commemorative ceramic plate ( by the American pottery firm of Lamberton & Scammel) was commissioned by the Netherlands Aid Society to celebrate the birth of the little royal princess.Its moving tribute reads ...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Oranje-Kindie,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zoo Vek van Huis,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

God Geve U Drie Geschenken:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Een Haantje Dat Holland's Victorie Kraajt,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Een Vaantje Dat Vrij Voor Oranje Waajt,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Twee Klompjes Om Te Staan Op Holland's Grond,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ars Ons Volk U Juichend Zijn Liefde Verkondt.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

God Geve Die Drie Geschenken!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(Loose translation - please correct)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Child of Oranje,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So Far from Home,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May God Give You Three Gifts:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A Cockerel that Crows of Holland's Victory

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A Flag that Waves Freely for Oranje

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two Clogs for You to Stand on Holland's Ground

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As One People We are Shouting with Joy and Love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May God Give You these Three gifts!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was not until August 1945, when the Netherlands had been liberated, that Princess Margriet first set foot on Dutch soil. Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard returned to Soestdijk Palace in Baarn, where the family had lived before the war.

Related Topics:
1945 - Soestdijk Palace - Baarn

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was while she was studying at Leiden University that Princess Margriet met her future husband, Pieter van Vollenhoven. Their engagement was announced on 10 March 1965, and they were married on 10 January 1967 in The Hague. It was decreed that any children of the marriage would be styled HH Prince/Princess van Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven, titles that would not be hereditary.

Related Topics:
Leiden University - Pieter van Vollenhoven - 10 March - 1965 - 10 January - 1967 - The Hague

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Princess and her husband took up residence in the right wing of Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn. In 1975 the family moved to their present home, Het Loo, which they had had built near the Palace.

Related Topics:
Het Loo Palace - Apeldoorn - 1975 - Het Loo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Margriet often represents Queen Beatrix at official or semi-official events. Some of these functions have taken her back to Canada, and to events organized by the Dutch merchant marine of which she is a patron.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~