Prince Claus (1926-2002)

[Marengo]

I don´t think we have a thread here dedicated to Prince Claus, the late husband of Queen Beatrix, so I created one.

Today I heard on Radio 4 that the Sahel opera that Prince Claus was so passionate about, was performed in Paris and they made a recording of it. It will probably be for sale in a few months.

[Marengo]

Author Ton Biesemaat has received a letter from the RVD in which it was stated that prince Claus was not gay. Last week Mr. Biesemaat has been writing on several internetsites that prince Claus was gay. He based his assumptions on the fact that the former lawyer of the RF, Mr. Salomonson, was gay.

Ton Biesemaat is known to be a bit generous with the truth, previously he was involved with Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn (which ended in a big fight between the two) and he made claims about prince Bernhards so called stadholder-letter in WWII, in which Bernhard offered the Nazi's to act as a stadholder in the Netherlands. Again, no evidence whatsoever.

The short letter to Biesemaat said that the prince was not gay and that the RF was displeased with Biesemaats comments.

Source: zijonline, look here.

[Next Star]

I heard that Prince Claus was not like before he married the queen when she was the crown princess being he was German.But as the years went by the people began to like the prince and he became loved by the Dutch people.

[Vanesa]

Yes. I've heard exactly the same than you. And I think he was a wonderful man and that his marriage to Queen Beatrix was happy in a whole.

Of course, he had his defaults, since nobody is perfect in this world and he was somewhat criticized before and after his marriage. But I like him.

Vanesa.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Next Star

I heard that Prince Claus was not like before he married the queen when she was the crown princess being he was German.But as the years went by the people began to like the prince and he became loved by the Dutch people.

It was thought a wrong choice of spouse in circles of the former resistance and concentrationcamp survivors.Most dutch didn´t object all that much if at all,as joy was omnipotent really.I recall we got a day off from school on their engagement,and later on their wedding day,we certainly didn´t object....

Both Beatrix and Claus stated they were aware of this,but let love prevail.Due to his diplomacy and charm,Claus rapidly won the hearts of the Dutch,and that grew into genuine deep respect for this exceptional man.

[leene]

How nice you dedicated a thread to prince Claus, I really admired him. He has been of great importance for the Dutch royal family, He was such an honest warm man. He had such high values (how different was prince Bernard). I am pleased he was involved so much in the upbringing of his children, one of them being our future king.

[Marengo]

Prince Claus would have been 82 years yesterday, if he would have lived. Royalblog has a nice article in Dutch and some pictures about it, look here.