Queen Beatrix unviels Statues of her Parents

Queen Beatrix today unveiled a bronze-plated statue of her late parents, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard. The statue lies in the grounds of Soestdijk Palace, which was the home of Juliana and Bernhard from 1937 to their deaths in May and December 2004, respectively.

The statue, which shows Juliana with her arm outstreched in a wave while standing next to her husband, was commissioned by the Images of Juliana and Bernhard Foundation, which was founded at the end of 2006. The foundation’s aim was to create a life-size statue and images of the Queen and Prince in the grounds of Soestdijk Palace. The foundation choose Kees Verkade to create the statue.

Also earlier today, Queen Beatrix’s eldest son Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Méxima were in Rotterdam to attend the “Connecting Identities” Forum exchange program at the Rotterdam Youth Centre. The exchange program this year has brought students from around Holland, Germany, Poland, Spain, Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia and Egypt to Rotterdam for the week-long event.

Queen Beatrix’s current events thread can be found here. Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima’s can be found here.

Filed under Historical Royals, The Netherlands
Tagged King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, Soestdijk Palace.