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]

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.

 

[lucien]

Prins Claus

courtesy HJA's Royalblog.

 

[lucien]

Today it is 6 years to the day Prince Claus passes away,october 6th 2002.

ANP Beeldbank

 

[lucien]

Today it is 6 years to the day Prince Claus passes away,october 6th 2002.

ANP Beeldbank

http://www.angelfire.com/realm/beatrix1966/claus.html

Courtesy Ademar.

 

[lucien]

HRH Prince Claus would have become 83 today,september 6th.

He passed away 7 years ago on october 6th and is still deeply missed.

Photo

Photo

http://www.royalimages.nl/search.pp?specialid=2649&savesearch=1&flush=1

http://www.royalimages.nl/search.pp?specialid=2675&savesearch=1&flush=1

courtesy Royalimages.

 

[Dierna23]

Seven years, time flies

A few weeks ago I found a lovely video about Prince Claus on YouTube. I thought it would be a nice idea to post it in honour to his birthday today:

YouTube - Prince Claus of the Netherlands

 

[Marengo]

On 6 December the late prince Claus will be honoured in a play inTheater Carré in Amsterdam. The prince will be played by Thom Hoffman, but all the other roles will be played by politicians, among them the vice prime minister & minister of Finance, Wouter Bos, and the mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen.

The play will be directed by John Leerdam, MP for the labour party.

 

[olebabs]

Wow what a beautiful video, Dierna23. Thank you for sharing it.

 

[SLV]

He looked like he was such a wonderful man. And very handsome too!
I went to the Palace in The Hague to pay my respects when he had died.
When I see pictures of the Prince at the wedding of WA&M, I feel like hugging him. He was so ill already then.

 

[Winnie]

My God, what a wonderful video of a truely handsome and well loved family man. Tears running down my face watching. Thank you for finding and sharing with us Dierna23.

 

[Vanesa]

The image in which you can see Prince Claus passing his arm around the shoulder of one of his sons touched me deeply. He seemed to be a very sensitive man.

Vanesa.

 

[lucien]

The image in which you can see Prince Claus passing his arm around the shoulder of one of his sons touched me deeply. He seemed to be a very sensitive man.

Vanesa.

He was.

http://www.angelfire.com/realm/beatrix1966/claus.html

courtesy ademar.

 

[duchess inez]

I just found this video today of Prince Clause thanking Queen Beatrix during a speech. I thought it was very sweet.

NOS Nieuws - Prins Claus bedankt zijn vrouw Beatrix

 

[duchess inez]

I just found this video today of Prince Claus thanking Queen Beatrix during a speech. Its in english, I thought it was very sweet.

NOS Nieuws - Prins Claus bedankt zijn vrouw Beatrix

 

[Katrianna]

Prince Claus was such an asset to Queen Beatrix and to the Royal House. A very sensitive and gentle man yet very passionate about causes he believed in and he appeared to me to be very intelligent yet quite modest and quietly accepting his role in being husband to the Queen. A complete opposite of Prince Bernhard.
The Netherlands lost a wonderful man when Prince Claus died.

 

[Marengo]

Prince Claus thanking his wife, during the prince claus award ceremony in 1999:

NOS Nieuws - Prins Claus bedankt zijn vrouw Beatrix

these kind of things made him the most beloved member of the RF at the end of his life.

Some more moments:

http://nos.nl/video/47116-prins-claus-wars-van-protocol-2002.html

 

[Katrianna]

Thank you Marengo, the videos show how this humble man endeared himself to the people. The video of Claus thanking his Beatrix had me a little teary and Beatrix's response was heartwarming.

 

[SLV]

NOS Nieuws - Markante momenten prins Claus (2002)

So sad to see him grow worse with every picture.

 

[lucien]

Really,this was a Royal Love match if there ever was one,they were besotted with oneanother.Too sad he left too young.

 

[Marengo]

Today it is exactly 85 years ago that prince Claus was born in Dötzingen.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Today it is exactly 85 years ago that prince Claus was born in Dötzingen.

I never realised that he was 12 years older than Beatrix until now.

 

[IloveCP]

He was quite the handsome man.

 

[Grandduchess24]

He was quite the handsome man.

Yes he was, and I also find that his son prince willem Alexander looks very much like his father.

 

[Lellobeetle]

I have seen so many videos and have never seen him put a toe wrong. He was such an elegant man. Down to earth and a loving father and husband. I, too, see quite clearly that he and Beatrix were so in love. My heart aches for her that he was gone too soon.