Queen Juliana's Funeral: March 30, 2004

[mybags]

I thought the picture of the Dutch Royal Family with their backs to the camera was very moving. I think it symbolizes a "let's move forward" attitude.

By the way, thanks for all the pictures.

[Dennism]

Thanks for all of the photos. They are great.

[xxLindaxx]

The former Dutch monarch, Princess Juliana, was interred in the royal family crypt in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft on Tuesday.

An estimated 60,000 people lined the procession route to witness her casket being brought in a carriage with full ceremony and honour guard from Paleis Noordeinde in The Hague earlier in the day.

Princess Juliana, who reigned in the Netherlands from 1948 to 1980, was the 45th member of the House of Orange to be interred in the Nieuwe Kerk, newspaper De Volkskrant reported.

As she was taken into the crypt, she regained her official title as queen, a title she relinquished when she abdicated in favour of her daughter Beatrix in 1980.

Her 92-year-old husband, Prince Bernhard, walking arm-in-arm with his daughters, Queen Beatrix and Princess Irene, followed the coffin as it was carried though the church to the tomb.


The immediate family

They were accompanied by Juliana's other daughters, Princess Margriet and Princess Christina, and her husband, Pieter van Vollenhoven.

Earlier, the ceremony began with Princess Christina singing, It's a Gift to be Simple. Her mother had made it known she wanted her daughter to sing at her funeral.

Vicar W. Hudig-Semeijns de Vries van Doesburgh recited the blessing over the former queen in words from the Bible, having earlier asked the congregation to formulate their own blessing for Juliana in their hearts.

"In that way the old biblical words will be augmented by the power of your intentions and the love of her family and her people," the female vicar said.

Princess Juliana had her own "spiritual convictions" which were not dictated by church dogma or laws.

Freedom of worship and tolerance were self-evident to Juliana, Hudig said. During her life she learned about Christianity, Eastern wisdom, Judaism, Islamic mysticism and modern spiritual movements.

"She did not sit in one holy house alone, but preferred to go on a voyage of discovery. She was convinced that several paths led to the one God."


On the way from The Hague

The vicar recalled the scandal Juliana caused in one of her last public appearance when she — a protestant — took communion during the Catholic wedding of her grandson, Prins Maurits and Marilene.

It was not the "whim of an eccentric old dame", the vicar said, but a conscious act as she understood "communion literally means community — community between people of different churches was her deepest held wish".

Also on Tuesday, former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers revealed that Princess Juliana had approached him to express concerns about the readiness of her grandson, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, to take the throne after Beatrix.


She was worried that Willem-Alexander, then a college student, was not showing the same interests as she did at that age. Lubbers, now the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said he reassured the queen that her grandson would make a good king when the time came

[Alexandria]

I did not see any pictures of Prince Maurits, son of Princess Margriet. Although I did see pictures of his wife Princess Marilene accompanied by her brother in law. I thought that as the eldest son of Margriet, Maurits would be in the carriage with Willem and others?

[Alexandra]

Originally posted by karolinabraganza@Mar 30th, 2004 - 3:32 pm
and here the couple that according to Getty has magical powers, receiving the FInnish head of State in Brussels while at the same time attending the Dutch funeral... Queen Paola and King Albert of Belgium

:o Yes, it is true! To be magical is Magic! Where did they put our President - and her husband - when they were in the funeral themselves!

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by Alexandra@Mar 31st, 2004 - 8:47 am
:o Yes, it is true! To be magical is Magic! Where did they put our President - and her husband - when they were in the funeral themselves!

Crown Prince Phillippe and Crown Princess Mathilde could've "entertained" the Finnish president. Or the couple could very well have been resting up for the gala that night. I doubt that with state visits like this the King and Queen are expected to "entertain" the visiting head of state and his/her wife/husband every second of the visit.

[royal_sophietje]

Originally posted by Alexandria@Mar 30th, 2004 - 3:22 pm
I have seen just a few pictures (not able to see all the above posted ones yet), and I found the white outfits of the Queen's daughter behind her coffin quite striking. I know the Queen specifically requested a white funeral such as this, and that it has some historical context, but could anyone share more about the significance or meaning of a white funeral? And also, why it meant to much to Queen Juliana to have one herself?

Thank you in advance.

The funeral of the late king Baudeoin of the Belgians (died in 1993) had also a lot of white accents. For example Baudeoins wife Fabiola wore a white dress. The Belgian court announced that they had chosen for white because it reflects hope.

[Fireweaver]

The white was a nice touch, and everyone was dressed very appropriately. It was great seeing her family there.

[Gabriella]

It was nice to see that Prince Bernard was well enough to attend his wife's funeral. I know there was a lot of speculation the past few days about whether or not he would be able to attend.

I do have a nickpick however. I was not particuarily fond of Maxima's outfit. It seemed a little out of place. Funerals are not a place to be flashy, and I thought all of the ruffles were alittle inappropriate. I think it would have been better to just wear something a little more subdued and simple. Just my thoughts.

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by Gabriella@Mar 31st, 2004 - 7:02 pm
It was nice to see that Prince Bernard was well enough to attend his wife's funeral. I know there was a lot of speculation the past few days about whether or not he would be able to attend.

I had read this, too, and was disappointed that he might not be able to go because of his frail health and the grief and sadness over losing his wife taking its own toll on the Prince. In the pictures I saw of the funeral he did look quite frail. There is one picture of him in which his daughters Beatrix and Irene help him into his seat at the cathedral that is particularly striking in a sad way. It reminds me of the fraility of life and how difficult it must be to lose someone whom you are so close to and have been through so much with through so many years: the birth of their daughters and watching each of them grow up and get married and bring their own children into the world; the marriage of their grandchildren and subsequent births of their great-grandchildren, watching Beatrix become Queen and reign in her own unique way, and sadly, the deteriorating years of Queen Juliana's life as she suffered with Alzheimers.

[Jacqueline]

Originally posted by Gabriella@Apr 1st, 2004 - 12:02 am
It was nice to see that Prince Bernard was well enough to attend his wife's funeral. I know there was a lot of speculation the past few days about whether or not he would be able to attend.

I do have a nickpick however. I was not particuarily fond of Maxima's outfit. It seemed a little out of place. Funerals are not a place to be flashy, and I thought all of the ruffles were alittle inappropriate. I think it would have been better to just wear something a little more subdued and simple. Just my thoughts.

I agree that funerals should not be flashy, but Princess Juliana was nitpicky herself, and did not really want for anyone to go around looking school mormish. This was one of the reasons why she requested a white funeral as white is a symbol of hope and the happiness that one will feel in the presence of God. I really think that she would have liked Maxima's touch of white which she requested from family members.

It was an interesting outfit. It was different (even somewhat eccentric), but somehow elegant. It was one of those outfits that most people would look extremely ridiculous wearing, but I found that Maximavreally wore it quite well and looked elegant. It certainly wasn't my particular taste, but if I step aside from it, I am amazed at how she looked. But, enough about that. I think that I discussed enough fashion from a funeral, nonetheless. Regardless of what anyone wore, it was hardly about that in particular. It was a wonderful celebration of a woman's life.

[Alexandria]

Some more pictures from the funeral, link originally posted at the Benelux Royals MB.

Flower carriage

8 guns of the 11th Dept Riding Artillery firing minute-gunshots

Royal hearse arrives at the New Church

Bernhard

Beatrix in the carriage

Willem in the carriage following his grandmother's carriage hearse

Maxima

Maurits with the Colonel of the Royal Marechaussee L. Wassenaar, Stablemaster of HM the Queen

King and Queen of Belgium

9 guards from the King's Company of the Guards Regiment Grenadiers & Rifles

The Corps Marines of the Royal Netherlands Navy formerd a Guard of Honour

Willem lighting the candle with Constantijn

Willem after lighting the candles

To the royal vault

Beatrix, Bernhard and Irene

[Fireweaver]

HRH Prince Benard looks so devestated. I know there was rumors that the marriage wasn't entirely perfect, but you can see how much the (former) Queen meant to him in those pictures.

[Bubbette]

He's 90? He looks great for 90.

[liv]

He´s even 92.

[Fireweaver]

Thanks to everyone who's posted the pictures.
To all our Dutch posters, we're very sorry about your loss. She was a facinating woman. Does anyone have any stories of HM that they'd like to share?

[karolinabraganza]

some good pictures of maxima etc at the funeral. here the link, for those who havent visited the website yet. i appologise in advance in case the link has been posted above.

www.fotosmulders.com, treefword 'maxima', 'mabel', 'juliana', etc.

[The Watcher]

Originally posted by karolinabraganza@Apr 5th, 2004 - 6:39 am
some good pictures of maxima etc at the funeral. here the link, for those who havent visited the website yet. i appologise in advance in case the link has been posted above.

www.fotosmulders.com, treefword 'maxima', 'mabel', 'juliana', etc.

Thanks! :flower:

Here is the link with the English version of www.fotosmulders.com.

Go to link, go to 'name' and search with 'At least 1 of the keywords in the captions' on. Search for example: Juliana, Beatrix, Maxima. It are very nice pictures. :)

Link to pictures

[zozi]

I am very grieved

[Josefine]

and now her husband will be lied to rest by her side