OP
OP
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There were slightly more protestants than catholics in the country in 1960, though the protestants were divided in the Dutch Reformed, Remonstrant, Reformed, Lutheran etc. churches. Most people that were 'unreligious' were originally from protestant families too.
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religie_in_Nederland#Historisch_verloop_nationaal
I don't think HM had to decide for herself. The government did that for her, and quite rightly so. They didn't want the Dutch RF/ country to be accociated in any way with Carlism.
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The Bourbons behaved horribly throughout the matter btw. They were reluctant to cooperate with the government and Dutch court. A reconstruction from these websites:
Het Marathoninterview -> Afleveringen -> De zaak Irene -> Items -> De verloving en het huwelijk
and
http://www.thedutchroyalfamily.nl/2010/11/spraakmakende-koninklijkeliefdes-deel-1.html
On January 27th the princess gave an interview to newspaper the 'Telegraaf', in which she asks for understanding of Spain's social policies. She says she is impressed but forgets to mention the repression under the fascist regime. The interview is met with furious reactions in the Netherlands. Newspaper 'Parool' calls the princess 'naive'. The prime minister was not notified about the interview (as he should be, due to the ministerial responsibility), in the end the Dutch ambassador in Madrid is blamed for the interview.
On the 29th of January rumours about a conversion of the princess pop up. The RVD calls the rumours 'nonsense'. But a day later a photograph (made by Jaime Penafiel) appeared of Princess Irene praying in a catholic church in Spain. Vice Prime Minister Biesheuvel doesn't know what to do, and the Prime Minister Marijnen is on a skiing holiday. Biesheuvel informs the counsil of ministers and the prime minister immidiately returns to The Hague.
Reactions werer furious again. For example in the village St. Maartensdijk they immidiately removed the name 'Irene' from the school that carried her name. Most protestants were understanding of her conversion, but that it was done in secret was unacceptable to most. The princess also did not notify the government, while due to the ministerial responsibility they are responsible for everything she says or does. But the matter that was hurtful to most protestants was that the princess had to be re-baptised. Cardinal Alfrink was not sure if he should re-baptise the princess (2nd of January in Rome), but the ultra catholic Bourbon-Parma family absolutely insisted on it. The cardinal was too intimidated to call the palace for advice and yielded to the pressures of the Bourbons.
After his return, the prime minister visited Queen Juliana, and he was informed about the engagement plans between Irene and CH. The prime minister formed a quartet of four ministers from different political parties. They wanted to announce the engagement as soon as possible, so the press wouldn't discover it first. The family of Carlos Hugo (in Paris) refused to cooperate with this plan as they wanted to wait for the right moment that they could announce the engagement in Spain to maximal effect. After this the RF left for Innsbruck to attend the winter Olympics.
The quartet of politicians agree that princess Irene should renounce the rights to the throne, as it is impossible to have succession rights to the Dutch ánd Spanish throne at the same time. This was much to the surprise of the Bourbon family.
On February 4th the RF hastily returns from Austria and Queen Juliana announced on the radio that Princess Irene notified her family that the engagement would not proceed (the public & press still didn't know the identity of the man in Irene's life). The same evening Prime Minister Marijnen gives a press conference and still refuses to reveal the identity of the man in question.
Prince Bernhard travels to Paris to meet the Bourbons. Prime Minister Marijnen talks to Carlos Hugo and tries to explain him the democratic values of the Dutch state. One of them was that you could not have ambitions at the Spanish throne (as a Carlist) and be married to a Dutch princess with succession rights. CH didn't understand it.
On February 8th prince Bernhard traveled by plane to Madrid to collect his daughter and Carlos Hugo. Much to the surprise of the Dutch government, CH announced the engagement on the Spanish radio before Bernhard arrived, without consulting the Dutch government & RF. Irene does the same shortly after arrival around midnight in the Netherlands. The prime minister sends a letter to parlament, in which he said that the princess will not ask for permission to marry and will thus lose her succession rights.
A day later the couple gives a press conference. In the following days the duke and duchess of Parma & two of their daughters arrive in the Netherlands. There is also a special reception at the counsil of ministers, where the prime minister gives a toast. This is followed by an interview at Huis ten Bosch palace.
Two months later the couple gets married in Rome, although the Dutch prime minister previously announced that the wedding would take place in The Netherlands. CH and his family however decided that they wanted a grand wedding in Rome, by the pope. The pope refuses, and only blesses them after the ceremony. The Dutch government is relieved as they feared that the carlists would use the wedding to hold demonstrations in the Netherlands.
I think that between the engagement and the wedding there still was the state visit to Mexico. Princess Irene was supposed to join her parents and elder sister but much to their surprise she did not join them on the airport. During the absence of the royal couple it was said that the Bourbon-Parma's took over Soestdijk Palace, where they misbehaved. It was even said that Princess Margriet had to call the local police in Baarn (not likely, but still....it shows that the family was considered horrible and CH's sisters were seen as the wicked step sisters from Cinderella).
So after all the drama and the irrisponsible behavior of princess Irene and the Bourbon-Parma clan, it isn't surprising that many people were angry. I believe she was by many referred to as a 'rotmeid'.
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religie_in_Nederland#Historisch_verloop_nationaal
I don't think HM had to decide for herself. The government did that for her, and quite rightly so. They didn't want the Dutch RF/ country to be accociated in any way with Carlism.
---------------
The Bourbons behaved horribly throughout the matter btw. They were reluctant to cooperate with the government and Dutch court. A reconstruction from these websites:
Het Marathoninterview -> Afleveringen -> De zaak Irene -> Items -> De verloving en het huwelijk
and
http://www.thedutchroyalfamily.nl/2010/11/spraakmakende-koninklijkeliefdes-deel-1.html
On January 27th the princess gave an interview to newspaper the 'Telegraaf', in which she asks for understanding of Spain's social policies. She says she is impressed but forgets to mention the repression under the fascist regime. The interview is met with furious reactions in the Netherlands. Newspaper 'Parool' calls the princess 'naive'. The prime minister was not notified about the interview (as he should be, due to the ministerial responsibility), in the end the Dutch ambassador in Madrid is blamed for the interview.
On the 29th of January rumours about a conversion of the princess pop up. The RVD calls the rumours 'nonsense'. But a day later a photograph (made by Jaime Penafiel) appeared of Princess Irene praying in a catholic church in Spain. Vice Prime Minister Biesheuvel doesn't know what to do, and the Prime Minister Marijnen is on a skiing holiday. Biesheuvel informs the counsil of ministers and the prime minister immidiately returns to The Hague.
Reactions werer furious again. For example in the village St. Maartensdijk they immidiately removed the name 'Irene' from the school that carried her name. Most protestants were understanding of her conversion, but that it was done in secret was unacceptable to most. The princess also did not notify the government, while due to the ministerial responsibility they are responsible for everything she says or does. But the matter that was hurtful to most protestants was that the princess had to be re-baptised. Cardinal Alfrink was not sure if he should re-baptise the princess (2nd of January in Rome), but the ultra catholic Bourbon-Parma family absolutely insisted on it. The cardinal was too intimidated to call the palace for advice and yielded to the pressures of the Bourbons.
After his return, the prime minister visited Queen Juliana, and he was informed about the engagement plans between Irene and CH. The prime minister formed a quartet of four ministers from different political parties. They wanted to announce the engagement as soon as possible, so the press wouldn't discover it first. The family of Carlos Hugo (in Paris) refused to cooperate with this plan as they wanted to wait for the right moment that they could announce the engagement in Spain to maximal effect. After this the RF left for Innsbruck to attend the winter Olympics.
The quartet of politicians agree that princess Irene should renounce the rights to the throne, as it is impossible to have succession rights to the Dutch ánd Spanish throne at the same time. This was much to the surprise of the Bourbon family.
On February 4th the RF hastily returns from Austria and Queen Juliana announced on the radio that Princess Irene notified her family that the engagement would not proceed (the public & press still didn't know the identity of the man in Irene's life). The same evening Prime Minister Marijnen gives a press conference and still refuses to reveal the identity of the man in question.
Prince Bernhard travels to Paris to meet the Bourbons. Prime Minister Marijnen talks to Carlos Hugo and tries to explain him the democratic values of the Dutch state. One of them was that you could not have ambitions at the Spanish throne (as a Carlist) and be married to a Dutch princess with succession rights. CH didn't understand it.
On February 8th prince Bernhard traveled by plane to Madrid to collect his daughter and Carlos Hugo. Much to the surprise of the Dutch government, CH announced the engagement on the Spanish radio before Bernhard arrived, without consulting the Dutch government & RF. Irene does the same shortly after arrival around midnight in the Netherlands. The prime minister sends a letter to parlament, in which he said that the princess will not ask for permission to marry and will thus lose her succession rights.
A day later the couple gives a press conference. In the following days the duke and duchess of Parma & two of their daughters arrive in the Netherlands. There is also a special reception at the counsil of ministers, where the prime minister gives a toast. This is followed by an interview at Huis ten Bosch palace.
Two months later the couple gets married in Rome, although the Dutch prime minister previously announced that the wedding would take place in The Netherlands. CH and his family however decided that they wanted a grand wedding in Rome, by the pope. The pope refuses, and only blesses them after the ceremony. The Dutch government is relieved as they feared that the carlists would use the wedding to hold demonstrations in the Netherlands.
I think that between the engagement and the wedding there still was the state visit to Mexico. Princess Irene was supposed to join her parents and elder sister but much to their surprise she did not join them on the airport. During the absence of the royal couple it was said that the Bourbon-Parma's took over Soestdijk Palace, where they misbehaved. It was even said that Princess Margriet had to call the local police in Baarn (not likely, but still....it shows that the family was considered horrible and CH's sisters were seen as the wicked step sisters from Cinderella).
So after all the drama and the irrisponsible behavior of princess Irene and the Bourbon-Parma clan, it isn't surprising that many people were angry. I believe she was by many referred to as a 'rotmeid'.
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