Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Queen of the Netherlands Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Full Name: Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria
Profession: Queen of the Netherlands

Nationality:
Netherlands
Dutch

Biography: Wilhelmina reigned over the Netherlands for 57 years after her coronation at age 10, following the death of her father, in 1890. During these early years her mother ruled as regent, with Wilhelmina taking charge properly in 1898.

Throughout her reign she was popular with the Dutch people, particularly for maintaining the Netherlands’ neutrality during World War I.

After the Netherlands was invaded by Germany in 1940, Wilhelmina fled to England. She made constant broadcasts from there to the Dutch people, urging them to remain strong in the face of German occupation and to maintain their faith in a coming liberation.

When she returned after the end of German occupation in 1945, the people welcomed her back with open arms.

Born: August 31, 1880
Birthplace: Noordeinde Palace, The Hague, Netherlands
Star Sign: Virgo

Died: November 28, 1962 (aged 82)

Married Life

  • 1901-02-07 Queen Wilhelmina marries Prince Heinrich von Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Historical Events

  • 1892-08-04 Queen Wilhelmina and Emma open Merwede Canal between Amsterdam and the Rhine
  • 1900-12-09 President Paul Kruger of South Africa's Transvaal & Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands have a triumphant procession
  • 1903-05-27 Queen Wilhelmina opens Berlages Merchants bureau in Amsterdam
  • 1903-09-15 Queen Wilhelmina calls railroad strikers "criminals"
  • 1905-07-10 Dutch Queen Wilhelmina opens Technical Hague court
  • 1911-06-10 Queen Wilhelmina opens Rembrandt house in Amsterdam
  • 1913-07-05 Queen Wilhelmina meets SDAP-leader Troelstra
  • 1913-08-28 Queen Wilhelmina opens Peace Palace in The Hague
  • 1919-08-01 Queen Wilhelmina opens 1st Air Fair in Amsterdam
  • 1922-09-19 Queen Wilhelmina assumes Dutch throne with 119 word speech
  • 1922-11-01 Queen Wilhelmina opens Dutch Historical Maritime museum in Amsterdam
  • 1923-06-28 Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry of the Netherlands state visit to London
  • 1923-09-06 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands celebrates her silver jubilee
  • 1925-07-11 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands names Hendrikus Colijn of the Anti-Revolutionary Party as head of Dutch government
  • 1926-10-09 Dutch Queen Wilhelmina opens Royal Colonial Institution
  • 1927-10-27 Queen Wilhelmina opens Meuse-Waal Canal in Nijmegen
  • 1936-06-16 Dutch queen Wilhelmina opens the Waal bridge
  • 1938-09-06 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands celebrates 40th anniversary
  • 1939-08-27 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands receives German ambassador Grave Zech
  • 1940-05-13 Dutch Queen Wilhelmina flees to England
  • 1940-05-24 Dutch Queen Wilhelmina speaks on BBC radio
  • 1940-08-23 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands dismisses premier De Geer
  • 1941-05-10 Queen Wilhelmina on Radio Orange warns against treason
  • 1942-12-06 Queen Wilhelmina announces Dutch Commonwealth
  • 1945-03-13 Queen Wilhelmina returns to Netherlands
  • 1945-05-02 Dutch Queen Wilhelmina & Princess Juliana reach Gilze-Rijen
  • 1945-10-05 Queen Wilhelmina visits Rotterdam
  • 1945-11-20 Queen Wilhelmina opens Dutch parliament in Hague
  • 1945-11-27 Dutch resistance fighter Hannie Schaft re-buried in presence of Queen Wilhelmina
  • 1947-10-14 Dutch Queen Wilhelmina gives golden award to general Eisenhower
  • 1948-01-08 Queen Wilhelmina signs death sentence against Ans van Dijk for treason
  • 1948-05-12 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicates due to ill health
  • 1948-08-31 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands celebrates her golden jubilee
  • 1948-09-04 Queen Wilhelmina abdicates the Dutch throne in favour of her daughter Juliana because of illness, after 58 years, longest of any Dutch monarch
  • 1962-12-08 Funeral for Queen Wilhelmina of Holland (New Kerk, Delft)

Famous Queens