Princess Margriet of the Netherlands

1.1. Birth and Extraterritoriality in Canada

Princess Margriet was born on 19 January 1943, in the Ottawa Civic Hospital (part of The Ottawa Hospital) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Her mother was Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, the heir presumptive to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. The Dutch royal family had sought refuge in Canada in June 1940, following the occupation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany.

To ensure that the newborn would inherit only Dutch citizenship and not be a British subject under the rule of jus soli (citizenship based on place of birth), the Canadian government temporarily declared the maternity ward of the Ottawa Civic Hospital to be extraterritorial. This meant the room was legally considered outside Canadian territory, making it an international zone belonging to no specific country. This measure was crucial because Dutch nationality law follows the principle of jus sanguinis (citizenship based on parentage), and the Netherlands at the time did not recognize dual nationality. Had the child been born on Canadian soil without this declaration, they would have automatically gained Canadian citizenship, potentially jeopardizing their Dutch nationality and eligibility for the Dutch throne, especially if the child had been male and thus a higher claimant than her two older sisters.

It is a common misconception that the Canadian government declared the maternity ward to be Dutch territory. This was not necessary, as Dutch nationality law primarily relies on jus sanguinis, meaning a child born to a Dutch national would automatically acquire Dutch citizenship regardless of the birthplace. The temporary disclaimer of Canadian territory was sufficient to prevent the child from acquiring Canadian citizenship. In gratitude for Canada's hospitality and this unique arrangement, the Dutch Royal House annually sends tulip bulbs to the city of Ottawa. Princess Margriet has continued to visit Canada in an official capacity throughout her life, with recent visits in 2017 to Stratford, Ontario and Goderich, Ontario, and in 2022 to Ottawa.

1.2. Name and Baptism

Princess Margriet was named after the `Leucanthemum vulgare<sub>marguerite</sub><sup>Latin</sup>` flower, a symbol of resistance against Nazi Germany worn during the war. She was christened at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Ottawa on 29 June 1943. Her godparents included several prominent figures: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Queen Mary (Queen dowager of the United Kingdom), Märtha, Crown Princess of Norway, Martine Roell (a lady-in-waiting to Princess Juliana in Canada), and the Dutch merchant navy.

1.3. Education

After the war, Princess Margriet pursued a comprehensive education. She attended primary school at De Werkplaats in Bilthoven and the Niewe Baamse school in Baarn, Netherlands. In 1961, she graduated from Baarns Lyceum, a secondary school. She then went on to study French Literature, history, and art history at the University of Montpellier in France. Upon her return to the Netherlands, she enrolled at Leiden University, where she studied basic law, constitutional law, Roman law, and other social sciences. Additionally, she completed a first-class auxiliary nursing course organized by the Dutch Red Cross at De Lichtenberg Hospital in Amersfoort.

2.1. Return to the Netherlands

Princess Margriet first set foot on Dutch soil in August 1945, after the liberation of the Netherlands. Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard, along with their children, returned to Soestdijk Palace in Baarn, where the family had resided before the war.

2.2. Marriage and Children

While studying at Leiden University, Princess Margriet met her future husband, Pieter van Vollenhoven. Their engagement was announced on 10 March 1965, and they were married on 10 January 1967, at the St. James Church in The Hague. A royal decree stipulated that any children born from this marriage would be titled Prince or Princess of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven, with the style of `Hoogheid<sub>Highness</sub><sup>Dutch</sup>`. However, these titles would not be inherited by their descendants.

Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven have four sons:

• Prince Maurits Willem Pieter Hendrik of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 17 April 1968, Utrecht, Netherlands). He married Marilène (Marie-Helène) Angela van den Broek (born 4 February 1970, Dieren, Rheden, Netherlands) on 30 May 1998. They have three children:
  • Anastasia (Anna) Margriet Joséphine van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 15 April 2001).
  • Lucas Maurits Pieter Henri van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 26 October 2002).
  • Felicia Juliana Bénedicte Barbara van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 31 May 2005).
• Prince Bernhard Lucas Emmanuel of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 25 December 1969, Nijmegen, Netherlands). He married Annette Sekrève (born 18 April 1972, The Hague, Netherlands) on 8 July 2000. They have three children:
  • Isabella Lily Juliana van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 14 May 2002).
  • Samuel Bernhard Louis van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 25 May 2004).
  • Benjamin Pieter Floris van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 12 March 2008).
• Prince Pieter-Christiaan Michiel of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 22 March 1972, Nijmegen, Netherlands). He married Anita Theodora van Eijk (born 27 October 1969, Neuchâtel, Switzerland) on 27 August 2005. They have two children:
  • Emma Francisca Catharina van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 28 November 2006).
  • Pieter Anton Maurits Erik van Vollenhoven (born in The Hague on 19 November 2008).
• Prince Floris Frederik Martijn of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 10 April 1975, Nijmegen, Netherlands). He married Aimée Leonie Allegonde Marie Söhngen (born 18 October 1977, Amsterdam, Netherlands) on 20 October 2005. They have three children:
  • Magali Margriet Eleonoor van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 9 October 2007).
  • Eliane Sophia Carolina van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 5 July 2009).
  • Willem-Jan Johannes Pieter Floris van Vollenhoven (born in Amsterdam on 1 July 2013).

  After their marriage, the Princess and her husband initially resided in the right wing of Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn. In 1975, the family moved to their present home, a residence they had built on the Palace grounds, also called Het Loo.
  
  

  

3.1. Royal Representation and Patronages

Princess Margriet has frequently represented the monarch at official and semi-official events, both domestically and internationally. Her duties have often taken her back to Canada, the country of her birth, for official visits, and she is a dedicated patron of the Dutch merchant navy. Her commitment to these roles underscores her active involvement in the royal family's public engagements.

3.2. Interests and Contributions

Princess Margriet has a particular interest in health care and cultural causes, dedicating much of her public service to these areas. From 1987 to 2011, she served as vice-president of the Netherlands Red Cross, an organization that established the Princess Margriet Fund in her honor. This fund supports educational initiatives, including programs for blind children. She is also a member of the board of the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, demonstrating her commitment to global humanitarian efforts.

From 1984 to 2007, Princess Margriet was the president of the European Cultural Foundation. In recognition of her significant work and contributions to cultural diversity, the foundation established the Princess Margriet Award for Cultural Diversity. Additionally, she is a member of the honorary board of the International Paralympic Committee, further highlighting her support for sports and inclusion.

5.1. National Honours

• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
• Royal Silver Wedding Medal of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard (7 January 1962)
• Royal Wedding Medal 1966 (10 March 1966)
• Queen Beatrix Investiture Medal (30 April 1980)
• Royal Wedding Medal 2002 (2 February 2002)
• King Willem-Alexander Investiture Medal (30 April 2013)

5.2. Foreign Honours

• Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
• Cameroon: Grand Cordon of Order of Merit
• Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
• Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
• France: Grand Cross of the Order of National Merit
• Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
• Ivory Coast: Grand Cross of the Order of the Ivory Coast
• Japan: Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown
• Jordan: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance
• Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
• Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
• Luxembourg: Commemorative Medal of the marriage of TRH Prince Henri and Princess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
• Mexico: Grand Cross of the Order of the Aztec Eagle
• Nepal: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Three Divine Powers
• Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav
• Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Christ
• Romania: Grand Cross of the Order of 23 August
• Senegal: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion
• Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
• Suriname: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Yellow Star
• Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star
• United States: Honorary Fellow of the College of William & Mary
• Venezuela: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Liberator