by Emily McMahon  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Princess Juliana, the future Queen Juliana, and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld were married on January 7, 1937, in a civil ceremony at The Hague Town Hall in the Netherlands and in a religious ceremony at the Great Church (St. Jacobskerk), also in The Hague.

• Unofficial Royalty: Great Church (St. Jacobskerk) in The Hague, the Netherlands
• YouTube: Dutch Royal Wedding (1937)

Juliana’s Family

Juliana was born on April 30, 1909, in The Hague, the daughter of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and her consort Prince Hendrik, formerly Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Juliana was born to the couple after eight years of marriage. Wilhelmina was the only surviving child of her father, Willem III of the Netherlands, so it was imperative that she provide herself with an heir. Wilhelmina experienced several miscarriages and a stillbirth before the birth of Juliana who was, incidentally, her only surviving child. Although Juliana’s parents were not happily married, Wilhelmina and Hendrik both doted on their daughter. Juliana was named for Juliana von Stolberg, the mother of Willem I of Orange, the liberator of the Dutch Netherlands from Spanish rule. Juliana spent her childhood at the palaces of Het Loo, Huis ten Bosch, and Noordeinde.

Juliana was educated with a small group of similarly aged girls of the Dutch nobility. Wilhelmina had selected Juliana’s “class” upon advice that she would learn best among children her own age. After her initial education was complete, Juliana enrolled in the University of Leiden. The intellectually curious Juliana spent four years at Leiden and received an honorary degree in literature and philosophy.

Juliana’s beloved grandmother, the former Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont (known as the Queen Mother) passed away in 1935. A few months later, Prince Hendrik died suddenly of a heart attack. This meant that Queen Wilhelmina and Princess Juliana now made up the entire House of Orange. As it had been with her mother, it was necessary for Juliana to marry and produce her own heir to ensure the survival of the Dutch monarchy. While possible contenders for the future role of Juliana’s consort had been bantered about since the mid-1920s, 1935 signaled the year when full-fledged marriage preparations began.

For more information about Juliana see:

• Unofficial Royalty: Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

Bernhard’s Family

Bernhard Friedrich Eberhard Leopold Julius Kurt Carl Gottfried Peter, Graf von Biesterfeld was born on June 29, 1911, in Jena in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach now in Germany. He was the elder son of Prince Bernhard of Lippe (younger brother of Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe) and his wife Armgard von Cramm. Bernhard and Armgard’s marriage was considered morganatic, so the younger Bernhard was styled Graf von Biesterfeld (Count of Biesterfeld) at birth. Bernhard had one younger brother Prince Aschwin of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1914 –1988). In 1916, Bernhard’s uncle, the reigning Prince of Lippe, created Armgard Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness and this title and style also was extended to her two sons.

Bernhard started his education with tutors at home and at the age of 12 began to attend a boarding school for boys in Züllichau in the Prussian province of Brandenburg, now Sulechów, Poland. In 1929, he completed his secondary education and then studied law at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and at the Friedrich-Wilhelm University in Berlin, Germany, now Humboldt University. Bernhard then obtained a job at the Parisian subsidiary of the German chemical company IG Farben, where he continued to work until his engagement to Juliana.

For more information about Bernhard see:

• Unofficial Royalty: Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld

The Engagement

In early 1936, Wilhelmina and Juliana attended the Winter Olympics in Bavaria. The Olympic Games had long since had significant royal connections (the Greek royals had been instrumental in their revival in the late 19th century), and several royals were known to be in attendance. Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld was one of these princes at the Winter Games. Bernhard’s father, also named Bernhard, had been acquainted with Prince Hendrik, but the younger Bernhard had never been considered as a husband for Juliana. Bernhard had suffered from ill-health as a child, was the product of a morganatic marriage, had a bit of a wild side, and was not even officially a prince until after his fifth birthday, but Wilhelmina was growing desperate and consented to Bernhard’s request to meet Juliana. The two took skiing lessons together under Wilhelmina’s watchful eye.

Juliana was finally impressed with a prince – in Bernhard’s case, his intelligence, education (he had studied law in Switzerland for a time), and charisma. For his part, Bernhard found Juliana thoughtful, good-natured, and likewise intelligent. Bernhard asked Wilhelmina if he could further visit Juliana in the Netherlands, which Wilhelmina granted. When these visits went well, Bernhard asked if he could accompany mother and daughter on their summer vacation in Switzerland.

Wilhelmina could see the writing on the wall. Bernhard had obviously caught Juliana’s attention and seemed sincere in his interest in her. Wilhelmina was advised of Bernhard’s previous health issues, but those had seemed to disappear after childhood. Bernhard’s family was unimpressive, but perhaps limited family interference would be a good thing. Bernhard’s mother Armgard was divorced prior to his birth and somewhat of a woman about town in her past. However, her second marriage seemed to have had a calming effect on Armgard and she was quite devoted to her family. There were rumors of Bernhard’s involvement with alcohol, women, and fast cars, but Wilhelmina dismissed these to youth.

Of more concern was Bernhard’s association with Nazism. Bernhard was a member of the honorary motorized SS corps, but this was almost standard for young German men interested in motorcycles at the time. Bernhard’s brother Aschwin was also a follower of Nazism and later became an officer in the German army. After gaining attention as a candidate for Juliana’s hand, Bernhard met briefly with Adolf Hitler. Hitler disliked Bernhard immediately – and the feeling was mutual for Bernhard. Bernhard’s dismissal of Hitler – and Juliana’s growing attachment to him – convinced Wilhelmina to allow Bernhard to propose.

And so Juliana and Bernhard became engaged in Weissenburg, Switzerland, during the summer of 1936. The engagement was announced to the Dutch public on September 8 of that year, with a wedding scheduled for January 7, 1937 – the anniversary of Juliana’s maternal grandparents. Bernhard visited his fiancée at Noordeinde Palace as an accompaniment to the announcement. Bernhard became a Dutch citizen on November 24.

In preparation for her wedding, Juliana followed a German diet plan that allowed her to lose some weight. Her dress had to be fitted multiple times to accommodate her weight loss.

The Wedding

Juliana and Bernhard registered their marriage (known in Dutch at the “ondertrouw” or “under-marriage”) on December 19, 1936, a few weeks before the wedding. The couple attended an orchestral performance in their honor the night before the wedding. The Nazi and British national anthems were both played, with many guests on both sides visibly uncomfortable.

Dutch cafes and restaurants stayed open all night before the wedding to accommodate many curious visitors to The Hague. Oranges hung from trees in The Hague to celebrate the marriage of the heir of the House of Orange.

On January 7, 1937, Juliana and Bernhard had a civil ceremony in The Hague Town Hall. The couple traveled to the civil ceremony in the State Coach presented to Queen Wilhelmina at the time of her marriage in 1901. A second, religious service took place in the Great Church (St. Jacobskerk). Bernhard received the title of Prince of the Netherlands on the day of the wedding. Given Juliana’s position as heir to the Dutch throne, the usual bride’s vow to obey her husband was eliminated from the wedding ceremony.

Juliana and Bernhard rode to their religious wedding in a coach of glass and gold; Queen Wilhelmina followed behind the couple in a crystal coach. The bridesmaids and groomsmen traveled in three four-horsed coaches escorted by eight Hussar officers.

Juliana’s bridesmaids and child attendants included Princess Thyra of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Princess Anastasia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess Woislawa of Mecklenburg, Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia, Princess Helena of Erbach-Schonberg, Princess Sieglinde of Lippe-Detmold, Princess Elizabeth of Lippe-Detmold, Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg, and Countess Svea of Oeynhausen-Sieperstorff.

Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Juliana’s second cousin, was originally chosen as a bridesmaid but could not attend as the Nazi government refused to issue her a visa. Though her visa was issued at the last moment, Sophie did not attend the wedding. Baroness von Heeckeren van Kall, a lady-in-waiting to Juliana, served as a bridesmaid in her place.

Bernhard’s supporters included four Dutch nobles, four German counts, two German barons, a French cavalry officer, the Prince von Windishgraetz. Professor Huizenga of the University of Leyden took the place of the Prince of Wied who, like Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was denied a visa from Germany. His child attendants were Prince Armin of Lippe and Kaspar of Oeynhausen-Sieperstorff.

Wedding Guests

The wedding guests were made up mostly of family members of the couple, the majority of whom were German nobles and royalty. More guests were expected but many German royals and nobles did not get their expected visas from the Nazi government.

• Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
• Princess Armgard zur Lippe-Biesterfeld
• Prince Viktor Adolf & Princess Rosa, Prince & Princess zu Bentheim und Steinfurt
• Princess Elisabeth, Princess zu Erbach-Schönberg
• Prince George, Duke of Kent (representing HM George VI)
• Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone & HSH the Earl of Athlone
• Major Henry & Lady May Abel Smith
• Prince Leopold & Princess Anna, Prince & Princess of Lippe
• Prince Armin of Lippe
• Prince Aschwin zur Lippe-Biesterfield
• Prince Julius & Princess Marie of Lippe
• Prince Ernst August of Lippe
• Princess Karola of Lippe
• Grand Duke Friedrich Franz & Grand Duchess Alexandra of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Duke Adolf Friedrich & Duchess Elisabeth of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Grand Duchess Elisabeth of Oldenburg
• Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus & Hereditary Grand Duchess Helena of Oldenburg
• Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg
• Prince Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
• Count Paul & Countess Allene Kotzebue
• Count Rabe & Countess Margarethe von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff
• Count Caspar von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff
• Countess Svea von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff
• Count & Countess von der Goltz

Wedding Attire

For her wedding, Juliana wore five diamond rose brooches connected with small pearls. The rose is in the family coat of arms of the House of Lippe. The brooches were bought at Mellerio and a gift from King Willem III to Queen Emma. Juliana wore an ivory satin draped dress designed by Masion Kühne of The Hague. The dress was inspired by the clothing of ancient Greece. Juliana’s veil was of white tulle with silver embroidery. The veil hung from a diadem of diamonds in the shape of a rose in honor of the House of Lippe, a gift to Juliana from Bernhard’s mother Armgard. Roses and orange blossoms also adorned her veil.

Bernhard wore the uniform of the Royal Dutch Hussars, as an honorary captaincy had been bestowed upon him when he renounced his German citizenship. Bernhard also wore a cluster of Dutch military orders on the uniform. Bernhard long wore his medals in the English style, while most Dutch wore theirs in Prussian style. The twelve bridesmaids wore satin dresses of differing pastel colors (blue, lilac, green, yellow, pink, and orange) to form the appearance of a rainbow.

Juliana and Bernhard appeared on the balcony of Noordeinde Palace after the wedding. Following a mock departure from the wedding banquet, Juliana and Bernhard left for the honeymoon the day after the wedding.

The Honeymoon

Juliana and Bernhard embarked on a 3-month tour of Europe immediately after the wedding. They spent much time in Poland, skiing in Krynica Zdroj in the southern part of the country. The newly-married couple also visited Wawel Castle in Krakow. Juliana and Bernhard also visited Vienna, Budapest, Nice, Monaco, Paris, and Rome.

Children

Embed from Getty Images 
Juliana, Bernhard and their four daughters

Juliana and Bernhard had four daughters:

• Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (born 1938), married 1966 Claus von Amsberg, had three sons including King Willem-Alexander, Dutch Royal Family descends from this marriage
• Princess Irene of the Netherlands (born 1939), married 1964 Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma, divorced 1981, had two sons and two daughters
• Princess Margriet of the Netherlands (born 1943), married 1967 Pieter van Vollenhoven, had four sons
• Princess Christina of the Netherlands (1947 – 2019) married 1975 Jorge Pérez y Guillermo, divorced 1996, had two sons and one daughter

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