This lovely maxi card is about the 25th Wedding Anniversary of Queen Beatrix & Claus of the Netherlands. The 1966 marriage of Princess Beatrix to German-born Prince Claus, sparked a wave of protests. The discovery that he had been a member of Nazi youth organizations and served in the German army during World War II, only intensified the animosity many Dutch felt toward Claus. It had been 21 years since the end of the Second World War, but the Dutch people still had deep scars from the Nazi German occupation of their country. The very thought of their future Queen marrying a man who served in Hitler's army was impossible for many to accept. From the start, Prince Claus worked hard to win over the Dutch people. Unlike his father-in-law, Prince Bernhard, Prince Claus learned to speak Dutch without a trace of a German accent. A modest man, he refused all honorary degrees, employed wit, charm and patience to overcome Dutch hostility and win the affection of his adopted nation. Matters were substantially improved when he and the future Queen produced the first male heir in the Dutch Royal House in over a century. Two additional sons were born in 1968 and 1969. Her mother, Queen Juliana, was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her 71st birthday, April 30th, 1980, when she abdicated in favor of her daughter Beatrix. In April of 2005, Queen Beatrix celebrated the 25th anniversary of her reign. Willem sent me this nice card.
