Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
The Funeral of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft on this day in 1962, which was held completely in white at her request to give expression to her belief that earthly death was the beginning of eternal life. Queen Wilhelmina had written:
Long before he died my husband and I had discussed the meaning of death and the eternal Life that follows it. We both had the certainty of faith that death is the beginning of Life, and therefore had promised each other that we would have white funerals. This agreement was now observed. Hendrik’s white funeral, as his last gesture to the nation, made a profound impression and set many people thinking
Embed from Getty Images
Foreign Royalty in attendance were limited to relatives of the late Queen, led by King Frederik IX of Denmark (great-nephew), King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium, King Olav V of Norway, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg (cousin), Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (cousin), and the Prince and Princess of Prussia (great-niece).
