DUTCH PRINCESS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 326, 6 January 1937, Page 5

DUTCH PRINCESS

GERMAN PRINCE Love-Story That Began In The Mountains. To-morrow, a Royal wedding will take place at Holland, when Princess Juliana, heiress to the Crown of the Netherlands, will marry Prince Bernhard von Lippe-Biesterfeld. Prince Bernhard von Lippe-Biester-feld, who became the finance of Princess Juliana, in September, 1936, is a member of one of the oldest ruling familities of Europe. The principality of Lippe, over which his ancestors had ruled as sovereign princes, was only 469 square miles, having a population of 175,000, but its first ruling prince, another Prince Bernhard, from whom he is a direct descendant, established himself as Lord of Lippe in 1123. In 1322 BiesterfeTd fell under the family’s sway. The prince’s uncle, Prince Leopold IV, the last ruling prince, abdicated the day after the Armistice, on No. vemiber 12, 1918. The principality became a Republic, but later, when Hitler came into power, It was incorporated in the “Third Reich,” and a Nazi Statthalter put in control of th© district.

In Holland, the prince became known as simply Prince Bernhard, though his full name was Prince Bernhard Leopold Friedrich Eberhard Jules Kurt Karl Gottentried Peter von Lippe-Biesterfeld. He was born on June 29, 1911, and when his engagement to Princess Juliana was announced, he was 25. His fiancee is 27. How Love-Story Began. It is believed that the love story of Prince Bernhard and Princess Juliana began in the mountains, when the ymet during a holiday in Switzerland. The romance continued during the Princess’s summer holiday in the Vosges (France). Although they became devated to each other, the young couple managed to keep their secret well until the official announcement. A tall, thin, brown-hair-ed young man with a friendly appear-', ance and natural manner. Prince* Bernhard soon managed to win the popularity of the Dutch people. The Prince, who showed a lively Interest in all matters concerning his new fatherland, immediately started work at the Amsterdam head office of the Dutch Trading Company, which has many branches in the Netherlands East Indies. The Prince's father, Prince Bern-hard-Casimir, a brother of the late reigning prince 'OTXippe, was a major in the Prussian army. He died in 1934. His mother is the Baroness Armgard von Cramm-Crieven, Countess of BjestfeTfeld, whose first bus, band was Count BdTTo von Oeynhauseu. They were later divorced. She is a well-known horsewoman who had competed with great success in horse races in Prussia. Princess Armgard is a family relStTon of the well-known German law ntennis champion, Von Cramm. Admirfer of Engla.nd. After passing his examinations at the Grammar School, Prince Bern, hard studied law at Berlin University. where he passed his first degree examination. Thereafter, he stayed some time in England, a country he has ever since admired . He joined the staff of the Paris office of the ( German Dye Trust (I. G. Farben Int dustrie) and was subsequently trans- , ferred to the Berlin office. He is a , keen sportsman, especially- fond of motor-driving, horse-riding, hunting and filming. He is also a good pilot and once narrowly escaped death, when hTs' machine glided off and crashed, but he was unhurt. An excellent linguist, in addition to Ger man, he speaks English fhfeiltly, and Dutch, French and Spanish.—Reuter