Looking back at the wedding of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands & Claus von Amsberg

The future Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands married Claus von Amsberg on 10 March 1966.

Their engagement was announced by Beatrix’s parents, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard, on 28 June 1965. Many Dutch people did not agree with Princess Beatrix marrying a German, with memories of the Second World War still fresh in their minds.

The New York Times reported, “Violent reactions followed reports two weeks ago that Princess Beatrix was seriously considering marrying a former German soldier. In a joint public statement, six former leaders of the anti-Nazi resistance movement said that the marriage of a crown princess was not a purely private matter. ‘For us it is unbearable to think that Beatrix is about to take a step that will bring her to gatherings in commemoration of our dead together with a man who at the time of our sorrowest national distress raised his hand and cried, ‘Heil Hitler’!”¹

Queen Juliana later addressed the nation to assure the Dutch people that Claus and his family had not supported Nazism. Claus, who was born in 1926, had been a member of the Hitler Youth and served in the 90th Panzer Division just before the end of the Second World War. Over 300,000 people signed a petition in protest. Despite these concerns, Juliana gave her consent, and the wedding received parliamentary approval. He was also granted Dutch citizenship.

On the wedding day, the civil ceremony took place first, as was required by Dutch law. The ceremony took place at the Prinsenhof in Amsterdam, which was the city hall at the time of the wedding. The Mayor of Amsterdam, Gijsbert van Hall, performed the ceremony. The witnesses were Prince Aschwin of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Princess Alexandra of Kent, and former Prime Minister Willem Drees.

The couple then travelled to the Westerkerk in the Golden Coach for the religious ceremony. During the wedding procession, the couple personally faced the protesters. A smoke bomb was thrown at them, and protesters shouted, “Claus Raus! (Claus out!) and “Mijn fiets terug!” (Return my bicycle – which refers to the German occupiers confiscating bikes during the war). This ceremony was performed by Rev. Hendrik Jan Kater, with a sermon by Rev. Johannes Hendrik Sillevis Smitt.

Princess Beatrix wore a white silk duchesse wedding gown designed by Caroline Bergé-Farwick of Maison Linette. The tulle veil was held in place by the Württemberg ornate pearl tiara.

Nationaal Archief, CC0

Princess Beatrix’s six bridesmaids were Princess Christina of the Netherlands, Christina von Amsberg, Princess Christina of Sweden, Lady Elizabeth Anson, Joanna Roëll and Eugénie Loudon.

Prince Claus overcame the concerns of the Dutch people, and he became a beloved Prince consort during Queen Beatrix’s reign. The couple went on to have three sons together: the current King Willem-Alexander (born 1967), Prince Friso (born 1968– died 2013) and Prince Constantijn (born 1969). Prince Claus died of complications of pneumonia and Parkinson’s disease on 6 October 2002.