Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Wilhelmina as a young woman

Wilhelmina Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria (31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in favor of her daughter Juliana in 1948. She led the Netherlands through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. When Nazi Germany invaded in 1940, she continued leading the Dutch government-in-exile from the United Kingdom.

Quotes

• For the whole world I became a heroine, very easy, but not complimentary, since I had done nothing in this case, received the most ridiculous letters from places all over the world; especially a steady flow of praises came from France! I have never seen such a exaggerated reaction
• I have done more for the w:Boers than my fellow countrymen will ever know
• only in the intimacy with mother I could be just a human
• the government did not fulfil the urge in their hearts and felt that the public wished to see me openly revealing my sympathy for our kinsmen; how could I as the head of state!
• Already then, there was in my subconsciousness as unsatisfactoriness about powerlessness, which was accompanied by being locked in a cage, whereby made taking an initiative, of any kind, impossible
• to one of which I am attached by bonds of friendship, to other by ties of common origin
  • Queen Wilhelmina and the Boers, 1899 - 1902, MA PCNI dissertation, E.R.J.G. Picard, S1029215, Prof.dr.H. te Velde, 26-06-2018.