The Pittsburgh Press (February 6, 1942)
Juliana and her children just an ordinary family
Dutch princess shops and goes to movies, lives in unpretentious Ottawa home
By Major Thomas Wayling
Ottawa, Canada, Feb. 6 –
The Princess Juliana, heir to the throne of Holland and the Dutch possessions beyond the seas, stroked the flaxen hair of her youngest daughter, the Princess Irene, and affectionately squeezed the little hand of the Princess Beatrix.
Canada and the United States have been so good to me and my children… I can never forget it…
In a little gray stone house in the suburb of Ottawa, the Princess has established a wartime home for her family.
From London, the Princess Juliana’s mother, Queen Wilhelmina, still rules the Axis-torn Netherlands Empire. And here in Ottawa, beneath the blue roof of this unpretentious little house, may be found the succession to the crown of Holland. Like the Royal House of England, the succession lies with the two small girls.
Reared liked Canadians
Tiny Princess Irene is two-and-a-half years old, the Princess Beatrix is four. They live the lives of Canadian children in every respect.
Princess Beatrix attends Elmwood Preparatory School, where she is rapidly picking up English. At school, she is “Trix,” and just as Canada has taken the Princess Juliana as a likeable guest, who is to be made welcome and live as she desires, so the children of Elmwood treat little “Trix” just as they do other youngsters.
On state occasions, the Princess Juliana is the royal heir of Holland; at home she is herself, wife and mother, free to live simply and well, to work and play as she sees fit, to bring up her children in the normal healthy life of young Canada.
Shops, sees movies
On state occasions Canadians cheer the Princess; in everyday life she shops downtown, goes to the movies, walks and skiis and skates like any young Canadian matron. She wears plain dresses around the house and economizes by darning the odd run in a stocking (what she eats is her own affair, otherwise every time she visits, someone would serve the same thing).
The little grey house lies at the end of a road in a valley. Tall trees surround it and there is no confining fence. Today it is cold, 12 below zero, so after a brisk walk from school, the Princess and her daughters are in the cozy green drawing room – a livable room where small feet scramble over furniture, and dolls and toys are strewn all over the place. On the mantel are Dutch boy and girl dolls, a Dutch sailor and a little Canadian birch bark canoe. In the window ledge is a row of books.
No royal household
With the little princess plays Renee, a small chubby youngster of Trix’s age, who came with her mother from Holland. Renee is Trix’s constant companion. They go to school together, play together, like any two little Canadian or American girls.
There is no royal household as such – no ladies or gentlemen-in-waiting. The little house couldn’t hold them if there were,. There are a cook and a maid. Two personal friends live with the Princess, one is the mother of Renee, the other takes care of the children. W. van Tets is the Princess’ private secretary and takes care of the multitudinous affairs that come up officially and unofficially.
Children up at dawn
I asked the Princess:
What time do the children get up?
The Princess threw up her hands with a little squawk.
It was a squawk; if the Princess wants to squawk, she does.
Evidently Trix and Irene were no different to other small girls. They awoke with the dawn or when they felt like it.
The Princess said:
Trix must be at school at nine. She just goes in the morning; it’s children’s school.
Mention of the gallant fight of the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the Dutch East Indies brought a new light in the Princess’ eyes. She was proud of them. She added:
And the natives, too, they are fighting well.
All love the outdoors
The Princess said:
You know, this is the first time Holland and the United States have fought side by side, and we know what the outcome will be.
Because of her position representing the royal house of Holland the Princess Juliana ranks in Canada after only the Governor-General and the Princess Alice, who represent the British throne. She is, therefore, a guest at all state and government functions, and enjoys them all.
Any day in the summer, the Princess may be seen in the garden. She likes to play a game of tennis and is a keen swimmer. She loves the outdoors and the two small princesses have inherited this love. She does not go in for bright colors and her formal dresses are usually black.