Thousands lined the streets of Delft on Tuesday morning as the Netherlands bade farewell to Queen Beatrix’s husband Prince Claus von Amsberg, who died last week aged 76. The solemn occasion marked the first Dutch royal funeral in four decades, the last being that of Queen Beatrix’s grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina, in 1962.
At precisely 10am local time the purple-draped horse-drawn hearse left Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, where Prince Claus had been lying in state, to embark on the five-mile journey to Delft's Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, where the funeral took place. Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince Johan-Friso and Prince Constantijn travelled in a carriage accompanying the hearse, while Queen Beatrix and her two daughters-in-law, Princesses Maxima and Laurentien, joined the procession in Rijswijk.
Six thousand soldiers stood as honour guard along the route as the cortege passed, escorted by mounted cavalry, and a series of gun salutes rang out as the royal family neared Delft.
The Dutch crown prince and his two brothers stood silently as their father’s coffin was brought inside the church.
Prince Charles was among the 1,900 mourners who gathered at the funeral service, which was conducted by Reverend Carel ter Linden. Other distinguished guests included the monarchs of Belgium, Denmark, Spain and Sweden, as well as Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Japan’s Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, and royals from Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Jordan.
Nearly 100,000 people had filed past the prince’s coffin to bid farewell over the weekend, continuing to pay their respects through the early hours of Monday morning. The palace was closed the remainder of the day, however, so Queen Beatrix and her family could mourn privately.
Prince Claus will be buried in the House of Orange royal mausoleum in the Nieuwe Kerk, alongside the tomb of Wilhelmina, who ruled the Netherlands for five decades until her abdication in 1948. The vault is not open to the public, and only members of the royal family will witness the internment.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
