Other Forces

Queen Wilhelmina as a young girl.

US Library of Congress collections.

Holland's WW2 queen as a young girl. Wilhelmina succeeded to the throne in 1890 - at the age of ten - and was crowned on attaining the age of 18. Even while still a teenager, under the regency of her mother, Wilhelmina gave clear signs of her intelligence and robust characted. I particularly like the story of a visit made by her to her "Cousin Willi" - Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The Kaiser, seeking to impress the young girl, boasted that not one man in one of his Imperial Grenadier Guard regiments was less than 2 metres (just over 6 feet) in height. Wilhelmina is said to have replied, sweetly, "That is very interesting, Cousin. Do you know, by the way, I have been told that when we open our dykes, the water can rise as high as 8 metres ?". A lady with a big future, even then. Best regards, JR.