When Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, she had the support of the man she called her “strength and stay” in Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In this series, Royal Central takes a look at the other consorts of Europe in 1952.
Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
Born Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld in 1911, this German nobleman supported his wife, mother-in-law, and daughters as a main pillar of the Dutch Royal Family…but his life wasn’t without its controversies.
Bernhard grew up in Germany, and a bout of ill health early on led doctors to believe that he wouldn’t survive childhood; some theorise that this is what led to later reckless decisions. He studied law in Germany and Switzerland, and joined questionable organisations in the 1930s, including the Nazi Party (he would try to deny this later in life, however his membership had been public).
Bernhard married Princess Juliana of the Netherlands on 7 January 1937 and together they had four daughters: future Queen Beatrix, Irene, Margriet, and Christina. During the Second World War, as his wife and young family were evacuated to Canada, he stayed behind with his mother-in-law, Queen Wilhelmina, to support a government-in-exile elsewhere in Europe. He helped lead the Dutch Resistance and the Dutch Armed Forces, and helped negotiate German surrender following the war.
When his wife ascended to the Dutch throne following Wilhelmina’s abdication, Prince Bernhard officially became the Prince Consort of the Netherlands. He supported the Dutch Royal Family on the global stage, and also served an important role in Dutch business affairs.
In 1976, he faced his greatest scandal when a $1.1 million bribe he’d taken from Lockheed Martin became public. Bernhard appeared unrepentant over his actions, and it later came out that he’d only avoided charges due to respect for Queen Juliana. He resigned his military posts and turned over the presidency of the World Wildlife Fund to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Bernhard was also revealed to have a mistress and two illegitimate daughters, and scandal continued to follow him in his later years. His wife abdicated in favour of their eldest daughter in 1980, and the 1990s were marked by ill health. Prince Bernhard passed away following a bout of lung cancer on 1 December 2004, predeceased by Queen Juliana, who’d died earlier that year.
