Former Dutch monarch Juliana dies at 94
Saturday, 20 March 2004 16:24The former Dutch Queen Juliana, mother of Queen Beatrix and a former sovereign of the Netherlands, has died. She was 94.
Princess Juliana - as she was known since stepping down - died early this morning of a lung infection in the Soestdijk palace where she lived.
Not seen in public in recent years, the Princess's health had worsened after breaking her hip in a fall at a friend's house in April 1998.
She suffered some loss of memory and was 'confused'. Since then she had needed round-the-clock medical care.
Born in the Hague in April 1909, she was the daughter of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
She and her husband Bernhard had four daughters, ensuring a third woman on the Dutch throne which she herself ascended in 1948, after Queen Wilhelmina had abdicated for health reasons.
The 'bicycling monarch' shopped at her local supermarket and sent her children to state school. Her popularity prompted the labour party to drop its demand to turn the country into a republic.
She herself abdicated in favour of her eldest daughter, Beatrix, on her 71st birthday in 1980.
She said at that time, 'Sooner or later everyone who grows old must face the sober fact that their strength is fading ... and that it is irresponsible to carry on.'
