Five Brothers and a War

Prinses Margriet

At 7:45pm, the Civic Hospital released its first press statement saying that both mother and daughter were doing well, with the new princess weighing in at seven pounds, five ounces. The next day, the Peace Tower carillon on Parliament Hill played the Dutch National Anthem and other Dutch songs, while the Dutch tri-color flew overhead; the first time a foreign flag had flown from the Tower. In keeping with Dutch tradition, the baby’s birth was celebrated by eating beschuit met muisjes —a rusk topped with sugar and anise seed sprinkles. Typically colored white and pink, the sprinkles were colored orange in honor of the occasion. The rusks were wrapped in orange paper and tied with a red, white and blue ribbon. News of the princess’s birth, was a major morale boost for oppressed Dutch citizens living in occupied Holland. The underground Dutch newspaper De Oranjerkrant wrote: “Little Margriet, you will be our princess of peace. We long to have you in our midst…Come soon Margriet. We are awaiting you with open arms.” The newborn was christened in St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on June 29. Among the dignitaries in attendance for the occasion were her father, Prins Bernhard, her grandmother, Koningin Wilhelmina, who was making her second wartime trip to Ottawa, the Governor-General and his wife, and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Canada’s Parliament building, with the Peace Tower, mid-winter. In this more contemporary photo, the flag flying is the Maple Leaf, which was adopted in 1965. Its predecessor, the Canadian Ensign, was temporarily replaced with the Dutch flag—an honor never bestowed on any other country.

holland

Five Brothers and a War

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