Royal Profile: Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands

Princess Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard of The Netherlands was born at Soestdijk Palace in Baarn on 31 January 1938 as the first child of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard{Source}.  At her birth, she held the titles of Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau and Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld{Source}. 

She has three younger sisters, two former brothers-in-law, a brother-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews:

1. Princess Irene of The Netherlands (1939)
1. Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma and Piacenza (1930-2010, m. 1964-1981, div)
1. Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Parma, Duke of Parma (1970)
1. Brigitte Klynstra (never married)
1. Carlos Hugo Roderik Sybren Klynstra de Bourbon-Parme (1997)
2. Princess Annemarie of Bourbon-Parma, Duchess of Parma (1977)
1. Princess Luisa Irene of Bourbon-Parma, Marquise of Castell'Arquato (2012)
2. Princess Cecilia Mariaof Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Berceto (2013 )
3.  Prince Carlos Enrique Leonard of Bourbon-Parma, Prince of Piacenza (2016)
2. Prince Jaime Bernardo of Bourbon-Parma, Count of Bardi (1972)
1. Princess Viktoria of Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Bardi (1982,m. 2013)
1. Princess Zita Clara of Bourbon-Parma (2014)
2. Princess Gloria Irene of Bourbon-Parma (2016)
3. Princess Margarita Maria Beatriz of Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Colorno (1972)
1. Edwin Karel Willem de Roy van Zuydewijn (m. 2004-2006, div)
2. Tjalling Siebe ten Cate (1975, b. 2008)
1. Julia Carolina Catharina ten Cate (2008)
2. Paola Cecilia Laurentien ten Cate (2011)
4. Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Parma, Marchioness of Sala (1974)
1. Albert Alphons Ludgerus Brenninkmeijer (m. 2012)
1. Alaïa-Maria Irene Cécile Brenninkmeijer (2014)
2. Xavier Albert Alphons Brenninkmeijer (2015)
2. Princess Margriet of The Netherlands (1943)
1. Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven (m. 1967)
1. Prince Maurits van Oranje-Nassau (1968)
1. Princess Marilène van Oranje-Nassau (1970, m. 1998) 
1. Anastasia (Anna) Margriet Joséphine van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (2001)
2. Lucas Maurits Pieter Henri van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (2002)
3. Felicia Juliana Benedicte Barbara van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (2005)
2. Prince Bernhard van Oranje-Nassau (1969)
1. Princess Annette van Oranje-Nassau (1972, m. 2000)
1. Isabella Lily Juliana van Vollenhoven (2002)
2. Samuel Bernhard Louis van Vollenhoven (2004)
3. Benjamin Pieter Floris van Vollenhoven (2008)
3. Prince Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje-Nassau (1972)
1. Princess Anita van Oranje-Nassau (1969, m. 2005) 
1. Emma Francisca Catharina van Vollenhoven (2006)
2. Pieter Anton Maurits Erik van Vollenhoven (2008)
4. Prince Floris van Oranje-Nassau (1975) 
1. Princess Aimée van Oranje-Nassau (1977, m. 2005)
1. Magali Margriet Eleonoor van Vollenhoven (2007)
2. Eliane Sophia Carolina van Vollenhoven (2009)
3. Willem Jan Johannes Pieter Floris van Vollenhoven (2013)
3. Princess Christina of The Netherlands (1947)
1. Jorge Pérez y Guillermo (1946, m. 1975, div 1996)
1. Bernardo Federico Tomás Guillermo (1977)Nicolás Daniel Mauricio Guillermo (1979)
1. Eva Marie Valdez Guillermo (1979, m 2009)
1. Isabel Christina Guillermo (2009)
2. Julián Jorge Guillermo (2011)
2. Juliana Edenia Antonia Guillermo (1981)

In May 1940, she and her family fled to the United Kingdom during the outbreak of WWII {Source}. Her father and grandmother remained in England, while she, her mother and younger sister continued on to Canada where they would be safer{Source}. Her second younger sister, Princess Margriet, was born in Canada in 1943{Source}. In August 1945, the entire family returned to The Netherlands{Source}. Her youngest sister, Princess Christina was born in The Netherlands in 1947{Source}. 

The future Queen of The Netherlands attended schools in Canada, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, France and Belgium {Source}. While residing in Canada during WWII, she began attending nursery and primary school{Source}. Upon her return to The Netherlands in 1945, she attended De Weklplaats, Kees Boeke's Progressive School {Source}.In April 1950, she entered the Incrementum, part of the Baarns Lyceum, where she passed her school-leaving examinations in arts subjects and classics in 1956{Source}. After passing her school-leaving exams, she began attending Leiden University, where she was a member of the Leiden Women Students' Association{Source}.
In her first years at university, she attended lectures in sociology, jurisprudence, economics, parliamentary history and constitutional law{Source}. Later she also attended lectures on the cultures of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles, the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, international affairs, international law, history and European law{Source}. In the summer of 1959, she passed her preliminary examination in law{Source}. While at university, the Princess visited various European and international organisations in Geneva, Strasbourg, Paris and Brussels{Source}.
In 1961 she obtained a combined degree in law and other subjects, including sociology and economics{Source}.

On 28 June 1965, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard announced the engagement of Princess Beatrix and the German diplomat Claus von Amsberg in radio and television broadcasts{Source}.
Before the wedding could take place, parliament had to be asked for permission and in autumn 1965, the two houses of parliament passed a bill consenting to the marriage, and granted Claus von Amsberg Dutch citizenship {Source}. Princess Beatrix married Claus von Amsberg on 10 March 1966{Source}.On the same day, Claus von Amsberg received the title of Prince of the Netherlands and the designation Jonkheer van Amsberg{Source}.  The royal couple took up residence in Drakensteyn Castle in Lage Vuursche, where the Princess had lived since 1963{Source}. They lived at Drakensteyn Castle until 1981, when they moved into Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague{Source}. Since her abdication, Princess Bearix has resided back at Drakensteyn Castle{Source}.
Together, they have three sons, three daughters-in-law, seven granddaughters and one grandson{Source}:

1. King Williem-Alexander (1967)
1. Queen Maximia
1. Princess Catharina-Amalia van Oranje (2003)
2. Princess Alexia of The Netherlands (2005)
3. Princess Ariane of The Netherlands (2007)
2. Prince Friso of The Netherlands (1968-2013)
1. Princess Mabel van Oranje-Nassau
1. Countess Luana of Oranje-Nassau (2005)
2. Countess Zaria van Oranje-Nassau (2007)
3. Prince Constantijn of The Netherlands (1969)
1. Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands
1. Countess Eloise of Oranje-Nassau (2002)
2. Count Claus-Casimir of Oranje-Nassau (2004)
3. Countess Leonore of Oranje-Nassau (2006)

They have 7 granddaughters:

Her godchildren are:

• Princess Margarita Maria Beatriz of Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Colorno (1972)
• Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (1977)

Princess Beatrix is a 3rd cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, they are both greatx3 grandchildren of George Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont. The former Dutch Queen is related to Queen Elizabeth II as a 5th cousin.The former queen and current queen are said to have a warm close relationship, and often visit each other.

She started an "abdication trend" {Source}

• Pope Benedict XVI in March 2013.
• King Albert II of The Belgians abdicated in July 2013.
• King Juan Carlos I of Spain abdicated in June 2014.

Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands is named:

• Beatrix: Likely a name her parents liked
• Wilhelmina: her maternal grandmoter
• Armgard: her paternal grandmother

At the time of her abdication at age 75, Beatrix was the oldest reigning monarch of the Netherlands in the country's history.
Her five godparents were:

• King Leopold III of Belgium
• Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
• Elisabeth, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg
• Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg
• Countess Allene de Kotzebue

She shares a birthday with Tommaso Janssens.
On 30 April 2009, the Queen and other members of the royal family were targeted in a car attack by a man named Karst Tates {Source}. In 2009, her personal wealth was estimated at US$300 Million{Source} The former Queen of The Netherlands speaks Dutch, French, English and German.