This extraordinary,imho,Lady deserves her own thread.Until now I've posted anything related to her under the Queen Beatrix thread,but that doesn't sit right.
Agree or disagree what you like but this Lady had the guts to do something different off the beaten Royal path.While at first looked upon as excentric,she really established something for all to participate in,not for her own glory.
From the glittering,and most handsome of the four sisters,imho,she became the laughing stock for many a Royal "fan",she however,has nothing to do with short sightedness or frumpy ideas as to what Royals should be about.After her divorce she looked for a purpose,a new meaning to her life while at the same time let others benefit,or at least those interested.She also is a strong advocate for wildlife preservation.Irene is many things,but most a warm idealistic woman.As she said herself;"Writing the books I wrote,living the life I do,made my children worry "Is all well with mama",usually it's the parent that worries about the children,with us it was the other way around,but now they understand,and are proud of me,love to stay with me here in SA or in our home near Utrecht".
Born on august 4th 1939 at Soestdijk Palace,her parents named her Irene,she who brings peace,at the time a wishfull idea as the war broke out in may next year here.The young Princess was taken to the UK,in a specially designed pram,not only containing Irene,but also the Jewels of the House.
HRH Princess Irene Emma Elisabeth was baptised at Buckingham Palace on may 31st 1940,shortly before she moved to Canada for the duration of WWII with her mother Queen Juliana.She,sister Beatrix and from 1943 sister Margriet,lived a carefree life there,nothing royal about it,so it was quiet a shock once the children flew over The Netherlands upon returning.All of a sudden the girls were Royalty again,smack right in the middle of the spotlights.
At first educated at a very progressive school near the Palace,it turned out that after a few years the girls had practically learned,well,nothing,except baking an egg and doing dishes.As Irene said;"We were free to do what we liked,so I ended up doing nothing at all"...Prince Bernhard saw to it that they DID get a proper education,gone was the slang they had picked up in Canada,gone the carefree life.No more hitchhiking on the bike of the local baker while doing his rounds.Study and awareness of their position and duties was up front from then;"but with enough space left to make our own decisions,and mistakes,and learn from them",grinning....
A sporty girl from a very young age,she excelled in horse riding,skiing,anything to do with sport,often in "heavy"competition with sister Trix,and it was mostly Irene that won any of their competitions.She also was her grandmother Queen Wilhelmina's favorite grandchild,or so it is widely believed.The latter did bestow the ruby peacock parure to her during her lifetime,to name one thing.The other being the Fund Queen Wilhelmina had set up for her,as for her other granddaughters,believed to be in the range of 15 million each,at that time.Most of Irene's was "spend" after her marriage,to restore the Bourbon Parma Castle of Lignieres,much of the rest funding the Carlist party.
Running toward the 5500 digits,I leave it at this for the time being,not wanting to loose yet again an enormous post
http://www.seegerpress-online.de/seegerpress-cgi/topixx?op=preview&ID=1120466057&str...
