The Princess turns 70 today.A remarkeble Lady who found her way out of the Royal spheres,and did marvellously.
Born just before the war and named Irene (Peace) Elisabeth after the then Queen Elisabeth,the dear late Queen Mum,
baptised at Buckingham Palace in may 1940,days before she was to move to Canada with her mother and little sister Beatrix.
Last night a portrait was aired and showed the Princess both at home at her estate "Bergplaas" in South Africa,where the Princess lives most of the time,as well as here in The Netherlands.It showed,and gave a good picture,of her work,the courses she gives,the how and what of Irene,and how she had to get to terms with the title as she felt it created a divide between her and people,hence her decision years ago to be called Irene van Lippe Biesterfeld only."It makes a huge difference if I answer the phone with Princess Irene or Irene van Lippe".Now,as she came to terms with the title she again uses what is rightfully hers,the HRH,as she sees fit if it is to get her message across,and on family- and/or official events.She was talking about her children and how important they are to her,and the love for Julia,her granddaughter;"I could never have known what impact being a grandmother could have,but it is sooo extraordinairy,too beautifull for words".
Princess Irene at 70;"I don't get it,I am 70 but I don't feel like 70 at all,far from it,I am fit and still,I find I am getting a bit of trouble with fi skying which I love and am good at (she won several championships when a girl/teenager),and it is going downhill a bit nonetheles,and the climbing,it takes longer,all that sort of thing makes you realise you actually must have gotten older".
