Queen Wilhelmina was the Queen of the Netherlands from 1898 to 1948. She remained neutral during World War I but had to evacuate to Britain when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands in 1940. Wilhelmina broadcasted messages of hope to the Dutch people during the war. After the war, she worked to motivate and lift the spirits of the Dutch as they rebuilt their country. She abdicated the throne in 1948 and died in 1962, remaining a beloved symbol of hope for the Dutch people during World War II.

1. Queen
Wilhelmina
Kathryn Davidson

2. Childhood
• Born Wilhmina Helena Pauline
Maria on August 31, 1880
• The only child of King William III of
the Netherlands and Emma of
Waldeck and Pyrmont
• Outlived the King’s three sons
• Father died when she was ten, so
her mother acted as regent
• She was enthroned on November
6, 1898

3. World War I
• The Netherlands remained
neutral during World War I
• Queen Wilhmina loved her
soldiers
• Visited troops without notice to
see the truth, not a arranged
show
• Felt she was a queen on guard,
guarding against attacks

4. World War II
• May 10, 1940, the Nazis
invaded the Netherlands
• The Queen and her family
evacuated on the HMS
Hereward to Britain three
days later
• Wished to stay in the
Netherlands to help with
troops
• Broadcasted weekly to
Netherlands during the war

5. World War II
• Almost killed by bomb that took
the lives of several of her guards
and destroyed her country
home
• Called Hitler “arch enemy of the
world”
• Health started failing her toward
the end of the war so she ceded
the throne to Juliana for a short
period until she was well

6. Symbol of Hope for the
Dutch
• Loved by the people
• Many Dutch wore lockets with
her picture
• Orange flowers sprang up in
gardens (orange was the Dutch
Royal color)
• Celebration of the Queen’s
birthday was forbidden
• The town of Huizen sang one
verse of the national anthem
on Wilhelmina’s Birthday and
had to pay a fine of 60,000
guilders to the Nazis

7. After the War
• When the queen returned to the
Netherlands she said she would
rather burn her palace than live
were the Nazi stayed but common
sense triumphed
• After the war ended she rode
around on a bicycle to lift and
motivate people’s sprits

8. Later Life
• Was very popular among world
leaders
• In 1948 she abdicated the throne to
Juliana
• Died at age 82 on November 28, 1962
Wrote an autobiography
titled “Lonely but not
Alone” in 1960

9. Biography
• "Queen Wilhelmina." English!nfo. N.p., n.d. Web. 16
Feb 2011.
<http://english.turkcebilgi.com/queenwilhelmina>.
• Queen Wilhelmina." Find a Grave. N.p., n.d. Web. 20
Feb 2011. <http://www.findagrave.com/cgibin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10298>.
• "Queen Wilhelmina." Spartacus Educational. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 17 Feb 2011.
<http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWwilhel
mina.htm>.
• "Wilhelmina of Netherland." New World
Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb 2011.
<http://www.%20newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/
Wilhelmina_of_the_Netherlands>.