Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Albrecht Willem Lier (1918-2015), natural son of Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands

The marriage between Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Duke Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands) was not a happy one.   Their personalities clashed, and it must not have been easy for Hendrik to fit in, as a consort.  He certainly was never able to live up to the standards set by Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria.

In so many ways (including between the sheets), Victoria and Albert were compatible and soul mates.  The same could not be said for Wilhelmina and Hendrik.  Wilhelmina had difficulty conceiving child.  It was not until 1909 that she gave birth to her only child, Princess Juliana.

Hendrik found comfort and solace elsewhere. But it was not until 1979, when the story of Hendrik's relationship with Mien Abbo Wenneker became public when Dutch historian Loe de Jong wrote about it.  All told, Hendrik and Mien are said to have had six children together, although there has never been a DNA test to prove paternity.

 In 1919, she married Jan Derk Liers, who claimed that he was the father of Albrecht Willem Lier.

However, it is understood that Albrecht Willem Lier's father was Prince Hendrik.

Hendrik never acknowledged Albrecht, who was known as Pim,  Nor did he acknowledge Pim's siblings: Christina (1907), Edith (1910), Willem (b.d.1916), Jan (1920), Herman (1921), Alida and Maria Susana (1922.)

Citing the book, De Zwarte schapen van Oranje (The Black sheep of Orange)  by Hendrik Jan Korterink, Dutch royal historian Netty Leistra reports that the Dutch court made payments to Jan Derk Lier, and also provided child support for Christina, Edith, Pim, and the twin daughters Alida and Maria.

Mien married her uncle Cornelis Abbo in 1909, two years after the birth of Christina.  Edith was the only child born during her marriage to Abbo, who died in 1913.  She was described as having a "striking resemblance" to Queen Juliana.

Koterink claims that the first meeting between Mien and Hendrik took place in Hilversum, in May 1906.  where the 19-year-old young woman got a job as a chambermaid.

Albrecht Lier married Petra de Vries.  On December 18, 1986, he shot his wife to death.  She suffered from incurable cancer.   He was found guilty of her death and sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison.   The couple was the parents of a son and a daughter.

Albrecht Wilhelm Lier was born at Scheveningen, the Netherlands on July 22, 1918.  He died at Almelo, the Netherlands, on April 9, 2015.   He was a lawyer and jurist.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It is a shame that Queen Juliana never got to become acquainted with her brothers and sisters