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Friday, June 11, 2010

Juliana and her infant daughters are safe in Canada

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 June 11, 1940

By telephone to the New York Times, from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

 Today just after noon, a Netherlands cruiser "amid escorting destroyers bring to a safe haven Crown Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her two infant daughters." They will stay in Ottawa as the guests of the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, for the duration of the war. Princess Alice and Juliana's mother, Queen Wilhelmina, are first cousins. Lord Athlone will take over as Canada's Governor-General in a few days.

The family will live in Government House, a "rambling limestone mansion amid rolling lawns and the fine old trees on the bank of the Ottawa River. Amid the "beautiful gardens," little Princess Beatriz, two-and-a-half years old, and Princess Irene, who is nine months old, will grow up. Crown Princess Juliana "may soon bear her third child, far away from the Nazi horror which has swept over her kingdom."

Canadian officials had been preparing for Juliana's arrival for some time, although the exact date was uncertain, as it was "undesirable that the warship should use her wireless."

Queen Wilhelmina remains in England with her government, and Juliana's husband, Prince Bernhard, is said to be in France with the British forces.
Lord Athlone and Princess Alice are expected to arrive in the next few days. Crown Princess Juliana and her family will remain in Quebec until Lord Athlone arrives.

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