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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A daughter for Juliana

Her Royal Highness Princess Juliana gave birth to a fine daughter today, the 31st of January, 1938, at 9:47 a.m.  The condition of mother and child is most satisfactory."

The infant Princess is the first child of Crown Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her husband, Prince Bernhard,

The "fair-haired, blue-eyed" princess was honored with a 51 gun salute.  The New York Times reports that the "the Netherlands generally would have hailed a son most enthusiastically, but this country has been ruled so satisfactorily by Queen Wilhelmina that there is really no disappointment" in the birth of the princess.

Juliana's obstetrician Dr. Jan de Groot informed Queen Wilhelmina that her first grandchild is "perfect."  He added that the "little Princess has blue eyes and fair hair, and she weighs 7lbs 11 ozs."

The news of the birth "spread at lightning speed," thanks to an "extensive system of wire-printers" installed at all press centers.

The baby's name will be announced when Prince Bernhard announces the birth "to the burgomeister in the presence of two witnesses."

The little princess will be styled as Princess of Orange-Nassau and Lippe-Biesterfeld.

Crown Princess Juliana's secretary stated that "the new Princess has a strong well-developed pair of lungs -- as we the palace already know."


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