Wintertime at Palace Soestdijk

Palace Soestdijk is temporarily open for public (till 31/12/2010). Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard lived here from 1937 till their death in 2004.

So I arranged tickets for my parents (and myself) as a birthday present. We started with a lunch in the "Organgery" and then we had guided tour through parts of the palace. It's very special to walk around the rooms wich you only know from the TV. The central block contains several official reception rooms wich are still decorated and furnished in the original style, with beautiful paintings along the walls. The right wing (Baarn) was the family wing, most of the family rooms are empty now.

I must say the palace looks much bigger on TV, the palace is rather small, and especially the family rooms, like the study rooms of Bernard and Juliana are very intimate and cosy. It's lovely situated in the park. Espcially now with all the snow. The big question now is: what are they're going to do with the Palace. I hope they keep it open for public, because it's an very interesting part of our history.

History

Originally it was build around 1650 as a hunting lodge. In 1814 King William II and his and his Russian wife, Princess Anna Paulowna, had Soestdijk converted into a real summer palace, they added the two wings and furnished into Imperial style. The Queen Mother Emma was particularly fond of the Palace. In 1928 she received a special present on her 70th birthday: electric lighting at Soestdijk Palace.

It was not until 1937 that Soestdijk Palace became permanently occupied, when Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard took up residence here after their marriage. In 1940 after the invastion of Germany they left and they returned in 19945. Even today it is still remembered how on Queen’s Day the complete royal family viewed the festive parades from the steps. (Wich are rather small and narrow, so it must be really crowded with all the family standing there.).