Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1911–2004)
Born 1911 CE, died 2004 CE.
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands; 29 June 1911 – 1 December 2004) was Prince of the Netherlands from 6 September 1948 to 30 April 1980 as the husband of Queen Juliana. They had four daughters together, including Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Bernhard belonged to the German princely House of Lippe-Biesterfeld and was a nephew of the last sovereign prince of Lippe, Leopold IV. From birth he held the title Count of Biesterfeld; his uncle raised him to princely rank with the style of Serene Highness in 1916. He studied law and worked as an executive secretary at the Paris office of IG Farben. In 1937 he married Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, and was immediately given the title Prince of the Netherlands with the style of Royal Highness. Upon his wife's accession to the throne in 1948, he became prince consort. Bernhard was an early member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) as well as the brown shirts or Sturmabteilung (SA), and served as an officer in the Schutzstaffel (SS). He switched his political allegiance to the Allies after the invasion of the Netherlands.
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