Dutch Queen Mother dies.
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| Sat, 03-20-2004 - 2:04pm |
The state information service said she died of a lung infection at 5:50 a.m. (0450 GMT) in the Soestdijk palace where she had lived most of her long life.
Three of her four daughters, including Queen Beatrix, were present when she died and the fourth landed shortly afterwards from the United States. Crown-prince Willem Alexander is returning from holidays in Austria.
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said in a televised speech that Juliana, who reigned for 32 years from 1948, had been a queen "for the people and not for the directors" and had said she would have wanted to be a social worker if she had not become queen.
"Together with Prince Bernhard, she worked for the reconstruction of our country after World War II. Supported by her religion, she was an indefatigable campaigner for solidarity, community spirit and human dignity," he said.
More..........
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/03/20/dutch.queen.reut/index.html

