Wilhelmina on the tram

After five years in exile, Wilhelmina returned for good to her war-torn homeland on 3 May 1945. She was full of ideals for renewal, both in politics and in her personal life. She wanted to put an end to the pre-war divisions and stagnation, and to break down the barriers between herself and her people. She moved into a modest terraced house, did her own grocery shopping, and took the tram. This attempt at being ‘ordinary’ lasted only briefly. It was not appreciated by the government, nor by her people. None of her political plans came to fruition. She abdicated and withdrew from public life, disappointed. From then on, the people around her were mostly limited to her tenants and staff. She was not defeated, however. She devoted herself to religious unity and the coming of the Kingdom of God, which once again brought disappointment: progress was far too slow.

Her reputation has seen highs and lows: in the first post-war decades she was celebrated, but nowadays she is increasingly criticized. This book describes her attempts at renewal, how they unfolded, and the reactions they provoked. It passes no judgement, but offers a sharp portrait of an eccentric queen and her handling of a dilemma that has become ever more difficult for royalty: the tension between keeping a distance from the people and seeking closeness, between being elevated and being ordinary.