Why is there such a big mystery about the royal tomb of the Dutch court?

Royalty It's been almost fifteen years ago that the crypt of the Dutch royal family in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft for the last opened. Under the large tombstone, about two thousand kilograms, there is a staircase which the family down industry to say goodbye to their loved ones. For the outside world is that tomb there is a large mystery. “Or Beatrix, her late husband Claus, or not visit, it is one of the best-kept royal secrets.”

In 2004, it was the tomb of the house of orange, forced two times and was last accessed. Queen Juliana, who in a blessed age of 94 years died on 20 march of that year, was laid to rest. Her husband, prince Bernhard, followed after 93 years on december 11, 2004. Anyone with the surname Van Oranje-Nassau will has been for centuries a resting place. That is the case, since the adding of William of Orange in 1584.

Royalty Prince Friso

queen Beatrix - most likely in consultation with daughter-in-law, Mabel - have decided not to have the body of her son prince Friso in the vault, so at the very least remarkable. Prince Friso became on February 17, 2012, during his last day in the Austrian Lech together with his local childhood friend Florian Moosbrugger are buried under an avalanche. Moosbrugger was free, prince Friso was after 25 minutes under the snow removed. The lack of oxygen was fatal. After a months-long, comatose state and died the prince on August 12, 2013. Why the protocol broken was when prince Friso, is still a mystery.

Small boxes

Around the infamous tomb hangs already for Friso's death in a mysterious atmosphere. Although the funerals of queen Juliana, prince Bernhard and prince Claus, the beloved husband of queen Beatrix who died in 2002, live on television were shown, had the Dutch quite some effort to even catch a glimpse of the resting place.

After the tombstone, but less than two thousand kilograms weighs, removed with a crane, drop the grieving Family via a staircase down to a last greeting.

According to official reports of the Royal House there is the burial vault of two parts. The oldest vault is located directly under the tomb of William of Orange, in the choir of the church. On the large headstone which gives access to the staircase and behind a curtain, hidden in niches, is the coat of arms of Orange-Nassau carved. There is, in Latin: ‘Here expected, William I, the Father of our Country, of the resurrection.’

There are already 46 members of the House of Orange-Nassau was buried in the tomb. William Of Orange, the father of our northern neighbours, is surrounded by his ten closest relatives ... and three small boxes with the inscription "unknown". ‘Probably contain two of those boxes, stillborn children of Willem Of Orange’, told The New Church in Delft about it.

of Course, there should be enough place in such a tomb. The vault was already regularly grown, in 2013, for the last time. When we worked in a spacious crypt. The Oranges themselves contributed apparently financially, but how much that was - again - a mystery.

private property

It is also not illogical that the Oranges that place for themselves to keep. The Dutch royal family considers that final resting place as private property. Only the mayor of Delft, Marja Van Bijsterveldt, enters, once a year the tomb. She is appointed as a commissioner of the royal crypt. Escorted by the security service must on an annual basis, the tomb, inspected and maintained. Of course, the function is undeniably bound to professional secrecy.

The Orange-Nassaus are always allowed to the tomb within. Of course this will happen not by the extremely heavy tombstone to lift, but through a small service entrance. Queen Juliana is known that she frequently her father visited, prince Henry. But if and when Beatrix, her late husband Claus ever visit, that is also a well-kept secret. Reportedly even one of the best-kept royal secrets.

Virtual Reality

In 2016, the Dutch politician Alexander Pechtold with the ambitious idea to the royal tombs of digital to ‘open’ to the public. Because the tombs are not large enough for a mass audience, wanted Announced visitors to the tombs with virtual reality goggles to view. In consultation with the royal family, could the images also be put on the internet, says the politician.

That Beatrix would not agree with that digital ambitions, is as plain as a pikestaff. In spite of the public life that the Family must lead, and in spite of all the emotions that they are sometimes forced to share with the outside world, their grieving process personally.