Holland Bids Farewell to Dutch Prince

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, October 16, 2002

Holland Bids Farewell to Dutch Prince

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The funeral of Prince Claus von Amsberg, the German-born husband of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, took place on Tuesday in The Hague in the presence of kings and queens from the royal houses of Europe.

Thousands of people lined the nine-kilometre route of a funeral procession, which started at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, where the prince's body lay in state for four days.

A horse-drawn hearse carried the coffin went past an honor guard to the Niewe Kerk in the medieval city of Delft, where Dutch royals have been buried for more than 400 years.

Prince Claus's tomb is next to that of Queen Wilhelmina, Beatrix's grandmother who ruled the Netherlands for 50 years untilshe abdicated in 1948.

It was the first funeral in the Dutch royal family since Wilhelmina died 40 years ago, and only the fifth over the past 112 years.

Nine days ago, the prince died, aged 76, from Parkinson's disease and pneumonia.

He sacrificed a promising career in the German diplomatic service to marry Queen Beatrix in 1966.

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