Queen Consort Emma
Queen Consort Emma of the Netherlands was married to King Willem III and became Queen Regent upon his death due to his heir, Princess Wilhelmina, only being 10 years old. She is remembered with multiple monuments in The Hague.
Queen Consort Emma (1858-1934) was the second wife of King Willem III of the Netherlands (1817-1890). They married in January 1879 when he was 62 and she was 21. They had one child together, a daughter named Wilhelmina, born 31 August 1880. Although the King had three sons from his first marriage, he outlived all of them, which meant that upon his death in 1890, the then 10-year old Princess Wilhelmina inherited the throne. As Queen Mother, Emma acted as Regent for her daughter until Wilhelmina’s 18th birthday 1898.
In her role as Queen of the Netherlands, from 1879-1890, and Regent for Queen Wilhelmina from 1890-1898, Emma was highly regarded by both citizens and government. It is therefore no surprise that there are multiple monuments here in The Hague which recognize Queen Emma’s contributions…
QUEEN EMMA MONUMENT IN BENOORDENHOUT
On the Jozef Israelsplein in Benoordenhout (The Hague) is a bronze monument depicting Queen Emma sitting down. The statue is presented on a stepped stone platform. This monument was designed by Dutch sculpture Toon Dupuis and architect Co Brandes and was unveiled in 1936.
QUEEN EMMA MONUMENT IN ZEEHELDENKWARTIER
A second monument to Emma is a granite and sandstone obelisk at the center of Regentesseplein in The Hague Zeeheldenkwartier. It was created by AWM Ode and SF Gips and unveiled in 1905. This monument is specifically in recognition and gratitude for the eight years (1890-1898) she acted as Regent until her daughter’s 18th birthday.
There is a circular bronze portrait of the Queen Mother on the east-facing side of the obelisk, under which the words appear… EMMA Koningin Regentes De Nederland.
QUEEN EMMA BENCH MONUMENT
Near the Escher Museum (Lange Voorhout Palace), where Queen Emma lived from 1901 until her death in 1934, is a stone bench memorial to the former queen. This one can be easy to miss due to its low profile.
Across the front are the words ‘In Dankbare Herennering Aan. En Ter Vererende Nagedachtenis Van H.M. Koningin Emma‘ (In gratitude to and in honour of the memory of H.M. Queen Emma) and on the back ‘Aangeboren Door De Orde Van Vrij Metselaren Onder Het Grootoosten Der Nederlanden In Het Jaar Negentienhonderd Acht En Dertig. Vernield In Negentienhonderd Veertig Her-Opgericht In Negentienhonderd Negen En Vijftig‘ (Offered by the Order of Free Masons from the great east of the Netherlands in the year nineteen hundred thirty eight. Destroyed in nineteen hundred forty. Replaced in nineteen hundred fifty nine).
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