A Pink House Of Orange?

The Lockheed scandal may prove to be the worst thing to happen to the Dutch monarchy since Parliament took over effective governing power from King Willem II in 1848. More and more Dutchmen are wondering whether their much beloved Queen Juliana will abdicate in the wake of accusations that her husband, Prince Bernhard, took $1.1 million from Lockheed to influence government decisions regarding the Starfighter jets used by the Dutch air force. Should that happen, the monarchy would fall to Juliana's daughter Beatrix, 38, and her husband. Prince Claus, 49.

What troubles many Dutchmen is that Beatrix and Claus are well known for their leftist political leanings. In fact, some people in The Netherlands are worried about a concerted leftist effort to turn the royal House of Orange into a kind of House of Pink.

So far, the three-man commission chosen to investigate the charges against Bernhard, who denies them, has made no report. Few would be surprised if the commission neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. After some initial restraint, the leftist press is hitting the Prince hard. The most venomous attack to date came last week from Communist Journalist Wim Klinkenberg, who charged that Bernhard had been a member of Hitler's SS. European gossip sheets have also been full of reports about his friendship with French Socialite Helene ("Poupette") Grinda, 32. There is no proof for any of these charges or innuendos.

Red Sergeant. A key anti-Bernhard propagandist is Willem Oltmans, a freelance journalist. Oltmans' chumminess with Soviet diplomats in The Hague has aroused the curiosity of The Netherlands' FBI, the BVD (Binnenlandse Veiligheidsdienst). Many believe that his anti-Bernhard allegations are part of a well-orchestrated program to swing public opinion in favor of abdication. Said one Dutch official: "If the KGB is not behind the campaign, then at least they must be delighted in Moscow."

As for Prince Claus and Crown Princess Beatrix, they have been rather cozy with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Romanov since their visit to the Soviet Union in 1972. Romanov is a regular guest at Drakestein (the couple's chateau). German-born Claus, who once served in Hitler's army, has been labeled the "Red Feldwebel" (sergeant) by Conservatives and supporters of Prince Bernhard. At a recent diplomatic banquet in The Hague, Beatrix was overheard scolding a foreign diplomat for his snide remarks about the Soviets' disastrous grain harvest. "Why," she said, "should one always emphasize the Soviet Union's shortcomings?"

One way of avoiding any immediate problem would be for Queen Juliana simply to refuse to abdicate. Constitutionally, no one can force her out. In fact, some believe she will remain on her throne no matter what happens in the current crisis. Since the monarchy in Holland has no formal power, would even abdication make much difference? There is already an anti-NATO trend within the Labor Party, which leads the governing coalition. Now, as one Dutch official puts it, "a pink House of Orange would perfectly suit the anti-Atlantic lobby in the Dutch government and Parliament."

Whatever happens in the long run, there is already widespread irritation over what many Dutch see as an effort by Moscow to turn the painful Bernhard affair to its advantage. Editorialized the conservative Telegraaf at the end of last week: "Do the Russians want us to get rid of Prince Bernhard? Are they more enamored of Claus and Beatrix because of their enthusiasm after their Russian trip? Gentlemen of the Soviet embassy: keep your hands off our royal family and let the Dutch settle their own affairs."

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