Born eight years after her parents' marriage, she would remain an only child. Her mother having received her own education alone, she spared Juliana a lonely childhood by education with a few other girls. However, her mother still gave her her religious education. She was fortunate that she was close to both her father and her mother and so formed a link between that ill-suited couple. Like her father, she was kind and considerate; but like her mother, she could be stubborn and determined. Later on she studied in Leiden where, in 1930, she received an honorary doctorate. On 8 September 1936 her engagement with Prince Bernhard zur Lippe-Biesterfeld was announced and they married on 7 January 1937 in The Hague. Two daughters were born before the war and, when the Germans invaded The Netherlands, the Royal Family went to England. However, while her mother and husband remained there, Juliana and her two daughters continued to Canada. There a third daughter was born and, after the war when the family was returned to The Netherlands, a fourth. Sadly, this last child, Marijke, was nearly blind and was to cause problems and concern. However, in 1948, her mother abdicated and Juliana became Queen of The Netherlands. On 27 December 1949 the independence of Indonesia was declared in Amsterdam as well as Batavia which, from then onwards, reverted to its old name of Djakarta. However, it would take until 1962 before Dutch New Guinea would become part of Indonesia. In her early years as Queen a scandal developed around Marijke and advice given by Greet Hofmans. Later controversies were the "Lockheed affair" as well as the marriages of her two eldest daughters. The secret conversion to the Roman Catholic faith of her second daughter, Princess Irene, and her subsequent marriage in Rome to Prince Charles Hugues de Bourbon-Parma caused great consternation in The Netherlands. However, anti-German feelings towards Claus von Amsberg, husband of her eldest daughter and successor, soon subsided when it became obvious that, even though he had served in the German army during the war, he had not been involved in any war activity. In 1980, as had her mother, Juliana abdicated in favour of her eldest daughter; but, as Princess Juliana, unlike her own mother, she still (in 1998) lives an active and more public life. 

Source: Leo van de Pas