![marianne-17 marianne](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-17.jpg?resize=366%2C381&ssl=1)
![Princess Marianne Room in the City Museum Voorburg](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-1.jpg?resize=366%2C550)
Last weekend I spent an afternoon with Princess Marianne of the Netherlands, or rather her legacy. This was a day trip organised by Historizon, which is a Dutch travel agency who also arranges longer trips. They have something coming up in October about the wives of William of Orange, so I might go to that as well. But first, Princess Marianne!
Princess Marianne was born on 9 May 1810 in Berlin, while her parents, the future William I of the Netherlands and Wilhelmina of Prussia were in exile. She was much younger than her elder siblings. She was married to Albert of Prussia but the marriage quickly deteriorated. She began a 30-year affair with Johannes van Rossum, her servant. They had an illegitimate son, Johannes Willem who sadly died at 12 years old. You can read more here in an earlier article of mine.
![Her travel secretary](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-2.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![Items belonging to Princess Marianne](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-3.jpg?resize=366%2C550)
![Tiara and matching tiepin, which were presents from Princess Marianne](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-4.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![Ledger kept by Johannes van Rossum](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-5.jpg?resize=366%2C550)
![Princess Marianne's children by Albert of Prussia](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-6.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![Princess Marianne's son by Johannes van Rossum](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-7.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![Princess Alexandrina of Prussia](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-12.jpg?resize=366%2C550)
![Princess Marianne's own seating arrangement in church](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-13.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![The organ was donated by Princess Marianne](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-14.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![Statue of Princess Marianne outside the church](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-17.jpg?resize=366%2C550)
![Old city hall, which was partly funded by Princess Marianne](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-18.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![The Orangery, one of the few remaining buildings of Princess Marianne's estate](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Marianne-19.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
![The other remaining building](https://i0.wp.com/www.historyofroyalwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/marianne-24.jpg?resize=550%2C366)
We also had a lecture by Kees van der Leer, who has written three books on Princess Marianne. Unfortunately these are only available in Dutch. It was really a lovely day.
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