How to Pronounce Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Meaning and Context

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, born Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria in 1880, ascended to the throne at the age of ten following her father's death and began her personal reign in 1898, ruling as Queen from 1890 until her abdication in 1948, making her one of the longest-reigning monarchs in Dutch history. Her reign spanned pivotal events including World War I neutrality, the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, and the subsequent Dutch resistance, during which her iconic radio broadcasts from exile in London served as a crucial symbol of national unity and morale. A staunchly constitutional monarch, Wilhelmina's unwavering leadership and royal exile profoundly shaped the nation's wartime experience and its post-war reconstruction, including the complex process of Dutch decolonization, particularly regarding Indonesia. Her legacy endures as a defining figure of Dutch monarchy and 20th-century European history, with her memoirs and public persona cementing her status as the "Mother of the Resistance."

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary spelling, Wilhelmina, is consistent in English and Dutch. Common variations or errors often involve minor misspellings such as "Wilhelmina" (adding an extra 'i'), "Wilhelmena" (substituting an 'e' for the second 'i'), or "Wilhelmena." The Dutch pronunciation can lead to the anglicized error "Wilhelmeena." Her full title is sometimes incorrectly rendered as "Queen Wilhelmina of Holland," though "the Netherlands" is the correct term, with "Holland" referring only to a region. Additionally, the possessive form "Wilhelmina's" is sometimes mistakenly written as "Wilhelminas" without the apostrophe. When referencing her lineage, confusion may arise with the spelling of her daughter's name, Juliana, which is distinct.

Example Sentences

During the darkest days of the occupation, Queen Wilhelmina's voice on Radio Oranje became a beacon of hope for the Dutch people.

Historians often cite Wilhelmina's steadfast refusal to negotiate with the Nazis as a pivotal moment for the Dutch government-in-exile.

The portrait of a young Queen Wilhelmina, painted shortly after her inauguration, still hangs prominently in the Rijksmuseum.

Upon her return to a liberated Netherlands in 1945, Wilhelmina was greeted by enormous, emotional crowds.

Her memoir, Lonely but Not Alone, provides a deeply personal account of her wartime experiences.

The process of decolonization in Indonesia presented one of the most difficult challenges of Wilhelmina's later reign.

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