Dutch Royal Family visits Hitzacker to honor Prince Claus

Members of the Dutch Royal Family visited Hitzacker, Germany, to commemorate the 100th birthday of the late Prince Claus. The delegation included King Willem-Alexander, Princess Beatrix, and Prince Constantijn.

Prince Claus was born in Dötzingen, a district of Hitzacker, on September 6, 1926. During the visit, the royals signed the city’s Golden Book and visited a monument dedicated to him. The King also watered a ‘Königslinde’ (royal lime tree) that had been recently relocated to a new site.

The visit included learning about the ‘Oranjeroute’, a 2,300-kilometer hiking and cycling route connecting various German towns to the Dutch royal house. Local officials noted the significance of the event, which drew crowds of visitors waving orange flags.