Margarita mends relations with royal family

17 June 2004

AMSTERDAM — The icy relations between royal outcast Princess Margarita and other members of her family, including her mother Princess Irene, appear to be thawing.

According to sources close to Margarita, contact between the princess and her family is in a “constructive phase”, newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Thursday.

“The peace has not been signed yet, but it is certainly going in the right direction,” one source said.

Relations are so good that Princess Margarita has employed the services of her mother’s permanent lawyer, well-known Amsterdam media lawyer G. J. Kemper. The lawyer has refused to comment on the reports.

Kemper is the 9th lawyer Margarita has had since the summer of 2002, at which time her disgruntled husband, Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn, launched a campaign against the Dutch royal family.

The Amsterdam lawyer is only representing Princess Margarita and not De Roy van Zuydewijn. Sources claim Kemper is working to tackle the erroneous reporting in Dutch media.

Kemper has in the past acted in a similar capacity for Princess Irene — a sister of Queen Beatrix — against publications in gossip magazines.

Margarita and her commoner-born husband have been separated for almost a year and are living separately in Amsterdam. Margarita is living near the Amstel and De Roy van Zuydewijn can be found at Gerard Doustraat, in the city’s De Pijp district.

And Princess Margarita is reportedly sorry she sought publicity last year over the discord between herself and the royal family and is now keen to be left in peace as she rebuilds damaged relationships. She is particularly opposed to being followed by photographers.

Both Margarita and De Roy van Zuydewijn had previously accused the royal family of conducting a smear campaign against De Roy van Zuydewijn, damaging his business dealings.

The controversial royal couple warned they would sue the Dutch State for EUR 30 million upwards, but lost a legal battle earlier this year to call testimony from Prince Bernhard and other royals. The couple is claiming the Dutch State investigated it on request of the royal family.

The threatened damages suit against the Dutch State and the royal family now appears to be in limbo. A lawyer said last week that currently there are no legal activities on that front.

Subject: Dutch news