Happily back in Holland after all the fun she and her Prince Consort had in England at the time of George VI's Coronation was Crown Princess Juliana of The Netherlands. She was in such high good humor last week that, stepping to the microphone in Amsterdam, Her Royal Highness became the first Crown Princess, and possibly the first woman, to broadcast the news that she is expecting a child. This Juliana did with becoming Dutch delicacy in these words: "Nooit had iets mij kunnen weerhouden alle deelen van het programma mee te maken, waren het niet—op zichzelf verheugende—gezond-heidsredenen geweest, die u zeker wilt verstaan en billijken." ("Nothing would ever have kept me from enjoying every detail of the festive program with which you have welcomed us to Amsterdam had it not been for reasons of my health—in themselves joyful—which you certainly will understand and make allowances for!")
Not for 52 years has there been a male heir to the Dutch Crown. Should Prince Consort Bernhard ("Benno") prove to have sired a manchild, Netherlanders will be wild with joy. Meanwhile the impecunious German princely family of Prince Consort Benno, the ancient House of Lippe-Detmold, are having some of their debts discreetly taken care of. It was learned that hawk-nosed Netherlands Premier Dr. Hendrikus Colijn recently made a quiet visit to Lippe-Detmold in Germany, made creditors happy to the tune of some $140,000.
Meanwhile Manhattan Beautician Miss Gloria Bristol was back from Europe bursting with professional details of how Crown Princess Juliana lost some 30 lbs. within three months after her marriage, changed from a dumpling damsel into a royal wife with chic. "What Wallis Warfield was to the American woman over 40 who thought that life and romance ended with one's first youth," cried Miss Bristol, "Princess Juliana has become to millions of girls who had almost resigned themselves to the fate of the wallflower!"
According to Beautician Bristol, Crown Princess Juliana first went on a liquid diet for five days, then ate sparing but well-rounded meals and was vigorously massaged, for Her Royal Highness was already muscular and it was felt that further exercise would simply make her more robust. She was given a light face peel, not the harsh so-called "acid peel" but a new European "mineral peel," to improve the texture of her skin. Her hair was thinned and "sculptured . . . widening and softening the waves and setting it closer to the back of her head." Finally makeup experts advised the Crown Princess "how to make the best of her naturally fine features," notably making up her lips to appear slightly fuller. Cried admiring Miss Bristol, "Princess Juliana has never looked haggard or flabby, although she has lost more than 30 pounds!"
To add to the Crown Princess' rejoicing came former Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany this week, to take tea with Her Royal Highness and her husband at Soestdijk. Besides a large bunch of white and red roses the exile from Doorn brought visible assurance that his late rumored serious illness was exaggerated.