Let them eat cake! Former Dutch queen wanted pardon or dessert for prisoners, biography says
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Queen Juliana had wanted a mass pardon for petty criminals when she left the throne in 1980, according to the biography of an ex-Dutch prime minister published Monday.
The story was related in the biography of Dries van Agt, who was prime minister from 1977-1982.
Mass pardons at major events were once common among European royalty, and Juliana wanted to do the same when she abdicated in favor of her daughter Queen Beatrix.
When the Cabinet told Juliana such a pardon was impossible in the modern era, she had difficulty accepting it, and asked whether all prisoners could at least be served cakes instead.
"An outstanding idea, your majesty," responded the then-Vice Prime Minister Hans Wiegel. "And we'll write a message in whipped cream on each cake: 'and many more years'."
The idea was scrapped. Juliana died in 2004.
(Mainichi Japan) May 19, 2008
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