Legion House in Kanata played host to a very special visitor May 11 as Princess Margriet of the Netherlands came to Dominion Command headquarters to plant a symbolic tree and pay her respects to the Canadian servicemen and women who helped to liberate her homeland 65 years ago.

Princess Margriet and her husband, Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven, joined Dominion President Wilf Edmond in the ceremonial planting of the young London Planetree in Legion House’s front garden.

“It is a real pleasure for me to have such a distinguished member of the Dutch royal family and her husband here today,” said Edmond, standing in front of the large crowd seated in the garden. “A few short years ago The Royal Canadian Legion accepted the honour of being godfather to Princess Margriet and Professor van Vollenhoven’s youngest son, Prince Floris, who is now also an honorary dominion vice-president.”

Edmond went on to tell the story of how Princess Margriet was born in Ottawa’s Civic Hospital during the war, in a room which had been officially designated Dutch territory in order to ensure she could remain in succession for the throne and retain her Dutch citizenship.

“Well, Dutch she is, but a little bit of Canada remains there,” concluded Edmond. “And we are so proud to have her here today on her first royal visit of her trip to Canada.”

Then it was Princess Margriet’s turn to speak. She stood at the lectern, the Canadian flag whipping around behind her, and told the crowd of the recent liberation celebrations in the Netherlands.

“In Apeldoorn,” she said, “the parade of your comrades through our town was cheered all the way and showed once again how dear you are to the people in the Netherlands…. Sixty-five years ago Apeldoorn was liberated by the 1st Canadian Division…you and your brave comrades gave us back our freedom. You gave us hope. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten.

“This tree is a sign of the strength of the bond between our two countries,” she went on, “may it grow tall and strong in the years to come, to tell not only to us, but also to future generations, the story of our shared history.”

The Princess then gave a simple and moving conclusion: “Thank you, thank you, thank you, we will remember.”

Standing in perpetuity beside the tree is a large stone bearing a plaque, which reads: “Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven planted this tree during their official visit to Canada in May 2010 as a token of their appreciation for the pivotal role that brave Canadian men and women in uniform played in the liberation of the Netherlands in 1944-45.

“2010 marks 65 years of special bonds between Canada and the Netherlands. This tree symbolizes the strength of the ties between our two countries. As it grows, it will serve to remind us of our shared history while we shape our common future.”

After the ceremony, Princess Margriet and Professor van Vollenhoven spoke with Canadian veterans of the liberation and attended a reception on the Legion House patio.