Zeeland border village re-enacts return of Queen Wilhelmina

EEDE – The Flemish-Zeeland village of Eede made history on March 13, 1945 when Queen Wilhelmina entered it afoot from exile, crossing the Belgian border as the point of return to Dutch soil. Nearly five years earlier, the Royal family had fled to England aboard a Dutch warship from where the Queen and her wartime cabinet represented Dutch interests abroad and as an ally in the war against the Axis powers. Queen Wilhelmina traveled from London via Brussels, Antwerp and Maldegem to Eede. To mark the border, aides had ordered that it be marked with a line drawn on the ground with flour. To mark the 65th anniversary of the return, villagers, including a witness of the arrival, re-enacted the royal return from abroad. The village also unveiled a panel with a photograph of the historic event.