King Willem-Alexander is commissioning research into the role of the royal family in colonial history. The research will cover the period from the end of the sixteenth century to the postcolonial present and will last three years.
Willem-Alexander is the research client, the government information service reported Tuesday afternoon. He believes it is important that what we know about the role of the royal family in colonial history is made known.
“A thorough understanding of the past is essential to understanding historical facts and developments and addressing their impact on people and communities as clearly and honestly as possible,” says the king.
Leiden University is leading the research. An independent committee chaired by historian Gert Oostindie oversees the research.
Committee member: “Take a closer look at the global role”
Kathleen Ferrier also sits on the committee. The chairman of the Dutch UNESCO committee for education, science, culture and communication praises the king’s decision.
“It is important that all the facts come to light,” he tells NU.nl. “After studying big cities and banks in their colonial past, I think it’s very good that the king is also looking up to his own family.”
Ferrier promises to closely monitor the progress of the investigation. Above all, he wants to check if he is really independent. If it were up to her, the research would examine the royal family’s worldwide involvement in colonial history.
King gave speeches on the colonial past
Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima spoke several times with representatives of the social and scientific fields. Those conversations were about, among other things, the controversial Golden carriage. The images on the royal carriage panels are said to refer to the past of slavery.
In November, the Royal House announced an independent investigation into the origin of colonial objects from their own collections. The results should be known in at least eighteen months.
Volg dit onderwerp
Follow the colonial history
