Bernhard, Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld

Bernhard Leopold Friedrich Eberhard Julius Kurt Karl Gottfried Peter Wilhelm, Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld (1911–2004), was a German-born Dutch royal who became Prince Consort of the Netherlands through his marriage to Queen Juliana in 1937. During World War II, Bernhard served in the Royal Netherlands Army and played a significant role in the Dutch resistance movement, earning widespread respect for his wartime contributions. After the war, he became a leading figure in European politics and society, founding the Bilderberg Group in 1954 to foster informal dialogue between European and North American political and business leaders. He was also deeply involved in environmental conservation, serving as president of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Despite his accomplishments, Bernhard's reputation was tarnished in the 1970s by a bribery scandal involving aircraft manufacturer Lockheed, though he recovered his public standing before his death. He remains an important figure in Dutch history and European royalty.