Editing Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (section)

==Later years==
[[File:Statue of Queen Wilhelmina in Noordwijk in 2008.jpg|thumb|Statue of Queen Wilhelmina in [[Noordwijk]]]]
[[File:Driekwart miljoen handtekeningen voor HM de koningin Weeknummer 48-34 - Open Beelden - 86010.ogv|thumb|Collecting signatures for the queen, 1948]]

Following the end of World War II, Queen Wilhelmina made the decision not to return to her palace but to move into a mansion in The Hague, where she lived for eight months. She travelled through the countryside to motivate people, sometimes using a bicycle instead of a car. However, in 1947, while the country was still recovering, the [[Indonesian War of Independence|nationalist rebellion]] in the oil-rich [[Dutch East Indies]] saw the sharp criticism of the queen by the Dutch economic elite.

Around the same time, Queen Wilhelmina's health started failing, forcing her to cede her monarchial duties to Princess Juliana temporarily towards the end of 1947 (14 October – 1 December). She considered abdication, but her daughter pressed her to stay on for the stability of the nation. Wilhelmina had every intention of doing so, but exhaustion forced her to relinquish monarchial duties to Juliana again on 12 May 1948, which left the princess to deal with the early elections caused by the [[Indonesian National Revolution|ceding of the Indonesian colonies]].

Dismayed by the return to pre-war politics and the pending loss of Indonesia, Wilhelmina abdicated on 4 September 1948 after a reign of 57 years and 286 days due to advancing age and illness. She passed the crown to Juliana and was hence forward styled "Her Royal Highness Princess Wilhelmina of the Netherlands". Since then, the influence of the Dutch monarchy continued to decline but the country's love for its royal family continued.{{Attribution needed|date=November 2024}}

No longer queen, Wilhelmina retreated to [[Het Loo Palace]], making few public appearances until the country was devastated by the [[North Sea flood of 1953]]. Once again, she travelled around the country to encourage and motivate the Dutch people. During her last years, she wrote her autobiography, entitled ''Eenzaam, maar niet alleen'' (''Lonely but Not Alone''), in which she gave her account of the events in her life and revealed her strong religious feelings.

Wilhelmina died of cardiac arrest in Het Loo Palace at the age of 82 on 28 November 1962. She was buried in the Dutch royal family crypt in the [[Nieuwe Kerk (Delft)|Nieuwe Kerk]] in [[Delft]], on 8 December. At her request and contrary to protocol, the funeral was completely in white to give expression to her belief that earthly death was the beginning of eternal life.<ref>{{cite book |author=Wilhelmina |title=Eenzaam maar niet alleen |trans-title=Lonely but Not Alone |page=251 |language=nl |date=1959}}</ref>{{clarify|date=August 2024}}

In addition to being the last male-line descendant of the House of Orange-Nassau, she was also the last great-grandchild of [[Paul I of Russia|Emperor Paul I of Russia]].