Officiant

The Church blessing of the marriage was conducted in the Nieuwe Kerk church by Carel ter Linden, emeritus minister of the Kloosterkerkgemeente church community in The Hague. The Prince of Orange has taken confirmation classes with the Reverend ter Linden, leading to his confirmation. The Prince still takes part in a Bible discussion group led by Mr ter Linden.

Mr ter Linden also blessed the marriage of the Prince of Orange’s brother Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands on 19 May 2001.

Carel ter Linden began his career as an army chaplain in Ossendrecht, and later worked in the villages of Hoogvliet and Oegstgeest. From 1993 to 1999 he was minister of the Kloosterkerkgemeente church community in The Hague. When he stepped down from this post, a special book was published (Haghepreken) containing ten of his sermons from his incumbency there, as well as a number of interviews with him and with members of the community.

Mr ter Linden has also led discussion groups for people who have lost their partner. Based on these experiences he wrote the booklet Een land, waar men de weg niet kent (‘A land where people do not know the way’), in which he describes how to approach people in mourning.