Faith-healing in question

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32661, 17 July 1971, Page 17

Faith-healing in question

(N Z.P A.-Reuter— 4 Copyright) THE HAGUE. July 16. A new faith-healing controversy involving Dutch Royalty looms large in the Netherlands, where a member of Parliament is demanding a Government statement on contacts between members of Queen Juliana's family and a clairvoyant, Mr Gerard Croiset, aged 34.

Mr Relus Ter Beek, a: Socialist, will table a question in Parliament asking the; extent to which members of;

the Dutch Royal House have; been in contact with the faith-healer. Mr Ter Beek’s intention was announced after official confirmation yesterday that Mr Croiset had attended Princess Armgard, Prince Bernhard’s mother, before she died, at the age of 87, at Warmelc Castle, Diepenheim, on April 26.

Mr Ter Beek says that he will ask the Prime Minister (Mr Biesheuvel) and the Minister of Health (Dr L. B. J. Stuyt) if they will state the nature and frequency of contacts between members of the Royal Family and Mr Croiset; whether it is a private family matter; and whether it constitutes a violation of the Dutch Medical Profession Act.

I A constitutional crisis gripped the Netherlands 15 years ago over Queen Juliana’s consultations with another faith-healer, Miss Greet Hofmans about the poor sight of her youngest daughter, Princess Christina. It was alleged at the time that Miss Hofmans had tried to influence political affairs at court, a committee was set up to investigate the affair, and Miss Hofmans finally withdrew from the Royal entourage. She died in obscurity. A spokesman for the Dutch Government’s information service says that Mr Croiset, with the permission of Prince Bernhard, Queen Juliana’s husband, and Princess Armgard’s doctor, had tried to lessen Princess Armgard’s

severe pain during the last weeks of her illness. Mr Croiset, who lives near the Dutch-West German border, visited Princess Armgard at the request of the Princess’s staff, the spokesman added. Prince Bernhard himself had never met him. But Mr Croiset’s father told reporters yesterday: “My son was at the deathbed of Princess Armgard at the request of Prince Bernhard. He succeeded in diminishing her pain'.

“I am indignant at this interference in the private life of Prince Bernhard, who wrote a very nice letter of thanks to my son.

“Why should the Royal Family not be free to consult us if they want to? It is their own affair.”