Princess To Headline Concert At Netherlands Carillon In Arlington

ARLINGTON, VA — Princess Margriet of the Netherlands will be the featured speaker at a concert in Arlington on Wednesday organized by the Embassy of the Netherlands and the National Park Service.

The second annual Freedom Concert will take place at the Netherlands Carillon near Rosslyn from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The concert is in recognition of the Netherlands' Liberation Day.

"Each year on May 5, the Netherlands celebrates Liberation Day, or the restoration of its freedom in 1945," the Netherlands embassy said. "It is therefore on/around this day that the embassy will present an annual 'Freedom Concert.'"

The free event will also feature carillonneurs Edward Nassor from the United States and Rosemarie Seuntiëns from the Netherlands, and a special performance by the Washington School of Ballet.

Princess Margriet was born in Canada in 1943 during World War II to Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.

The 127-foot-tall Netherlands Carillon was presented to President Harry Truman in 1952 by Queen Juliana as a gift from the Dutch people to the American people as a token of gratitude for their help during and after World War II. The carillon was first installed in D.C. in West Potomac Park before being moved to its current location in 1960.

The carillon has 53 bells and is a symbol of peace and freedom, according to the embassy of the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Carillon stands between the Marine Corps War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The carillon was silent for a few years while undergoing an extensive renovation. Three new bells were added to the structure, making it a grand carillon — a term for the musical instruments that have more than 50 bells. A rededication of the carillon was held in May 2022.

The carillon is a 10- to 15-minute walk from either the Rosslyn or Arlington National Cemetery Metro station. The public is welcome to RSVP for the concert but is not required.