History
The Anglo-Netherlands Society originated in the Anglo-Batavian Society formed in June 1920 to promote good fellowship between the British and the Dutch after unsettled years following the Armistice. The Society’s name was changed in May 1944.
Our purpose of fellowship has been maintained ever since, through our aims and objectives of promoting social, artistic, literary, educational, scientific and other apolitical interests in common to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In 1968 TRH Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus attended the Society’s Annual Dinner and in 1970 HRH The Duke of Edinburgh our Jubilee Dinner.
Our Centenary celebration was delayed by the effects of the pandemic but was held at Kensington Palace in 2022 in the presence of TRH Princess Beatrix and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Our President the Rt Hon Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE had assumed his position in 2021, succeeding Sir Michael Perry GBE, who had served for over twenty years.
The Society is registered as a Company limited by guarantee, run by its Council chaired since 2015 by Mr Dick van den Broek, who succeeded Mr Robert Brooke. As a membership body, the Society’s principal activity of events is arranged by our team of volunteers. For over ten years we have however also reached outwards in support of Dutch Studies at the University of Sheffield and UCL, in the form of essay and podcast competitions for undergraduate students.
