Host (walking inside the Little White Palace): “Emperor Alexander was an art enthusiast who detested photography but loved hiring painters. Wilhelmina shared this passion and enjoyed recording her life through oil paintings. Many of her life moments were captured in these paintings. One shows her having afternoon tea with other princesses, with Annabel appearing as a loving cousin. Another commemorates her first day of school in a school uniform, a significant event for a child. My favorite is ‘Before Bedtime’, which reveals that the one telling her bedtime stories was not her nanny, but Hans Borg.”
Hans filled the void in Wilhelmina’s life regarding male elders—serving as an elder, brother, and friend. Initially her secretary tasked with external affairs, he also took care of her personal matters.
Mrs. Gillett: “My grandmother, one of Wilhelmina’s nannies, later shared how meticulously he cared for her, which is remarkable, considering he was also a young man just out of school.”
My grandmother said that putting shoes on the princess was Hans Borg’s first task every day, and only he could do it. She would sit barefoot on the bed’s edge waiting for him. He always knelt on one knee, placing her foot on his knee.
Host: “Very gentlemanly.”
Mrs. Gillett (laughing): “Yes. She only trusted him and would tell him everything. They were the closest of friends.”
Host: “I thought Lord Noreheim was also her good friend.”
Mrs. Gillett: “That was much later.”
Kerns was Wilhelmina’s cousin and had the best relationship with her among all her relatives. Karns, the Count of Norheim, was the son of Princess Catherine, Emperor Alexander’s second and most beloved daughter. Growing up under the influence of his maternal grandfather and mother, Karns became a mischievous but not spoiled young master, quickly becoming good friends with Wilhelmina.
Shortly after her father’s funeral, Wilhelmina entered Odin Academy, a famous boarding school for nobility. There, she met Angela Garcia, an intelligent middle-class girl who won Wilhelmina’s affection with her cheerful nature. They shared a dormitory, attended classes, went to the library, and participated in club activities. Karns soon joined them, forming a solid trio.
The relationship breakups often seen among friends did not occur between these three. They had arguments but quickly reconciled. Although they pursued different career paths, their friendship remained strong.
