Willem van Oranje & Mary Stuart

Huis de Voorst finds it’s history dating back to King Willem III, great grandson of Willem van Oranje and son of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. As a child one of his most important tutors was Constantijn Huygens. During these lessons, the young Prince was taught he was predestined to become an instrument of Divine Providence, fulfilling the historical destiny of the House of Oranje-Nassau. Portrayed here with the Dutch lion, by the well known Jan Vermeer van Utrecht (‘Girl with the pearl earring’). His mother, Mary Stuart – Queen of Scots, was cousin to Queen Elizabeth I. What if we told you the bride was named after Tsarina Ekaterina (Catherine the Great) and secondly carries the name of this exact Elizabeth I, Queen of England (The Virgin Queen). And she actually is of British descent too, hah! Well, what do you know. 

Baron of Ashford

Willem III later on took residence at Palace Het Loo for years to come and fell in love with it’s structure, as well as it’s gardens. The young Arnold Joost van Keppel was presented by his father as squire at the Court of this King Willem III. As the King’s favorite he followed Willem III to England, during the Glorious Revolution. There, Arnold Joost acquired the title of the Count of Albemarle and Baron of Ashford. Fan as the King was of Palace Het Loo, home of the royals for many years, Willem III commissioned the architects of Het Loo, Roman and Marot, to build a magnificent palace on his ancestral estate in Eefde. Resulting in a smaller, yet majestic replica of the royal Palace Het Loo, built in matching Lodewijk XIV-style (the arching rooftops were placed later on during modern day restorations. Once finalized, the King gifted the castle to his newly named Count, Baron of Ashford.

Dutch Versailles

Huis de Voorst soon acquired the name of “Versailles of the Achterhoek” and came to be used as a “Lieu de Plaisance” (fun house) for the Baron of Ashford and King Willem III to entertain many guests. The Country Estate is now owned by the Friends of Gelderland Castles Foundation that leases it to Ashford Holding. In 1957 and subsequently in the period between 2003 – 2005, it was fully restored with an elegant interior to match the glorious aristocratic legacy of the Palace. The Count’s shield or insignia contains 3 shells on a field of red, fitting our YuTy couple surprisingly as the bride is an acquarius and overall to them, water – and how it flows – has a deeper meaning. And well, mermaids. You can find the insignia on top of the gates and on the main entrance outer wall, along with the English order text ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense‘: shame to those, who badly think. Fun to look out for them once you’re on location.