Heinrich XXXII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz

Through his maternal grandmother Princess Sophie of the Netherlands, Heinrich XXXII could claim descent from William II of the Netherlands. As such, he was a second cousin of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, whose childless marriage was increasingly causing speculation about the succession to the Dutch throne.

Heinrich's cousin William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was for much of this period heir presumptive to the Dutch throne. However, the Dutch constitution explicitly prohibited their sovereign from a foreign house from holding another title.[2] The Grand Duke had made it known on more than one occasion his preference for his own duchy versus inheriting the Netherlands crown, as the latter would have required a great deal more work and time.[2][3] As a consequence, had William Ernest renounced his claim to the throne, his aunt Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach would have stood next in line.[2][3] As her eldest son, Heinrich XXXII would next have been in line.[5] Princess Marie was an elderly widow however, and many press reports indicated that she would possibly be giving up her claim to the throne in favor of her eldest son.[3] Heinrich had three younger brothers and a sister, who would have been next line after him.[2] After Marie's children, Heinrich's aunt Princess Elisabeth Sybille of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach would have been next in line.[2]

Heinrich was an officer of the Imperial German navy, holding the rank of lieutenant.[2][5] As such, he traveled in 1905 to Japan and China, as well to other countries across the world to fulfill his naval duties.[6]

As the assumed heir to the Dutch throne, Heinrich XXXII traveled to the United States in 1906, journeying to San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, Washington D.C., among others.[3] He was described as a very "democratic young nobleman", and was a guest of honor with the German ambassador Speck von Sternburg at the embassy in Washington.[6] No room reservation had been made for him when he arrived at a hotel in Washington, and the desk clerk not recognizing him, asked Heinrich to sign his name in the guest book; this he did, signing "Prince Henry of Reuss, Belair, Md".[6] One account described him as "one of the most democratic and interesting of all the younger royal sons of Europe".[6]

While in the country, Heinrich met with many leaders in business and industry, and was seen to be profoundly interested in their work.[7] After returning from abroad, Heinrich decided to further develop his interest in business, industry, and commerce. He soon quit the imperial navy.[7] In the spring of 1907 after passing difficult entrance exams, he matriculated at the University of Cologne's School of Commerce to pursue business interests.[4][7] The program was considered the most important business college on the continent.[7] The university director, Prof. Eckert, noted in his inaugural address to students of Heinrich's presence, drawing attention to the fact that the prince's "resolve to devote himself to business pursuits, breaks the prejudice [of]...noble birth" being incompatible with "commercial gain".[4] Eckert went on to say that the school had previously failed to attract young royalty because of its status as a "purely commercial university"; Heinrich's presence, he hoped, would encourage more members of royal families to attend at Cologne.[4] Heinrich's attendance did indeed attract a great deal of attention throughout Germany, as it was the first occasion that a member of one of the reigning houses in Europe joined a business college.[7]

While pursuing his interests in commerce, Heinrich was still to all intents and purposes the heir to the Dutch throne, as his cousin William Ernest had now made it clear his desire to keep his current title, and pass his claim onto his elderly aunt Princess Marie of Reuss, Heinrich's mother.[7] It was considered particularly interesting and appropriate that Heinrich would attend school for commerce and business because the Netherlands was a country noted for both.[7]

After his education was completed, it was expected that Heinrich would return to the United States for a stay of several months in order to apply his business lessons to practical application.[7] Instead, Heinrich found employment at the German embassy in Paris.[8] As a result of his education and character, Heinrich was reported in the foreign press to be well-known and well regarded in the Netherlands, and was supposed to have left a favorable impression when he stayed there.[8] He was said to be modest, with artistic tastes and interests as a painter and sculptor; furthermore, he was an admirer of Dutch artists like Rembrandt and Frans Hals, which was reported to have helped his popularity.[8]

In Dutch newspapers, the possibility of a succession by Reuss was rejected or mocked. "Should we accept the most current interpretation [of the constitutional order of succession], which would in any case be the one that is least agreeable to our national sentiment, what would happen if one day the Prussian lieutenant Heinrich von Reuss - hastily promoted to admiral if need be - arrived in this country, took up residency in the palace and said: "Meine Herrn Holländer! ich bin hier der König! [My gentlemen Dutchmen! I'm the king over here!]? However constitutional, calm and royalist the Dutch might be, they would undoubtedly think, and say it, too, that they never had any dealings with prince Heinrich von Reuss-Schleitz-Köstritz, just as he hadn't with them, and that they didn't want him as King", the Haagsche Courant wrote in 1905.[9]

A commentator of the Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad wrote: "[...]His careless, dour appearance could be a mask, behind which an ardent love for the Dutch nation is hiding - but I bet my little finger that the entire nation would rather see someone else than him taking the place of the Queen.".[10]

Citing a report by the Berliner Tagesblatt, the Peel- en Kempenbode wrote in 1908: "We never heard anything about [...] the favourable impression young Reuss is supposed to have made over here and in the Indies."[11]

The Dutch people were still fervently hoping for the birth of an heir to Queen Wilhelmina, as evident in newspapers during that time.[8] The Dutch treasured their neutrality in the face of war, and were thus fearful of German encroachment, especially since Heinrich himself had served in the Imperial navy, and had close ties to the Imperial family.[8] One publication lamented that if the Queen were to remain childless, the Dutch Crown "was bound to pass into the possession of a German prince, whose birth, training, and affiliations would naturally have led him to bring Holland within the sphere of the German Empire, at the expense of her independence, both national and economic".[12][13]

Princess Juliana with her mother, Queen Wilhelmina, c. 1914

A government bill was presented to the Dutch States-General in 1905 for a revision of the constitution.[14] Its purpose was to revise the laws of succession, and allow the governing body the right to select their own ruler in the event of Queen Wilhelmina dying childless.[14] At the same time, it was proposed that Heinrich XXXII should be proclaimed Crown Prince of The Netherlands, take up residence at The Hague, and become more familiar with the Dutch people.[14] If the various parties involved refused, they proposed pursuing the bill and changing the succession so that they might choose a more agreeable candidate; the majority of the Dutch people were in favor of the latter plan.[14]

In 1907, there were fears that Wilhelmina was going to abdicate in favor of her Saxe-Weimar cousins, as a clause in a recent legislative bill submitted to the Dutch parliament called for the exclusion from the succession of children born after the abdication of a sovereign.[15] Such fears were misplaced however, as Wilhelmina later elaborated that she had no wish of abdicating, and that the legislation was directed at the widowed and childless Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, who, though well known to be considering giving up his claim to the throne, was considering marrying again; there would have been considerable confusion as a result were he to give up the succession claim in favor of his aunt Marie, only to later pass his claim onto any children he might have.[15]

In 1909, the country's hopes were finally realized. After suffering numerous miscarriages, an heir, Crown Princess Juliana was finally born to Queen Wilhelmina, thus securing the Dutch succession for another generation.