Het Loo, the royal palace of William and
Mary, exemplifi es 17th-century Dutch
garden style. Prince William was a provincial
governor from the House of Orange;
his wife, Mary, was the daughter of King
James II of England. Garden construction
began in 1686 in conjunction with
the planning of William’s hunting lodge.
Dutch architect Jacob Roman and French
architect Daniel Marot collaborated on the
design. Marot was a Huguenot who fl ed to
the Netherlands after Louis XIV expelled
the Protestants from France. His influence
can be seen in the parterre design and the
expansiveness of the upper garden. Additional
work was done on the gardens after
the coronation of William and Mary as king
and queen of England, in 1689. The garden
was completely destroyed during the 18th
century when Louis Napoleon covered it
over to build a picturesque, English-style
garden. Restoration of Het Loo to its
original form began in 1979.