Full of pride, Linda tells about her special connection with Castle de Haar. Linda is head of housekeeping and manages 8 colleagues. Her grandparents worked and lived near the castle, so Linda grew up in the castle gardens, so to speak.

How it began...

"Dad (Gijs van Rooijen) was born on the Stalplein, then lived in two other places next to the castle. Eventually my grandmother moved to the Brink in the village of Haarzuilens. I always walked around here as a child, so I have a lot of feeling for the castle and gardens. I used to come here with my cousins and we would go to the golf course, 'the forbidden forest,' and then we would build huts."

Thirteen years ago, her children started school and she thought it would be nice to do something for herself again. Her mother, Greetje van Rooijen, was head of housekeeping at the time and invited Linda to join her for a while. "I was actually only supposed to work for a year. And now I'm still here now, thirteen years later".

"My mother and I needed half a word. We just got along really well. When she became ill, I took over from her as Head of Housekeeping. My father had just retired and went with my mother to help her (as did my sister) the short period before her death. My father too was kindled by the fine atmosphere and still keeps up the Châtelet today. He comes every week to dust, vacuum and to polish the silver, for example. He also enjoys helping with lawn mowing in the gardens. My daughter Fabiënne helped her grandmother with furnishing the Châtelet after the restoration and is still on call today. Castle de Haar is much more than a special place to work for me. There is a whole family history behind it for me. Just like the beautiful stories this castle holds!"

The atmosphere is just right

When Linda started, she actually didn't find it exciting at all to work with the valuable collection of Castle de Haar. She liked the place right away. "Of course you have to handle the collection with some caution and we prefer to dust everything with two dusters. We also sit on the floor to clean the floor with a duster, taking good care of all the nooks and crannies and the paneling."

"I also like that the atmosphere in the department is good. Chatting is also something we do nicely! We do it together and we make sure everything is tidy for our visitors. And if something extra has to be done or if I have to stay longer, I don't mind at all. I really feel at home here, it's in my system. And to my department I always say; keep seeing the surroundings, the overall picture, it's a wonderful location to be able to work."

Linda thinks it's important to walk along and really get involved in housekeeping. "I can sit at my desk and give everyone assignments, but I think it's important to just know what you're talking about."

The development of The Haar

Castle de haar has evolved tremendously over the years. "When I just came to work here, you could only view the castle's beautiful rooms with a guide. Since 2016, the free tour has been there, allowing our visitors to tour most of the halls and rooms independently. Also, over the years, more and more rooms have been opened to visitors. For example, the staff quarters on the third floor and other beautifully decorated bedrooms. Only good, because it has become much busier over the years. This is also why our volunteers and on-call staff are so important to our castle!"

"When I just started here, you still had the September month; then the castle closed for visits because the family was staying there. I experienced it once that they were here; the castle was really occupied then. They ate in the dining hall and sat on all the couches and chairs. It was really alive! It's just almost impossible to imagine anymore." Linda can recall a funny moment from this period. "The family would come over from France and then bring the French chambermaids with them. One of the chambermaids was already filling the bathtub with water for a guest, but forgot to turn off the tap. You guessed it... Of course, we have no drains or gutters anywhere, so the water seeped right down the walls, right through the wooden floors. Everyone was called up to make it dry together. We really felt like one."

After the death of the baron in 2011, the family relinquished the castle. Then it was no longer a residence, but really meant for tourism and weddings. Of course, the family still comes, however, they then sleep in the Châtelet. "When they come, we shake up the beds and really turn it into a residence, a warm welcome for the family. I find this a really nice change from the daily work! I got this from my mother; she was always there when the family was there. Baroness Alexandra always says; your family is my family."