In the middle of the seventeenth century, the country house on the Zoestdijk was built for Cornelis de Graeff.

In 1674, after the rampjaar, Jacob de Graeff sold the property for the low price of 18,755 guilders to Stadtholder William III.

It was presented to the Prince of Orange (the later William II of the Netherlands) in 1815 in recognition of his services at the Battle of Waterloo.

In 1842, its contents were enriched by the addition of the neoclassical furnishings of his former palace in Brussels, today the Palais des Académies.

The princes were taught military drill on the lawns by their father, who also had working miniature cannons made for them.

She designated rooms in the palace to preserving the memory of her late husband and son Alexander.

The palace was sold in 2017 to a consortium named Made By Holland, which plans to develop a hotel, event centre and 65 houses on the grounds.