Yet, to avoid a quarrel with the members of that elder branch (William II's widow and mother) William Frederick did not press his personal claim, but offered to serve as lieutenant-stadtholder in the five provinces until the infant William III would come of age.
For at undgå et skænderi med medlemmerne af den ældre gren (Vilhelm II's enke og mor) pressede Vilhelm Frederik ikke på med sine personlige krav, men tilbød at tjene som statholderløjtnant i de fem provinser, indtil spædbarnet Vilhelm III ville blive gammel nok til selv at overtage.