Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende was heading home from Washington Friday, where he had been due to attend the G20 summit, after learning that his father died, according to the White House.

Standing in for Balkenende at the weekend meeting of the Group of 20 leading industrialized and developing countries will be his Finance Minister Wouter Bos, the White House said.

US President George W. Bush, who was hosting a working dinner Friday night for the leaders at the White House, called Balkenende to express his condolences.

Balkenende was invited to attend the emergency summit in Washington by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, his office said Thursday.

The Netherlands is not part of the G20, but Sarkozy -- whose nation holds the EU presidency -- said earlier he might ask the Dutch and the Spanish to attend Saturday`s summit in Washington.