Category Archives: British Royals

The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay; Credit – Wikipedia

The Honorable Alexander Ramsay (Alexander Robert Maule), the husband of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Patricia of Connaught, was born in London, England on May 29, 1881. He was the third of the five sons of John William Maule Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie and Lady Ida Bennet, daughter of Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville.

Ramsay had a long career in the Royal Navy. He began his career in 1894 as a cadet on the cadet training ship HMS Britannia.  After serving on several ships, Ramsay became the naval aide-de-camp to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught in his early years (1911-1913) as Governor-General of Canada. In 1913, Ramsay served as the gunnery officer on the battle cruiser Indefatigable in the Mediterranean.

During World War I, Ramsay took part in several important naval operations including the bombardment of the Dardanelles forts and naval operations at Gallipoli. He attained the rank of Commander in 1914 and became Flag Commander of the Second Squadron in 1916. From 1919-1922, Ramsay was the naval attaché in Paris, France. In 1928, Ramsay assumed command of the aircraft carrier HMS Furious in the Atlantic Fleet. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1933 and commanded the aircraft carriers in the Atlantic Fleet for the next five years.

Ramsay served as Commander in Chief of the East Indies Station from 1936 to 1938. Thereafter, he became Fifth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Air Services, posts he held until the outbreak of World War II. He was promoted to Admiral in 1939 and retired from the Royal Navy in 1942.

While serving as naval aide-de-camp to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught in his early years as Governor-General of Canada, Ramsay became acquainted with his youngest child, Princess Patricia of Connaught. The couple became engaged at the fishing lodge of J. K. L. Ross, a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist, on St. Anns Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey in London, England on February 27, 1919. This was the first major royal event after World War I and the first royal wedding at Westminster Abbey since the 1382 wedding of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. The bridal party consisted of eight bridesmaids and two train-bearers:

Photo Credit – Bain News Service – Library of Congress

Upon her marriage, Princess Patricia voluntarily relinquished the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and assumed the style of Lady Patricia Ramsay. She was not obligated to renounce her royal title but she wished to have a social status and rank closer to that of her husband. The decision was made with the agreement of her father The Duke of Connaught and her first cousin King George V.  Lady Patricia remained a member of the British Royal Family, remained in the line of succession, and attended all major royal events including weddings, funerals, and coronations.

The couple had one child:

Lady Patricia and her son; Photo Credit – Wikipedia, Bain News Service – Library of Congress

At the age of 91, Alexander Ramsay died at his home Ribsden Holt in Windlesham, Surrey, England on October 8, 1972, and was buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England. Fourteen months later, on January 12, 1974, Lady Patricia died at Ribsden Holt at the age of 87 and was buried alongside her husband.

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Prince Arthur of Connaught

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Arthur of Connaught; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Arthur of Connaught was the only son and the second of the three children of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Princess Luise Margarete of Prussia. He was born at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England on January 13, 1883, and was christened Arthur Frederick Patrick Albert on February 16, 1883, at the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle. His godparents were:

NPG x128290; Prince Arthur of Connaught by Alexander Bassano

Prince Arthur of Connaught by Alexander Bassano, albumen cabinet card, 1885, NPG x128290 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Prince Arthur had two sisters:

Prince Arthur with his parents and his sisters, 1893; Credit – Wikipedia

Arthur began his education at home with governesses and tutors. He was the first British prince to attend Eton College. After finishing Eton College, Arthur received his military education at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars on May 8, 1901. Like his father, Arthur had a military career. He was on active duty during the Second Boer War. During World War I, Prince Arthur served as aide-de-camp to General Sir John French and General Sir Douglas Haig.

He held the following ranks in the British Army:

  • Lieutenant, 7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars (1903)
  • Captain, 2nd Dragoons (The Royal Scots Greys) (1907)
  • Brevet Major (1913)
  • Major, 2nd Dragoons (The Royal Scots Greys) (1915)
  • Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel (1919)
  • Retired from active service (December 31, 1919)
  • Honorary Major-General (1920)

When his first cousin King George V succeeded to the British throne in 1910, Prince Arthur and his father The Duke of Connaught were the most senior male members of the British Royal Family over the age of 18 who were living in the United Kingdom. Therefore, Prince Arthur undertook a wide variety of royal duties on behalf of King George V and acted as a Counsellor of State when King George V was out of the United Kingdom.

On October 15, 1913, at the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Palace in London, Arthur married her first cousin once removed, Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife. Alexandra was the eldest surviving child of Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife and a grandchild of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom.  In 1900, when it became apparent that the Duke and Duchess of Fife were unlikely to have a son to inherit the title, Queen Victoria issued the Duke of Fife a new Letters Patent as Duke of Fife and Earl of Macduff in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. This Letters Patent gave the second dukedom of Fife a special remainder that allowed the dukedom to pass to the daughters of the 1st Duke of Fife, if he had no son, and then to the male heirs of his daughters. Therefore, Alexandra became heir to her father’s dukedom.

Alexandra’s mother was the eldest daughter of King Edward VII and was created Princess Royal during her father’s reign, in 1905.  At the same time, Alexandra and her sister Maud were granted the title of Princess with the style of “Highness” and received precedence immediately after all members of the royal family bearing the style of “Royal Highness.” This act was unprecedented and when the College of Arms told King Edward VII it could not be done, the King simply said, “Do it!”  Alexandra and Maud’s maternal uncle, the future King George V, was greatly disturbed by this act.

Because Alexandra’s father had died the year before her wedding, her uncle King George V, gave her away. After her marriage, Alexandra was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Arthur of Connaught, Duchess of Fife.

Prince Arthur and his wife Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife; Credit – Wikipedia

Arthur and Alexandra had one son Alastair Arthur, born on August 9, 1914, at his parents’ home at 54 Mount Street in Mayfair, London, England. As a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria through the male line, Alastair was styled His Highness Prince Alastair of Connaught until he was three years old.  At that time King George V restricted the titles of Prince/Princess and the style of Royal Highness to the children of the sovereign, the children of the sovereign’s sons, and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. Alastair was then styled with the courtesy title Earl of Macduff, his mother’s secondary title.

Alexandra with her son Alastair, Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Arthur was Governor-General of South Africa from 1920 – 1923. After his return to the United Kingdom, he supported several charitable organizations, including serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Middlesex Hospital. Like his father, Arthur was an active Freemason and served as Provincial Grand Master for Berkshire in 1924.

NPG x70586; Prince Arthur Frederick Patrick Albert by Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd)

Prince Arthur of Connaught by Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd), whole-plate nitrate negative, 30 July 1930, NPG x70586 © National Portrait Gallery, London

On September 12, 1938, Prince Arthur died of stomach cancer at the age of 55. He was first interred at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and then his remains were transferred to the Royal Burial Ground in Frogmore, Windsor, England in 1939. As Prince Arthur predeceased his father The Duke of Connaught, Arthur’s son Alastair became heir to the dukedom.

Arthur_Louise Margaret grave

Prince Arthur is buried near his parents; Photo Credit – Connie Nissinger, www.findagrave.com

In 1942, upon the death of his paternal grandfather Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Alastair succeeded him as the 2nd Duke of Connaught. On April 26, 1943, while on active duty with the British Army in Ottawa, Canada, the 28-year-old Alastair fell asleep or passed out in front of an open window, fell out the window, and died of hypothermia during the night. On his death, his titles became extinct.

Alexandra survived her husband Prince Arthur for nearly 21 years, dying at her home in London on February 26, 1959, at the age of 67. She was buried at St. Ninian’s Chapel in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, located on the grounds of the Mar Lodge Estate, where her parents are buried.

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Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaught

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaught; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Luise Margarete Alexandra Viktoria Agnes of Prussia was born on July 25, 1860, at the Marmorpalais (Marble Palace), a royal residence in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia (now in Brandenburg, Germany). She was the fourth daughter and the fourth of the five children of Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau. Prince Friedrich Karl’s father, Prince Karl of Prussia, was a younger son of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and a brother of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia and Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia. Luise Margarete’s mother was also descended from Prussian kings as her great-grandfather was King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia.

Luise Margarete had three sisters and one brother:

NPG x45763; Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught by Unknown photographer

Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught (née Princess of Prussia) by Unknown photographer, albumen print, 1870s, NPG x45763 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Luise Margarete’s parents had an unhappy marriage. After her birth, the birth of a fourth daughter, Prince Friedrich Karl reportedly beat his wife for not producing a son. Apparently, only the urgings of Friedrich Karl’s uncle King Wilhelm I of Prussia and future German Emperor, prevented a formal separation. Luise Margarete became engaged to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria‘s third son and the seventh of her nine children. However, Queen Victoria considered Luise Margarete a less than satisfactory bride for her son. She was plain-looking and had broken teeth. Her parents were unpleasant, had an unhappy marriage, and lived apart. Victoria wanted to avoid associating her family with a possible scandal.

Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught after Léon Abraham Marius Joliot, albumen carte-de-visite, 1870s, NPG Ax131371© National Portrait Gallery, London

Luise Margarete and Arthur were married on March 13, 1879, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. The bride received a magnificent diamond tiara and a pearl and diamond pendant from her mother-in-law Queen Victoria. After her marriage, Luise Margarete was styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Connaught and her name was anglicized to Louise Margaret.

Louise Margaret of Prussia_wedding

Louise Margaret in her wedding dress;  Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/2905669/the-duchess-of-connaught-when-princess-louise-margaret-of-prussia-1860-1917-in Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014

Arthur and Louise Margaret had one son and two daughters. The Swedish and Danish Royal Families are their descendants. The family resided at their country home Bagshot Park and Clarence House, their London residence.

The Duke and Duchess of Connaught with their children, Portrait by Hughes & Mullins, 1893; Credit – Wikipedia

Louise Margaret spent the first twenty years of her marriage accompanying her husband on his various military assignments. In 1911, Arthur was appointed the first Governor-General of Canada who was also a member of the Royal Family. Louise Margaret and her youngest child Patricia accompanied Arthur to Canada. They lived in Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Canada, and undertook extensive travels in Canada. After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the family remained in Canada and Louise Margaret worked for the Red Cross and other organizations.

In the summer of 1916, Louise Margaret and her family returned to England from their five-year stay in Canada. A little more than six months later, on March 14, 1917, Louise Margaret died from bronchial pneumonia at Clarence House at the age of 56. She became the first member of the British Royal Family to be cremated, which was done at Golders Green Crematorium. Burying ashes in an urn was still unfamiliar at the time, and her urn was placed in a coffin during the funeral, which was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. Louise Margaret’s ashes were buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore. Arthur survived his wife by nearly 25 years, dying on January 16, 1942, at Bagshot Park at the age of 91.

Arthur_Louise Margaret grave

The Duchess of Connaught, along with her husband is buried in the grave on the right-hand side of the photo, nearest the wall; Photo Credit – Connie Nissinger, www.findagrave.com

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Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Arthur was born on May 1, 1850, at Buckingham Palace in London, England, the third son and the seventh of the nine children of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Arthur had five sisters and three brothers:

Albert, Victoria and their nine children in 1857; Left to right: Alice, Arthur, Albert, Edward, Leopold, Louise, Victoria with Beatrice, Alfred, Victoria, and Helena; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 22, 1850, Arthur was christened Arthur William Patrick Albert in the Private Chapel of Buckingham Palace. His godparents were:

Prince Arthur’s first two names were given in honor of his two godfathers: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Commander of the Coalition Army that defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, and a former Prime Minister (the prince was born on the Duke’s 81st birthday) and Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (later Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia). Patrick was chosen to show his parents’ gratitude for the hospitality of the Irish people during their visit the previous year, and Albert, as his father wrote, “…Victoria’s love has always insisted on my name to finish up with.” Arthur’s one godmother, Princess Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was the sister of Queen Adelaide (the wife of King William IV) who had died five months before Arthur’s birth. Prince Albert wrote that Princess Ida was chosen “in memory of poor Queen Adelaide, who would certainly have been delighted at this addition to our family.”

A year later a portrait, painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, was commissioned to commemorate the first birthday of Prince Arthur, the eighty-second birthday of the prince’s godfather the Duke of Wellington, and the opening day of the Great Exhibition, which was organized by Prince Albert. The painting (below) shows Prince Arthur and his parents, the Duke of Wellington offering a gift to Prince Arthur, and The Crystal Palace, the site of the Great Exhibition in the background.

The First of May 1851 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter; Credit – Wikipedia

Arthur was very much like his father in looks and was obedient, conscientious, and disciplined. He was Victoria’s favorite son: “This child is dear, dearer than any of the others put together, [after Albert] the dearest and most precious object to me on earth.” Arthur was educated by private tutors.

NPG x38485; Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn by Maull & Co

Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn by Maull & Co, albumen cabinet card, late 1860s, NPG x38485 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Considering that Arthur was the godson of one of Britain’s most significant military figures, it was not unusual that he had a 40-year military career. During his long military career in the British Army, Arthur participated in many missions in various parts of the British Empire. In 1870, he served during the Red River Rebellion in Canada. In 1882, he took part in the campaign under General Wolseley to put down the Urabi Revolt in Egypt by leading the Guards Brigade in the decisive Battle of Tel el-Kebir. Between 1886 and 1890, Arthur served in India as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army.

On April 1, 1893, Arthur was promoted to General. He hoped that he would be appointed as Commander in Chief of the British Army when his first cousin once removed, Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge, retired in 1895, but instead, he was given command of the southern district of Aldershot. On June 26, 1902, Arthur was appointed Field Marshal. He served as Commander in Chief in Ireland and Commander of the Third Army Corps (1900-1904), Inspector-General of the Forces (1904 and 1907), and Chief of Staff (1904-1907).

Despite being Queen Victoria’s least troublesome and favorite child, Arthur annoyed his mother with his choice of a bride. Princess Luise Margarete of Prussia was born at Marmorpalais (Marble Palace) near Potsdam in the Kingdom of Prussia. Her parents were Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt.  Queen Victoria considered Louise Margaret to be a less than satisfactory spouse for her son. She was plain-looking and had broken teeth. Her parents were unpleasant, had an unhappy marriage, and lived apart. Queen Victoria wanted to avoid associating her family with a possible scandal. Nevertheless, Arthur and Louise Margaret were married on March 13, 1879, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

NPG Ax131371; Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught after Unknown photographer

Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught (née Princess of Prussia) after Léon Abraham Marius Joliot, albumen carte-de-visite, 1870s, NPG Ax131371© National Portrait Gallery, London

Arthur and Louise Margaret had one son and two daughters. The Swedish and Danish Royal Families are their descendants. The family resided at their country home Bagshot Park and at Clarence House, their London residence.

The Duke and Duchess of Connaught with their children, Portrait by Hughes & Mullins, 1893; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1899, Arthur’s nephew Prince Alfred of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the only son of Arthur’s older brother, Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, died. Arthur would have been the immediate successor of his brother Alfred, but chose to relinquish his claim and his son’s claim to the duchy. This caused Prince Carl Edward, Duke of Albany, the posthumous son of Alfred and Arthur’s brother Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, to become Alfred’s heir and his successor when he died in 1900.

In 1911, in order to strengthen the links between the British monarchy and Canada, Arthur was appointed the first Governor-General of Canada who was a member of the Royal Family. Arthur was accompanied to Canada by his wife and his daughter Patricia. They lived in Rideau Hall in Ottawa and undertook extensive travels in Canada. After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Arthur and his family remained in Canada. He stressed the need for military training of Canadian troops and gave his name to the Connaught Cup of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a competition in pistol marksmanship for Canadian recruits. During World War I, Arthur served in various emergency services and made hospital visits, while his wife worked for the Red Cross and other organizations. Arthur’s daughter Princess Patricia gave her name to a newly formed regiment, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

Prince Arthur and group with sleds in Ottawa, Canada; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

After his time in Canada, Arthur returned to the British Army and served for the rest of World War I. Louise Margaret, who had been ill during their stay in Canada, died of influenza and bronchitis on March 14, 1917, at the age of 56. Arthur withdrew from public life in 1928 and died on January 16, 1942, at Bagshot Park in Surrey, England at the age of 91. His sister Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll also died at the age of 91, making both Arthur and Louise the longest-lived of Victoria and Albert’s children. Arthur was buried at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

Arthur’s only son predeceased him in 1938 and at Arthur’s death, his grandson Alastair became the 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.  However, Alastair died a year later, and as he was childless, the title Duke of Connaught and Strathearn reverted to the Crown.

 

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Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein – source: Wikipedia

Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein was born on August 12, 1872, at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park in Windsor, England. She was the fourth child and second daughter of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom (third daughter of Queen Victoria) and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. She had four siblings:

The princess was christened Franziska Josepha Louise Augusta Marie Christina Helena on September 18, 1872, but was known as Marie Louise. Her godparents were:

As a child, Louie (as she was known affectionately within the family) enjoyed a quiet family life with her parents and siblings. Educated privately at home, the young princess enjoyed close relationships with many of her cousins, both within the United Kingdom and abroad. The family often spent summer holidays with the Grand Ducal Family of Hesse, and Marie Louise was particularly close to her cousin Alix of Hesse (later Empress of Russia). The two were only two months apart in age, and were, in Marie Louise’s own words, “… more like sisters than cousins.”

From a young age, Marie Louise and her sister were brought up to appreciate the needs and sufferings of those less fortunate. They often accompanied their mother on visits to hospitals and clinics. For the rest of her life, Marie Louise would support various charities in this area, including the Princess Christian’s Nursing Home in Windsor, founded by her mother. Marie Louise and her sister Helena Victoria would be involved with the organization their entire lives.

 

According to her memoirs, Marie Louise met her future husband, Prince Aribert of Anhalt, at the wedding of her cousin Viktoria of Prussia to Adolph of Schaumberg-Lippe. She states this was in the fall of 1889, but the wedding actually took place in the fall of 1890. It is likely that she simply stated the wrong year in her book. Prince Aribert was a younger son of Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt and Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. He served in the Prussian military and was close friends with Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia, Marie Louise’s first cousin. Wilhelm strongly encouraged the relationship, and it was at a family luncheon at his Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia that the engagement of Marie Louise and Aribert was announced in December 1890. The couple married the following July at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, in the presence of Queen Victoria.

Although Marie Louise seemed deeply in love, marital problems quickly appeared. Aribert’s primary focus was his military career and he had little interest in having a life at home. Fortunately for Marie Louise, they spent little time in Anhalt, as Aribert was based primarily in Berlin. This allowed her freedom from the stifling protocol of the Anhalt court. But it soon became obvious that the couple had little, if anything, in common, and they would often go days without seeing each other, even while living in the same home.

Often suffering from ill health in the cold weather, Marie Louise traveled extensively. It was while on one of these trips, to the United States and Canada, that her marriage ended without her knowledge. In December 1900, while in Canada, Marie Louise received a cable from her father-in-law, demanding that she return home immediately. Just an hour later, she received another cable, this time from Queen Victoria – “tell my granddaughter to come home to me. V.R.” Upon arriving back at Cumberland Lodge, she was told her marriage had been dissolved by her father-in-law, at her husband’s insistence. It has been speculated that the marriage was never consummated and that Aribert was homosexual, and had been caught in a delicate situation by either his wife or his father. In her memoirs, Marie Louise states that even though her marriage was annulled, she maintained the vows she had made at her wedding, and would never remarry.

Marie Louise lived with her aunt Princess Beatrice, at Kensington Palace but she soon set up house at 21 Queensberry Place in London, England where she would live until the onset of World War I. Following the war, she returned to Cumberland Lodge and Schomberg House with her mother and sister. She also became very involved in charity work, working with numerous organizations throughout the United Kingdom.

In July 1917, her cousin, King George V, requested that all his extended family relinquish their German titles. Most of them lost their princely titles and were given peerages in the United Kingdom. Perhaps out of respect for Marie Louise’s father Prince Christian, the only remaining son-in-law of Queen Victoria, the family retained their princely titles and simply stopped using the Schleswig-Holstein designation.

 

One of Marie Louise’s best-known contributions was the creation of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. She worked tirelessly with craftsmen and noted artists and authors to create a scaled replica of a royal palace. It was presented to Queen Mary in 1924 and displayed at the British Empire Exhibition of 1924-1925. It is now on display at Windsor Castle, drawing thousands of visitors each year.

After World War II, Marie Louise and her sister moved to 10 Fitzmaurice Place in Berkeley Square, London, England. She continued to participate in most family functions and remained very close to the King and Queen and their family. Following her sister’s death in 1948, one of her last major appearances was the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Then, at the suggestion of Queen Elizabeth II, she began to write her memoirs. My Memories of Six Reigns was published in 1956. Being a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and having lived to be 84 years old, Marie Louise had experienced a significant amount of history. She had lived during the reigns of six monarchs, attended four coronations and countless family functions throughout Europe, lived through two World Wars, and seen major changes in the Royal Family – particularly in the way it interacted with the British people.

Princess Marie Louise at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth Ii, 1953. source: National Portrait Gallery

Princess Marie Louise at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953. source: National Portrait Gallery

Soon after the book was published, Princess Marie Louise died at her home on Fitzmaurice Place in London, England on December 8, 1956. Her funeral was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor and she was then buried with her parents and sister in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England.

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Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein; source: Wikipedia

Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein

Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, born May 3, 1870, at Frogmore House in Windsor, England, was the third child, and eldest daughter, of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. Her given names were Victoria Louise Sophia Augusta Amelia Helena, but she was known formally as Helena Victoria, and informally as ‘Thora’.

The princess was christened in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on June 20, 1870. Her godparents were:

Thora was the 18th grandchild of Queen Victoria, and because her parents lived near the Queen, she enjoyed a very close relationship with her grandmother. She had four siblings:

  • Prince Christian Victor (1867-1900) – died while serving in the Boer War, unmarried, no issue
  • Prince Albert (1869-1931) – later Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, unmarried, illegitimate issue
  • Princess Marie Louise (1872-1956) – married Prince Aribert of Anhalt (divorced), no issue
  • Prince Harald (born and died1876)

Thora never married and remained at home until after her mother’s death. In 1894, she was touted as a potential bride for Ernst of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, by her aunt, the Crown Princess of Prussia. However, nothing ever came of this, and Ernst ended up marrying Helena’s cousin, Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Following her mother’s example, Thora was involved in many charities and organizations. These included the YMCA, YWCA, and Princess Christian’s Nursing Home in Windsor (established by her mother). She was also, with her sister, an avid supporter of the arts, and often held small concerts and performances at their various homes. Like her mother, she also assisted her aunt Beatrice in serving as an unofficial secretary to Queen Victoria. In the last few months of the Queen’s life, she often dictated her journal to Helena Victoria.

During World War I, Thora and her family remained at Cumberland Lodge, where they typically spent Sundays with King George V and Queen Mary, to whom they were rather close. It was in 1917 when the King requested his family members to relinquish any German titles. Unlike many other members of the extended royal family who lost their princely titles, Thora and her family retained their titles and simply dropped the ‘Schleswig-Holstein’ designation.

 

Following her mother’s death in 1923, Thora and her sister divided many of their mother’s charities and patronages between them. Thora became President of Princess Helena College, a position her mother had held since 1874, and who had given her name to the school. She also continued her work with the Princess Christian’s Nursing Home. In addition, she often attended the Davis Cup tennis tournament and presented trophies to the winners.

When World War II began, it was deemed unsafe for Thora and her sister to remain at Schomberg House in London. They took a ‘flat’ in the home of Lady Grace Weigall in Englemore, near Ascot, for several years, and then spent the remainder of the war at Brantridge Park (home of their cousin Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone), with their aunt Beatrice. Following the war, they gave up Schomberg House (which had suffered significant damage in the war), and took up residence at 10 Fitzmaurice Place, in Berkeley Square.

 

Thora’s last years were spent rather quietly. In 1941, she was named godmother to Prince William of Gloucester, elder son of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, to whom she was quite close. In November 1947, she made her last major public appearance at the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.

Princess Helena Victoria died four months later, on March 13, 1948, at the age of 77. Following a funeral held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, she was buried beside her parents in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

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Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein: In November 1863, Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg claimed the twin duchies as Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein after the death without a male heir of King Frederick VII of Denmark, who was also the Duke of Schleswig and the Duke of Holstein.  In 1864, following the Second Schleswig War, the Duchy of Holstein and the Duchy of Schleswig became occupied territories of the German Confederation and two years later, following the Austro-Prussian War, part of the new Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein. However, Prussia recognized the head of the House of Oldenburg as the *mediatized duke of these two duchies, with the rank and all the titles. The Duchy of Schleswig and the Duchy of Holstein are now the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

*mediatize – to annex (a principality) to another state, while allowing certain rights to its former sovereign

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Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein – source: Wikipedia

Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (Albert John Charles Frederick Arthur George) was the second son of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. He was born on February 26, 1869, at Frogmore House in Windsor, England.

He was christened Albert John Charles Frederick Arthur George in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on March 31, 1869. His godparents were:

Albert had four siblings:

Princess Helena with her sons Christian Victor and Albert, c. 1875. source: National Portrait Gallery. NPG x95876

Princess Helena with her sons Christian Victor (l) and Albert (r), 1875. source: National Portrait Gallery; half-plate glass negative, by Alexander Bassano (NPG x95876)

Like his elder brother Christian Victor, Albert attended Lambrook and was destined for a military career. However, unlike his brother, Albert joined the Prussian Army, eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. This meant that Albert was separated from his family during World War I. Having refused to fight against the British, Albert’s cousin, Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia, excused him from active service, and he spent the war years serving on the staff of the Governor of Berlin.

By the end of the war, Albert was the heir apparent to his childless cousin, the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, a brother of the German Empress Augusta Viktoria. He succeeded to the Dukedom in 1921, also becoming head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. The title was merely in pretense, as the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein had been annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.

Albert never married, but just before his death, he acknowledged an illegitimate daughter born in 1900. The child, Valerie Marie, had quickly been given up and was raised by a Jewish family. Albert wrote to her just weeks before he passed away, acknowledging that he was her father. He also informed his two sisters, although he never disclosed the mother’s name to any of them. Some years later, when Valerie was planning to marry the Duke of Arenberg, this acknowledgment would become very important. At the time, because of her perceived Jewish heritage, she was not permitted to marry the Duke. Fortunately, Albert’s sisters attested to her true parentage, and the wedding was then permitted. Valerie died, by apparent suicide, in 1953.

Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein died on April 27, 1931, in Primkenau, Germany (now Przemków, Poland). He is buried near the church in Primkenau.

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Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein. source: Wikipedia

Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein (Christian Victor Albert Louis Ernst Anton) was the eldest child of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom (the third daughter of Queen Victoria), and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. He was born on April 14, 1867, at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.

Prince Christian Victor was christened on May 21, 1867, in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle. His godparents were:

Christian Victor had four siblings:

Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein. source: Wikipedia

“Christle”, as he was known within the family, became the first member of the British Royal Family to attend school, enrolling at Lambrook, Wellington College and Magdalen College at the University of Oxford, before entering the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He showed a high level of skill at cricket, and served as captain of the cricket teams at Wellington, Magdalen, and Sandhurst, and even played for I Zingari (cricket club) in 1887.

Upon leaving Sandhurst in 1888, he became a subaltern in the King’s Royal Rifles. He participated in the Hazara and Miranzi expeditions in 1891, the Isazi expedition in 1892, and the Ashanti expedition in 1895. Upon his return, he was elevated to the rank of Major and then served under Lord Kitchener in the Battle of Omdurman in 1898. The following year, he saw duty in the Second Boer War, participating in the Relief of Ladysmith under General Sir Redvers Buller and then in Pretoria under Lord Roberts.

“Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig Holstein Church Street Cemetery in Pretoria 056” by PHParsons – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Prince Christian Victor died of enteric fever in Pretoria, South African Republic, also known as the Transvaal Republic, now in South Africa, on October 29, 1900, having also fallen ill with malaria. He was just 33 years old. His death shocked his family, and in particular, his grandmother Queen Victoria, with whom he had been very close. Although preparations were made to return his body to the United Kingdom, he was buried in a soldier’s grave in Pretoria, now in South Africa, at the wishes of his grandmother.

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Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein source: Wikipedia

Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (Friedrich Christian Karl August) was the husband of Princess Helena, the third daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He was born on January 22, 1831, at Augustenborg Palace in Augustenborg, Denmark, the sixth of seven children of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and his wife, Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe.

Christian had six siblings:

While attending the University of Bonn, Christian became close friends with the future German Emperor Friedrich III. This friendship would serve him well in later years, as Friedrich’s wife Victoria, Princess Royal was the elder sister of Christian’s future wife. The German couple would fully support Christian’s marriage to Helena, despite significant opposition from other members of her family.

 

It was on a visit to Coburg in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in May 1865 that Christian and Helena’s romance began. Despite the fifteen-year age difference, they were drawn to each other. With the support of – and perhaps some prodding by – Queen Victoria, the couple’s engagement was announced in December of the same year. Part of the agreement with Queen Victoria was that the couple would live in the United Kingdom, in close proximity to The Queen. As Christian had no specific career or ambitions, this was quickly agreed to. Just prior to the wedding, The Queen raised Christian’s style to ‘Royal Highness’, although this only applied in the United Kingdom. They married in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on July 5, 1866, and settled at nearby Frogmore House.

Christian and Helena had five children:

A favorite of Queen Victoria, Christian was created a Knight of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, as well as an Aide-de-Camp to both Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. In 1866, The Queen appointed him Ranger of Windsor Great Park. In 1872, with the impending birth of their fourth child, Christian and his family moved from Frogmore House and took up residence at Cumberland Lodge, the traditional home of the Ranger of Windsor Park. During Queen Victoria’s reign, the family would stay at Buckingham Palace when they needed lodgings in London.

Not having any particular job or military career, Prince Christian was perfectly content being at Queen Victoria’s beck and call. With his wife assuming much of the role of unofficial secretary to Her Majesty, Christian also assisted with paperwork – primarily dealing with the family – and would often be called to read to The Queen or handle any other matters she saw fit to pass along to him. All along, The Queen’s intent was to fully utilize Helena – and Christian – until Princess Beatrice was old enough to take over the role.

In December 1891, while out on a shoot with his brother-in-law, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the Duke accidentally shot Christian in the face. One eye was completely shot out, with some minor damage to the other. Christian, in his usual unprepossessing manner, made the best of the situation. He amassed a significant collection of glass eyes, in various shades and colors. He would amuse, and sometimes shock, guests by appearing with two different colored eyes, even having some made to appear bloodshot should he need to match his good eye following a late night.

Following Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, Christian and his family were given the former De Vesci House at 77-78 Pall Mall as their London home. Later known as Schomberg House, it would remain in Christian’s family until the late 1940s. Despite his advancing age, he often represented his brother-in-law King Edward VII at foreign functions. Notable amongst these was the silver anniversary celebration of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Augusta Viktoria, German Empress in 1906. Christian and Helena were aunt and uncle to both of them, as the  Emperor was the son of Helena’s eldest sister and Empress was the daughter of Christian’s brother.

The last few years of Christian’s life saw some major events. In 1916, he and Helena celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary – the first in the British royal family since King George III and Queen Charlotte. Then, in July 1917, Christian and his family gave up their German titles, at the request of King George V. While many other relatives lost their Princely titles completely, Christian retained his, simply dropping the ‘of Schleswig-Holstein’ designation.

“Schleswig-Holstein plot at Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore” by Peter symonds – Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons.

Just three months later, Prince Christian died on October 28, 1917, at Schomberg House in London, England. Following his funeral at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, his remains were placed in the Royal Crypt there. In 1928, along with the remains of his wife and their son Harald, Christian was re-interred in the newly established Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Helena of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Helena was the fifth child, and third daughter, of Queen Victoria of The United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was born at Buckingham Palace in London, England on May 25, 1846. Two months later, on July 25, 1846 she was christened in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace with the names Helena Augusta Victoria. Her godparents were:

Helena had eight siblings:

Princess Helena and her brother Prince Alfred by Franz Xaver Winterhalter; Credit – Wikipedia

Known within the family as Lenchen, Helena’s childhood was spent at her mother’s various homes, in the care of nurses and nannies. An accomplished artist and pianist from a young age, she was often overshadowed in life by her siblings. She was closest to her brother Alfred, and the two remained so for their entire lives. Helena’s life would change drastically in 1861, with the death of her beloved father. She began helping her sister Alice who became an unofficial secretary to their mother. After Alice’s marriage, Helena would continue in this role, along with her younger sister Louise, before the role was primarily taken by her youngest sister, Beatrice.

Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Helena had a brief romance with Carl Ruland, who had served as her father’s librarian. Of course, when Queen Victoria discovered her daughter’s interest in one of the servants, Ruland was quickly dispatched back to Germany. Victoria then began a quest to find Helena an appropriate husband. It was in May 1865 while visiting Coburg that Helena met her future husband, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, the son of Christian August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, and Countess Louise Sophie af Danneskiold-Samsøe. After receiving formal consent from Queen Victoria and agreeing that they would live in the United Kingdom, their engagement was announced on December 5, 1865. As she had done with her other children, Queen Victoria arranged for Parliament to grant Helena an annuity of £6000 per year and a £30,000 dower. She also personally gave the couple £100,000, which provided them an income of about £4000 per year.

The engagement was not met with unanimous approval within the royal family. The Princess of Wales (formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark) could not countenance a marriage to someone who, she felt, took the Schleswig and Holstein duchies away from her father King Christian IX of Denmark. The Prince of Wales supported his wife in this. Another of Helena’s sisters, Alice, disapproved as she felt her mother was pushing Helena into this marriage to ensure that Helena would remain near her side. The fact that Christian was fifteen years older than Helena certainly did not help that suggestion. However, Helena was truly in love with Christian and was determined to marry him for her own happiness.

Princess Helena and Prince Christian; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Despite the misgivings of some of her siblings, Helena had the full support and blessing of her mother and the wedding went on as planned. Helena and Christian married on July 5, 1866, in the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Following a brief stay at Osborne House, they set off on a honeymoon in Paris, Interlaken, and Genoa.

Upon returning from their honeymoon, the couple settled at Frogmore House in Windsor, England, and over the next eleven  years, had five children:

In 1872, Helena and her family moved from Frogmore House to Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Cumberland Lodge was the traditional home of the Ranger of Windsor Great Park, a position to which Prince Christian had been appointed in 1867. She took a very active role in royal duties and engagements when this was not nearly as common as it is today. Helena was very involved in charity work, particularly nursing. She served as president of the Royal British Nurses Association and was one of the founding members of the British Red Cross.  She was also the founding president of the Royal School of Needlework.

In the late 1870s, Helena suffered several losses.  Her young son, Prince Harald, died just 8 days old in 1876, and the following year she would give birth to a stillborn son.  The next year, her sister Alice died from diphtheria.  Despite their strained relationship at the time of Helena’s marriage, Helena recognized that Alice was looking out for her happiness, and she was devastated by her death.  Helena later wrote a forward for a book of letters from Alice to Queen Victoria.  The second edition, published in 1885, was titled “Memories of Princess Alice by her Sister, Princess Christian.”

More tragedy would come at the turn of the century.  Her favorite brother Alfred died in July 1900, and in October, her oldest son, Christian Victor, died of malaria in South Africa while serving in the Boer War.  The year 1901 would bring the death of her mother Queen Victoria and eldest sister Victoria, The Dowager German Empress.

Following Queen Victoria’s death, Helena continued to support the monarchy, although she was not very close with her brother King Edward VII. With King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra now residing at Buckingham Palace, Helena needed a new home in London. Unlike many of her siblings, Helena did not have a separate London home and stayed in the Belgian Suite at Buckingham Palace when she was in London. In August 1902, King Edward VII gave her use of the former De Vesci House at 77-78 Pall Mall in London, England, which had recently been given to the Crown. It soon became known as Schomberg House, and Helena would live there for the rest of her life. Schomberg House would then become the home of Helena’s two daughters until 1947.

Princess Helena in 1910; Credit – Wikipedia

Helena and Christian celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1916, the first in the family since King George III and Queen Charlotte in 1811. In July 1917, Helena’s nephew King George V asked his family to relinquish their German titles. Helena’s family dropped the ‘of Schleswig-Holstein’ designation from their titles, and Helena officially became just Princess Christian. Unofficially, she was most often known simply as Princess Helena. Just a few months later, on October 8, 1917, Helena’s husband died at Schomberg House.

Princess Helena died on June 9, 1923, at Schomberg House in London, England at the age of 77. She was survived by three of her children and three of her siblings. Following her funeral on June 15, 1923, held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England,  she was interred in the Royal Crypt at St. George’s Chapel. In 1928, her remains, along with those of her husband and son Harald were moved to the newly established Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

“Schleswig-Holstein plot at Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore” by Peter symonds – Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Recommended Books:

  • Helena: A  Princess Reclaimed – S. Chomet
  • Helena: Queen Victoria’s Third Daughter – John Van der Kiste and Bee Jordaan

Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty