Category Archives: Danish Royals

Wedding of King Frederik X of Denmark and Mary Donaldson

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Frederik X of Denmark, then Crown Prince of Denmark, and Mary Donaldson were married on May 14, 2004, at Copenhagen Cathedral (The Church of Our Lady) in Copenhagen, Denmark.

photo: CNN

photo: CNN

Crown Prince Frederik

Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian of Denmark was born in Copenhagen on May 26, 1968, the elder son of (then) Princess Margrethe of Denmark and Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. He has a younger brother, Prince Joachim. In 1972, his mother became Queen Margrethe II upon the death of her own father, King Frederik IX. At not yet 4 years of age, Frederik became The Crown Prince of Denmark.

He received his primary education in Denmark and France before earning a degree in Political Science from the University of Aarhus. He spent a few years as First Secretary to the Danish Embassy in Paris and has served in all branches of the Danish Armed Forces.

For more information about Frederik see:

Mary Donaldson

photo: Wikipedia

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson was born in Hobart, Tasmania Australia on February 5, 1972, the youngest child of Professor John Donaldson and Henrietta Horne. She has two older sisters, Jane and Patricia, and an older brother John. Her mother passed away in 1997, and her father married to British novelist Susan Horwood (aka Susan Moody). Both of her parents are Scottish, but they lived in Australia from the time of their marriage.

Mary began her education in Houston, Texas, where the family was living at the time. They returned to Tasmania and she continued her schooling there. Following the completion of her secondary education, she enrolled in The University of Tasmania, receiving a degree in Commerce and Law. She also received graduate certifications in Advertising and Marketing and worked in those fields in Australia and Scotland. As her relationship with Frederik became more serious, she left Australia and worked in Paris as an English tutor before moving to Denmark and working for Microsoft.

For more information about Mary see:

The Meeting

The Slip Inn, Sydney Photo: tripadvisor.com.au

The Slip Inn, Sydney.  Photo: tripadvisor.com.au

Frederik and Mary met on September 16, 2000, during the Olympic Games in Sydney. A friend of Mary’s was meeting Bruno Gómez-Acebo (a nephew of King Juan Carlos) for dinner at the Slip Inn in Sydney and invited Mary and another friend to join them. Bruno also brought a few friends, including Prince Nikolaos of Greece and his cousin Crown Prince Frederik. Quickly the two became very interested in each other. Over the next year, Frederik made many private trips to Australia to see Mary, and in 2001, she left Australia and moved first to Paris and then to Denmark.

The Engagement

photo: Hello

photo: Hello

The engagement of Crown Prince Frederik and Miss Mary Donaldson was formally announced on October 8, 2003, following a meeting of the Council of State, at which Queen Margrethe II had given her formal consent to the marriage. Following some official photos, a balcony appearance, and a luncheon, the newly engaged couple sat for a brief press conference and photographs with the world’s media in the Garden Hall at Fredensborg Palace. At this time, the world was able to see the wedding ring Frederik had given to Mary. In keeping with the tradition of incorporating the colors of the Danish flag, Mary’s ring features a large emerald-cut diamond flanked by two emerald-cut rubies. That evening, a gala dinner was held at Fredensborg Palace in honor of the couple, attended by both families, members of the Danish Government, and the Royal Household.

Pre-Wedding Festivities

The couple attending the Gala at Christiansborg Palace

The couple attending the pre-wedding Gala at Christiansborg Palace

Many events and festivities leading up to the wedding. The first was a reception held on April 20 at the Australian Embassy in honor of the bride and groom.

May 05 – Military Parade at Langelinie
May 07 – Rock’n’Royal in Parken (concert held in Parken Stadium)
May 08 – Dinner hosted by the Australian Governor-General
May 09 – Match Race – sailing regatta in the Port of Copenhagen
May 11 – Gala Dinner at Christiansborg Palace, hosted by The Queen
May 12 – Official Reception at Copenhagen Town Hall
May 12 – Private Party at a nightclub in Copenhagen for the younger guests
May 12 – concurrently, The Queen hosted a private dinner for the older guests at Amalienborg Palace
May 13 – Official Reception in the Folketinget (Parliament)
May 13 – Gala Performance at the Royal Theatre

Wedding Guests

photo: AFP/Getty Images

photo: AFP/Getty Images

Guests at the wedding included the bride’s and groom’s families, friends and members of the Danish government, and other royalty from around the world.

Danish Royal Family
Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik
Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra
Prince Nikolai
Prince Felix
Princess Benedikte and Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
Count Richard von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
Princess Elisabeth

The Bride’s Family
John Donaldson and Susan Moody, the bride’s father and stepmother
Jane and Craig Stephens, the bride’s sister and brother-in-law
Patricia and Scott Bailey, the bride’s sister and brother-in-law
John and Leanne Donaldson, the bride’s brother and sister-in-law
Peter Donaldson, the bride’s uncle
John Pugh, the bride’s uncle
Margaret Cunningham, the bride’s great-aunt

Royal Guests
Belgium
King Albert II and Queen Paola
The Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz
Prince Laurent and Princess Claire

Bulgaria
Prince Kardam and Princess Miriam

Greece
King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie
Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal
Princess Alexia and Carlos Morales
Prince Nikolaos and Miss Tatiana Blatnik
Princess Theodora
Prince Philippos

Japan
Crown Prince Naruhito

Liechtenstein
Prince Wenceslaus

Luxembourg
Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa
Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume
Prince Guillaume

Monaco
Hereditary Prince Albert
Princess Caroline and Prince Ernst August of Hanover

Netherlands
Queen Beatrix
The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima
Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien

Norway
King Harald V and Queen Sonja
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit
Princess Märtha Louise and Mr. Ari Behn

Serbia
Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine

Spain
Queen Sofia
The Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano
Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Jaime de Marichalar, Duke of Lugo
Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, and Iñaki Urdangarin, Duke of Palma de Mallorca

Sweden
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia
Crown Princess Victoria
Prince Carl Philip
Princess Madeleine

United Kingdom
The Earl and Countess of Wessex

Other Royalty
Empress Farah of Iran
The Prince and Princess of Naples
The Duke and Duchess of Calabria
The Duke and Duchess of Castro
Archduchess Francesca of Austria
The Duke and Duchess of Braganza
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV
Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia
Prince Philipp of Hesse
Princess Xenia of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Prince Wilhelm and Princess Ilona of Schaumburg-Lippe
Princess Désirée of Schaumburg-Lippe
Princess Eleonore of Schaumburg-Lippe
Prince Dimitri and Princess Dorrit Romanov

The Wedding Attendants

photo: Danish Royal Court

photo: Danish Royal Court

Bridesmaids
Jane Stephens, the bride’s sister
Patricia Bailey, the bride’s sister
Amber Petty, a friend of the bride

Best Man
Prince Joachim, the groom’s brother

Flower Girls and Page Boys
Erin Stephens, the bride’s niece
Kate Stephens, the bride’s niece
Madisson Woods, the bride’s niece
Prince Nikolai of Denmark, the groom’s nephew
Count Richard von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth, son of the groom’s cousin

The Wedding Attire

photo: Zimbio

photo: Zimbio

For her wedding dress, Mary selected Danish designer Uffe Frank.  The dress is made of ivory duchess satin lined with silk organza.  In the skirt of the dress, the satin was set in panels that opened from the hip to reveal nearly 8 meters of antique Irish lace underneath.  The sleeves were described by the designer as ‘calla sleeves’, as they opened in the shape of a calla lily.  The back of the skirt was shaped with 31 meters of tulle, edged with Chantilly lace.  For the ceremony, the bride’s dress also featured a detachable 6-meter train of satin.  

Mary’s veil was first used in 1905 at the wedding of Princess Margaret of Connaught to the future King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden.  It came to Denmark when Margaret’s daughter married the future King Frederik IX of Denmark in 1935 and was worn by all three of Ingrid’s daughters, including the current Queen.

Holding the veil in place is a tiara given to the bride by Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, now typically referred to as Crown Princess Mary’s Wedding Tiara. Mary’s earrings were specifically made for the wedding. Set in platinum, they feature brilliant-cut diamonds and large South Sea pearls.  In a very personal tribute to her late mother, the bride had her mother’s wedding ring sewn into the bodice of her dress, close to her heart.

The bridal bouquet consisted of several types of white flowers, including white and antique roses, stephanotis, rhododendrons, azaleas, and myrtle from Fredensborg Palace, and spirea from Graasten Palace, with a trail of snow gum, an Australian eucalyptus.  Following the wedding festivities, Mary’s bouquet was taken to Scotland and laid at her mother’s grave.

Crown Prince Frederik wore the dress uniform of the Danish Navy, with the sash and star of the Order of the Elephant, and necklet and star of the Order of the Dannebrog.

The Ceremony

photo: Zimbio

photo: Zimbio

The wedding ceremony took place on May 14, 2004, at 4 pm at the Copenhagen Cathedral (Church of Our Lady). Following the arrival of the royal guests, the Donaldson family, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, the bride made her entrance to Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’. Following the service, the couple proceeded by carriage through the streets of Copenhagen to Amalienborg Palace. There, they appeared on the balcony with their parents, to the cheers of the crowds gathered below. A sea of Danish and Australian flags greeted them. Following the balcony appearance, they proceeded to Fredensborg Palace by car for the wedding banquet.

The Wedding Banquet

DK-Fred-Mary-wedding-banquet

The wedding banquet was held in a massive tent on the grounds of Fredensborg Palace. Following speeches by the Prince Consort, The Queen, Professor Donaldson, and the Crown Prince, the guests dined on a menu of predominantly French cuisine:

Timbale of Shellfish from the Nordic Seas
Sea Urchin Sauce
—
Roast Venison from the Royal Forests
Rissole Potatoes from Samsø
Peas à la Parisienne
Sauté Mushroom and Morel Sauce
—
Vol-Au-Vent Perfect Union
White Danish Asparagus and Bornholm Chicken with a Sprinkling of Apple Cider
—
White Chocolate Délice
Crown Prince and Crown Princess
—
La Cigaralle du Prince Consort 2000
Cahors Château de Caïx 1996
En Magnum
—
Champagne Mercier
Cuvée Frederik & Mary

The wedding cake was 2 meters in height and weighed nearly 90kg. It featured 10 tiers, some with almond and others with chocolate. All were covered in white marzipan with pink roses and the couple’s monogram in chocolate. In a bit of a humorous break from tradition, the cake was topped with cartoon figures of the couple.

Late in the evening, the couple and their guests moved to the Dome Hall in the palace for the traditional Bridal waltz. Tradition dictates that the dance must take place just before midnight, and although the entire banquet was running a bit behind schedule, they made it just in time. The couple took the floor, surrounded by their guests forming a large heart-shaped group around them. As the dance progressed, the guests moved in closer and closer to the couple.

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.

Philippa of England, Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Philippa by Reinhold Callmander on a window above her grave, 1890s; By Mariusz Paździora (photo); Reinhold Callmander (painting) – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6100584

Philippa of England was the second daughter and the sixth and youngest child of King Henry IV of England and his first wife Mary de Bohun, a rich heiress. Mary never became Queen of England because she died before her husband became King, shortly after Philippa’s birth at Peterborough Castle on June 4, 1394. When Philippa was five years old, her father deposed his first cousin King Richard II, and became King Henry IV. Not much is known about Philippa’s childhood other than that she attended her father’s second marriage in 1403 to Joan of Navarre and made a pilgrimage to Canterbury in the same year. She mostly lived at Berkhamsted Castle and Windsor Castle.

Philippa had five siblings. Her father’s second marriage was childless.

Early in his reign, Henry IV tried to negotiate an alliance between England and the Kalmar Union, which united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway into one kingdom, with Queen Margrethe I of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. He suggested a marriage between two of his children, his eldest son and heir Henry (the future King Henry V) and his daughter Philippa, with Margrethe I’s great-niece and great-nephew, Catherine of Pomerania and Eric of Pomerania. Terms for the marriages were not agreed upon at that time, however, in 1405, a marriage between Philippa and Eric of Pomerania, who was the heir to his great aunt’s throne, was arranged. Eleven-year-old Philippa was married by proxy to 24-year-old Eric on November 26, 1405, at Westminster Abbey in London. Philippa was formally proclaimed Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway on December 8, 1405, in the presence of the Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian ambassadors.

In August 1406, Philippa left England to travel to Sweden and married Eric of Pomerania in person on October 26, 1406, at Lund Cathedral in Lund, Sweden. Documentation from the wedding indicates that Philippa wore a tunic with a cloak in white silk bordered with gray squirrel and ermine, making her the first documented princess to wear a white wedding dress. On November 1, 1406, Philippa was crowned Queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

Eric of Pomerania; Credit – Wikipedia

Philippa was actively involved in state affairs. She was given large tracts of land in Sweden as her dower lands and acted as her husband’s representative in Sweden, where she spent much time. She developed a special interest in Vadstena Abbey, a refuge for her and a base whenever she was in Sweden. Philippa was regent for Denmark, Sweden, and Norway during Eric’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem from 1423 to 1425. Even after Eric returned from his pilgrimage, Philippa continued her commitment to the kingdom. She resolved disputes among her subjects, and organized and successfully defended Copenhagen against attacking forces from the Hanseatic League cities.

After 23 years of marriage, Philippa gave birth, for the first and last time, to a stillborn boy in 1429. Her health deteriorated after the stillbirth and during a visit to Vadstena Abbey, Philippa died on January 5, 1430, at the age of 35. Her death was a great loss to her husband Eric and the monarchy. She was buried in St. Anna’s Chapel, which she had built at the Vadstena Abbey church. In Philippa’s memory, Eric gave a generous sum of money to Vadstena Abbey. In return, he demanded that the abbey employ ten priests who would pray and sing psalms around the clock for the salvation of Philippa’s soul.

Gravestones of Queen Philippa at Vadstena Abbey; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

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.

Works Cited
“Philippa of England.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Sept. 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
“Philippa af England.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, born on July 3, 1746, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, was the eldest daughter and the eldest surviving child of the four children of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain. She was a granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and among her first cousins were King George III of the United Kingdom; her brother King Christian VII’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway; and Willem V, Prince of Orange. One month after her birth, Sophia Magdalena’s father became King of Denmark and Norway. After the death of her elder brother in 1747, Sophia Magdalena was the heir presumptive to the Danish and Norwegian thrones until the birth of her second brother in 1749.

Sophia Magdalena had four siblings:

Sophia Magdalena also had one half-brother from his father’s second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel:

In 1743, Sophia Magdalena’s father was one of the candidates in the election for the heir to the Swedish throne, but Adolf Frederik of Holstein-Gottorp was elected the heir and succeeded to the Swedish throne in 1751. Adolf Frederik was married to Sophia Magdalena’s first cousin once removed Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, the daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm I, King in Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the daughter of King George I of Great Britain. Past wars and the result of the 1743 election caused tension between Denmark and Sweden. To foster friendship between the two countries, a betrothal was arranged by the Swedish Parliament in 1751 between two 5-year-olds, Sophia Magdalena and Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden, son of King Adolf Frederik of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia. Both mothers disliked the proposed match. Gustav’s mother Queen Louisa Ulrika had long been in conflict with the Swedish parliament and would have preferred a marriage with her niece Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Sophia Magdalena’s mother Queen Louise feared that her daughter would be mistreated by the Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.

When Sophia Magdalena was five years old, her mother Queen Louise died at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. The next year, her father made a second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Raised to become Queen of Sweden, Sophia Magdalena received a strict religious upbringing at Hirschholm Palace, the home of her paternal grandmother and her namesake, Queen Dowager Sophie Magdalene (born Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach).

On October 1, 1766, Sophia Magdalena was married by proxy to Gustav at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen with her half-brother Frederik representing the groom. She then traveled to Sweden where she married Crown Prince Gustav in person on November 4, 1766, at the Royal Chapel at the Stockholm Royal Palace.

The wedding attire of Gustav and Sophia Magdalena at the Royal Armory (Swedish: Livrustkammaren), a museum in the Royal Palace in Stockholm

The marriage was not a happy one. Sophia Magdalena was quiet and serious and had difficulty adapting to her husband’s pleasure-loving court. The interference of Gustav’s jealous mother, Queen Louisa Ulrika, did not help the situation. Sophia Magdalena dutifully performed her ceremonial duties, but she did not care about social life and would rather exist in peace and quiet with a few friends.

Sophia Magdalena by Carl Gustaf Pilo, 1765; Credit – Wikipedia

Gustav III of Sweden by Alexander Roslin, 1772; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1771, King Adolf Frederick of Sweden died and Gustav succeeded his father as King Gustav III of Sweden. Gustav and Sophia Magdalena’s coronation was held on May 29, 1772, at the Storkyrkan (The Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden.

Unfinished painting of Gustav III’s coronation by Carl Gustaf Pilo (Sophia Magdalena can be seen sitting on the right); Credit – Wikipedia

In 1772, Gustav arranged for a coup d’état known as the Revolution of 1772. Initially, Sophia Magdalena was not informed about the coup d’état, which reinstated absolute monarchy and ended parliamentary rule. Gustav imprisoned opposition leaders and established a new regime with extensive power for the king which he used wisely. He introduced freedom of the press and tried to remedy corruption in the government.

Gustav III (center right) at the Revolution of 1772 by Pehr Hilleström; Credit – Wikipedia

The marriage of Sophia Magdalena and Gustav remained unconsummated for ten years. There were various theories regarding the cause including Sophia Magdalena’s strict religious upbringing and introverted character, Gustav’s sexuality, and the possibility that either or both Sophia Magdalena and Gustav had a physical problem. Eventually, Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila acted as a sexual instructor for the couple. The instruction resulted in the birth of a son. When it became known that Munck participated in the reconciliation between the royal couple, there were rumors that he was the father of Sophia Magdalena’s son. The couple eventually had another son, but he did not survive childhood:

Gustav III, Sophia Magdalena and Crown Prince Gustav Adolf in Haga Park by Cornelius Høyer, 1784–1785; Credit – Wikipedia

In the 1780s, Gustav III was preoccupied with foreign policy: a growing hatred of Denmark and a desire to conquer Norway. In 1788, he began a war against Russia, the Russo-Swedish War, but had to retreat because of a mutiny in the army. In 1789, he resumed the war with varying success. The war ended in 1790 with the Treaty of Värälä. The war with Russia destroyed Sweden’s economy, and when Gustav decided to attack France, a conspiracy developed.

On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masquerade at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, Sweden. King Gustav III died of his wounds at the Stockholm Royal Palace on March 29, 1792, at the age of 46. Assassination ringleader, Count Anckarström, was beaten for three days before he was beheaded, mutilated and dismembered. The event is the subject of Giuseppe Verdi’s 1859 opera Un ballo in maschera.  King Gustav III was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Sophia Magdalena by Niklas Lafrensen, 1792; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon Gustav III’s assassination, his 14-year-old son succeeded to the throne as King Gustav IV Adolf, under the regency of his paternal uncle Prince Karl, Duke of Södermanland, who was later to become King Karl XIII of Sweden when his nephew was forced to abdicate and flee the country in 1809. Sophia Magdalena was horrified by the murder of her husband, but it was a relief that as Queen Dowager, she could retreat from public life. She lived in the Royal Palace in Stockholm during the winter, and at Ulriksdal Palace during the summer. Sophia Magdalena died from a stroke at the age of 67 on August 21, 1813, at Ulriksdal Palace. She was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Tomb of Sophia Magdalena; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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.

Works Cited
“Gustav III of Sweden.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 July 2016. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
“Gustav III.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, Feb. 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
“Sophie Magdalene af Danmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
“Sophia Magdalena of Denmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2016. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Susan Flantzer. “Princess Louisa of Great Britain, Queen of Denmark.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 19 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway was born on January 29, 1749, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the only surviving son of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, and a grandson of King George II of Great Britain. Among his first cousins were King George III of the United Kingdom; Christian’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway; and Willem V, Prince of Orange. Christian was christened two hours after his birth. His godparents were:

Christian had four siblings:

Christian also had one half-brother from his father’s second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel:

When Christian was not quite two years old, his mother Queen Louisa died at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. The next year, his father made a second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Christian seemed to be an intelligent child and was taught Danish, German, and French. However, he had a nervous disposition and was poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow.

Christian as Crown Prince by Louis Tocqué; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1766, Christian succeeded to the Danish and Norwegian thrones after the early death of his father at age 42. Since there was a connection between the British and Danish royal families and both families were Protestant, it was natural that a British bride should be sought for Christian. Even before the death of King Frederik V, negotiations for such a marriage were started. The preferred choice for a bride was initially his first cousin Princess Louisa of Wales, daughter of Christian’s deceased maternal uncle Frederick, Prince of Wales, but when the Danish representative in London heard of her ill health, her younger sister Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales became the prospective bride. The betrothal was announced on January 10, 1765.

Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian VII of Denmark & Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 1, 1766, a proxy marriage was held at St. James’s Palace in London, with Caroline Matilda’s brother King George III standing in for King Christian VII. Fifteen-year-old Caroline Matilda soon left England for Denmark with a large contingent of attendants and servants. When she crossed the Danish border, Danish envoys sent her English attendants and servants back and replaced them with Danish ones. Caroline Matilda arrived in Copenhagen on November 8, 1766, and married Christian in person later that day in the Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen.

A copperplate engraving depicting the first dance of King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark at their wedding at Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian had two children, but Christian was probably not the father of Louise Auguste.

Engraving of the newborn Crown Prince Frederik with his mother Queen Caroline Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louise Auguste as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

It was soon clear that Christian was not quite normal. It is unknown if Christian’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of the Count of Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. Christian wandered the streets of Copenhagen visiting the city’s taverns and brothels with his favorite Count Frederik Vilhelm Conrad Holck. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king.

In May of 1768, Christian took a long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona (now in Germany, then in Denmark), Paris, and London. The trip had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior. It was on this journey that he became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

Johann Friedrich Struensee; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise Auguste, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess, who was given the unflattering nickname la petite Struensee, although Christian VII officially acknowledged her as his daughter. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda.

Early on the morning of January 17, 1772, following a ball at the court theater at Christiansborg Palace, Christian was awakened and forced to sign orders for the arrest of Struensee, his friend Count Enevold Brandt, and Caroline Matilda. Caroline Matilda was immediately taken to Kronberg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark, immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, to await her fate. She was allowed to keep her daughter with her, but the four-year-old Crown Prince Frederik stayed with his father. Upon hearing of Caroline Matilda’s arrest, Struensee confessed to his relationship with her, and eventually, Caroline Matilda also confessed. Struensee and Brandt were condemned to death and both suffered a brutal execution. In the presence of thousands of people, their right hands were severed first, then their bodies were broken on the wheel, and finally, they were beheaded.

Johann Friedrich Struensee and his companion Brandt are beheaded in Copenhagen on April 28, 1772; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian’s marriage was dissolved on April 6, 1772.  She lost her title of Queen and was forcibly separated from her children whom she never saw again. Caroline Matilda was not quite 20 years old. Originally, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be held in custody for life at Aalborghus Castle in Aalborg, Denmark, but her brother King George III intervened. King George III sent Sir Robert Murray Keith, a British diplomat, to negotiate her release from Danish imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was sent to Celle in her brother’s Kingdom of Hanover and lived the rest of her life at Celle Castle.

Celle Castle; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda’s dowry was restored and she was able to live in comfort, but she missed her children terribly. Her imprisonment was not to last long. Caroline Matilda died of “a putrid fever and sore throat,” probably scarlet fever, on May 10, 1775, at the age of 23. She was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle next to her great-grandmother Sophie Dorothea of Celle who suffered a similar fate.

Caroline Matilda’s story was told in several novels including Norah Loft’s The Last Queen (1969) and Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and also in the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012). Stella Tillyard also covers Caroline Matilda’s affair in her nonfiction book A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings (2006). King George III’s six daughters had very sheltered upbringings and they spent most of their time with their parents and each other. The living conditions of King George III’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry, and only three of the six daughters ever married. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark.

After the fall of Struensee, Christian’s stepmother Dowager Queen Juliana Marie and her son, Christian’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik reinstated the Council of State. Christian was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Queen Dowager Juliana Marie, Hereditary Prince Frederik, and Cabinet Secretary Ove Høegh-Guldberg. From 1784, Christian’s son, the future King Frederik VI, ruled permanently as a prince regent.

King Christian VIi in 1782; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian lived in isolation with a caretaker. When he was behaved too violently, he was locked up in his room or tied to his chair. His only involvement with the government was when he had to sign “Christian Rex” on formal papers. On March 13, 1808, in Rendsburg, Schleswig (then in Denmark, now in Germany) King Christian VII died from a stroke at the age of 59. He was buried in Frederik V’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of King Christian VII – Photo by Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited
“Christian VII of Denmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.
“Christian 7.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.
Susan. “Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.

Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1751, Frederick, Prince of Wales, heir to the throne and son of King George II of Great Britain, died at the age of 44. He left eight children, including the future King George III, and a pregnant wife Augusta of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg. Four months later, on July 22, 1751, at Leicester House in London, England, Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales was born.

Caroline Matilda had eight older siblings:

Family of Frederick, Prince of Wales painted in 1751 after the prince’s death; Credit – Wikipedia Front row: Henry, William, Frederick; Back row: Edward, George, Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales holding Caroline Matilda, Elizabeth, Louisa

The new princess was christened Caroline Matilda, Caroline after her late paternal grandmother Caroline of Ansbach and Matilda after her Norman and Angevin ancestors, on August 1, 1751, at Leicester House in London by Thomas Hayter, Bishop of Norwich.  She was called Caroline Matilda to avoid confusion with her paternal aunt, one of her godparents.

Caroline Matilda’s godparents:

Caroline Matilda, age three; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda, considered the most attractive of the four sisters, was educated with her elder sister by two years, Louisa. While Caroline Matilda loved being outdoors and riding, Louisa suffered from poor health and eventually died of tuberculosis at the age of 19. Caroline Matilda was well educated, as were all her siblings, and could speak French, German, and Italian. Her two eldest brothers George and Edward moved out of Leicester House to their own household when Caroline Matilda was five years old. Her sister Elizabeth, who also suffered from delicate health like Louisa, died in 1759 at the age of 18.

In 1760, Caroline Matilda’s grandfather King George II died and her brother succeeded to the throne as King George III. In 1764, her eldest sister Augusta married Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, and left for her new home. Certainly, Caroline Matilda knew that royal children did not marry for love and that only unmarried princesses such as her paternal aunts Princess Amelia and her godmother Princess Caroline stayed home in England. She certainly saw what it was like for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, her brother George’s 17-year-old bride, when she arrived in England alone, terrified, and unable to speak English.

Caroline Matilda (seated) and her sister Louisa Credit – Wikipedia

Another of Caroline Matilda’s paternal aunts Princess Louisa had married King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway. Louisa had given birth to five children in five years before her death at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. In 1766, Caroline Matilda’s 17-year-old first cousin succeeded to the Danish throne as King Christian VII after the early death of his father. Since there was a connection between the British and Danish royal families and both families were Protestant, it was natural that a British bride should be sought for Christian. Even before the death of King Frederik V, negotiations for such a marriage were started. The preferred choice for a bride was initially Caroline Matilda’s sister Princess Louisa. However, when the Danish representative in London heard of her ill health, Caroline Matilda became the prospective bride. The betrothal was announced on January 10, 1765.

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway, Credit – Wikipedia

On October 1, 1766, a proxy marriage was held at St. James’s Palace in London, with Caroline Matilda’s brother King George III standing in for King Christian VII. Fifteen-year-old Caroline Matilda soon left England for Denmark with a large contingent of attendants and servants. When she crossed the Danish border, Danish envoys sent her English attendants and servants back and replaced them with Danish ones. Caroline Matilda arrived in Copenhagen on November 8, 1766, and married Christian in person later that day in the Christiansborg Palace Chapel.

A copperplate engraving depicting the first dance of King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde at their wedding at Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian had two children but probably, Christian was not the father of Louise Auguste.

Engraving of the newborn Crown Prince Frederik with his mother Queen Caroline Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louise Auguste as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda soon became a victim of the intrigues of Queen Dowager Juliana Maria, the second wife of Christian’s father, who coveted the succession for her son Frederik. Caroline Matilda also soon discovered that her husband was mentally ill. Christian was personable and intelligent as a child, but he was poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow. It is unknown if Christian’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of the Count of Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations.

In May 1768, Christian VII took a long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona (now in Germany, then in Denmark), Paris, and London. The trip had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior. On this journey, Christian became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee.  Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill.  When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

Johann Friedrich Struensee; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise Auguste, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess, who was given the unflattering nickname la petite Struensee, although Christian VII officially acknowledged her as his daughter. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda.

Early on the morning of January 17, 1772, following a ball at the court theater at Christiansborg Palace, Christian was awakened and forced to sign orders for the arrest of Struensee, his friend Count Enevold Brandt, and Caroline Matilda. Caroline Matilda was immediately taken to Kronberg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark, immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, to await her fate. She was allowed to keep her daughter with her, but the four-year-old Crown Prince Frederik stayed with his father. Upon hearing of Caroline Matilda’s arrest, Struensee confessed to his relationship with her, and eventually, Caroline Matilda also confessed. Struensee and Brandt were condemned to death and both suffered brutal executions. In the presence of thousands of people, their right hands were severed first, then their bodies were broken on the wheel, and finally, they were beheaded.

Johann Friedrich Struensee and his companion Brandt are beheaded in Copenhagen on April 28, 1772; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian’s marriage was dissolved on April 6, 1772.  She lost her title of Queen and was forcibly separated from her children whom she never saw again. Caroline Matilda was not quite 20 years old. Originally, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be held in custody for life at Aalborghus Castle in Aalborg, Denmark, but her brother King George III intervened. King George III sent Sir Robert Murray Keith, a British diplomat, to negotiate her release from Danish imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was sent to Celle in her brother’s Kingdom of Hanover and lived the rest of her life at Celle Castle.

Celle Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda’s dowry was restored and she was able to live in comfort, but she missed her children terribly. Her imprisonment was not to last long. Caroline Matilda died of “a putrid fever and sore throat,” probably scarlet fever, on May 10, 1775, at the age of 23 at Celle Castle in Celle, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. She was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle next to his great-grandmother Sophie Dorothea of Celle who suffered a similar fate.

Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle, Germany; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda’s story was told in several novels including Norah Loft’s The Last Queen (1969) and Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and also in the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012). Stella Tillyard also covers Caroline Matilda’s affair in her nonfiction book A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings (2006). King George III’s six daughters had very sheltered upbringings and they spent most of their time with their parents and each other. The living conditions of King George III’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry, and only three of the six daughters ever married. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark.

The people of Celle raised money for a monument to Caroline Matilda which stands in the French Garden in Celle, now in Lower Saxony, Germany.

The Caroline Matilda Memorial in Celle; Credit – Wikipedia

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited
“Caroline Matilda of Great Britain.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Sept. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
“Christian VII of Denmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Hadlow, Janice. A Royal Experiment. New York: Picador, 2014. Print.
“Johann Friedrich Struensee.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Susan. “Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 18 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Tillyard, Stella. A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings. New York: Random House, 2006. Print.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland; Credit – Wikipedia

The husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain, Prince George of Denmark (Jørgen in Danish) was born at Copenhagen Castle in Denmark on April 2, 1653. He was the younger of the two sons and the fifth of the eight children of King Frederik III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

George had seven siblings:

George was educated by the Hanoverian statesman Baron Otto Grote zu Schauen and then later by Danish Bishop Christen Jensen Lodberg.  From 1668 – 1669, George undertook the traditional Grand Tour and visited France, England, Italy, and Germany. After the death of his father in 1670, he returned to Denmark, when his older brother succeeded to the throne as King Christian V. In 1674, George was briefly a candidate for the Polish throne, however, from the outset, there was little chance of success because George was a staunch Lutheran and would not convert to Catholicism.

On July 28, 1683, at the Chapel Royal in St. James’ Palace in London, England, George married Anne of England (the future Queen Anne), the youngest of the two surviving daughters of James, Duke of York (the future King James II of England) and his first wife Anne Hyde. Even though the marriage was arranged, the marriage was happy and they were faithful to each other. The couple’s London residence was a set of buildings at Whitehall Palace in London, England, called the Cockpit-in-Court.

Anne, circa 1684; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince George of Denmark, circa 1687; Credit – Wikipedia

Anne became pregnant a few months after the wedding, but she gave birth to a stillborn daughter in May 1684. Anne’s obstetrical history is tragic. She had 17 pregnancies with only five children being born alive. Two died on the day of their birth, two died at less than two years old within six days of each from smallpox, and one died at age 11. Anne suffered from what was diagnosed as gout and had pain in her limbs, stomach, and head. Based on these symptoms and her obstetrical history, Anne may have had systemic lupus erythematosus which causes an increased rate of fetal death.

  • Stillborn daughter (May 12, 1684)
  • Mary (June 2, 1685 – February 8, 1687), died of smallpox
  • Anne Sophia (May 12, 1686 – February 2, 1687), died of smallpox
  • Miscarriage (January 21, 1687)
  • Stillborn son (October 22, 1687)
  • Miscarriage (April 16, 1688)
  • Prince William, Duke of Gloucester (July 24, 1689 – July 30, 1700)
  • Mary (born and died October 14, 1690)
  • George (born and died April 17, 1692)
  • Stillborn daughter (March 23, 1693)
  • Miscarriage (January 21, 1694)
  • Miscarriage of daughter (February 17 or 18, 1696)
  • Miscarriage (September 20, 1696)
  • Miscarriage (March 25, 1697)
  • Miscarriage of twins (early December 1697)
  • Stillborn son (September 15, 1698)
  • Stillborn son (January 24, 1700)

Anne and her longest surviving child, Prince William, Duke of Gloucester; Credit – Wikipedia

George was naturalized as an English subject in 1683, invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1684, and created Duke of Cumberland, Earl of Kendal, and Baron Wokingham in 1689. Prince George played no part in politics and had no real ambitions. His uncle by marriage, King Charles II, famously said of George, “I have tried him drunk, and I have tried him sober, and drunk or sober, there is nothing there.

Upon the death of King Charles II in 1685, George’s father-in-law the Roman Catholic Duke of York came to the throne as King James II. Anne and George became the center of Protestant opposition against the new king. On November 5, 1688, William III, Prince of Orange landed in England with an invasion army. Married to Anne’s elder sister Mary, William III, Prince of Orange was the only child of Mary, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, so he was third in the line of succession to the throne. The Glorious Revolution resulted, James fled to France, and Anne’s sister and brother-in-law became joint monarchs, King William III and Queen Mary II

On December 28, 1694, Anne’s sister Queen Mary II died of smallpox. She was just 32 years old. King William III continued to reign alone for the remainder of his life. As William and Mary had no children, Anne was now the heir presumptive to the throne and her son William was second in the line of succession.

On July 24, 1700, Anne’s son Prince William, Duke of Gloucester celebrated his eleventh birthday at a party held at Windsor Castle. Jenkin Lewis, his servant, reported, “He complained a little the next day, but we imputed that to the fatigues of a birthday so that he was much neglected.” In the evening, William complained of a sore throat and chills. Two days later, he was no better and had developed a fever and was delirious. The doctors suspected smallpox, but no rash appeared, so they used the usual treatments of the time, bleeding and blistering, which no doubt, made William’s condition worse. William died on the morning of July 30, 1700, at Windsor Castle, probably of pneumonia. His body was taken to the Palace of Westminster where it lay in state in his apartments. William was interred in the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey during the evening of August 7, 1700. His uncle, King William III wrote to the Duke of Marlborough, that William’s death was “so great a loss to me as well as to all of England, that it pierces my heart.”

Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, shortly before his death; Credit – Wikipedia

Anne and her husband George were devastated. This death and the failure of the Protestant Stuarts to produce heirs meant the end of the Protestant Stuart dynasty as the legitimate descendants of King Charles I were either childless or Roman Catholic. The Act of Settlement 1701 secured the Protestant succession to the throne after William’s sister-in-law and heir presumptive Princess Anne. The act excluded the former King James II (who died a few months after the act received royal assent) and the Roman Catholic children from his second marriage and also excluded the descendants of King James II’s sister Henrietta, the youngest daughter of King Charles I. Parliament’s choice was limited to the Protestant descendants of Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine, the only other child of King James I not to have died in childhood. The senior Protestant descendant was Elizabeth’s youngest daughter Sophia, Electress of Hanover. The Act of Settlement put Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs in the line of succession after Anne.

On February 20, 1702, King William III went riding on his horse at Hampton Court Palace. The horse stumbled on a molehill and fell and broke his collarbone. After a surgeon set his collarbone, William refused to rest. He insisted on returning to Kensington Palace. A week later, the fracture was not mending well and William’s right hand and arm were puffy and did not look right. His condition continued to worsen and by March 3, William had a fever and had difficulty breathing. King William III died on March 8, 1702, and was succeeded by his sister-in-law and cousin Anne.

Queen Anne’s coronation took place on St George’s Day, April 23, 1702. Despite being only 37 years old, Anne was so overweight and infirm that she had to be carried in a sedan chair to Westminster Abbey. At the coronation, Anne’s husband Prince George paid homage to her. He was the first husband of a reigning queen to do so and it was not to be repeated until Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh paid homage to his wife Queen Elizabeth II at her 1953 coronation.

Anne with her husband, Prince George of Denmark, painted by Charles Boit, 1706; Credit – Wikipedia

In March and April 1706, George became seriously ill but seemed to recover. He spent much of the summer of 1708 at Windsor Castle with asthma that was so bad he was not expected to live. Prince George died on October 28, 1708, at Kensington Palace in London at the age of 55. Queen Anne deeply grieved for him. She was desperate to remain with George’s body but reluctantly left after persuasion from her childhood friend and favorite Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. George was buried privately at midnight on November 13, 1708, at Westminster Abbey in a vault under the monument to George Monck, Duke of Albemarle in the Henry VII Chapel. Charles II, William III, Mary II, and George’s wife Anne were also buried in this vault.

Inscription on the floor of the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey marking the graves of Queen Anne and Prince George; Credit – findagrave.com

Stuart Royal Vault at Westminster Abbey; Photo Credit – www.westminster-abbey.org

House of Stuart Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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King George I of the Hellenes

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King George I of the Hellenes – source: Wikipedia

King George I of the Hellenes was born Prince Christian Vilhelm Ferdinand Adolf Georg of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, on December 24, 1845, at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen. Known as Vilhelm, he was the son of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (later King Christian IX) and Princess Luise of Hesse-Kassel. He had five siblings:

In 1852, Vilhelm’s father was designated as heir-presumptive to the childless King Frederik VII of Denmark. Vilhelm’s title changed to Prince of Denmark. The family split their time between the Yellow Palace and Bernstorff Palace, which had been available to them following his father’s appointment. After his initial education at home, Vilhelm joined the Royal Danish Navy, attending the Royal Danish Naval Academy alongside his elder brother, Frederik.

Prince Vilhelm with his family, 1862. front: Princess Dagmar, Prince Valdemar, Queen Louise, Princess Thyra, Princess Alexandra; back: Prince Frederik, King Christian IX, Prince Vilhelm. source: Wikipedia

In 1862, King Otto of Greece (born Prince Otto of Bavaria) was deposed. Still wanting a monarchy, but rejecting Otto’s proposed successor, Greece began searching for a new King. Initially, the focus fell on Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (the second son of Queen Victoria), who received overwhelming support from the Greek people. However, the London Conference of 1832 stipulated that no one from the ruling families of the Great Powers could accept the Greek throne. While several other European princes were suggested as possible sovereigns, the Greek people and the Great Powers soon chose Prince Vilhelm as their next King. On March 30, 1863, the 17-year-old Vilhelm was unanimously elected by the Greek National Assembly and took the name King George I of the Hellenes. A ceremonial enthronement was held in Copenhagen on June 6, 1863.

George made visits to Russia, England, and France, before arriving in Athens on October 30, 1863. From the beginning, George was determined to be very different than his predecessor. He quickly learned Greek and was often seen informally strolling through the streets of Athens. George had been accompanied to Greece by several advisors from Denmark. He soon sent them back to Denmark so it would not appear that he was influenced by his home country. George toured Denmarkthe following year and then demanded that the Assembly finally adopt a new constitution. Finally done, he took an oath on November 28, 1864, to defend the new constitution, establishing a constitutional monarchy in which the King deferred authority to the elected government. George quickly became very popular with the Greek people.

Olga and George – source: Wikipedia

In 1863, while visiting St. Petersburg before his arrival in Greece, King George first met his future wife Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. She was the daughter of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich (a son of Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia) and Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg. Four years later, while visiting his sister Dagmar, the wife of the future Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia, George met Olga again. By this time, George was looking for a wife, and marriage to a Russian Grand Duchess would be advantageous both politically and as far as the religion of future generations. While George remained Lutheran after taking the throne, future Greek sovereigns would be raised in the Greek Orthodox faith. Olga was smitten with George, and the two quickly fell in love. They married in Grand Church of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia on October 27, 1867, and went on to have eight children:

King George and Queen Olga with six of their children, c1890. source: Wikipedia

George and his family spent much of their time at Tatoi, a 10,000-acre estate outside Athens which he had purchased in the 1870s. Along with the main palace, King George established a winery and a Danish-styled dairy farm. He established the Royal Cemetery on the grounds, following the death of his daughter, Princess Olga, in 1880. King George also acquired Mon Repos, a villa on the isle of Corfu, in 1864, which the royal family used as a summer residence. Mon Repos is probably best known today as the birthplace of George’s grandson, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was born there in 1921.

King George’s early reign saw constant upheaval, with 21 different governments in 10 years. Attempts to return the isle of Crete to Greek control were unsuccessful, which caused great tension among the Greek people. Following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 (in which Greece remained neutral despite the attempts of George’s sister, Tsarevna Maria Feodorovna of Russia, to get Greece to join with the Russians), Greece claimed Crete and the regions of Epirus and Thessaly which were all under the Ottoman rule. Eventually, in 1881, the Ottomans ceded Thessaly.

The political climate in Crete remained tense, with the predominantly Greek population revolting against Turkish rule in 1897. The Great Powers stepped in, ordering both Greek and Turkish forces to withdraw, with Crete being under international control. While the Turks agreed, the Greek Prime Minister refused and sent troops to take the island. When forces crossed the Macedonian border, war broke out. By the end of April, the war was over, with Greece losing swiftly and severely. Following the defeat, King George lost much of his popularity and support from the Greek people, even considering abdication. But the following year, in February 1898, an assassination attempt was made on the King and his daughter Maria, while riding in an open carriage. Fortunately, both were unharmed, and he received an upswell of support from his subjects.

In the First Balkan War of 1912, Greece joined forces with Montenegro, Serbia, and Bulgaria in fighting against Turkey. This time, the Greek forces were victorious, and on November 12, 1912, led by Crown Prince Constantine, they took the city of Thessaloniki in what was then Macedonia. Three days later, King George arrived and rode through the streets accompanied by his son and the Prime Minister.

Grave of King George I of Greece, photo by Kostisl, source: Wikipedia

With his Golden Jubilee approaching, King George planned to abdicate following the celebrations planned for October 1913. However, his life would end several months before he had the chance. On March 18, 1913, while walking in Thessaloniki, Greece, King George was killed when an assassin shot him at close range in the back. The King died instantly. His body was returned to Athens, where it lay in state for three days in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. Draped in both the Greek and Danish flags, his coffin was then interred in Royal Cemetery at Tatoi.

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.

Greece Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scots, Queen of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scots, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Anne of Denmark (Anna in Danish) was born at Skanderborg Castle on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark on December 12, 1574. She was the second of the eight children of King Frederik II of Denmark and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Anne had seven siblings:

Anne spent the first part of her childhood with her sister Elisabeth and her brother Christian in Güstrow with her maternal grandparents Ulrich, Duke of Mecklenburg- Güstrow and
Elisabeth of Denmark, sister of King Christian III of Denmark, the children’s paternal grandfather. In 1588, Anne’s father died and her 11-year-old brother became King Christian IV, and the three children returned to Denmark. King Christian IV reigned for 59 years and is the longest-reigning Danish monarch.

Anne was 14-years-old when she returned to Denmark and candidates for her hand in marriage were numerous as the Danish court was considered wealthy and a high dowry was expected. Anne’s mother opted for the Scottish King James VI, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. On August 20, 1589, Anne was married by proxy to James VI, King of Scots at Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark. Ten days after the proxy wedding, Anne set sail for Scotland, but severe storms forced her to land in Norway. Upon hearing this, James set sail to personally bring Anne to Scotland. On November 23, 1589, the couple was formally married at the Bishop’s Palace in Oslo, Norway. After a prolonged visit to Denmark, James and Anne landed in Scotland on May 1, 1590. On May 5, 1590, Anne made her state entry into Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. She was crowned Queen of Scots on May 17, 1590, at the Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland.

James and Anne had seven children and at least three miscarriages. Only three of their children survived childhood:

by Charles Turner, published by Samuel Woodburn, after Willem de Passe, mezzotint, published 1814

‘James I and his royal progeny’ by Charles Turner, published by Samuel Woodburn, after Willem de Passe mezzotint, published 1814 NPG D9808 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Although Anne and James were close at the beginning of their marriage, their relationship deteriorated over the years. Their first major argument was over the transfer of the custody of their firstborn Henry, Prince of Wales to John Erskine, Earl of Mar at Stirling Castle, in keeping with Scottish royal tradition, which led to estrangement and a competition for the custody of the Prince of Wales. Anne refused to dismiss two of her ladies-in-waiting after their brothers were killed by James’ attendants for a supposed assault on the king, causing a three-year rift. When Anne shot and killed James’ favorite dog during a hunting session there was a serious confrontation.

On March 24, 1603, Queen Elizabeth I of England died and James became King James I of England. Since none of the children of King Henry VIII had children, James was the senior heir of King Henry VII through his eldest daughter Margaret Tudor. (King Henry VII → Margaret Tudor married King James IV of Scotland → King James V of Scotland → Mary, Queen of Scots → King James VI of Scotland). Anne was pregnant when Queen Elizabeth I died, so James left for England without her. Anne miscarried the child in May 1603 and joined James in England when she had recovered. James and Anne were crowned King and Queen of England at Westminster Abbey on July 25, 1603. Religion provided another conflict. Although Anne was raised a Lutheran, she refused to take Communion during the Church of England coronation at Westminster Abbey. There were suspicions that Anne secretly converted to Roman Catholicism which put James in an awkward situation as King of England.

Anne’s expensive tastes in clothing and jewels contributed much to the English court’s costs, hurting  James’ reputation. After 1606, Anne and James lived mostly apart, with Anne residing largely at Somerset House, renamed Denmark House.  In 1612, 18-year-old Henry, Prince of Wales died from typhoid fever, which was a great tragedy for Anne and the entire nation. Anne could not bear to have Henry’s death mentioned and people were advised not to give her condolences. After her son’s death, Anne’s health began to deteriorate and she withdrew from social activities.

Anne in mourning for her son Henry, Prince of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1616, the Queen’s House, designed by the famed architect Inigo Jones, was commissioned for Anne at Greenwich, London, but work on the house stopped in April 1618 when Anne became quite ill. Work did not restart again until 1629 when the house was given to Henrietta Maria of France by her husband King Charles I, and the house was completed in 1635.

The Queen’s House at Greenwich, Credit – Wikipedia, © Bill Bertram 2006, CC-BY-2.5 — Attribution

By 1617, Anne’s condition became debilitating. James visited Anne only three times during her last years, but her surviving son Charles was often with her and was at her bedside when Anne died at the age of 44 from dropsy (edema) at Hampton Court Palace on March 2, 1619. Also with Anne at her deathbed was her maid Anna Roos who came with Anne from Denmark in 1590. On May 13, 1619, Anne was buried at Westminster Abbey in a vault beneath the monument to the Dukes of Buckingham in the Henry VII Chapel. Her grave is marked by the inscription on the floor: “ANNE OF DENMARK QUEEN OF KING JAMES 1st 1619.” It had taken James twelve weeks to raise the money for proper funeral rites of his wife. James survived his wife by six years, dying on March 27, 1625, and was succeeded by his son King Charles I who was beheaded during the English Civil War.

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Dagmar of Denmark, Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Dagmar of Denmark, Maria Feodorovna, Empress of All Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

Her Highness Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, known as Princess Dagmar and called Minnie in her family, was born at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark on November 26, 1847. She was the fourth child and the second daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel. In 1852, Prince Christian became heir to the Danish throne and in 1853 he was given the title Prince of Denmark and his children then became Princes and Princesses of Denmark. Christian succeeded to the Danish throne in 1863 and reigned as King Christian IX.

Minnie had five siblings:

Family of King Christian IX; Back Row: Frederik, King Christian, and William; Front Row: Dagmar, Valdemar, Queen Louise, Thyra, and Alexandra; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Minnie grew up in a close and happy family environment. Her parents gave their children a simple upbringing but attached great importance to their royal duties. As adults, all their children were known for their ability to deal with people, their sense of duty, and their ability to represent their royal families. Minnie was closest to her elder sister Alexandra and the two had close ties to each other for life.

Minnie with her first fiancé Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsarevich of Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

Emperor Alexander II of Russia was searching for a bride for his eldest son and heir Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich from countries other than the small German states that traditionally provided brides for the Romanovs. In 1864, Nicholas Alexandrovich went to Denmark and proposed to Minnie. Nicholas Alexandrovich suffered from poor health and died from meningitis on April 24, 1865. Reportedly, his last wish was for Minnie to marry his brother Alexander Alexandrovich, the future Emperor Alexander III. Minnie had already started receiving instruction in the Russian language and preparing for her conversion to the Russian Orthodox religion.

Engagement Photo: Alexander and Minnie; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1866, on a visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, Alexander proposed to Minnie, his deceased brother’s fiancée. Minnie converted to Russian Orthodoxy and received the name Maria Feodorovna. Alexander and Minnie were married on November 9, 1866, in the Grand Church of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia. After the wedding festivities, the newlyweds moved into the Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg where they lived for the next 15 years. In addition, they spent time at their summer villa Livadia Palace in the Crimean Peninsula.

Wedding of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich & Maria Feodorovna by M.Zichy 1867, Hermitage; Credit – Wikipedia

Alexander and Minnie had six children:

Alexander, Minnie and their children in 1888;  Credit – Wikipedia

Minnie was a popular member of the Russian Imperial Family. She rarely mingled in politics,  instead devoting herself to her family, charities, and social activities. Among the charities she worked with were the Russian Red Cross and several educational institutions, including the famous Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens.  Like her sister Alexandra, Princess of Wales, Minnie was anti-German because of the annexation of the previously Danish-owned Schleswig-Holstein duchies to Prussia in 1864. In the early years of their marriage, Minnie and Alexander settled into the huge Anichkov Palace on St. Petersburg’s main street, Nevsky Prospekt. The couple traveled around the Russian Empire and regularly attended family get-togethers in Denmark.

On March 13, 1881, Alexander’s father, Alexander II, was assassinated in St. Petersburg, a victim of a bombing by the underground organization, Narodnaya Volya (People’s Will), and Alexander succeeded to the Russian throne. Security was tightened and Minnie and Alexander had to move out of St. Petersburg to Gatchina Palace, 28 miles away from St. Petersburg, which provided greater protection. Alexander and Minnie’s traditional coronation in the Kremlin in Moscow was held in strict security because a dangerous conspiracy had been discovered.

The Imperial Family was always heavily guarded, but Minnie often went to St. Petersburg to participate in and organize balls, receptions, and other things she had enjoyed doing as a Grand Duchess. Minnie supported Alexander in his extreme conservative ideas. She sought to encourage foreign policy that favored Denmark and not Germany. In addition, she tried to get Russia to develop relations with the United Kingdom, two countries that traditionally were not allied.

Alexander and Dagmar’s visits to Denmark were always big events. The couple enjoyed being in Denmark because the atmosphere was more relaxed and they were under less stringent security than they were accustomed to in Russia. In 1885, during a Danish royal family dinner at Fredensborg Palace, Alexander announced that he would like to have his own home in Fredensborg. He bought a house near the castle grounds called Svalereden and it became known as Kejserens Villa or Emperor’s Villa. Minnie held ownership of the home until she died in 1928 when her daughter Olga sold the house.

Family Get-Together at Fredensborg Palace in Denmark, 1889. (l-r): Top row: King Haakon VII of Norway; Emperor Nicholas II of Russia; Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark; Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia; Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom; King Christian X of Denmark; King Frederik VIII of Denmark; Queen Louise of Denmark; King Constantine I of Greece; Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia; Prince George of Greece and Denmark; Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom; Emperor Alexander III of Russia; Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark; Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia; King Christian IX of Denmark; Prince Harald of Denmark; Queen Maud of Norway; Middle row sitting: Prince Andrew of Greece; Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia; Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia; Queen Louise of Denmark; King George I of Greece; Princess Alexandra of Greece; On their knees on the grass: Princess Thyra of Denmark and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In 1894, Alexander became ill with nephritis, a kidney disease. Later that year, Alexander was on his way to the Greek isle of Corfu where he hoped to recuperate at Mon Repos, the villa of Minnie’s sister-in-law, Queen Olga of Greece. However, when Alexander reached Crimea, he was too ill to continue traveling and stayed at Livadia Palace, his home in Crimea. It was soon obvious that Alexander would not survive and various relatives came to the Crimea including Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, the fiancée of Alexander’s eldest son Nicholas. Insisting on receiving Princess Alix in his full dress uniform, Alexander gave her his blessing on October 21, 1894. Alexander’s condition rapidly deteriorated and he died on November 1, 1894, at the age of 49. His son Nicholas became the last Emperor of Russia. He married Princess Alix (Alexandra Feodorovna) on Minnie’s 47th birthday, November 26, 1894, just eight days after Emperor Alexander III was buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral at the Fortress of Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg.

During the early years of her son’s reign, Emperor Nicholas II often sought his mother’s advice. For a time after his accession and his marriage, he lived with her in Anichkov Palace. According to Russian custom, Minnie was still the country’s first lady, and this caused some strain between Minnie and her daughter-in-law Empress Alexandra. The two never got close to each other, and their relationship was the subject of much gossip. Minnie was more popular than the daughter-in-law and enjoyed her continued role as the first lady.

Emperor Nicholas II and his mother Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in 1896; Credit – Wikipedia

Minnie’s political views changed as discontent and revolutionary events increased in Russia. She thought that some autocratic political power should be transferred to a more democratic, representative government and that Russia should look more to the West. However, Nicholas II retained his absolute power and eventually, Minnie’s role as a political adviser to her son disappeared, and Nicholas leaned more on his wife.

When the Russian Revolution broke out during World War I in 1917, Minnie was in Kyiv (now in Ukraine). After Nicholas abdicated, she saw him one last time, and after some reflection, she went to the Crimea where members of the Imperial Family had several summer homes. Here she witnessed the October Revolution later that year, and then in 1918 came the news of the murder of her son and his family, which she did not believe. Being in Crimea became precarious due to food shortages, visits to the home by the Bolshevik officials, and the threat of being murdered by the Bolsheviks.

The Romanovs under house arrest in Crimea in 1918. Standing: Colonel Nikolai Kulikovsky, Mr. Fogel, Olga Konstantinovna Vasiljeva, Prince Andrei Alexandrovich. Seated: Mr. Orbeliani, Prince Nikita, Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Xenia, The Dowager Empress (Minnie), and Grand Duke Alexander. On the floor: Prince Vasili, Prince Rostislav, and Prince Dmitri

Although the monarchy was abolished by the Russian Revolution, Minnie did not initially leave Russia. She finally fled in 1919 to London when her nephew King George V of the United Kingdom sent the warship HMS Marlborough to retrieve his aunt when she could no longer stay in Crimea. Rescued along with Minnie were 25 other Romanovs and their relatives.

Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich and Empress Maria Feodorovna escaping aboard the British battleship HMS Marlborough; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

After a short stay in London, Minnie returned home to her native Denmark where she briefly lived with her nephew King Christian X in a wing of the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. Minnie then decided to live at Hvidøre, the holiday villa near Copenhagen, that she had purchased with her sister Alexandra in 1906.

Minnie and Alexandra at Hvidøre, circa 1910; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Minnie’s last years were overshadowed by the many deaths in her immediate family and she still refused to believe in the massacre of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Minnie died on October 13, 1928, at Hvidøre. Following services in Copenhagen’s Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Church, Minnie was interred in the crypt of the Christian IX Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial place of the Danish royal family in Roskilde, Denmark.

First burial place of Empress Maria Feodorovna in Roskilde Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

Minnie had wished that at some point in time, she could be buried with her husband. In 2005, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed, along with their governments, that Minnie’s wish should be fulfilled. Minnie’s remains were transported to St. Petersburg. Following a service at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, she was interred next to her husband Emperor Alexander III on September 28, 2006 in the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Europe_August 5 to 18 513

Tomb of Empress Maria Feodorovna; Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Louise of Sweden, Queen of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Louise of Sweden, Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of King Frederik VIII of Denmark,  Princess Louise of Sweden (Lovisa Josefina Eugenia in Swedish) was born on October 31, 1851, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the only surviving child of King Carl XV of Sweden and Princess Louise of the Netherlands. Louise had one younger brother, Prince Carl Oscar, who died when he was a year old. Because of complications during the birth of her brother, Louise’s mother was unable to have any more children. Although Sweden had reigning queens in the past, female succession had been banned in the Constitution of 1809, so Louise could not become Queen. Louise’s father was succeeded by his younger brother King Oscar II. Louise has an interesting royal ancestry. Besides being descended from the Kings of Sweden, Louise is also a descendant of Empress Josephine of France via her first marriage, King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, King Willem I of the Netherlands, King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, and King George I of Great Britain.

Louise in 1861; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Because she was an only child, Louise was cherished and adored by her parents. She resembled her mother in appearance and her father in her manner. Children’s balls were arranged for Louise at the Royal Palace that were eagerly attended by children of society parents and her cousins, the sons of her uncle, the future King Oscar II. Louise was educated by her governess Hilda Elfving and received swimming lessons from Nancy Edberg, a pioneer in women’s swimming. Louise’s mother took swimming lessons along with her daughter and as a result, swimming became more accepted for women.

Louise as a young teenager; Credit – Wikipedia

The relations between Denmark and Sweden were tense because Sweden had not helped Denmark during the Second Schleswig War with Prussia and Austria. Further tension developed after Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (the future King Christian IX of Denmark) was chosen over Swedish candidates as the heir presumptive to the Danish throne due to a succession crisis. A marriage between Louise and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark was suggested as a means to improve the relations between the two countries. The couple had met for the first time in 1862 when Louise was eleven and Frederik nineteen. Frederik was aware that Louise would be a popular choice in Denmark because a German bride would be unacceptable to the Danes after Denmark’s loss in the Second Schleswig War. The couple became engaged on April 15, 1868. During her engagement, Louise studied the Danish language, literature, culture, and history with Lorentz Dietrichson, a poet and professor of art history and literature.

17-year-old Louise and 26-year-old Frederik were married at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden on July 28, 1869. Frederik and Louise had eight children:

by Elfelt, vintage postcard print, (circa 1877)

Frederick VIII, King of Denmark with his family by Elfelt, bromide postcard print, (circa 1877), NPG x74398 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The family lived a secluded life, residing at Amalienborg Palace during the winter and Charlottenlund Palace during the summer. Louise was a strict, but caring mother who made sure her children had a sense of duty. It was long an open secret that she wanted one of her daughters to marry into the Swedish royal family, and this was accomplished when her daughter Princess Ingeborg married Prince Carl of Sweden, the third son of King Oscar II of Sweden.

While Louise was popular with the Danish people, she experienced ostracism within the Danish royal family, which was dominated by her mother-in-law Queen Louise, born Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Her sisters-in-law Alexandra (the future Queen of the United Kingdom) and Dagmar (the future Empress of Russia) did not care about her and were not fond of her. Frederik was too timid to support his wife. Louise did have an ally in her sister-in-law Thyra (later Crown Princess of Hanover), who was two years younger.

Louise on the left with her sister-in-law Thyra, circa 1870; Credit – Wikipedia

During her long tenure as the Danish Crown Princess, Louise founded several charitable organizations. She was deeply religious and had a lifelong interest in the Church Association for the Inner Mission in Denmark. In her spare time, Louise did needlework, leatherwork, and painting.

In 1906, Louise’s father-in-law King Christian IX died after a reign of nearly 43 years and her husband became King Frederik VIII. She was politically well-informed, but never intervened in political situations. Louise’s period as Queen of Denmark was short as Frederik reigned for only six years. He died in Hamburg, Germany on May 14, 1912, at the age of 68. He was returning to Denmark after a trip to Nice, France, and made a stop in Hamburg. He went out for a walk on the evening of his arrival, became faint, collapsed, and died on a park bench where he was found by a policeman.

 

As a widow, Louise continued her charity work and took care of her three unmarried children. From 1915-1917, she built Egelund Castle and lived there for the remainder of her life. Upon her death, Egelund Castle passed to her youngest unmarried son, Prince Gustav. In 1922, her youngest daughter Princess Dagmar married a noble landowner despite Louise’s protestations that she was marrying beneath her station. Queen Louise died on March 20, 1926, at Amalienborg Palace and was buried next to her husband in the Glücksburger Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral.

Tomb of King Frederik VIII and Queen Louise; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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