Category Archives: German Royals

Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Wilhelm Eitel Friedrich Christian Karl of Prussia (known as Eitel Friedrich or Eitel Fritz) was the second son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia and his first wife, Auguste Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. He was born at the Marble Palace in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on July 7, 1883.

Eitel Friedrich had six siblings:

From 1896, Friedrich Eitel lived and studied at the Prince’s House on the grounds of Plön Castle along with his brothers. He was later a member of the Corps Borussia Bonn, the corps of the House of Hohenzollern. At the beginning of World War I, he served on the front line, commanding the First Foot Guards. From 1915 to 1918, he led the 1st Division of Guards on both the Western and Eastern fronts. Friedrich Eitel was highly decorated for his leadership and valor and received the Iron Cross and the Prussian Order of Merit, Prussia’s highest award for valor.

Eitel Friedrich and Sophie Charlotte. source: Wikipedia

On February 27, 1906, in Berlin, Eitel Friedrich married Duchess Sophie Charlotte of Oldenburg. She was the daughter of Friedrich August II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg and Princess Elisabeth Anna of Prussia. The couple had first met in June 1905 at the wedding of Eitel’s elder brother Crown Prince Wilhelm and Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and then met again later that month. They became engaged in the fall of 1905. Following the wedding, the couple resided at Villa Ingenheim (link in German) in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, and had no children.

The marriage was never happy because Eitel Friedrich was continually unfaithful, and Sophie found it difficult to make friends in her new home. While he was off fighting during World War I, Sophie lived primarily at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin. In 1922, several newspapers published allegations of infidelity against Sophie. She was summoned as a witness in a divorce case and admitted having had an affair with the gentleman involved. Eitel Friedrich filed for divorce, and the couple was formally divorced on October 20, 1926.

Villa Ingenheim. photo: Von karstenknuth – Eigenes Werk, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23295620

After the war and the end of the German Empire, Eitel Friedrich remained active in monarchist circles and supported the Stahlhelm paramilitary organization. In 1921, he was found guilty of a fraudulent transfer of 300,000 marks abroad, for which he was fined 5,000 marks. He was later one of the founders of the Harzburg Front, a radical right-wing alliance formed to present unified opposition to the government of Chancellor Heinrich Brüning. However, he was an outspoken opponent of Hitler.

Prince Eitel Friedrich died at Villa Ingenheim in Potsdam, Germany on December 8, 1942. The Nazi regime refused to allow him any military honors at his funeral and forbade anyone attending the funeral to wear their uniforms. Despite this, many of his former military comrades, all in civilian clothes, attended his funeral. Eitel Friedrich is buried in the Antique Temple in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany.

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Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Crown Princess

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Crown Princess; Credit – Wikipedia

Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the wife of Wilhelm, German Crown Prince. She was born in Schwerin, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, on September 20, 1886, to Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia.

Cecilie had two older siblings:

Crown Prince Wilhelm. source: Wikipedia

During the wedding celebrations of her brother Friedrich Franz in June 1904, Cecilie got to know Crown Prince Wilhelm who was representing his father Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. On September  4, 1904, Cecilie and Wilhelm celebrated their engagement at the Mecklenburg-Schwerin hunting lodge. Cecilie married Crown Prince Wilhelm in ceremonies held on June 6, 1905, in the Royal Chapel of the Berlin Palace and the Berlin Cathedral in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany.

They had six children:

Cecilienthof – court of honor. photo: By Gryffindor, panorama made by Digon – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2180563

Following their marriage, the couple made their home at the Marble Palace in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, for the summers, and the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin for the winters and court season. Years later they had Cecilienhof built in the New Garden in Potsdam, near the Marble Palace. Construction was completed in 1917 and the family moved in right away. Although seemingly happy at first, the couple soon began to have difficulties. Wilhelm was a perpetual womanizer and made little attempt to keep any of his affairs quiet. He would often boast to Cecilie of his escapades, once even bringing her to the point of considering suicide. Despite this, their family continued to grow with the birth of their six children.

As Crown Princess, Cecilie was immensely popular and took on charity work. She particularly enjoyed working with organizations that promoted and provided education for women. She traveled extensively, including a visit to the United Kingdom in 1911 to attend the coronation of King George V of the United Kingdom. A friendship developed between Cecilie and King George V’s wife Queen Mary, and the two maintained a correspondence until Mary died in 1953. When the German Empire fell in 1918, Cecilie’s husband and father-in-law went into exile in the Netherlands. Cecilie first left Cecilienhof for the safety of the Neues Palais with her mother-in-law but was soon given permission to return to her home, and ensured of her safety. However, her husband was not permitted into the country at that time.

Oels Castle in Silesia. photo: By Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova – Praca własna, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27187345

The family managed to retain numerous personal properties, including Oels Castle in Silesia, where she met her husband in November 1923 after five years of separation. By then, it was a marriage “in name only”. In 1926, a settlement was reached between the German State and the former royal family. Cecilienhof became the property of the state but Cecilie and Wilhelm were given the right of residence for three generations. Cecilie based herself at Cecilienhof and stayed active in charitable organizations such as the Queen Luise Fund, the Fatherland’s Women Union, and the Ladies of the Order of St. John. All of these were later abolished in 1933 by Adolf Hitler.

Cecilie continued to live a private life at Cecilienhof in the years leading up to World War II. In May 1938, her son Ludwig Ferdinand married Grand Duchess Kira, the daughter of the pretender to the Russian throne, at Cecilienhof. This would be the last big family occasion before the war. In the midst of the war, her father-in-law died in 1941 and her husband became head of the House of Hohenzollern. The family spent most of their time at Oels Castle but returned to Potsdam in 1944 to celebrate Christmas.  In February 1945, they left Cecilienhof for the last time, fleeing the Red Army. Their beloved home Cecilehof was seized by the Soviets. It would later be the site of the Potsdam Conference in the summer of 1945, hosting British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Harry Truman, and Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Churchill, Truman, and Stalin at Cecilienhof for the Potsdam Conference, July 25, 1945. source: Wikipedia

Cecilie settled in Bad Kissingen, Germany for the next several years, while her husband lived in Hechingen until his death in July 1951. The following year, Cecilie moved to an apartment in the Frauenkopf district in Stuttgart. That same year, her memoirs were published and she made another visit to England where she attended the christening of her granddaughter and enjoyed a final visit with Queen Mary. Later that year, her sister, Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, died and Cecilie never fully recovered from the loss.

Cecilie, German Crown Princess and Crown Princess of Prussia, died on May 6, 1954, her late husband’s birthday, while visiting Bad Kissingen. She was buried six days later beside her husband at Hohenzollern Castle in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

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Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was the wife of Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia. She was born Princess Augusta Marie Luise Katharina on September 30, 1811, in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, now in the German state of Thuringia, the second daughter of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, daughter of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia.

Augusta had three siblings:

Augusta’s husband, the future Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia in 1848; Credit – Wikipedia

Augusta first met her future husband in 1826 when she was just 15 years old. Wilhelm found her personality to be wonderful but did not find her as attractive as her older sister. However, his father encouraged the marriage. At that time, Wilhelm was in love with a Polish princess, Elisa Radziwill, but marriage would not have been allowed as it was considered unequal. Wilhelm’s father King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia forced him to end that relationship and to marry Augusta. He proposed on August 29, 1828, and the two were formally engaged on October 25, 1828. The marriage took place in the chapel at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on June 11, 1829, and they had two children:

Their marriage was not without struggles. Augusta was deeply in love with Wilhelm, but he was still in love with Elisa Radziwill. Although welcomed in the Prussian court, she soon found the strict protocol stifling. She wanted to get involved in charitable causes but found that her sister-in-law, then Crown Princess Elisabeth Ludovika took precedence over her in such activities.

In 1837, the family took up residence in a new palace in Berlin, which became known as the Kaiser Wilhelm Palais, and later the Altes Palais (Old Palace). This would remain Augusta’s primary residence for the rest of her life. In 1850, the couple moved to Koblenz, where her Wilhelm served as Governor-General of the Rhine Province. Augusta flourished in Koblenz, away from the strict court life of Berlin. They remained there until 1858 when Wilhelm was named Regent for his older brother, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV who was ill. They returned to Berlin and their increased responsibilities. In January 1861, the King died, and Wilhelm and Augusta became the new King and Queen of Prussia. The new Queen was more interested in politics than many of her predecessors and did not hesitate to voice her opinion. She despised Otto von Bismarck, who her husband had appointed, and the feeling was mutual. Ten years later, Wilhelm was named the first German Emperor (Kaiser), with Augusta as his Empress (Kaiserin). During their reign, Augusta founded the National Women’s Association and numerous hospitals and schools throughout Prussia to help those in need.

Mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace. photo: Von Manfred Brueckels – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4833730

Augusta’s husband died on March 9, 1888, and was succeeded by their son Friedrich III. Friedrich was terminally ill with throat cancer, died just 99 days later, and was succeeded by his eldest son Wilhelm II, who became the last German Emperor and King of Prussia. Despite having been in ill health for nearly 10 years, Augusta continued to participate in official duties. Shortly after a New Year’s reception, Augusta died at the Altes Palais in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany on January 7, 1890, at the age of 78. She was buried in the mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, alongside her husband.

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Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, Queen of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria was the wife of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia. She was born in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria., now in the German state of Bavaria, on November 13, 1801, the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his second wife Princess Caroline of Baden, and had six siblings:

Elisabeth Ludovika also had five older half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Princess Auguste Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt:

Raised at the Bavarian court, Elisabeth Ludovika received an extensive education, much more than was typically given to princesses at that time. She remained close to her tutor, Friedrich Thiersch, an archeologist and former theologian, for the rest of his life. Having a large family, she was also very close to her siblings particularly her sister Ludovika Wilhelmine and her twin sister Amalie. Ludovika Wilhelmine’s daughter, later Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria, was her goddaughter and namesake.

King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

In Berlin on November 29, 1823, Elisabeth Ludovika married Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, after four years of negotiations regarding religion. The Crown Prince was required to be Lutheran, while Elisabeth Ludovika was Catholic. Eventually, it was agreed that she could retain her religion with the expectation that she would eventually convert. She did convert, but not until 1830. Other than a stillborn child born early in their marriage, the couple had no children.

The couple lived at the Berlin Palace and in 1825, they were given a parcel of land bordering Sanssouci Park in Potsdam. There they had the Charlottenhof Palace built, which became their summer residence, and remained one of Elisabeth Ludovika’s homes until her death. Ten years later, in 1835, they were permitted to move into Sanssouci Palace. The palace had been built as a summer residence by King Friedrich II and had remained largely unused since his death. Elisabeth Ludovika and Friedrich Wilhelm took up residence in the west wing, formerly the guest quarters while using the east wing, formerly the private rooms of Friedrich II, for official duties. After they became King and Queen of Prussia, the east wing was incorporated into their private quarters as well, and official duties were conducted elsewhere.

Two additional residences were Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin and Stolzenfels Palace on the Rhine. Elisabeth Ludovika and Friedrich Wilhelm took up residence at Charlottenburg after their accession. Stolzenfels Castle, one of Friedrich Wilhelm’s reconstruction projects, quickly became one of their favorite homes.

After becoming Queen of Prussia in 1840, Elisabeth Ludovika welcomed her role and became greatly involved in charity work throughout Prussia. She also wandered into the political realm, working to strengthen the relationship between Prussia and Austria. Wholly devoted to Friedrich Wilhelm, and he to her, Elisabeth Ludovika spent the last few years of her time as Queen serving instead as nurse and caretaker for her husband after his first series of strokes in 1857.

Charlottenhof Palace. photo: By Momay – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16489837

Elisabeth Ludovika was widowed on January 2, 1861. She spent the remainder of her life quietly at her homes at her various homes, including Sanssouci and Charlottenhof Palace in Potsdam, Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, and Stolzenfels Castle on the Rhine. She continued her charity work, mostly in honor of her late husband, and enjoyed a close relationship with her brother-in-law, King Wilhelm I of Prussia. She was also close to Victoria, Princess Royal, the wife of her nephew, the future Friedrich III of Prussia. Victoria had been a great comfort to Elisabeth Ludovika after the death of her husband. Because of that closeness, Elisabeth Ludovika bequeathed her jewels to Victoria instead of following tradition and leaving them to the new Queen. This act of kindness ended up causing a rift between Victoria and her mother-in-law, which would last until her death.

Dowager Queen Elisabeth Ludovika of Prussia died on December 14, 1873, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany while visiting her twin sister Queen Amalie of Saxony. A week later, she was buried beside her husband in the crypt of the Friedenskirche (Church of Peace) in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany.

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Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Kingdom of Prussia: The Protestant Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern ruled as Margraves of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia from 1415 until 1918. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king. In the aftermath of World War I, Prussia had a revolution that resulted in the replacement of the monarchy with a republic. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia abdicated on November 9, 1918.

The Kingdom of Prussia had territory that today is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Switzerland. All or parts of the following states of today’s Germany were part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein.

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Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia – source: Wikipedia

King Friedrich Wilhelm IV reigned from 1840 until 1861. He was born at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on October 15, 1795, the eldest son of Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia, and Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Friedrich Wilhelm had eight younger siblings:

As he was directly in the line of succession, Friedrich Wilhelm was given a broad education by numerous private tutors, as well as a military education in the Prussian Army. Early in life, he developed interests in architecture and the arts and later in life served as patron of several artists, including famed composer Felix Mendelssohn.

Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria. source: Wikipedia

In Berlin, on November 29, 1823, Friedrich Wilhelm married Princess Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Caroline of Baden. Aside from one stillborn birth, the couple had no children.

Friedrich Wilhelm became King of Prussia upon his father’s death on June 7, 1840. As his father had done himself, the new King changed many of his father’s policies – including reducing the censorship of the press and promising to provide a new constitution for the Prussian people.

In 1849, the King was offered the title Emperor of the Germans but refused as he did not feel it was the right of the Frankfurt Parliament to offer it. Instead, he wanted to reestablish the Holy Roman Empire, where a College of Electors would hold the authority to name an Emperor. Some years later, his successor, Wilhelm I, became the first German Emperor (Kaiser).

Stolzenfels Castle. photo: By Holger Weinandt – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40032919

King Friedrich Wilhelm IV is perhaps best known for his contributions to architecture and the buildings he constructed. These included:

In July 1857, the King suffered several strokes from which he never fully recovered.  Eventually, in October 1858, he appointed his brother and heir, as Regent. A further stroke in November 1859 left him partially paralyzed and unable to speak, and another the following November left him mostly unconscious. Following one last stroke, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV died on January 2, 1861, in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany. He was buried in the crypt beneath the Friedenskirche (Church of Peace) in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam, and his heart was placed in the mausoleum at Charlottenburg Palace, beside the tombs of his parents.

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Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Kingdom of Prussia: The Protestant Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern ruled as Margraves of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia from 1415 until 1918. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king. In the aftermath of World War I, Prussia had a revolution that resulted in the replacement of the monarchy with a republic. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia abdicated on November 9, 1918.

The Kingdom of Prussia had territory that today is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Switzerland. All or parts of the following states of today’s Germany were part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein.

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Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia reigned from 1797 to 1840. He was born in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on August 3, 1770, the eldest child of Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia and Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Friedrich had six younger siblings:

Friedrich Wilhelm had a half-sister from his father’s first marriage to Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, which ended in divorce:

He also had several half-siblings from his father’s morganatic marriages to Julie von Voß and Sophie von Dönhoff:

  • Friedrich Wilhelm, Count of Brandenburg (1792) – married Mathilde von Massenbach, had issue
  • Sophie (Julie), Countess of Brandenburg (1793) – married Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen, no issue
  • Ulrike Sophie von Berkholz (1774) – died in infancy
  • Christina Sophie von Lützenberg (1777) – died in infancy
  • Count Alexander von der Marck (1779) – died in childhood
  • Countess Marianne von der Marck (1780) – married three times, had four daughters

As was usual for the time, Friedrich Wilhelm was raised by governesses and tutors. Removed from his parents, he grew up at Paretz Palace, the home of his tutor, Count Hans von Blumenthal. He became close friends with Blumenthal’s son and later purchased the palace from him. In addition to his education, Friedrich Wilhelm received military training, working his way up to the rank of Colonel, and participating in the campaigns against France in 1792-1794.

Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. source: Wikipedia

On December 24, 1793, Friedrich Wilhelm married Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She was the daughter of Karl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. The couple was second cousins, as both were great-grandchildren of Ludwig VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. They were given several residences – The Crown Prince’s Palace and Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin – and later used Paretz Palace as their primary summer residence. Over the next sixteen years, Friedrich Wilhelm and Luise had nine children:

Auguste von Harrach. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich Wilhelm’s first wife died in 1810, and fourteen years later, he married for a second time. On November 9, 1824, at Charlottenburg Palace, the King married Countess Auguste von Harrach, who he had first met two years earlier at a spa in Teplitz.

Thirty years younger than her husband, Auguste was from a lower-ranked noble family which was considered unsuitable for marriage into the royal house. She was also Catholic (she later converted in 1826). All of this led to the marriage being initially kept secret. Upon marriage, Auguste was created Princess von Leignitz and Countess von Hohenzollern. This permitted her to attend court, however, she still ranked far behind the rest of the Prussian royal family. The couple had no children, and Auguste remained the King’s steadfast companion for the rest of his life but did not participate in any formal or official role. Following the King’s death, Auguste received a large financial settlement and lived in the New Pavilion (link in German), which the King had built for her next to Charlottenburg Palace to use as her dower home. She also retained a residence at the Princesses Palace in Berlin and had a home – Villa Liegnitz (link in German) – in Sanssouci Park.

Friedrich Wilhelm III became King on November 16, 1797, upon his father’s death. He immediately implemented changes – cutting the expenses of the royal court, dismissing many of his father’s ministers, and taking on much of the responsibilities himself. This caused great inconsistency during his reign, as he was hesitant to delegate any responsibility to his ministers. He also made efforts to restore the moral dignity of the Prussian royal court, long plagued during his father’s reign with “political intrigues and sexual affairs”.

Initially remaining neutral in the Napoleonic Wars, Friedrich Wilhelm led Prussia into the war in October 1806. The French soon occupied Berlin, causing the Royal Family to flee to Memel, in East Prussia, under the care of Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia. The French treated Prussia harshly. Prussia lost much of its Polish territories and was assessed with large financial settlements. Following Napoleon’s defeat of Russia in 1813, Friedrich Wilhelm allied with the Russian Emperor, and together the two countries contributed to Napoleon’s eventual defeat. At the subsequent Congress of Vienna, the King succeeded in regaining significant territories for his country.

King Friedrich Wilhelm III died in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on June 7, 1840. He is buried in the Mausoleum on the grounds of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, alongside his first wife. His second wife, who survived him by 33 years, is also buried in the crypt there, although there is no stone or marker.

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Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Queen of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt was the second wife of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. She was born in Prenzlau, Kingdom of Prussia, now Brandenburg, Germany, on October 16, 1751 to Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of Zweibrücken. Friederike Luise had seven siblings:

Friederike Luise with her husband and children, circa 1777. source: Wikipedia

On July 14, 1769, at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, Friederike Luise married the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia as his second wife. The groom’s uncle, King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia, also Friederike Luise’s godfather, arranged the marriage. Despite their arranged and unhappy, marriage, they had seven children:

Friederike Luise faced resistance from her new Prussian family from the moment of her marriage. She was constantly compared to her husband’s first wife, who was much loved by the family and the Prussian people, despite having been divorced from her husband for both of their well-known affairs. Friederike Luise’s husband ignored and neglected her, choosing instead to spend his time with his official mistress and later two additional morganatic wives. Even King, Friedrich II, who had arranged the marriage, failed to give her the support and privileges her predecessor had enjoyed. So instead of being a major part of the Prussian court, Friederike Luise lived primarily in Potsdam, rarely permitted to visit Berlin.

In 1786, her husband became King of Prussia. Friederike Luise moved to Berlin and took up her role and duties as Queen. Still neglected by her husband, she often lacked the funds to pay for the basic needs of her household. The new King instead spent great amounts on his mistresses and focused more on his illegitimate children than his legitimate ones. The following year, the King decided to enter into a morganatic marriage with a lady-in-waiting Julia von Voss. Asked to consent to it, Friederike Luise agreed on the condition that her husband would pay off all of her debts. The same situation arose again three years later when the King wished to marry Sophie von Dönhoff. Relieved that she no longer had to receive her husband or bear him any further children, Friederike Luise again requested a significant financial settlement to consent to this marriage. She also had to deal with her husband’s official mistress Wilhelmine Ecke with whom he had several children, and who became his primary companion.

Monbijou Palace. source: Wikipedia

After moving to Berlin, Friederike Luise lived at Monbijou Palace, while her husband lived at the nearby Berlin Palace. Monbijou would remain her primary residence for the rest of her life. She spent her summers in the spa town of Freienwalde in 1788. Her presence increased the popularity of the small spa town and contributed greatly to its economy and success. As a result, many new buildings were built to accommodate her court. Following her husband’s death, she had a summer palace Schloss Freienwalde (link in German) built there, where she stayed each year until her death.

Schloss Freienwalde. photo: by Clemensfranz – Own Work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49554486

Widowed in 1797, the Dowager Queen lived a quiet and private life at her homes in Berlin and Freienwalde and enjoyed a close relationship with her son King Friedrich Wilhelm III. Increasingly eccentric as she got older, she claimed to see ghosts and became afraid of sleeping at night. As a result, she began to stay awake all night long and sleep during the day. On February 25, 1805, 53-year-old Friederike Luise suffered a stroke and died at Monbijou Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany. She is buried in the royal vault at the Berliner Dom in Berlin.

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Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2021

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Crown Princess of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Elisabeth Christine Ulrike was the first wife of the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. She was born in Wolfenbüttel, Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, on November 8, 1746, to Karl, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia, and had 12 siblings:

King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. source: Wikipedia

On July 14, 1765, Elisabeth Christine married her first cousin, Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (the future King Friedrich Wilhelm II), in a marriage arranged by their mutual uncle, King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia. Initially planned to take place at Charlottenburg Palace, the marriage instead took place at her family’s country home, Schloss Salzdahlum. They had one daughter:

The marriage was never happy, as Friedrich Wilhelm carried on constant affairs with a string of actresses and dancers, and completely ignored and neglected his wife. Elisabeth Christine found favor with her uncle, Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia, who was quite fond of her and disliked his nephew’s adultery. After Elisabeth gave birth to their first and only child, a girl, the marriage further deteriorated. Having suffered through her husband’s infidelity, Elisabeth Christine soon began her own affair and found herself pregnant. When word reached the Crown Prince, he insisted upon a divorce. Her lover, a musician, was arrested and reportedly beheaded, and Elisabeth Christine took some drugs to end her pregnancy. The couple was officially divorced on April 18, 1769.

Elisabeth Christine was sent to the Küstrin Fortress and later placed under house arrest at the Ducal Castle of Stettin, under the supervision of her cousin, August Wilhelm of Brunswick-Bevern. Later, her former father-in-law gave her a summer residence in the cloister in Jasenitz. Her condition improved when her former husband came to the throne in 1786. The new King permitted her to entertain visitors and to venture out in the town. Her final years were spent at a small country estate outside of Stettin, where she lived in virtual isolation for the rest of her life, never seeing her daughter or her siblings again.

The former Crown Princess died in Stettin, Kingdom of Prussia, now Szczecin in Poland, on February 18, 1840. Initially buried in a mausoleum in the park, her remains were later moved to the Chapel of the Ducal Castle of Stettin.

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Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Kingdom of Prussia: The Protestant Franconian branch of the House of Hohenzollern ruled as Margraves of Brandenburg, Dukes of Prussia, Electors of Brandenburg, Kings of Prussia from 1415 until 1918. In November 1700, in exchange for supporting the Holy Roman Empire in the Spanish War of Succession, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor agreed to allow Friedrich III, Duke of Prussia, Elector of Brandenburg to make Prussia a kingdom and become its first king. In the aftermath of World War I, Prussia had a revolution that resulted in the replacement of the monarchy with a republic. Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia abdicated on November 9, 1918.

The Kingdom of Prussia had territory that today is part of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Switzerland. All or parts of the following states of today’s Germany were part of the Kingdom of Prussia: Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland, Saxony-Anhalt, and Schleswig-Holstein.

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Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Wilhelm II was King of Prussia from 1786 until 1797. He was born at the Berlin City Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on September 25, 1744, the eldest son of Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia (a younger son of King Friedrich Wilhelm I) and Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Friedrich Wilhelm had three younger siblings:

Friedrich Wilhelm was christened on October 11, 1744. His godparents included:

When he was three years old, Friedrich Wilhelm was taken from his parents and raised in the court of his uncle King Friedrich II of Prussia. With a steady stream of tutors, the young Friedrich Wilhelm studied mathematics, law, philosophy, and history and received a military education. Friedrich was a devoted patron of the arts and established a private orchestra renowned throughout Europe. As King Friedrich II had no children, Friedrich Wilhelm’s father, the king’s younger brother, was the heir presumptive. Friedrich Wilhelm then became the heir when his father died in 1758.

Although close to his uncle in his youth, their relationship became strained as Friedrich Wilhelm grew older. King Friedrich II gave his nephew a solid education but did little to prepare Friedrich Wilhelm for his future role. Friedrich Wilhelm also resented King Friedrich II for forcing him into two arranged marriages, neither of which he welcomed.

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich Wilhelm was married several times. His first wife was his first cousin Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the daughter of Carl I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia. The couple married at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin on July 14, 1765, but the marriage was unhappy. The couple was divorced in 1769 after Elisabeth Christine became pregnant by a lover and had one daughter:

Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt. source: Wikipedia

In 1769, Friedrich Wilhelm married a second time, to Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, the daughter of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of Zweibrücken. Friedrich Wilhelm and Friederike Luise married on July 14, 1769, at Charlottenburg Palace, and had seven children:

Julie von Voss, Countess von Ingenheim. source: Wikipedia

While married to his second wife, Friedrich Wilhelm entered into two morganatic marriages. The first was Elisabeth Amalie “Julie” von Voss (1766-1789). Julie became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elisabeth Christine (Friedrich Wilhelm’s aunt) in 1783. In 1787, she and Friedrich Wilhelm married at the chapel at Charlottenburg Palace. Julie insisted that Friedrich Wilhelm’s wife, Friederike Luise, give her consent for the marriage. Friederike Luise, having already given her husband seven children, felt her “conjugal duties had been fulfilled” and willingly agreed. The couple married in April 1787, and in November of that year, Julie was created Countess von Ingenheim. The marriage was short-lived. In March 1789, Julie died of tuberculosis, just two months after giving birth to their only child:

  • Gustav Adolf, Count von Ingenheim (1789-1855) – married Eugenie de Thierry, had issue

Sophie von Dönhoff. source: Wikipedia

In April 1790, again in the chapel at Charlottenburg Palace, Friedrich Wilhelm married Countess Sophie Juliane von Dönhoff. Born in 1768, Sophie had become a lady-in-waiting to Friedrich Wilhelm’s wife, Queen Friederike Luise, the previous year. The couple separated just a few years later, but they did have two children together:

Wilhelmine Encke, Countess von Lichtenau. source: Wikipedia

In addition to his numerous marriages, Friedrich Wilhelm also had several children with his official mistress Wilhelmine Encke (later Countess von Lichtenau). Born in Potsdam in 1753, Encke was the daughter of a musician in the court of King Friedrich II. In 1764, she met Friedrich Wilhelm and became his official mistress in 1769 when she was just 15 years old,  and remained so until he died in 1797. They had five children together:

  • stillborn daughter (1770)
  • Ulrike Sophie von Berkholz (born and died 1774) – died in infancy
  • Christina Sophie von Lützenberg (born and died 1777) – died in infancy
  • Count Alexander von der Marck (1779-1787) – died in childhood
  • Countess Marianne von der Marck (1780-1814) – married three times, had four daughters

King Friedrich II (Frederick the Great). source: Wikipedia

Friedrich Wilhelm became King of Prussia on August 17, 1786, upon the death of his uncle, King Friedrich (the Great) II. By that time, he had little respect for his uncle and ignored the late King’s wishes relating to his burial. He moved the Prussian court, based for many years in Potsdam, back to Berlin, and overturned many of his uncle’s policies. Friedrich Wilhelm became popular with the Prussian people because of his patronage of the arts and the improvement of trade and transportation. However, that popularity soon faded, when he began to impose consumption taxes on items such as sugar, flour, and beer. He also depleted the country’s treasury, from overspending during military ventures and his personal projects. When Friedrich Wilhelm came to the throne, the treasury had over 50 million dollars. But by the time his reign ended, just 11 years later, the country was in debt of 48 million.

King Friedrich Wilhelm II was a huge supporter of the arts and helped develop Berlin into one of the cultural centers for classical music, keeping in pace with Vienna and Weimar. A skilled cello player, he spent several hours a day playing, alone and with his private orchestra, the largest in Europe at the time. In addition, he took great interest in architecture and oversaw the construction of many buildings, including the Marble Palace in Potsdam, the Pfaueninsel Palace, and the famed Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Brandenburg Gate. photo: By Drrcs15 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33364194

Having been ill for some time, King Friedrich Wilhelm II retreated to the Marble Palace in October 1797, where he limited his court to just a few close confidants, including his official mistress Countess von Lichtenau. By early November, his health was rapidly declining, and he handed over his responsibilities to his son and heir. King Friedrich Wilhelm II died at the Marble Palace in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on November 16, 1797, and was buried in the family vault at the Berliner Dom in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg.

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Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern, Queen of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern was the wife of King Friedrich II of Prussia (Friedrich the Great) and the longest-serving Queen of Prussia, from 1740 until her husband died in 1786. She was born November 8, 1715, at Schloss Bevern, in Wolfenbüttel, Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, the daughter of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Elisabeth Christine had 12 siblings:

King Friedrich II of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 12, 1733, at her father’s summer residence, Schloss Salzdahlum in Wolfenbüttel, Elisabeth Christine married Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia. The marriage had been arranged between the groom’s father, King Friedrich Wilhelm I in Prussia, and the bride’s uncle, Holy Roman Emperor Karl VI. Friedrich and Elisabeth Christine had no children and lived separate lives until their deaths.

The couple had little in common, and Friedrich resented the arranged marriage. The couple first lived at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, where Elisabeth Christine was particularly close to her father-in-law who was quite fond of her. In 1736, the couple moved to Rheinsberg Palace, where for the first time, her husband was able to maintain his own court. For the next four years, the couple enjoyed as normal a married life as could be expected, and she recalled these years as the “happiest of her life”.

It all changed in May 1740, when her father-in-law died and her husband succeeded him as King of Prussia. The new King and Queen began to live separately. Elisabeth Christine was given Schönhausen Palace and apartments at the Berlin Stadtschloss, both in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia now in the German state of Brandenburg, and presided over her own quite large court, while Friedrich lived primarily in Potsdam. Despite their separation, the new King understood the importance of court life and ensured that Elisabeth Christine had a very prominent and official role. While the King rarely attended any court functions, the Queen was always there, often representing him, even at his own birthday celebrations.

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Beloved by the people of Prussia, Elisabeth Christine became a symbol of strength during the Seven Years’ War, overseeing the evacuation of the royal court to Magdeburg in 1757. Her charity works further endeared her to the Prussian people. She donated the majority of her allowance to charitable causes each year. She was also responsible for bringing silk cultivation to Prussia and published several translations under a pseudonym.

Widowed in 1786, as the Dowager Queen, Elisabeth Christine continued to have a very prominent role at court and was often consulted on etiquette and court life. Despite her husband’s indifference during their marriage, she was also well provided for in his will, receiving an increase in her allowance, residence at any of the royal palaces of her choice, and the distinct order that she always be treated with the utmost respect due to her as Queen.

Eleven years later, on January 13, 1797, Dowager Queen Elisabeth Christine died at the Stadtschloss in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, and was buried at the Berlin Cathedral.

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