Category Archives: German Royals

Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine: The House of Hesse-Darmstadt was one of several branches of the House of Hesse. After the fall of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was raised to the Grand Duchy of Hesse, and Ludwig X, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt became the first Grand Duke, Ludwig I.  Several years later, at the Congress of Vienna, Ludwig was forced to cede his Westphalian territories but in return was given the Rheinhessen region and the Grand Duchy of Hesse became the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine. Ernst Ludwig, a grandson of Queen Victoria, was the last Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. With the fall of the German states, Ernst Ludwig refused to abdicate but still lost his throne on November 9, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine is in the German state of Hesse.

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Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine was the husband of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, second daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He was born Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Karl on September 12, 1837, in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany, the eldest of four children of Prince Karl of Hesse and by Rhine (a son of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine and younger brother of Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse and by Rhine) and his wife, Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (a granddaughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia).

Ludwig had three siblings:

photo: Wikipedia

Ludwig began his military training in 1854, along with his younger brother Heinrich, and the two later studied at the University of Göttingen and the University of Giessen. But from an early age, Ludwig was destined for a military career. He led the Hessian forces in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.

The Marriage of Princess Alice, 1st July 1862 by George Housman Thomas; Credit – Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017

On July 1, 1862, he married Princess Alice at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, England. The wedding was a rather subdued affair, as Alice’s father had died seven months earlier, and the family was still in official mourning. At the time of the wedding, Queen Victoria issued Letters Patent giving Ludwig the style Royal Highness. This would only be valid in the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, he was still a Grand Ducal Highness. After a brief honeymoon, the couple returned and took up residence in Darmstadt.

They would go on to have seven children:

photo: Wikipedia

Ludwig’s uncle, Grand Duke Ludwig III, was childless, so it was expected that the grand ducal throne would pass to Ludwig’s father. However, Prince Karl died in March 1877, making Ludwig the heir presumptive. Just three months later, on June 13, 1877, he succeeded to the grand ducal throne, as Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine.

Tragedy would strike the family at the end of 1878. The family, with the exception of Alice and Ella, all came down with diphtheria. Princess Alice nursed her family back to health, and all survived except for their youngest daughter May. Sadly, Princess Alice eventually also became ill and was unable to fight off the illness, and died on December 14, 1878. The couple’s eldest daughter Victoria took on the role of raising her younger siblings and often served as hostess at official events.

In 1884, royals from around Europe descended upon Darmstadt for the wedding of Princess Victoria to her father’s first cousin, Prince Louis of Battenberg. Ludwig didn’t particularly approve of the marriage for several reasons – his cousin’s unequal birth, and the fact that he would be losing his daughter who had become his close companion). However, Victoria stood her ground and the marriage took place as planned. Unknown to any of the assembled guests, Grand Duke Ludwig had also made plans to marry that same evening. Following the wedding events for his daughter, Ludwig was secretly married to Alexandrine de Kolemine (formerly Hutton-Czapska), the divorced wife of the Russian chargé d’affaires in Darmstadt. When word spread, the assembled guests were shocked. The idea that the Grand Duke would enter into such an inappropriate, and unequal, marriage was scandalous at the time. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Prussia were summoned home immediately, so as not to be caught up in the scandal. And Queen Victoria was in an uproar! She was adamant that the marriage should be annulled immediately… and it was.

Ludwig IV passed away just eight years later from a heart attack, on March 13, 1892, in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany. He was just 54 years old. He was buried, alongside his wife and their two children who died in childhood, in the Neues Mausoleum in Rosenhöhe Park in Darmstadt.

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Hesse and by Rhine Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress, Queen of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress, Queen of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Victoria, Princess Royal was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was born on November 21, 1840, at Buckingham Palace in London, England, nine months after her parents’ marriage. Her christening was held in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace on February 10, 1841, her parents’ first wedding anniversary, and she was given the names Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa. In the family, she was known as Vicky. Her godparents were:

Queen Victoria with her eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal circa 1845; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Albert with his eldest daughter Princess Victoria and Eos, his greyhound; Credit – Wikipedia

Vicky had eight siblings:

Royal Family in 1846 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter left to right: Prince Alfred and the Prince of Wales; the Queen and Prince Albert; Princesses Alice, Helena, and Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

Shortly before her first birthday, Vicky was created Princess Royal, the fourth princess to be so styled. Vicky’s first governess was born Lady Sarah Spencer, daughter of George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, and she married William Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton. Lady Lyttelton was widowed in 1837 and shortly afterward she was appointed a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria. Lyttelton earned the respect of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and, in April 1843, she was appointed governess to the royal children, who continued to call her Laddle, even when they were adults. Vicky started learning French with a French tutor when she was 18 months old and then began learning German at age three. Vicky’s second governess was Sarah Anne Hildyard, a dedicated and skillful teacher who developed a close relationship with her student. Miss Hildyard, called Tilla, was the daughter of a clergyman and taught Vicky science, literature, Latin, and history. Prince Albert tutored his daughter in politics and philosophy. Vicky’s governesses and tutors were impressed with her intelligence.

In 1851, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (the future King of Prussia and German Emperor) and his wife Augusta were invited to England by Queen Victoria to visit the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in London, England, which her husband Prince Albert was instrumental in organizing. Wilhelm and Augusta brought their two children, 20-year-old Friedrich and 13-year-old Louise. On a visit to the Great Exhibition, ten-year-old Vicky was allowed to accompany the group as a companion to Louise. Despite being only ten years old, Vicky made an impression on Friedrich (Fritz), who was ten years older.

Four years later, in 1855, Fritz was invited back to England by Victoria and Albert for a visit to their Scottish home Balmoral. The British and Prussian royal families expected  Fritz and Vicky to decide their future together. Fritz was second in line to the Prussian throne after his father, who was expected to succeed his childless brother. Although the marriage would not be universally popular in either country, Vicky and Fritz agreed to marry each other. Their marriage would be one of the most romantic of royal marriages. Because Vicky was so young, her parents decreed that the wedding would have to wait until Vicky was 17 years old.

Wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal and Prince Friedrich of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

It was and still is, customary for the wedding to be in the bride’s home territory but Vicky was marrying a future monarch and the wedding was therefore expected to be in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia.  However, Queen Victoria had other ideas: “The assumption of it being too much for a Prince Royal of Prussia to come over to marry the Princess Royal of Great Britain in England is too absurd, to say the least…Whatever may be the usual practice of Prussian Princes, it is not every day that one marries the eldest daughter of the Queen of England.  The question must therefore be considered as settled and closed…”  Queen Victoria got her way and the wedding was scheduled for Monday, January 25, 1858, in the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Palace in London, England, where the bride’s parents had been married.

Eighteen carriages and 300 soldiers were in the procession for the short ride from Buckingham Palace to St. James’ Palace. Queen Victoria and Vicky were in the very last carriage. They were met at St. James’ Palace by Prince Albert and King Leopold I of the Belgians, the uncle of both Victoria and Albert. Vicky’s four brothers were in Highland dress and the elder two (Bertie and Alfred) preceded the Queen down the aisle. Vicky’s two younger brothers (Arthur and Leopold) accompanied their mother down the aisle followed by three of Vicky’s four sisters (Alice, Helena, and Louise), were dressed in white lace over pink satin. Beatrice, Vicky’s youngest sibling, was left back at Buckingham Palace as she was not even a year old. Next came Fritz, wearing a dark blue tunic and white trousers, the uniform of the Prussian First Infantry Regiment of the Guard, accompanied by his father and his uncle Prince Albrecht. Finally, Vicky came down the aisle escorted by her father Prince Albert and her great-uncle King Leopold I of the Belgians.

John Sumner, Archbishop of Canterbury, conducted the service and he was so nervous that he left out several parts of the service. However, Queen Victoria was pleased that both “Vicky and Fritz spoke plainly,” as she wrote in her journal. The service was concluded with George Friedrich Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. Vicky and Fritz led the recessional to The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn, the first time it was used in a wedding. Thereafter, it became a popular wedding recessional. The music is from a suite of incidental music to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Queen Victoria loved Mendelssohn’s music and the composer often played for her when he visited Great Britain.

Vicky and Fritz led the carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace where they appeared on the balcony with and without their parents. After a wedding breakfast, the newly married couple left by train for a two-day honeymoon at Windsor Castle. Upon arrival at Windsor, Vicky and Fritz were met by fireworks, cannons, an honor guard, and cheering crowds. Schoolboys from nearby Eton pulled their carriage from the train station up the hill to Windsor Castle.

Vicky and Fritz on January 29, 1858; Credit – Wikipedia

Vicky and Fritz had eight children:

Vicky and Fritz’s family; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Albert and Queen Victoria ardently hoped that this marriage would make the ties between London and Berlin closer, and lead to a unified and liberal Germany. However, Vicky and Fritz were politically isolated and their liberal and Anglophile views clashed with the authoritarian ideas of the Minister-President of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck.  Despite their efforts to educate their eldest son Wilhelm about the benefits of democracy, he favored his German tutors’ views of autocratic rule and became alienated from his parents.

NPG Ax132839; Frederick III, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia; Victoria, Empress of Germany and Queen of Prussia by Hills & Saunders

Frederick III, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia; Victoria, Empress of Germany and Queen of Prussia by Hills & Saunders, albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1870, NPG Ax132839 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The year 1888 is called “The Year of Three Emperors” in German history. Fritz’s father Wilhelm I died on March 9, 1888, and Fritz succeeded him as Friedrich III. However, Fritz was already gravely ill with cancer of the larynx and lived only three months more, dying at the age of 56 on June 15, 1888, when his son Wilhelm succeeded to the throne. After her husband’s death, Vicky lived at Schloss Friedrichshof, a castle she built in memory of her husband near Kronberg, close to Frankfurt, Germany. Today the castle is a five-star hotel. Vicky remained close to her British relatives and regularly corresponded with her mother. 3,777 letters from Queen Victoria to Vicky and more than 4,000 from Vicky to mother have been cataloged.

1894: At Palais Edinburgh in Coburg. Back row: left to right: Vicky’s brother, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught; Vicky’s brother, Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha; Vicky’s son, Wilhelm II, German Emperor; Vicky’s brother, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Front row: left to right: – Queen Victoria;  Vicky

In 1899, while visiting her mother at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Vicky was diagnosed with breast cancer. By 1900, cancer had spread to her spine and she suffered a great deal during the last months of her life. When Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901, Vicky was too ill to go to England. She died less than seven months later on August 5, 1901, at the age of 60. Vicky was buried in the royal mausoleum of the Friedenskirche in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany next to her beloved husband Fritz. Their two sons who died in childhood are buried in the same mausoleum.

Tomb of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal; Credit – 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.

Recommended Books

  • An Uncommon Woman – Hannah Pakula
  • Beloved and Darling Child – edited by Agatha Ramm (letters of Queen Victoria and her daughter Victoria)
  • Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz: The Tragic Love Story of Queen Victoria’s Eldest Daughter and the German Emperor – John Van der Kiste

Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prussia Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent; Credit – Wikipedia

The mother of Queen Victoria, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (Marie Louise Victoire), was born on August 17, 1786, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Bavaria. She was the fourth daughter of the five daughters and seventh child of the ten children of Franz Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Augusta of Reuss-Ebersdorf.

Victoria had nine siblings:

At age 17, on December 21, 1803, Victoria became the second wife of Emich Carl, 2nd Prince of Leiningen, who was 23 years her senior.  Emich Carl died of pneumonia in 1814 and was succeeded by his 10-year-old son Karl.

Victoria and Emich Carl’s children:

In November of 1817, the death in childbirth of Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only legitimate grandchild of King George III, necessitated the marriages of the unmarried sons of King George III to provide an heir to the throne. On May 29, 1818, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (fourth son of King George III) married the 32-year-old widow Victoria at Schloss Ehrenburg in Coburg. Edward had never married but had lived for 28 years with his mistress Julie de Montgenêt de Saint-Laurent. Upon the couple’s return to England, they had a second marriage ceremony on July 13, 1818, at Kew Palace in the presence of Edward’s ailing mother Queen Charlotte.

In September of 1818, Edward and Victoria set out for Leiningen, where the Duchess of Kent’s young son was the Sovereign Prince. However, when the Duchess became pregnant, they were determined to return to England so the possible heir to the throne would be born there. They took up residence in an apartment at Kensington Palace and it was there that their only child was born on May 24, 1819:

Toward the end of 1819, Edward leased Woolbrook Cottage in Sidmouth, a town on the English Channel, due to the need to economize and for benefits the sea air would have on the Duchess’ health. In early January, Edward caught a cold but insisted on taking a walk in the chilly weather. Within days, the cold worsened, he became feverish and delirious and developed pneumonia. His condition was aggravated by the bleeding and cupping of the physician sent from London to treat him. Edward became increasingly weaker and died on January 23, 1820, just six days before his father King George III died.

After King George III’s death, the infant Victoria was third in the line of succession after her uncles Frederick, Duke of York and William, Duke of Clarence. Neither the new king, George IV, nor his brothers Frederick and William had any heirs, and the Duchess of Kent decided she would take a chance on Victoria’s accession to the throne. The Duchess decided to stay in England rather than return to her homeland.

Victoria and the Duchess of Kent; Credit – Wikipedia

The Duchess of Kent and her daughter Victoria were given little financial support from Parliament. The Duchess’ brother Leopold (the future King Leopold I of the Belgians) was the widower of Princess Charlotte and received a very generous 50,000 pounds per year income from Parliament upon his marriage to Charlotte which was continued after her death. Leopold provided much-needed financial and emotional support to his sister and niece. In 1831, with King George IV dead for a year and his younger brother and heir King William IV still without legitimate issue, Victoria’s status as heir presumptive and her mother’s prospective place as regent led to major increases in income. Uncle Leopold became King of the Belgians in 1831, so an additional consideration was the impropriety of a foreign monarch supporting the heir to the British throne. Leopold had surrendered his British income upon his accession to the Belgian throne.

The Duchess developed a very close relationship with John Conroy, her household comptroller, who wanted to use his position with the mother of the future queen to obtain power and influence. Conroy and the Duchess tried to control and influence Victoria with their Kensington System, a strict and elaborate set of rules. The Duchess’ relationship with her daughter Victoria suffered greatly and did not normalize until Victoria herself had children.

There was no love lost between King William IV and his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Kent. Despite the Regency Act 1830 making the Duchess of Kent regent in case William died while Victoria was still a minor, the king distrusted the duchess’s capacity to be regent. William had been denied access to his young niece as much as the Duchess dared. The Duchess had offended the King by taking rooms in Kensington Palace that the King had reserved for himself. Both before and during William’s reign, the Duchess had snubbed his illegitimate children, the FitzClarences. All of this led to a scene at a dinner in 1836 where King William IV declared in the Duchess’ presence that he wanted to live until Victoria’s 18th birthday so that a regency could be avoided.

On May 24, 1837, Victoria turned 18 years old and it would not be necessary for the Duchess of Kent to serve as regent, much to the relief of Victoria’s uncle King William IV. Less than a month later, on June 20, 1837, King William IV died and Victoria acceded to the British throne. On the day Victoria became queen, she demonstrated her determination to free herself from her mother’s influence by ordering her bed removed from the room she and her mother had always shared.

In 1840, Queen Victoria married her first cousin and her mother’s nephew, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. After the birth of Victoria and Albert’s first child Victoria, Princess Royal, the Duchess was reconciled with Victoria probably due to Albert’s persuasion. Thereafter, the Duchess became a doting grandmother and her relationship with her daughter became closer than it had ever been.

Dowager Duchess of Kent; Credit – Wikipedia

In March of 1861, after the Duchess had surgery on her arm to remove an ulcer, a severe infection developed. On March 15, 1861, Queen Victoria was notified that her mother was not expected to survive for more than a few hours. Victoria, Albert, and their daughter Alice immediately traveled from London to Windsor where the Duchess resided at Frogmore House near Windsor Castle. The Queen found her mother in a semi-coma and breathing with great difficulty. At 9:30 on the morning of March 16, 1861, the Duchess of Kent died at the age of 74 without regaining consciousness. Victoria did not deal well with losing her mother and dealt even worse with a death that was to come at the end of 1861, that of her beloved husband Albert.

The Duchess of Kent’s final resting place is a mausoleum near Victoria and Albert’s mausoleum at Frogmore in Windsor Home Park.

Mausoleum of the Duchess of Kent. photo: Wikipedia

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Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine. photo: The Royal Collection Trust

Princess Alice Maud Mary of the United Kingdom was born on April 25, 1843, at Buckingham Palace in London, England, the third child, and second daughter, of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was named in honor of Viscount Melbourne, Queen Victoria’s former Prime Minister. Lord Melbourne had once told the Queen that Alice was his favorite name. Her second name, Maud (a form of Matilda) was in honor of her godmother, Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester; and her third name, Mary, in honor of Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester (Queen Victoria’s aunt) with whom she shared a birthday.

With the 2022 accession of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, the British Royal Family is not only the descendants of Queen Victoria’s son King Edward VII but also of her daughter Princess Alice. Princess Alice of the United Kingdom → Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine → Princess Alice of Battenberg → Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh → King Charles III of the United Kingdom

Princess Alice was christened on June 2, 1843, in the newly renovated Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace, by William Howley Archbishop of Canterbury. Her godparents were:

Alice had eight siblings:

Alice’s upbringing was typical for the times, spending most of her time with her siblings under the watch of nannies and tutors. She formed very close relationships with her two elder siblings, especially her brother Bertie, with whom she would remain very close until her death. A very artistic child, from an early age Alice developed a deep sense of compassion for others which would continue to develop in her adult years.

In March 1861, Alice’s grandmother, the Duchess of Kent, died. Alice had been with her during her final days, and established herself as the “family caregiver”. After she died, it was Alice whom Prince Albert sent to take care of Queen Victoria, whose intense grief over the Duchess’ death was unbearable. Queen Victoria later attributed Alice’s efforts with helping her to get through the dark days that followed. Sadly, it would not be long until Alice’s caregiving skills would be needed again.

 

At the end of the same year, Alice’s father, Prince Albert, fell ill with typhoid fever. Alice stayed at his side, nursing him through the last few days of his life. Albert died on December 14, 1861, and Queen Victoria went into seclusion. It was Princess Alice who then stepped in as unofficial secretary to her mother, assisted by her younger sister Louise, handling all of the state papers and correspondence, all while trying to support and comfort her mother.

In 1860, Alice had become engaged to Prince Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, the son of Prince Karl of Hesse and by Rhine and his wife, Princess Elisabeth of Prussia. He would later succeed his uncle to become Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine. After several other prospective grooms were dismissed by Queen Victoria, Alice’s sister Victoria suggested Ludwig. Ludwig and his brother were invited to Windsor Castle in 1860 for Queen Victoria to ‘look them over’, and he and Alice quickly developed a connection. On the second visit in December, the couple became engaged. Following the Queen’s formal consent, the engagement was announced on April 30, 1861. Queen Victoria also negotiated with the Prime Minister to get Parliament to approve a dowry of £30,000.

The wedding was scheduled for the following July but the death of Alice’s father threatened to derail the plans. Queen Victoria, despite her intense mourning, insisted that the wedding would go on as planned, as that was Prince Albert’s wish. It would, however, be a much more somber affair. Queen Victoria even wrote to her eldest daughter that Alice’s wedding had been “…more of a funeral than a wedding…”

The Marriage of Princess Alice, 1st July 1862 by George Housman Thomas; Credit – Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III

The couple was married on July 1, 1862, in the dining room at Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight, England, which had been converted into a chapel for the day.

Following a brief honeymoon elsewhere on the Isle of Wight, the couple returned to Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany, where they were given a small house in the Old Quarter. This caused much distress to Queen Victoria who held very high expectations when it came to the residences of her children. With significant financial support from Queen Victoria and Alice’s dowry, construction began on a new home, to be called the New Palace. The couple would take up residence in the New Palace in 1866. In the meantime, they were also given the castle at Kranichstein where they spent much of their time. The couple had seven children:

Princess Alice with her husband and children, May 1875.  Photo: The Royal Collection Trust

Once in Darmstadt, Alice tried to find ways to help those less fortunate and attempted to learn as much as she could about the lives of ordinary people. One area of particular interest was nursing. Seeing the need for improved medical care, Alice befriended Florence Nightingale who gave her suggestions and ways to help those in need. Alice embraced this role and worked tirelessly throughout the remainder of her life. During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, and again during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, Alice focused on wounded soldiers, making bandages, visiting the injured, and visiting the hospital wards. These visits would continue for the rest of her life, and she often brought her children along, hoping to instill that same compassion in them.

Tragedy struck the family in 1873. In February, Alice’s second son Frittie had been diagnosed with hemophilia after a cut on his ear took several days to stop bleeding. On May 29, 1873,  Frittie and his brother Ernst Ludwig were playing in their mother’s bedroom at the Neues Palais. Ernst went into another room to look through the window that was at an angle to the window in Alice’s bedroom. While Alice was out of the room to get Ernst, Frittie climbed up to the window in the bedroom to try and see Ernst. From all accounts, the chair he had climbed on tipped over and Frittie fell from the window to the ground below. Due to his hemophilia, Frittie died from his injuries.

Over time, Alice’s relationship with her husband had become somewhat strained, despite their mutual love for each other. Their interests were quite different, with Alice being much more of an intellectual than Ludwig. In the early 1870s, she befriended the theologian David Strauss and shared many of his views on religion, some of which were quite controversial at the time. Strauss also offered a more intellectual bond than her husband was able to provide. However, following the death of her son in 1873, Alice began to return to her more traditional religious beliefs, distancing herself from Strauss.

Her relationship with her mother was also very strained at times. While initially having a very close relationship, the two often became estranged, often due to Alice voicing her thoughts and opinions, which usually differed from those of Queen Victoria. However, the Queen did remain devoted to Alice, particularly to her children. After Alice’s death, Queen Victoria spent a significant amount of time with her Hessian grandchildren, helping to ensure that they grew up with the proper guidance.

 

Ludwig’s father died in March 1877, and three months later, his uncle Grand Duke Ludwig III also died. Ludwig and Alice became the reigning Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine. Alice continued her efforts in nursing, now having a much stronger position in which to bring about changes. Unfortunately, her time would be limited as tragedy would once again strike.

In November 1878, the family began to fall ill with diphtheria. Alice quickly slipped into her role as caregiver, nursing her husband and children back to health. Sadly, her youngest child, Princess Marie, succumbed to the illness and died on November 16, 1878. Alice tried to keep the news from her husband and other children until they were in better health. Eventually telling her son, Ernst Ludwig (who was quite devoted to the young May), she broke the one rule of nursing this horrible illness – she comforted him with hugs and a kiss. Soon after, Alice herself began to fall ill and was also diagnosed with diphtheria. Her condition quickly deteriorated, and in the early morning of December 14, 1878, the 17th anniversary of her father’s death, Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine died at the Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany. She is buried in the Neues Mausoleum at Rosenhöhe Park in Darmstadt alongside her husband and two of her children.

Tomb of Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine (She is hugging her daughter Marie on her left side); Photo Credit – 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.

Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Hesse and by Rhine Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Recommended Books

  • Alice, The Enigma – A Biography of Queen Victoria’s Daughter – Christina Croft
  • Alice: Biographical Sketch and Letters – Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine
  • Princess Alice: Queen Victoria’s Forgotten Daughter – Gerard Noel

Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Prince Consort of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Prince Consort of the Netherlands; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Bernhard was the husband of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Bernhard Friedrich Eberhard Leopold Julius Kurt Carl Gottfried Peter, Graf von Biesterfeld was born on June 29, 1911, in Jena in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the elder son of Prince Bernhard of Lippe (younger brother of Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe) and his wife Armgard von Cramm. Bernhard and Armgard’s marriage was considered morganatic, so the younger Bernhard was styled Graf von Biesterfeld (Count of Biesterfeld) at birth.  In 1916, Bernhard’s uncle, the reigning Prince of Lippe, created Armgard Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness and this title and style also was extended to her two sons.

Bernhard had one younger brother:

Bernhard started his education with tutors at home. When he was twelve years old, he was enrolled in a boarding school for boys in Züllichau in the Prussian province of Brandenburg, now Sulechów, Poland. In 1929, he completed his secondary education and studied law at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and Friedrich-Wilhelm University in Berlin, Germany, now Humboldt University. Bernhard then obtained a job at the Parisian subsidiary of the German chemical company IG Farben, where he continued to work until his engagement to Juliana.

In February 1936, Bernhard attended the Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. There he met and fell in love with Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, the only child, and heir of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. After Queen Wilhelmina had lawyers draft a very detailed prenuptial agreement that specified exactly what Bernhard could and could not do, the couple’s engagement was announced on September 8, 1936. After a civil marriage at The Hague City Hall, a religious marriage was held at the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk in The Hague, The Netherlands on January 7, 1937. Before the wedding, Bernhard had been granted Dutch citizenship and on his wedding day, he became His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.

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Juliana and Bernhard had four daughters:

Prince Bernhard also had two illegitimate daughters:

  • Alicia von Bielefeld (born 1952), whose mother has not been identified, Alicia is a landscape architect who lives in the United States
  • Alexia Grinda (born 1967), whose mother was French socialite and fashion model Hélène Grinda

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During World War II, three days after Germany began to invade the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch Royal Family left for London, England. One month later, Juliana and her daughters Beatrix and Irene went to Ottawa, Canada, where they would be safer. Prince Bernhard stayed with Queen Wilhelmina in London during the war, although both occasionally visited the rest of the family in Canada. Juliana and Bernhard’s third daughter Margriet was born while the family was in Canada. On August 2, 1945, the whole family returned to the Netherlands.

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On September 4, 1948, after a reign of nearly 58 years, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favor of her daughter and Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands and Bernhard became Prince Consort. From 1954 to 1976, Bernhard served as chairman of the Bilderberg Conference, an international political group that sought a better understanding between the cultures of the United States and Europe to encourage cooperation on political, economic, and defense issues. Prince Bernhard helped found the World Wildlife Fund and was its first president, serving from 1962 – 1976.

Bernhard was forced to step down from leadership roles in both groups after being involved in the Lockheed bribery scandal. The scandal comprised a series of bribes and contributions regarding the negotiations of the sale of aircraft made by officials of Lockheed, an American aerospace company, from the 1950s to the 1970s. It caused considerable political controversy in West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan. Prince Bernhard received a $1.1 million bribe from Lockheed to ensure the Lockheed F-104 would win a contract over the French-made Mirage 5. The results of a Dutch government inquiry almost led to a constitutional crisis because Queen Juliana threatened to abdicate if Bernhard was prosecuted. Bernhard was not prosecuted but had to step down from several public positions and was forbidden to wear his military uniforms again. Although Bernhard always denied the charges, interviews published after his death revealed that he had admitted to taking the money.

Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard returning from Italy due to developments in the Lockheed scandal on August 26, 1976; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

On January 31, 1980, Queen Juliana announced that she would abdicate in favor of her eldest daughter Beatrix on April 30, 1980, her 71st birthday. After 1995, when Juliana’s general health began to decline, she made fewer public appearances. In 2001, during a television interview on the occasion of his 90th birthday, Prince Bernhard said that Juliana no longer recognized her family and had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years. On March 20, 2004, Juliana died in her sleep at the age of 94 due to pneumonia.

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Prince Bernhard with his daughter Queen Beatrix at Queen Juliana’s funeral

On November 17, 2004, eight months after Juliana’s death, it was announced that Prince Bernhard had lung cancer. An additional announcement was made two weeks later stating that he also had a malignant tumor in the intestines. Bernhard died at the University of Utrecht Medical Center on December 1, 2004, at the age of 93.

Funeral procession in Delft; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

A state funeral was held on December 11, 2004, in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. The funeral had a military nature and the coffin was brought to the church on a gun carriage as a Royal Air Force flyover in the missing man formation flew overhead. After the funeral, Prince Bernhard was interred in the royal crypt at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

The access to the royal crypt in the foreground; Credit – By Sander van der Wel from the Netherlands – Royal grave tomb and the grave of Willem van Oranje, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28146859

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Kingdom of the Netherlands Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands; Credit: Wikipedia

Prince Hendrik was the husband of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and thus far, is the longest-serving Dutch consort. Heinrich Wladimir Albrecht Ernst was born on April 19, 1876, in Schwerin in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.  He was the youngest of the four children of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his third wife Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Heinrich had three full siblings:

Heinrich had six half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Princess Auguste of Reuss-Köstritz:

Heinrich had one half-sister from his father’s third marriage to  Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine:

  • Duchess Anne (1865 – 1882), unmarried, died in her teens

Heinrich had seven half-siblings, and five survived to adulthood.  Among his half-siblings were Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, father of Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark and Cecile, last Crown Princess of Prussia and Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Maria Pavlovna of Russia) who married Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia. Their son Kirill became a pretender to the Russian throne after the assassination of his cousin Nicholas II of Russia.

When Heinrich was seven years old, his father died. After finishing his secondary education in Dresden, he traveled to Greece and the British colonies of India and Ceylon.  He then joined the Prussian Army and served as a first lieutenant in the Garde-Jäger-Bataillon in Potsdam, Prussia.

In 1900, Heinrich and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands were introduced to each other by their mothers. After spending part of the summer together, they became engaged on October 16, 1900.  The wedding preparations were overshadowed by the deaths of Wilhelmina’s uncle Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach on January 5, 1901, and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom on January 22, 1901.

The couple was married on February 7, 1901, at the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk in The Hague in the Netherlands.  Following the wedding, Heinrich became a Prince of the Netherlands and also became known by the Dutch version of his name, Hendrik. Wilhelmina decreed that the Dutch royal house would remain the House of Orange-Nassau and not change to the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  Although the marriage was a peaceful one, Hendrik and Wilhelmina grew apart due to her religious mysticism and his unfaithfulness and frustrations over his lack of an official role in the Netherlands.

Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelmina had no surviving siblings at the time of her marriage and the fear that the Dutch throne would pass to a German prince made it imperative that she provide herself with an heir. The couple’s only child, the future Queen Juliana was born on April 30, 1909, to her parents’ great relief.  Wilhelmina had several miscarriages before and after Juliana’s birth, as well as a stillborn child.

Juliana in 1910; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Throughout his marriage, Hendrik was plagued by financial problems.  He received no subsidy from the Dutch treasury and instead received an annual sum of 100,000 guilders from his wife. His activities and pastimes cost money and he was expected to financially support charities and provide funds to his impoverished family in Germany.  In addition, there was money Hendrik had to give to his mistresses who bore him illegitimate children.  Dutch historian Gerald Aalders has said Prince Hendrik had eight known illegitimate children.  After Hendrik’s death, Queen Wilhelmina continued to compensate the mothers of his illegitimate children.

Hendrik held various honorary appointments in the armed forces and served on the Council of State, but his wife kept him out of all political matters. He deeply regretted his rather insignificant position and said, “It’s not nice when you always want some more bacon and all that’s ever left is beans.”

Prince Hendrik had a great interest in the social and economic life in the Netherlands. He oversaw the merger of the two scouting organizations to create De Nederlandse Padvinders (The Netherlands Pathfinders), an organization that still receives royal patronage.  He was chairman of the Dutch Red Cross and in 1928 he opened the Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

Funeral of Prince Hendrik; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

During the last years of his life, Hendrik’s health quickly deteriorated. His arthritis worsened, he gained much weight, and suffered his first heart attack in 1929. The second heart attack followed on June 28, 1934. During the afternoon of July 3, 1934, while in his office, Prince Hendrik died at the age of 58 of cardiac arrest. As per his wishes, he had a white funeral and was buried in the crypt at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

The access to the royal crypt in the foreground; Credit – By Sander van der Wel from Netherlands – Royal grave tomb and the grave of Willem van Oranje, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28146859

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Kingdom of the Netherlands Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena of Battenberg (known as Ena) was born on October 24, 1887, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the only daughter of Prince Henry of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria.

The infant princess was named after her grandmother Queen Victoria and for her godmother Eugénie de Montijo, the Spanish-born French empress and widow of Napoleon III, who lived in exile in the United Kingdom. To her family, and the British general public, she was known by the last of her names, as Ena. She was christened in the Drawing Room at Balmoral Castle on  November 23, 1887. Her godparents were:

Ena had three brothers:

Raised in her grandmother’s household, the family moved constantly between Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle, and Osborne House. In January 1896, Ena’s father died of malaria while en route to fight in the Ashanti War. Following his death, Queen Victoria gave the family apartments at Kensington Palace where they lived when in London. After Queen Victoria died in 1901, Kensington Palace became their primary residence, along with Osborne Cottage on the grounds of Osborne House.

 

In 1905, Ena met her future husband, King Alfonso XIII of Spain, while he was on a State Visit to the United Kingdom. The two soon began corresponding and quickly became smitten with each other. However, several issues needed to be resolved before they could consider marriage. First was the looming threat of hemophilia. Ena’s brother Leopold was suffering from the disease, so there was a very good chance that she might bring it to the Spanish royal family. However, with little known about the disease at the time, Alfonso did not seem too concerned. The bigger obstacles were Ena’s religion and, as far as Alfonso’s mother was concerned, her less-than-royal bloodline. However, Ena willingly agreed to convert to Catholicism, and her uncle, King Edward VII, elevated her rank to Royal Highness so there could be no question of an unequal marriage. These seem to have appeased the Dowager Queen and the engagement was announced.

Assassination attempt at Alfonso and Victoria Eugenie's wedding, 1906.

Assassination attempt at Alfonso and Victoria Eugenie’s wedding, 1906.

The couple married on May 31, 1906, at the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo in Madrid, in a wedding attended by many royals from around the world. The marriage was not, however, without incident. While the wedding procession was returning to the Royal Palace, an assassination attempt was made on the King and his new Queen. Both Alfonso and Ena were unharmed, however, several guards and bystanders were killed or injured.

Eventually, the couple would have seven children:

Queen Ena with her children in 1918 (from left to right) Maria Cristina, Alfonso,  Gonzalo, Juan, Jaime and Beatriz; Credit – Wikipedia

After the birth of the first son Alfonso, it was discovered that he was suffering from hemophilia. Despite knowing the risks beforehand, King Alfonso blamed Ena, beginning a rift in their marriage that would never fully heal. In the end, only their first and last sons had the disease. See Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants.

Victoria Eugenie threw herself into her new role as Queen and began working with charities that supported the poor, promoted education, and took a particular interest in nursing and hospital care. She would later be instrumental in reorganizing the Spanish Red Cross and is often credited with helping to advance the healthcare system in Spain. Despite a somewhat rocky relationship at first, she soon became greatly admired and loved by the Spanish people.

Following the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the family went into exile. Settling first in France, and then Italy, the couple soon went their separate ways. Ena returned to London, taking up residence at 34 Porchester Terrace to be close to her mother. In 1938, she would reunite with her husband in Rome, for the christening of their grandson Juan Carlos, future King of Spain. The following year Ena left London and returned to Rome. Despite their separation, she was concerned about Alfonso’s diminishing health and wanted to be nearby. Alfonso died in February 1941, surrounded by his family. Less than a year later, she was forced to leave Italy, as members of Mussolini’s government accused her of spying. She settled in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the Hotel Royal. Several years later, in 1947, Ena purchased a villa – Vieille Fontaine – in Lausanne. It was here, in 1961, that she welcomed the media to announce the engagement of her grandson Juan Carlos and Princess Sophia of Greece.

 

Queen Victoria Eugenie’s later life was spent enjoying her grandchildren and her busy social schedule. Shortly after Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Ena took the young Grace under her wing, helping her adjust to her new royal life. A lifelong friendship ensued, and Ena was asked to be godmother to their son, the future Prince Albert II. She was also the godmother to Queen Fabiola of Belgium and the late Duchess of Alba.

photo: Casa Real

Holding her great-grandson, the future King Felipe VI of Spain, at his baptism; Photo: Casa Real

In February 1968, Queen Victoria Eugenie returned to Spain for the first time since going into exile in 1931. Staying at the Palace of Liria with her goddaughter, the Duchess of Alba, Ena was there to serve as godmother to her new great-grandson, the future King Felipe VI of Spain. She was deeply touched by the crowds who came to greet her wherever she went and tried to see as many things as she could during her short visit. After the christening, she allegedly took General Franco aside to discuss the monarchy’s future, particularly the succession to the throne. Several different stories exist about the actual conversation but Ena had previously stressed that it would probably be best to skip over her son Juan and entrust the future of the monarchy, and Spain, to Juan Carlos.

Ena’s trip to Spain would be one of her last public appearances. She returned to her home in Switzerland, and soon her health began to fail. Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain, passed away on April 15, 1969, at her home in Lausanne, Switzerland, surrounded by her family. Ironically, it was 38 years to the day that she had been forced to leave Spain in 1931. Her funeral was held at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Lausanne, Switzerland and she was buried in the nearby Cemetery Bois-de-Vaux. In April 1985, her grandson, King Juan Carlos, had her remains returned to Spain where they were interred in the Pantheon of the Kings in the Royal Crypt of the Royal Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain.

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Kingdom of Spain Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Augusta of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg, the second youngest of the sixteen children of Friedrich II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalene Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst, was born on November 30, 1719, in Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany.

Augusta had fifteen siblings:

  • Sophie (1697 – 1703), died in childhood from smallpox
  • Friedrich III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1699 – 1772), married Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen, had nine children
  • Wilhelm (1701 – 1771), married Anna of Holstein-Gottorp, no children
  • Karl Frederick (1702 – 1703), died in infancy from smallpox
  • Johann August (1704 – 1767), married Luise Reuss of Schleiz, widow of his brother Christian Wilhelm, had two children
  • Christian (born and died 1705), died in infancy from smallpox
  • Christian Wilhelm (1706 – 1748), married Luise Reuss of Schleiz, no children
  • Ludwig Ernst (1707 – 1763), Munster Lieutenant General
  • Emanuel (1709 – 1710), died in early childhood
  • Moritz (1711 – 1777), regent in Saxony-Eisenach, Hesse-Kassel Lieutenant General
  • Sophie (born and died 1712), died in infancy
  • Karl (1714 – 1715), died in infancy
  • Fredericka (1715 – 1775), married Johann Adolf II, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, had five children
  • Magdalena Sibylle (born and died 1718), died in infancy
  • Johann Adolf (1721 – 1799), married morganatically Marie Maximiliane Elisabeth Schauer, had three children

In 1736, at the age of 16, and still very young for her age, clutching a doll, and knowing no English, Augusta arrived in England for her marriage to Frederick, Prince of Wales, the son and heir of King George II of Great Britain.  On May 8, 1736, after having dinner with Frederick and his siblings, Augusta was led up the aisle of the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace by her future brother-in-law William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, to marry her 29-year-old groom.

The newlyweds were strictly controlled by Frederick’s parents who did not allow them to set up their own household.  Augusta only spoke German and a little French, so a tutor was arranged to teach her English.  Because she was so lonely, her old governess was brought to England to keep her company.  Having been brought up as a Lutheran, Augusta had misgivings about receiving communion in the Church of England.  She was only persuaded to do so when her mother-in-law threatened to annul her marriage and send her back home.

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

Frederick and Augusta had nine children including King George III who succeeded his grandfather King George II and Caroline Matilda, Queen Consort of Denmark whose marriage was a tragic story.

During Augusta’s first pregnancy in 1737, King George II and Queen Caroline demanded to be present at the birth, but Frederick would not hear of it.  Augusta and Frederick were at Hampton Court Palace having dinner with Frederick’s parents when Augusta went into labor.  Frederick and Augusta took a bumpy carriage ride to St. James’ Palace to prevent the grandparents from being present at the birth.  Afterward, the king ordered them to leave St. James’ Palace and they moved to Kew Palace.  The queen paid a visit to Frederick and Augusta before they left St. James’ Palace and expressed a wish that she never see them again.  Queen Caroline got her wish as she died several months later without reconciling with her son and daughter-in-law.

After Queen Caroline’s death, the couple’s life was somewhat less tense and despite several fleeting affairs, Frederick was a good husband and father.  In early 1751, Frederick’s health began to be a concern, and on March 31, 1751, he died at the age of 44.  His death was attributed to a burst abscess in his lung, but a ruptured aneurysm seems more likely.

At the time of Frederick’s death, his 32-year-old widow was pregnant with her ninth child.  Augusta spent her years as a widow raising her nine children and improving the gardens at Kew Palace, a world-class botanical garden today.  Her eldest son George succeeded his grandfather as king in 1760.  Augusta died of throat cancer on February 8, 1772, at the age of 52, and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

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Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha could have become Queen Consort of Sweden if her husband had not tragically died in a plane accident. Sibylla Calma Marie Alice Bathildis Feodora was born on January 18, 1908, at Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Thuringia, Germany. Sibylla was the second of the five children of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Her father was the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son Prince Leopold, so, therefore, Sibylla was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. Sibylla started her education at home and then attended the Gymnasium Alexandrinum in Coburg and the Kunstgewerbeschule in Weimar, Saxony.

Sibylla had an elder brother and two younger brothers and a younger sister:

  • Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1906 – 1972) married (1) unequally 1932 Feodora, Baroness von der Horst, renounced his rights as head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; divorced 1962; had issue (2) 1963 Maria Theresa Reindl, no issue
  • Prince Hubertus (1909 – 1943) unmarried, killed in action during World War II
  • Princess Caroline Mathilde (1912 – 1983) married (1) 1931 Friedrich, Count of Castell-Rüdenhausen; divorced; had issue (2) 1938 Captain Max Schnirring who died in action during World War II; had issue (3) 1946 Karl Otto Andree; divorced; no issue
  • Prince Friedrich Josias (1918 – 1998) married (1) 1942 Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth; divorced; had issue (2) 1948 Denyse de Muralt; divorced; had issue (3) 1964 Katherine Bremme; no issue

Princess Sibylla (center) with her parents and siblings in 1918; Photo Credit – “Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R14326, Karl-Eduard von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, Familie” by Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R14326 / CC-BY-SA. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons

Sibylla’s father was affected by the British Titles Deprivation Act 1917 which was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom authorizing enemies of the United Kingdom during World War I to be deprived of their British peerages and royal titles. Besides being the sovereign Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Sibylla’s father had been born a Prince of the United Kingdom. Because his father Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany died before his son’s birth Charles Edward succeeded to his father’s titles at birth and he was styled His Royal Highness The Duke of Albany. In 1900, at the age of 16, Charles Edward inherited the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from his uncle Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria. Alfred’s only son, Prince Alfred died in 1899. Queen Victoria’s third son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, had renounced his claims to the duchy as did his only son, Prince Arthur of Connaught. Charles Edward was conflicted as to what side he should support in World War I, but he finally supported Germany and was a general in the German Army. On March 28, 1919, Charles Edward’s British peerages, the Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence, and Baron of Arklow, were formally removed. In addition, Charles Edward and his children also lost their entitlement to the titles of Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom and the styles Royal Highness and Highness.

In November 1931, Sibylla was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Lady May Cambridge, a niece of Queen Mary, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom. One of the other bridesmaids was Princess Ingrid of Sweden, who introduced Sibylla to her brother Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten. Prince Gustaf Adolf was the eldest son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden) and was therefore second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. Sibylla and Gustaf Adolf, who were second cousins, became engaged on June 16, 1932.

The Nazi Party was gaining considerable power in Germany at the time. As Sibylla’s father was a prominent member of the Nazi Party, the wedding almost was a state affair. Adolf Hitler, who would soon become the German Chancellor, wrote a letter to Sibylla’s father congratulating the couple. The civil service was held on October 19, 1932, at Veste Castle in Coburg with the Nazi Mayor of Coburg officiating, followed by a large reception, which included a torchlight procession of 4,000 members of the Nazi party. The religious wedding was held the following day at St. Moritz Church in Coburg. During the wedding festivities, numerous swastikas and other Nazi symbols could be seen throughout Coburg. The Nazi connection did not sit well with the Swedish people, and the groom’s grandfather King Gustaf V of Sweden, protesting Coburg’s close relation to the Nazi Party, refused to attend the wedding.

 

Sibylla and Gustaf Adolf had four daughters and one son:

The couple lived at Haga Palace and their daughters were nicknamed the Haga Princesses. Princess Sibylla participated in official duties but never felt at home in Sweden. She never learned to speak fluent Swedish and spoke German with her children. In addition, she had to deal with the distrust caused by the crimes of the Germans during World War II and the activities of her father in the Nazi Party.

Tragically, Prince Gustaf Adolf was killed in a commercial airplane crash on January 26, 1947, at the Kastrup Airport in Kastrup, Denmark near Copenhagen.  He was returning to Stockholm from a hunting trip and a visit to Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The plane had landed at Kastrup Airport for a routine stop before continuing to Stockholm. After the plane took off from Kastrup Airport, it climbed to an altitude of only 150 feet, stalled, and plummeted nose-first to the ground, where it exploded on impact. All 22 people aboard the plane were killed. Sibylla was a 39-year-old widow with five children ranging in age from nine months to 12 years old.

After her stepmother-in-law Queen Louise died in 1965, Sibylla was the senior royal princess in Sweden and acted in a supporting role for her father-in-law King Gustaf VI Adolf. She became more popular and continued the activities started by Queen Louise such as the ladies’ democratic lunches.

 

Unfortunately, Sibylla did not live long enough to see her son Carl Gustaf become King of Sweden. Her last public appearance was on King Gustaf VI Adolf’s 90th birthday on November 11, 1972. On November 28, 1972, Sibylla died of colon cancer at the age of 64, less than a year before her son would become king. At her request, Sibylla’s remains were cremated and interred next to her husband at the Royal Burial Ground in Haga Park in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden.

Grave of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

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Queen Elisabeth of Belgium

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium – photo: Wikipedia

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium was the wife of Albert I, King of the Belgians. She was born Elisabeth Gabriele Valérie Marie, Duchess in Bavaria, on July 25, 1876, at Possenhofen Castle in the Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany. Elisabeth was the third of six children of Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria (a grandson of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria), and his second wife, Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal (a daughter of King Miguel I of Portugal). She was named after her father’s sister, Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria.

Elisabeth had four siblings:

Elisabeth was raised and educated at home. From a very early age, she developed a passion for the arts. Through her parents’ efforts, she gained an understanding and appreciation for helping those less fortunate. These interests would later make her a very beloved Queen in Belgium.

Engagement photo of Elisabeth and Albert. photo: Wikipedia

While in Paris in May 1897, attending the funeral of her aunt, The Duchess of Alençon, Elisabeth met her future husband, the future Albert I, King of the Belgians. The two quickly became involved, and several months later they became engaged. They married in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, on October 2, 1900, and following a honeymoon in Italy, settled in Brussels, Belgium. They had three children:

In December 1909, Albert and Elisabeth became King and Queen of the Belgians, following the death of Albert’s uncle King Leopold II. The new Queen took on a much more public role than her predecessors, getting involved with many charities and organizations, particularly those in the arts and social welfare. She often surrounded herself with famous authors and artists, as well as leading scientists of the day. Her friendly nature, and true care and concern for others, quickly endeared her to the people of Belgium.

When war broke out in 1914, Queen Elisabeth worked with the nurses on the front and helped establish the Symphony Orchestra of the field army. She also often traveled to the United Kingdom, under the pretext of visiting her children who were studying there. In fact, she was often bringing important messages and information to the British government from her husband and his forces. Following the war, the family made a triumphant return to Brussels and set about to rebuild the nation.

Queen Elisabeth (seated) visits the tomb of Tutankhamun with her son the Duke of Brabant, later King Leopold III (center, black suit, holding camera), Lord Carnarvon (fifth from right) who funded the excavation, and members of the British and Egyptian administration in Thebes, Egypt, February 18, 1923

In addition to her work helping those less fortunate, Queen Elisabeth also indulged in many of her other interests. She became an avid photographer and continued a life-long interest in ancient Egypt. This interest led her to be the first invited guest to see the newly opened tomb of King Tutankhamun on February 18, 1923, and her subsequent establishment of the Queen Elisabeth Egyptological Foundation. In addition, she established the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation in Belgium, and the Queen Elisabeth Medical Assistance Fund in the Congo, to help those who could not afford medical care. In 1928, she was responsible for establishing the Palace for Fine Arts in Brussels.

On February 17, 1934, her husband King Albert I was killed in a mountain climbing accident and was succeeded by their elder son King Leopold III. Elisabeth withdrew from public life, so as not to hinder the efforts of her daughter-in-law, now Queen Astrid.  However, in August 1935, Astrid was killed in an automobile accident in Switzerland. The Dowager Queen Elisabeth returned to public life, doing her best to support her son and his young family, and resuming her position as the first lady of the land. She continued with her patronage of the arts, establishing the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, the new Royal Library of Belgium, and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.

During World War II, she remained at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels, Belgium with her son, who was held there under house arrest by the Germans. During this time, she used her influence and her connections to help rescue hundreds of Jewish children from deportation by the Nazi regime. For this, she would later be granted the title Righteous Among the Nations by the Israeli government. When Leopold and his family were deported to Germany in 1944, Elisabeth remained in Belgium, doing her best to publicly support her younger son, Charles, who was serving as Regent, and with whom she had a very strained relationship. Upon Leopold’s return in 1950, and subsequent abdication in 1951, Elisabeth moved from the Palace of Laeken, taking up residence at Stuyvenberg Castle, just across the park. Here she would entertain some of the most prominent names of the time – Albert Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, Pablo Casals, Jean Cocteau, among many others.

 

The remainder of her life was spent enjoying her grandchildren and continuing her artistic pursuits. In 1956, she celebrated her 80th birthday surrounded by her extensive royal family. She was the mother of a King, a Prince Regent, and a Queen, and grandmother to two future Kings, a future Grand Duchess, and the pretender to the Italian throne.

 

On November 23, 1965, at her home at Stuyvenberg Castle in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium, the Dowager Queen Elisabeth passed away at the age of 89. Her funeral was held at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels, Belgium, and was attended by nearly all of the Belgian royal family (her son Charles refused to attend), as well as members of royal families from around the world. She was then interred in the Royal Crypt at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels, Belgium next to her beloved husband, King Albert I.

Tomb of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth; Credit – Wikipedia

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