Category Archives: Former Monarchies

Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Andreas of Greece

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Princess Alice, circa 1967.

Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Andreas of Greece and Denmark

Princess Alice of Battenberg was the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was born HSH Princess Victoria Alice Elisabeth Julia Maria on February 25, 1885, in the Tapestry Room at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Her parents were Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg, later 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, a grandchild of Queen Victoria.

Alice was the eldest child, with three younger siblings:

Alice was christened in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany, on April 25, 1885, with the following godparents:

As a child, Alice was diagnosed with congenital deafness and learned to lip-read in both English and German. Later, she also learned French and Greek. Her childhood was spent in Darmstadt and Jugenheim, both in the Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in the German state of Hesse, as well as London, England, and Malta where her father was stationed. The family was very close to their British relatives, and Alice served as a bridesmaid at the 1893 wedding of the future King George V of the United Kingdom and Princess Mary of Teck. Alice’s family was also very close to their Russian relatives. Her aunt was Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, the former Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, and the families often spent holidays together in Darmstadt.

At the 1902 coronation of her great-uncle, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Alice met Prince Andreas of Greece and Denmark. They quickly fell in love and were married in a civil ceremony in Darmstadt on October 6, 1903. The following day, two religious ceremonies were held – one Lutheran and one Greek Orthodox. Their wedding was one of the last large gatherings of European royals before World War I. The couple settled into a wing of the Royal Palace in Athens, Greece and had five children:

While Andreas pursued his military career, Alice raised her family and became very involved in charity work in Greece. However, the political situation in Greece was often tenuous, and the family was forced into exile several times. They lived in Switzerland for several years before King Constantine was restored to the Greek throne in 1920. Their return to Greece was short-lived. In 1922, the King was forced to abdicate, and Prince Andreas was arrested and charged with treason. He was court-martialed and convicted and would have probably been executed had it not been for the intervention of Alice’s cousin, King George V of the United Kingdom. King George sent a British cruiser – HMS Calypso to take Andreas, Alice, and their children safely into exile.

The family settled in Saint-Cloud, outside of Paris, France in a small house owned by Andreas’s sister-in-law, Princess George of Greece (the former Marie Bonaparte). There, Alice worked in a charity shop for Greek refugees and became very religious. On October 20, 1928, she very quietly converted to the Greek Orthodox Church. Soon, Alice began to show signs of mental illness. In 1930, following a nervous breakdown, Princess Alice was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. She was institutionalized in a sanatorium in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, under the care of Dr. Ludwig Binswanger. After two years in Kreuzlingen, and a brief stay at a clinic in Merano, Italy, she was released. It would be another four years before she had contact with her children, having only maintained ties with her mother.

During her absence, all four of her daughters had married and begun their own families. Sadly, it was a tragic event that brought Alice back into contact with her children. On November 16, 1937, Alice’s daughter Cecilie, along with her husband, two children, and mother-in-law were killed in a plane crash in Belgium. Alice attended the funeral in Darmstadt, reconnecting with her surviving children, and meeting her husband for the first time in six years.

In 1938, Alice returned to Greece, continuing her work with the poor. Along with her sister-in-law, Princess Nicholas of Greece (the former Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia), Alice worked with the Red Cross during World War II to organize shelters and nurses in the poor neighborhoods of Athens. Alice and Elena had been the only two members of the Greek Royal Family to remain in the country, while the rest had gone into exile in South Africa. In 1943, after the German Army had occupied Athens, and while most Jews were being deported to concentration camps, Alice hid a Jewish widow, Rachel Cohen, and two of her children in her home. Thirty years earlier, Mrs. Cohen’s husband had come to the aid of King George I of Greece, and the King had offered to someday repay him if there was ever anything he could do for him. Mrs. Cohen remembered this promise and reached out to Princess Alice. Alice, who saw both the opportunity to repay the debt and help save their lives, took the family in, risking her own life in doing so. The following year, she was widowed when Prince Andreas died in Monte Carlo. The two had not seen each other since 1939.

In November 1947, Alice returned to the United Kingdom for her son’s wedding. Some of her jewels were used to create Elizabeth’s engagement ring, as well as a bracelet that Philip designed for her as a wedding gift. On November 20, 1947, Alice attended the wedding, although none of her daughters had been invited due to their marriages to Germans, and the still-strong anti-German sentiment after the war. In the group photo from the wedding above, Princess Alice is seen in the front row on the left, standing next to Queen Mary. Alice’s mother, the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven is seen on the far right, next to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

Just over a year later, Princess Alice founded a nursing order of nuns, the Christian Sisterhood of Martha and Mary. She established a home for the order just north of Athens and trained on the Greek island of Tinos. To raise funds to support the order, Alice made two tours of the United States. Many were perplexed by this venture – none more so than her own mother, the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, who reportedly said: “What can you say of a nun who smokes and plays canasta?” Unfortunately, the order didn’t last very long, due to a limited number of applicants. But Alice continued with her work supporting those in need and dressed as a nun for the rest of her life.

Alice leading her family’s procession at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, June 1953

On June 2, 1953, Princess Alice attended the coronation of her daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, at Westminster Abbey in London. Wearing a gown designed to look like a nun’s habit, she led the formal procession of Philip’s family, including his three surviving sisters and his uncle, Prince George of Greece.

photo: Hello!

Alice remained in Greece, working to help the poor and those in need. However, as the political situation worsened, and with her children’s growing concern for her safety, it soon became obvious that she would need to leave the country that she’d grown to love so much since first arriving in 1903. She left Greece in 1967 following the Colonels’ Coup and was invited by her son and daughter-in-law to take up residence at Buckingham Palace in London, England. She died there on December 5, 1969, at the age of 84. Following her funeral, her remains were placed in the Royal Crypt at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. However, she had previously expressed her wish to be buried near her aunt, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia, born Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, at the Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. On August 3, 1988 – nearly 19 years after her death – her remains were moved to Jerusalem and placed in a crypt below the church.

On October 31, 1994, Princess Alice was posthumously recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for her sheltering of persecuted Jews during World War II. In 2010, she was named a Hero of the Holocaust by the British Government.

King Charles III visiting his grandmother’s tomb, September 2016. photo: Clarence House/PA

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Joan of England, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Joan of England, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

The eldest of the three daughters and the third of the five children of King John of England and Isabella of Angoulême, Joan was born on July 22, 1210, in Gloucester, England.

Joan had four siblings:

13th-century depiction of King John and his children Henry, Richard, Isabella, Eleanor, and Joan; Credit – Wikipedia

As the eldest daughter of a king, Joan had royal suitors vying for her hand in marriage. King Philip II of France wanted Joan as a bride for one of his sons, but in 1214, when Joan was four years old, King John promised Joan to Hugh X de Lusignan, Count of La Marche. When Joan’s mother Isabella of Angoulême was 12 years old, she was betrothed to the same Hugh X de Lusignan. This marriage would have joined La Marche and Angoulême, and the de Lusignan family would then control a vast, rich, and strategic territory between the two Plantagenet strongholds, Bordeaux and Poitier. To prevent this threat, King John of England decided to marry Isabella himself. Therefore, by promising his daughter in marriage to Hugh, King John was compensating Hugh for jilting him out of marrying Isabelle. In 1214, Joan was sent to be brought up at Hugh’s court until the marriage.

When she was six years old, Joan’s father King John died on October 18, 1216, leaving his eldest son Henry, a nine-year-old, to inherit his throne amid the First Barons’ War (1215–17), in which a group of rebellious barons supported by a French army, made war on King John because he refused to accept and abide by the Magna Carta. In July 1217, Joan’s mother Isabella left her son King Henry III of England in the care of his regent William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and returned to France to assume control of her inheritance, the County of Angoulême. Isabella once again met her jilted fiancé Hugh de Lusignan, now the 10th Count of La Marche. Upon seeing Isabella again, Hugh decided he preferred Joan’s still-beautiful mother over her daughter. Isabella and Hugh married on May 10, 1220, and on May 15, 1220, Joan was sent back to England where negotiations for a marriage with Alexander II, King of Scots took place.

Great Seal of Alexander II, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Twelve years older than Joan, Alexander II, King of Scots was the only son of William I, King of Scots (the Lion), and became King of Scots in 1214 when he was sixteen years old. On June 21, 1221, at York Minster in York, England, eleven-year-old Joan married 23-year-old Alexander. Alexander’s court was dominated by his mother Dowager Queen Ermengarde and Joan’s position was not strong. Joan and Alexander never had any children, which left Alexander without an heir, a major issue for any king. An annulment of the marriage was risky as it could provoke a war with England.

Joan accompanied her husband to York, England in September 1237 for talks with her brother King Henry III of England regarding the borders between Scotland and England. In York, Joan and her sister-in-law Eleanor of Provence agreed to make a pilgrimage to Thomas Becket’s shrine in Canterbury. The contemporary chronicler Matthew Paris suggests that Joan and Alexander had become estranged and that Joan wished to spend more time in England. While in England, Joan became ill and died in the arms of her brothers King Henry III and Richard, Earl of Cornwall at Havering-atte-Bower, near London, England on March 4, 1238, at the age of 27. At her request, Joan was buried at Tarrant Abbey in Tarrant Crawford, Dorset, England. In 1252, King Henry III ordered “an image of our sister” to be made and set over her tomb, but no trace of the tomb exists. It is thought that Joan is now buried, supposedly in a golden coffin, in the graveyard of St. Mary the Virgin Church, an unused church, and all that remains of Tarrant Abbey.

St. Mary the Virgin Church; Photo Credit – By ChurchCrawler, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9186803

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

Works Cited
“Alexander II of Scotland.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Dec. 2016. Web. 31 Dec. 2016.
“Joan of England, queen of Scotland.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Oct. 2016. Web. 31 Dec. 2016.
Susan. “Isabella of Angoulême, queen of England.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 23 Aug. 2016. Web. 31 Dec. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Margaret of England, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Margaret of England, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Born at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England on September 29, 1240, Margaret was the second of the five children of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. She was named after maternal aunt Margaret of Provence, Queen of France and St. Margaret of Antioch, patron saint of pregnant women. Eleanor of Provence had prayed to St. Margaret of Antioch during Margaret’s difficult birth.

Margaret had four siblings:

King Henry III of England (top) and his children, (l to r) Edward, Margaret, Beatrice, Edmund, and Katherine; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1244, Margaret’s father King Henry III of England met with King Alexander II of Scotland in Newcastle, England for peace negotiations. King Alexander II’s first wife had been King Henry III’s sister Joan, so there was a family relationship. Alexander II’s marriage to Joan had been childless, but he had one child, Alexander, with his second wife Marie de Coucy. The two kings decided that their two children should marry, and so Margaret was betrothed that same year to Alexander. Alexander’s father died on July 8, 1249, and he became King Alexander III at the age of seven.

Coronation of King Alexander III on Moot Hill, Scone from a late medieval manuscript of the Scottichronicon by Walter Bower; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 26, 1251, at York Minster in York, England, 11-year-old Margaret became Queen of Scots when she married 10-year-old King Alexander III. The wedding celebrations were festive and attended by many people including 1,000 English and 600 Scottish knights. The young couple remained in York for a month before traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Young Margaret was lonely and uncomfortable in her new home. Because of Margaret and Alexander’s young age, the marriage was not consummated for some time. Margaret complained to her parents that she was not allowed to live with her husband and was held in an almost captive-like situation. A visit back to England to see her mother was not allowed. Queen Eleanor then sent Reginald of Bath to her daughter, who confirmed her depressed state. In 1255, King Henry III of England sent envoys to Scotland demanding better conditions for his daughter. It was agreed that as Margaret and Alexander were now fourteen, they should be allowed to consummate their marriage and that Margaret would be allowed to travel regularly to England. In 1261, Margaret and Alexander’s first child, a daughter also named Margaret, was born at Windsor Castle in England while Margaret was visiting her parents.

Margaret and Alexander had three children:

Margaret and her husband attended the coronation of her brother King Edward I of England on August 19, 1274, at Westminster Abbey, but Margaret only lived for six more months. At the age of 34, she died on February 26, 1275, at Cupar Castle in Fife, Scotland, and was buried at Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, Scotland where many Scottish royals were buried.

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

Works Cited
Abrufstatistik. “Margarete von England.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Dec. 2016.
“Alexander III of Scotland.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Dec. 2016. Web. 24 Dec. 2016.
“Margaret of England.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Nov. 2016. Web. 24 Dec. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Joan of the Tower, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Joan was born at the Tower of London in London, England, hence her name, on July 5, 1321. She was the youngest daughter and the youngest of the four children of King Edward II of England and Isabella of France.

Joan had three older siblings:

Joan and her siblings had a difficult childhood. Her father Edward II was a weak king and his relationship with his favorites Piers Gaveston and Hugh Despenser the Younger, whether they were friends, lovers, or sworn brothers, was problematic and caused discontent among the nobles and the royal family. Opposition to the regime grew, and when Edward II’s wife Isabella was sent to France to negotiate a peace treaty in 1325, she turned against Edward and refused to return. Isabella allied herself with the exiled Roger Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, and invaded England with a small army in 1326. Edward II’s regime collapsed and he fled to Wales, where he was captured in November 1326. Edward II was forced to give up his crown in January 1327 in favor of his 14-year-old son Edward III, with Isabella and Mortimer acting as regents. Edward II died in Berkeley Castle on September 21, 1327, probably murdered on the orders of Isabella and Mortimer.

In 1328, England and Scotland signed the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton. The treaty formally ended the First War of Scottish Independence, which had begun with King Edward I of England’s invasion of Scotland in 1296. The treaty was signed in Edinburgh by Robert I the Bruce, King of Scots, and then the English Parliament ratified the treaty in Northampton. According to the treaty’s terms, six-year-old Joan would marry Robert the Bruce’s heir, four-year-old David, and because of this Joan was known as “Joan Makepeace”. The very young couple married on July 17, 1328, at Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost town in England, 2 ½ miles from the border with Scotland. Although the couple was married for 34 years, they had no children.

Less than a year after the wedding, Robert the Bruce died, and Joan’s husband became King David II of Scots. Joan and David were crowned and anointed on November 24, 1331, at Scone, the traditional coronation site of the Kings of Scots. Unfortunately, the peace of the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton did not last long. The Second War of Scottish Independence started in 1332. After the 1333 Battle of Halidon Hill in which the Scots were soundly defeated by Joan’s brother King Edward III of England, Joan and David were sent to France for their safety. Very little is known about their life in France. King Philippe VI of France, the cousin of Joan’s mother, granted the couple the use of Château Gaillard, built by King Richard I of England to defend his Duchy of Normandy.

Joan and David with Philippe VI of France in a miniature from Froissart’s Chronicles; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1341, the situation improved in Scotland, and David and Joan returned. Five years later, under the terms of an alliance between Scotland and France, David invaded England which was involved in a war with France in Normandy. During the Battle of Neville’s Cross in October 1346, the Scots were routed, and David was captured by the English.

David was imprisoned from 1346 – 1357, first at the Tower of London and then at Odiham Castle in Hampshire. King Edward III offered to release David three times for a ransom if the childless David accepted one of Edward III’s sons as his heir to the throne of Scotland. David rejected all three offers. In 1357, David was released in return for a ransom of 100,000 marks, approximately £15 million today.

Joan was allowed to see her husband while he was imprisoned, but after his release, she decided to remain in England. Joan’s mother Isabella of France had been under house arrest since 1330 because of her part in deposing her husband King Edward II with her lover Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. Joan nursed her mother during her final illness in 1358.

Joan, aged 41, died of the plague at Hertford Castle in England on September 7, 1362. She was buried at Christ Church Greyfriars in London where her mother had been buried. The church suffered much damage during King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries and many tombs were destroyed. During the Great Fire of London in 1666, the medieval church was completely destroyed.

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

Works Cited
“Christ Church Greyfriars.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.
“David II of Scotland.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Nov. 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.
“Joan of the tower.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Apr. 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.
queens. “Jeanne d’Angleterre (1321-1362).” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 13 July 1321.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Adolf Friedrich VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: The Duchy of Mecklenburg was divided and partitioned a number of times over the centuries.  In 1701, the last division created the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna recognized both Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz as grand duchies. Carl II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz became the first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

On, February 23, 1918, Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI of Mecklenburg-Schwerin died by suicide. The heir presumptive was serving with the Russian military and had made it known that he wished to renounce his rights of succession. Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, served as Regent for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The regency lasted only nine months, as on November 14, 1918, Friedrich Franz IV was forced to abdicate as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, as well as the Regent of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Today the territory encompassing the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz is in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

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source: Wikipedia

Adolf Friedrich VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – source: Wikipedia

Adolf Friedrich VI was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was born on June 17, 1882 in Neustrelitz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, the elder son of Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt.

Adolf Friedrich had three siblings:

At his christening on July 19, 1882, he was given the names Adolf Friedrich Georg Ernst Albert Eduard. He had twelve godparents:

Adolf Friedrich was educated privately at home, and tutored for several years by the Protestant theologian Carl Horn.  He then attended the Vitzthum-Gymnasium in Dresden along with his relative, and close friend, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and in 1902, moved to Munich to study law.

During this time, he was made a Lieutenant in the Prussian Army’s Grand Ducal Mecklenburg Grenadier Regiment No. 89.  However, his active military career did not begin until after he had finished his studies when he joined the Prussian Army’s 1st Uhlan Guards Regiment in Potsdam.  Just two years later, he became Hereditary Grand Duke upon his grandfather’s death and his father’s accession to the grand ducal throne.

Hereditary Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich, c1909. source: Wikipedia

Hereditary Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich, c1909. source: Wikipedia

In 1911, Adolf Friedrich resigned his army commission and returned to Neustrelitz to prepare for his future role.  He also spent several summers living in the United Kingdom, having developed a strong love for the country, likely influenced by his grandmother, who was born Princess Augusta of Cambridge, and was a granddaughter of King George III of the United Kingdom.  Adolf Friedrich took every opportunity to visit the United Kingdom. He often represented his father and grandfather at official functions, such as the funerals of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, and the coronations of King Edward VII and King George V.

Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI, c1912. source: Wikipedia

Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI, c1912. source: Wikipedia

Upon his father’s death in June 1914, he became the reigning Grand Duke as Adolf Friedrich VI. He had little time to adjust to his role as World War I was breaking out in Europe.  He was given a commission as a colonel on the staff of the German 17th Division and served on the Western front through much of the war.  In 1917, he was promoted to Major General.

After years of being linked to various princesses throughout Europe including Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Patricia of Connaught, and Mary, Princess Royal, Adolf Friedrich’s close friend, Princess Daisy of Pless, set out to find him a bride.  Soon it was settled that he would marry Princess Beninga Reuss of Köstritz, and negotiations began.  However, a scandal brewing that needed to be dealt with first.  Years earlier, when based in Potsdam, Adolf Friedrich had a relationship with a woman named Margit Höllrigl.  Allegedly, he had proposed to her so that he could renounce his succession rights in favor of his younger brother.  But his brother had since died, and he attempted to pay off Höllrigl to release him from any obligation of marriage. Höllrigl, however, had other plans.  She claimed to have correspondence that linked Adolf Friedrich to “certain homosexual circles” and threatened to release them to the public unless he gave in to her demands for more money.

With World War I still raging, and the possibility of these letters being made public, Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI left his home in Neustrelitz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, on the evening of February 23, 1918, to take his dog for a walk. The following morning, his body was found in a nearby canal with a gunshot wound to his head. He left behind a suicide note which suggested that a woman was attempting to smear his name. However, his close friend Princess Daisy of Pless suggested that he had developed severe depression over the war and the loss of his beloved grandmother.

In his will, he had requested that Duke Christian Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the son of his good friend Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV, become the new Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The heir presumptive Duke Carl Michael of Mecklenburg lived in Russia and had previously indicated that he wished to renounce his rights to the grand ducal throne. However, before the matter could be resolved, Germany became a republic and the various German sovereigns lost their thrones.

The Tomb of Adolf Friedrich VI Von Niteshift (talk) - Eigenes Werk (photo), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9970644

The Tomb of Adolf Friedrich VI Von Niteshift (talk) – Eigenes Werk (photo), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9970644

Following his funeral, Adolf Friedrich VI was buried on Love Island, a small island off Castle Island in Mirow, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.  Castle Island is the site of the Grand Ducal Palace and the Johanniterkirche, the traditional burial place of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz grand ducal family.

Below are some suicide prevention resources.

In the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988. Anyone in the United States can text or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to reach trained counselors who can help them cope with a mental health emergency. National Institute of Mental Health: Suicide Prevention is also a United States resource.

Other countries also have similar resources. Please check the resources below.

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Mecklenburg-Strelitz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

source: Wikipedia

Elisabeth of Anhalt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz source: Wikipedia

Princess Elisabeth Marie Friederike Amalie Agnes of Anhalt was born on September 7, 1857, at the Wörlitz Palace near Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, to Hereditary Prince Friedrich of Anhalt (later Duke Friedrich I of Anhalt) and Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. She had five siblings:

Elisabeth’s christening was held on October 1, 1857, at the Wörlitz Church. She had the following godparents:

Her childhood was spent at the Hereditary Princely Palace in Dessau and the Wörlitz Palace, where she was educated privately by the family’s tutor and her governess. In 1871, her father succeeded as reigning Duke of Anhalt, and the family moved to the Residence Palace in Dessau.

Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. source: Wikipedia

Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz source: Wikipedia

Several years later, in 1876, she first met her future husband, the future Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was the son of Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Augusta of Cambridge. The two were second cousins once removed through their mutual descent from Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. They met again later that year when Adolf Friedrich was visiting some mutual relatives, and they became engaged on December 29, 1876. They married at the Dessau Palace in the Duchy of Anhalt, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, on April 17, 1877, and had four children:

Quickly adapting to her role as Hereditary Grand Duchess, Elisabeth found a great ally in her mother-in-law, with whom she shared many interests. The two often hosted musical concerts and promoted numerous artists and musicians. She used her public profile to bring attention to causes that were important to her, including nature and flowers, becoming an honorary member of the Association for the Protection of Birds. After becoming Grand Duchess in 1904 following her father-in-law’s death, Elisabeth continued to support her causes while taking on a much more public role. Following the death of her youngest son in 1910, she established the Duke Karl Borwin Memorial Home in Neustrelitz, to provide a home for orphans and children in need.

Following her husband’s death in 1914, she remained the first lady of Mecklenburg-Strelitz during the reign of her unmarried son and became very active with the Red Cross during World War I. Following the abolition of the monarchy in 1918, Elisabeth remained in Neustrelitz, taking up residence in the Park House which she had inherited earlier that year from her son. After the new government took over Neustrelitz Palace, Elisabeth continued to fight for compensation for the loss of the family’s property. Remaining active right up until her death, Elisabeth remained in Neustrelitz, often hosting visits from her daughters and grandchildren, and staying in close contact with relatives throughout Europe. Her last public appearance was on July 19, 1933, when she attended a ceremony at the Hohenziertz Palace commemorating the death of Queen Luise of Prussia, who had been born a Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

The following day, on July 20, 1933, Grand Duchess Elisabeth died in Neustrelitz, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Following her funeral, her remains were placed in the New Crypt at the Johanniterkirche in Mirow, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, alongside her husband and sons.

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.

Mecklenburg-Strelitz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: The Duchy of Mecklenburg was divided and partitioned a number of times over the centuries.  In 1701, the last division created the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna recognized both Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz as grand duchies. Carl II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz became the first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

On, February 23, 1918, Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI of Mecklenburg-Schwerin died by suicide. The heir presumptive was serving with the Russian military and had made it known that he wished to renounce his rights of succession. Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, served as Regent for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The regency lasted only nine months, as on November 14, 1918, Friedrich Franz IV was forced to abdicate as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, as well as the Regent of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Today the territory encompassing the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz is in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

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source: Wikipedia

Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; Credit – Wikipedia

Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was born on July 22, 1848, in Neustrelitz,  Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, the son of the future Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Augusta of Cambridge. At the time of his birth, he was 14th in line to the British throne, as his mother was a granddaughter of King George III of the United Kingdom. Adolf Friedrich was the highest-ranking person in the British succession who did not hold any British titles.

His christening took place at Schloss Neustrelitz on August 12, 1848. Given the names Adolf Friedrich August Viktor Ernst Adalbert Gustav Wilhelm Wellington, he had twelve godparents:

At the age of 12, Adolf Friedrich became the Hereditary Grand Duke upon his father’s accession to the grand ducal throne. Initially educated privately at home, he later attended school in Dresden and then studied law at the University of Göttingen. After finishing his studies, he began a military career in the Prussian Army, where he fought during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and served on the General Staff of King Wilhelm I of Prussia. The following year, he represented his father at the proclamation of King Wilhelm I as German Emperor at the Palace of Versailles.

Adolf Friedrich’s wife Elisabeth of Anhalt; Credit – Wikipedia

While traveling through the various German monarchies in 1876, Adolf Freidrich met his future bride, Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt. She was the daughter of Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt, and Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. The two met again later that year while Adolf Friedrich was visiting some mutual relatives, and became engaged on December 29, 1876. The couple was second cousins once removed, through their mutual descent from Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Adolf Friedrich and Elisabeth married at Schloss Dessau in the Duchy of Anhalt, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, on April 17, 1877. After a honeymoon at Lake Geneva in Switzerland, they took up residence at the Hereditary Grand Ducal Palace in Neustrelitz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

They had four children:

source: Wikipedia

Adolf Friedrich V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; Credit –  Wikipedia

After being the heir apparent for 43 years, Adolf Friedrich succeeded to the Grand Ducal throne on May 30, 1904, following his father’s death. He made efforts to soothe the rocky relationship with Prussia and brought a more militaristic atmosphere to the Grand Ducal court. Much more liberal than his father, he modernized the system of government, in keeping with the rest of the German Empire. Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Mecklenburg-Schwerin were the only German monarchies that did not have an elected assembly at the time.

In 1908, Adolf Friedrich introduced a ministerial form of government. However, he continued to meet resistance from the nobility when trying to make further reforms, such as introducing a new constitution. In 1912, after being thwarted at every attempt, Adolf Friedrich offered to donate $2.5 million of his own funds to the national treasury and forfeit some of his sovereign rights, in exchange for a new constitution. Again, he was denied by the nobility. This was just a small example of his vast personal wealth. In January 1914, just months before his death, he was reported to be the second richest German sovereign, with a personal fortune of $88.75 million (over $2 billion today).

In March 1914, Adolf Friedrich fell ill and underwent an operation in a private hospital in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. He never fully recovered and died at the hospital on June 11, 1914. He is buried in the New Crypt at the Johanniterkirche in Mirow, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

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Mecklenburg-Strelitz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; Credit – Wikipedia

Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: The Duchy of Mecklenburg was divided and partitioned a number of times over the centuries.  In 1701, the last division created the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna recognized both Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz as grand duchies. Carl II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz became the first Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

On, February 23, 1918, Grand Duke Adolf Friedrich VI of Mecklenburg-Schwerin died by suicide. The heir presumptive was serving with the Russian military and had made it known that he wished to renounce his rights of succession. Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, served as Regent for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The regency lasted only nine months, as on November 14, 1918, Friedrich Franz IV was forced to abdicate as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, as well as the Regent of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Today the territory encompassing the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz is in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

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Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born in Neustrelitz,  Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, on October 17, 1819. He was the eldest son of Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel, and had three siblings:

Friedrich Wilhelm was christened on November 2, 1819, and given the names Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Georg Ernst Adolf Gustav. Among his 19 godparents was his namesake – and cousin – the future King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia.

Along with his brother, Friedrich Wilhelm was educated privately at home. Shortly before turning 18, he left Neustrelitz to study law and history at the University of Bonn. After leaving Bonn in 1839, he spent some time at the Prussian court of his uncle, King Friedrich Wilhelm III, before traveling through Europe the following summer. On this trip, he spent time in Italy with his aunt and uncle, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and their daughter Augusta, who would be his wife. Returning to Neustrelitz, he attended his sister’s wedding to the future King Frederik VII of Denmark and accompanied her to her new country. He then traveled to Potsdam, joining the Prussian Army in September 1841.

The following year, Friedrich Wilhelm traveled to London and became engaged to his cousin, Princess Augusta of Cambridge. She was the daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (a son of King George III of the United Kingdom) and Friedrich Wilhelm’s maternal aunt Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. Friedrich Wilhelm and his finacée were first cousins through their mothers and second cousins through their fathers. After receiving Queen Victoria’s consent to marry, Friedrich Wilhelm returned to Prussia where he requested and received a discharge from active service in the Prussian Army.

The marriage of Friedrich Wilhelm and Augusta, source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Friedrich Wilhelm and Augusta, source: Wikipedia

Friedrich Wilhelm and Augusta married on June 28, 1843, in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace in London, England. Following the wedding, Friedrich Wilhelm brought his new bride home to Neustrelitz where they received a warm welcome. They later returned to the United Kingdom, where Friedrich Wilhelm continued his education, earning his Law degree from the University of Oxford. Following the birth of a stillborn son in 1843, the couple went on to have two children:

While continuing to visit his wife’s family often in Britain, Friedrich Wilhelm began to spend more time living in Neustrelitz, preparing himself for his future role as Grand Duke. In 1851, he suffered an injury to his left eye which left him partially blind. Within a few years, the injury also took the sight in his right eye, leaving him completely blind. Because of this, he developed a close friendship with his cousin, King Georg V of Hanover, who was also blind.

In the summer of 1860, while visiting his wife’s family, Friedrich Wilhelm learned that his father was gravely ill. He and Augusta returned to Neustrelitz, where his father died on September 6, 1860. Friedrich Wilhelm succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. His reign saw great changes in what would later become the German Empire. Initially, during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Mecklenburg-Strelitz remained neutral. The Prussian king guaranteed Friedrich Wilhelm that neutrality would be respected. However, the Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck disagreed. He threatened to invade the Grand Duchy if Friedrich Wilhelm did not agree to mobilize his troops to fight alongside Prussia. Having no choice, the Grand Duke acceded to the demands and joined the war against Austria. While going against what Friedrich Wilhelm had wanted, the move likely extended his reign. While other states were annexed by Prussia and their rulers deposed, the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz remained intact. Despite his animosity toward Prussia, Mecklenburg-Strelitz joined the North German Confederation later that year.

In 1870, Friedrich Wilhelm was again coerced into joining Prussia in its war against the French Empire. After Prussia’s overwhelming victory, the German Empire was established and the Prussian king was named Emperor (Kaiser) in 1871. The unification brought about great advancements in the Grand Duchy, and the Grand Duke took a particular interest in restoring and building churches. He also focused much of his time on improving the education systems and building and refurbishing schools throughout the Grand Duchy. Grand Duke Friedrich Wilhelm is credited with restoring the Grand Duchy’s financial resources, taking a country riddled with debt after the war, and amassing a great fortune in its treasury. In addition, his personal wealth made him the wealthiest of the German sovereigns at the time.

Schloss Neustrelitz, c1910. source: Wikipedia

Schloss Neustrelitz, c1910. source: Wikipedia

In early 1904, Grand Duke Friedrich Wilhelm fell ill and died at Schloss Neustrelitz in Neustrelitz, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, on May 30, 1904. His funeral was held the following week at the Schloss Church and was attended by Wilhelm II, German Emperor. In keeping with tradition, his remains were placed in the New Crypt at the Johanniterkirche in Mirow, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

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.

Mecklenburg-Strelitz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Obituary – Prince Dimitri Romanovich Romanov (1926-2016)

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Prince Dmitri Romanovich and his wife with Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2006; Photo Credit – By Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7386249

Prince Dimitri Romanovich Romanov died in a hospital in Denmark on December 31, 2016, at the age of 90. He was admitted to the hospital the week before his death after a deterioration in his health. Prince Dimitri is survived by his second wife Princess Theodora Alexeevna Romanov (née Dorrit Revetlow). He had no children from either of his marriages.  Prince Dimitri was the President of the Romanov Family Association and was recognized by most Romanovs as the head of the House of Romanov.

Born on May 17, 1926, in Cap d’Antibes, France, Prince Dimitri Romanovich Romanov was the second of the two children of Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia and Countess Praskovia Sheremeteva, a member of one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families of Russia. Prince Roman Petrovich was one of the 35 Romanovs who managed to escape Russia after the Russian Revolution. In April 1919, he left Russia aboard the British battleship HMS Marlborough. Prince Dimitri had one elder brother Prince Nicholas Romanovich Romanov, who served as the President of the Romanov Family Association and was a claimant to head the House of Romanov before his death in 2014. Prince Nicholas had no sons, so upon his death, his brother Prince Dimitri became the claimant to head the House of Romanov.

Prince Dimitri was a great-great-grandson of Nicholas I, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias (1796 – 1855).  His male-line descent from Emperor Nicholas I can be seen below.

Emperor Nicholas I of Russia married Princess Charlotte of Prussia > Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaievich married Princess Alexandra of Oldenburg > Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich married Princess Militsa of Montenegro > Prince Roman Petrovich married Countess Prascovia Sheremeteva > Prince Dimitri Romanov

Most of the descendants of Emperor Nicholas I except for the descendants of Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich recognized Prince Dimitri and his brother before him as the head of the House of Romanov. The Romanov Family Association does not recognize the claim of Vladimir Kirillovich’s daughter Maria Vladimirovna, who styles herself Grand Duchess of Russia, that she is the head of the House of Romanov. Maria Vladimirovna’s descent from Alexander II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias can be seen below. Emperor Alexander II was the eldest son of Emperor Nicholas I.

Emperor Alexander II married Marie of Hesse and by Rhine > Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich married Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin > Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich married Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha > Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich married Leonida Bagration of Mukhrani > Maria Vladimirovna

The house laws of the House of Romanov state that the eldest son of the monarch shall inherit the throne, and then other dynasts according to primogeniture in the male line. A female could only succeed or the succession could only pass through the female line upon the extinction of all legitimately-born, male dynasts. Maria Vladimirovna claims that the marriage of Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia and Countess Praskovia Sheremeteva violated the house laws.

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

Works Cited
http://tass.ru/obschestvo/3920211
“Prince Dimitri Romanov.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Jan. 2017. Web. 1 Jan. 2017.
“Line of succession to the former Russian throne.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Jan. 2017. Web. 1 Jan. 2017.
“Романов, Димитрий Романович.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 2017. Web. 1 Jan. 2017.

Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French; Credit – Wikipedia

Empress Eugénie of the French was the wife of Emperor Napoleon III, the last French monarch. She was born Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick on May 5, 1826, in Granada, Spain. Her parents were Cipriano de Palafox y Portocarrero,8th Count of Montijo  and María Manuela Enriqueta Kirkpatrick de Closbourn y de Grevigné, and she had one older sister:

At six years old, she left Spain for Paris where she attended the Convent of the Sacré Coeur and the Gymnase Normal, Civil et Orthosomatique. In 1837, she left for a boarding school in the United Kingdom, with her sister, to learn English. In addition to her formal schooling, she also received an extensive education at home, under two English governesses. When her father died in 1839, the sisters returned to their mother in Madrid. Because of her mother’s position in Spanish society, Eugenie met Queen Isabella II of Spain and took several trips in Europe to find an appropriate husband.

Eugénie first met Prince Louis Napoléon in April 1849. At the time, he was president of the Second Republic. His attempts to seduce her failed, as she insisted on marriage before any physical relationship. Louis Napoleon became Emperor Napoleon III in December 1852, and the following month, on January 22, 1853, he announced his engagement to Eugénie. Following a civil ceremony at the Tuileries Palace, the couple married at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris on January 29, 1853. They had one son:

Eugénie with her husband and son, c1864. source: Wikipedia

Despite initial reservations about her less-than-royal background, Eugénie quickly became beloved by the French people. She traveled extensively, representing the Emperor – including the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 – and served as Regent during his absences from the country. She also became a close advisor to her husband, who often consulted her on important issues.

Villa Eugénie in Biarritz. source: Wikipedia

In 1854, they had a large summer villa – Villa Eugénie – built in Biarritz, where Eugénie often hosted Queen Victoria and other foreign royals. At the time, a small sleepy town, Biarritz quickly became a very popular destination for many of Europe’s royal and noble families. Today, the villa is known as the Hôtel du Palais, one of the most exclusive resorts in the area.

During the Franco-Prussian War, Eugénie served as Regent while her husband and son served on the German front. After several losses, she took it upon herself to name a new government and argued against her husband’s plan to return to Paris. A month later, the French forces were defeated at the Battle of Sedan, and the Emperor surrendered. As rioting began in Paris, the Empress quickly fled the city, making her way to England. By the time she set sail, the Second Empire had come to an end.

Eventually joined by her husband, the couple settled in Chislehurst in Kent, England. Widowed in 1873, she also lost her only son in 1879. She had developed a close friendship with Queen Victoria and spent several months at Osborne House after her son’s death. A few years later, in 1887, she was named godmother of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (later Queen of Spain). By then, she was living at Farnborough Hill in Hampshire, England. A few years later, in 1892, she had a Villa Cyrnos built in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the French Riviera, where she often hosted visits from Queen Victoria and other European royals, including Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia in 1909.

Empress Eugénie visiting wounded soldiers at Farnborough Hall, 1914. source: Wikipedia

Very active during World War I, Eugénie supported several hospitals in France and funded a military hospital at Farnborough Hill. She also donated her yacht to the British Navy. For her contributions to the war effort, she was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in 1919 by King George V.

Empress Eugénie, photographed in 1920. source: Wikipedia

Empress Eugénie died on July 11, 1920, while visiting relatives at the Liria Palace in Madrid. She is buried in the Imperial Crypt at St. Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, England with her husband and son.

Sarcophagus of Eugénie, above the altar, at St. Michael’s Abbey; Credit – Wikipedia

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