Sir John Conroy, 1st Baronet of Llanbrynmair, Comptroller and Private Secretary to Queen Victoria’s mother The Duchess of Kent

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Sir John Conroy, 1st Baronet of Llanbrynmair; Credit – Wikipedia

Sir John Conroy, 1st Baronet of Llanbrynmair was Equerry to Queen Victoria’s father Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent from 1817 – 1820, and Comptroller and Private Secretary to Queen Victoria’s mother The Duchess of Kent from 1820 – 1839.

John Ponsonby Conroy was born on October 21, 1786, in Maes-y-Castell, Caerhun, Caernarvonshire, Wales, one of six children of John Ponsonby Conroy, a barrister, and Margaret Wilson. Both of Conroy’s parents came from Ireland. Conroy was privately educated by tutors.

When he was 17 years old, Conroy was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and was soon promoted to First Lieutenant. In 1805, he enrolled in the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, a military academy for the training of commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery. Conroy served in the British army during the Napoleonic Wars. However, he had a knack for avoiding battle, causing him to lose the respect of the other officers.

On December 26, 1808, Conroy married Elizabeth Fisher, the daughter of Major-General Benjamin Fisher. The couple had six children:

  • Sir Edward Conroy, 2nd Baronet (1809 – 1869), married Lady Alice Parsons; their only child was the analytical chemist Sir John Conroy, 3rd Baronet
  • Elizabeth Conroy (1811 – 1855)
  • Arthur Conroy (1813 – 1817)
  • Stephen Conroy (1815 – 1841)
  • Henry Conroy (1817 – 1890)
  • Victoria Conroy, known as Victoire (1819 – 1866), married Sir Wyndham Edward Hanmer, 4th Baronet

Conroy served under his father-in-law, performing various administrative duties, and was promoted to Captain in 1817. Through the influence of his wife’s uncle Dr. John Fisher, Bishop of Salisbury who had served as a tutor for King George III’s son Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Conroy was appointed the Duke of Kent’s Equerry in 1817. In 1818, the Duke of Kent, along with several of his brothers, married in an attempt to provide an heir to the throne after the death in childbirth of Princess Charlotte of Wales, King George III’s only legitimate grandchild. The Duke of Kent’s bride was Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the widow of Emich Karl, 2nd Prince of Leiningen.

After their marriage, the Duke and Duchess of Kent moved to Germany, where the cost of living was cheaper. Victoria became pregnant and the Duke and Duchess were determined to have their child born in England. The very efficient John Conroy arranged for the Duke and Duchess’ speedy return to England in time for the birth of their first and only child, Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, the future Queen Victoria, on May 24, 1819, at Kensington Palace in London.

In early January 1820, the Duke of Kent caught a cold but insisted on taking a walk in the chilly weather. Within days, the cold worsened, and he became feverish and delirious and developed pneumonia. His condition was aggravated by bloodletting and cupping. The Duke became increasingly weaker and died on January 23, 1820, just six days before his father King George III died. With the death of her father and her grandfather, little Drina, as she was called, was third in the line of succession after her uncles, Frederick, Duke of York (who would die in 1827) and William, Duke of Clarence (who would succeed his brother King George IV as King William IV. His niece Victoria would eventually succeed him.)

The Duke of Kent died deep in debt. Conroy had been named the executor of the Duke of Kent’s will. With the Duke of Kent’s death, Conroy would lose his position as Equerry. He needed to find another source of income so he offered his services as comptroller to the widowed Duchess of Kent and her daughter. The Duchess of Kent developed a very close relationship with Conroy 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.

Conroy’s children were among the few companions Princess Victoria was allowed. His youngest daughter Victoire, a few months younger than Victoria, often spent time with Princess Victoria. Princess Victoria was aware of Victoire’s inferior social rank and disliked her. She suspected that Victoire reported her activities to her father. Victoria was also aware that Conroy intended her to reward Victoire and her sister Jane with positions once she became queen.

In 1827, Frederick, Duke of York died making Princess Victoria the second in the line of succession after her uncle William, Duke of Clarence. Three years, later King George IV died and was succeeded by his brother King William IV. Victoria was now the heir presumptive. King William IV intensely disliked the Duchess of Kent and Conroy and vowed to live until Victoria was 18 years old to avoid a regency.

In 1835, Victoria became seriously ill with typhoid fever. While she was ill, the Duchess of Kent and Conroy unsuccessfully tried to force her into signing a document that would have appointed Conroy her personal secretary upon her accession to the throne. This incident motivated Victoria to become even more self-reliant. 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.

When Victoria became Queen, she immediately dismissed Conroy from her household but she could not dismiss him from her mother’s household. However, she sent her mother and Conroy off to a distant wing of the palace and cut off personal contact with them. On July 7, 1837, Queen Victoria created Conroy the 1st Baronet of Llanbrynmair with the understanding that he would not show himself at court in return. The title became extinct on the death of Sir John Conroy, 3rd Baronet in 1900. Conroy was finally persuaded by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington to leave the Duchess of Kent’s household in 1839.

Arborfield Hall; Credit – Wikipedia

After a stay in continental Europe, Conroy bought Arborfield Hall, near Reading, Berkshire, England in 1842. He became a gentleman farmer and won prizes for pig breeding. On March 2, 1854, Sir John Conroy, 1st Baronet of Llanbrynmair died, aged 67, at his home Arborfield Hall, in substantial debt. After his death, the Duchess of Kent finally agreed to have her financial accounts audited and acknowledged that significant funds were missing. She admitted that Conroy had swindled her and at the same time hurt her relationship with her daughter for his own benefit.

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 Book – Serving Queen Victoria: Life in the Royal Household by Kate Hubbard

New Series of Articles: Queen Victoria’s Inner Circle

Queen Victoria and her Indian servant Abdul Karim, known as The Munshi, in 1893; Credit – Wikipedia

Starting September 27, 2018, and continuing through January 8, 2019, Unofficial Royalty will be publishing a new series of articles, Queen Victoria’s Inner Circle, about some of the people who served Queen Victoria during her long reign. Articles for some of her relatives who lived during her reign are already linked in the Queen Victoria’s Inner Circle Index. Many of the articles are about people who were seen in the television series Victoria but their true life story may be very different than the story depicted in the series. As the series Victoria progresses, we may add additional articles.

Victoria Season 3 will premiere in the United States on Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) on January 13, 2019. In the United Kingdom, Victoria Season 3 will be shown on ITV but as of yet, there is no premiere date.

The articles may be accessed at Queen Victoria’s Inner Circle Index

Included in the Queen Victoria’s Inner Circle are articles about:

Royal Household: There were three departments in Queen Victoria’s Royalty Household:

  • The Department of the Lord Steward included the below stairs staff such as servants working in the kitchen, wine and beer cellars, porters, lamplighters, etc.
  • The Department of The Lord Chamberlain included all the ceremonial officers, those in personal attendance on the Queen, such as Ladies of the Bedchamber and Grooms in Waiting, housekeepers, and housemaids.
  • The Department of the Master of the Horse was responsible for the Royal Mews and transportation arrangements for royal trips and visits.

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Mistresses of the Robes: The Mistress of the Robes was always a Duchess and attended Queen Victoria on every State occasion. She had precedence over every lady of the Court and when in residence, presided at the Household table. She looked over and passed on the Queen’s personal bills sent to her from the Robes Office. During Queen Victoria’s reign, the Mistress of the Robes was a political appointment and changed when the political party of the government changed.

Notable Ladies of the Bedchamber: Ladies of the Bedchamber were always wives of peers. Only one Lady of the Bedchamber was in waiting at a time. She was always ready to attend to the Queen. The Lady-in-Waiting attended all State occasions and presided over the Household table when the Mistress of the Robes was not in residence. A Lady of the Bedchamber had two to three waits a year from twelve to thirty days at a time.

Prime Ministers: The Prime Minister was, and still is, the head of the government of the United Kingdom. By long-established practice, the monarch must appoint as Prime Minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons. This person is usually the leader of the political party or coalition of political parties that holds the largest number of seats in the House of Commons.

Private Secretaries: Lord Melbourne, Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister, informally served as Private Secretary while he was Prime Minister 1837 – 1840. Prince Albert then informally served as Private Secretary 1840 – 1861, until his death. The official position of Private Secretary came about because it was realized that the monarch was in need of support because the growth of the government had caused the government ministers to have insufficient time to provide daily advice and support.

Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

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

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

Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – WIkipedia

Princess Dorothea Maria Henriette Auguste Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born in Vienna, Austria on April 30, 1881, to Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Belgium. Through her mother, she was a granddaughter of King Leopold II of the Belgians. Dorothea had one older brother:

Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. source: Wikipedia

On August 2, 1898, in Coburg, Dorothea married Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. He was the son of Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Upon his father’s death in January 1880, Ernst Günther had inherited his father’s title. However, just like his father before him, the title was merely in pretense, as the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein had been annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. Ernst Günther served as a General in the Cavalry and was a member of the Prussian House of Lords.

Dorothea and Ernst Günther had no children of their own, but in 1920, they adopted Princess Marie Luise and Prince Johann Georg of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the children of Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his first wife, Countess Ortrud of Ysenburg and Büdingen.

Schloss Taxis. source: Wikipedia

Widowed in 1921, Dorothea survived her husband by nearly 46 years. The Dowager Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein, aged 86, died at Schloss Taxis in Dischingen, Germany on January 21, 1967. She is buried at St. Augustin Church in Coburg, 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.

Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

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

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

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Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Ernst Günther was the mediatized Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 1880 until he died in 1921. He was born in Dolzig, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Poland, on August 11, 1863, to Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a daughter of Queen Victoria’s half-sister Feodora of Leiningen.

Ernst Günther had six siblings:

Upon his father’s death in January 1880, Ernst Günther inherited his father’s title. However, just like his father before him, the title was merely in pretense, as the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein had been annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. He served as a General in the Cavalry and was a member of the Prussian House of Lords.

An affair in 1896 caused a great scandal within Germany. Ernst Günther had fallen in love with Baroness Johanna von Spitzemberg, the daughter of Hildegard von Spitzemberg, a noted hostess in Berlin, and a friend of the German Imperial Family. Ernst Günther and Johanna wanted to marry, but Kaiser Wilhelm and Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria – Ernst Günther’s sister – quickly made it clear that marriage would not be permitted.

Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. source: Wikipedia

Two years later, on August 2, 1898, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in the German state of Bavaria, Ernst Günther married Princess Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the daughter of Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Belgium. They had no children. However, in 1920, they adopted Princess Marie Luise and Prince Johann Georg of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the children of Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his first wife, Countess Ortrud of Ysenburg and Büdingen.

Ernst Günther died at Schloss Primkenau in Primkenau, Germany, now in Przemków, Poland, on February 22, 1921. He is buried in the Ducal Graveyard in Primkenau. As he had no legal heir, his titles were inherited by his cousin, Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, son of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and a grandson of Queen Victoria.

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.

Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the wife of Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. She was born Princess Adelheid Victoria Amalie Louise Maria Konstanze on July 20, 1835, in Langenburg, Principality of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, the daughter of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the elder half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Adelheid had five siblings:

Adelheid with her mother Princess Feodora. source: Wikipedia

In 1852, the new French Emperor Napoléon III proposed to Adelheid, hoping that marriage to Queen Victoria’s niece would bring a closer alliance with the United Kingdom. However, Queen Victoria was horrified by the idea but remained silent. Adelheid’s family understood that Victoria’s silence indicated her disapproval and declined the Emperor’s proposal. He went on to marry Eugénie de Montijo, who would later become a close friend of Queen Victoria and her family.

Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Four years later, in Langenburg on September 11, 1856, Adelheid married Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, the future Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. He was the son of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe. They had seven children:

Some of Adelheid’s children, photographed c1869. (l-r) Caroline Mathilde, Auguste Viktoria, Luise Sophie and Ernst Günter. source: Wikipedia

In November 1863, Adelheid’s husband claimed his succession to the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, following the death of the Danish King Frederik VII, and the family moved to Kiel in the Duchy of Holstein. After the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein were annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War, Adelheid and her family returned to Dolzig, in Lower Lusatia, then part of Prussia, now in Poland, where they had resided after their marriage. They alternated between Dolzig, Gotha, Schloss Primkenau in Silesia, and Schloss Gravenstein near Sonderburg (now known as Gråsten Palace). Schloss Gravenstein had been confiscated from Friedrich’s father in 1852 due to his part in the Schleswig-Holstein War. Following Prussia’s annexation of the duchies, Schloss Gravenstein was returned to Friedrich. Today, it is a summer residence of the Danish Royal Family.

After her husband died in 1880 and the marriage of her eldest daughter in early 1881, Adelheid retired from public life, settling in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, where she spent her time painting and enjoying the arts. She died on January 25, 1900, in Dresden, and was buried in the Ducal Graveyard in Primkenau, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Przemków, Poland.

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.

Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

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

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

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Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Born Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Friedrich VIII was the pretender Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 1863 until he died in 1880. He was born on July 6, 1829, at Augustenborg Palace in Denmark, the eldest son of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe, and he had six siblings:

Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 11, 1856, in Langenburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Friedrich married Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. She was the daughter of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Together they had seven children:

Some of Friedrich’s children in1869. (l-r: Caroline Mathilde, Auguste Viktoria, Louise Sophie, and Ernst Gunther)

In November 1863, following the death of King Frederik VII of Denmark, Friedrich proclaimed himself reigning Duke of Schleswig and Holstein. His claim was formally recognized by many of the smaller German states and the Federation, but Prussia and Austria adamantly refused. They tried, unsuccessfully, to force the German Confederation to disavow Friedrich’s claim and the sovereignty of Schleswig and Holstein.

This soon led to the Second Schleswig War which began in February 1864. Just nine months later, the war was over and under the Treaty of Vienna, the two duchies were ceded to Prussia and Austria. Less than two years later, as a result of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, Schleswig and Holstein were formally annexed by Prussia, becoming the Province of Schleswig-Holstein. Friedrich was permitted to keep his title and later served on the staff of the Prussian Crown Prince (later Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia) during the Franco-Prussian War.

At just 50 years old, Friedrich VIII died in Wiesbaden, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Hesse, Germany on January 14, 1880. He is buried in the Ducal Graveyard in Primkenau, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Przemków, Poland.

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.

Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Ellen Franz, Baroness von Heldburg

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Ellen Franz, Baroness von Heldburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Ellen Franz, Baroness von Heldburg, was the third wife of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. She was born Hermine Helene Maria Augusta Franz on May 30, 1839, in Naumburg, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, to Hermann Franz and Sarah Grant.

Raised in Berlin, Ellen studied the piano with Hans von Bülow (who would later become Conductor of the Meiningen Court Orchestra under Ellen’s husband, Duke George II.) Through von Bülow, she met Cosima Liszt, the daughter of famed composer Franz Liszt, and the two maintained a lifelong friendship. Cosima would later marry and divorce von Bülow, and then married the German composer, Richard Wagner. She also studied acting, and made her debut on the stage in 1860, using the stage name Ellen Franz. Seven years later, she came to the Meiningen Court Theatre and appeared in numerous roles over the next six years. Within a year of arriving in Meiningen, Ellen had become romantically involved with Duke Georg II, who was still married to his second wife, Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Feodora would die in late 1872.

Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 18, 1873, Ellen married the twice-widowed Georg II at Villa Feodora in Bad Liebenstein. Before the marriage, Georg created her Baroness von Heldburg in her own right, and she used this title for the rest of her life, also reverting back to her given name Helene. As the marriage was morganatic, she did not become Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen. The couple did not have any children.

Sharing a love of the theatre with her husband, Ellen worked with him to reform and redevelop the Meiningen Theater. Much of their efforts became known as the Meininger Principles, still taught in theater schools today. While her husband created costumes and scenery, Ellen focused on the casting of the productions and helping to train the young students. Through her friendship with Cosima Wagner, she brought several notable musicians and composers to the theater, including Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms.

The Helenenstift, now the Palais am Prinzenberg. photo: Von Kramer96 – Eigenes Werk, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10154690

After her husband died in 1914, Ellen lived for several years at Heldburg Fortress before moving to the Helenenstift in Meiningen, a residence built for her in the early 1890s, intended to serve as a widow’s residence. The Helenenstift is now known as the Palais am Prinzenberg (link in German). The Baroness von Heldburg died at the Helenenstift on March 24, 1923, at the age of 83. She is buried beside her husband in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen, now in the German state of Thuringia.

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.

Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Feodora Victoria Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the second wife of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. She was born in Stuttgart, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, on July 7, 1839, the youngest child of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Through her mother, she was the niece of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Feodora had five older siblings:

Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 23, 1858, in Langenburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, Feodora married Georg, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen as his second wife. Georg was the son of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Princess Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel. The couple was second cousins through their mutual descent from Christian Albrecht, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Caroline of Stolberg-Gedern. Georg’s first wife, Charlotte of Prussia, had died in 1855 and left two young children. The marriage was primarily intended to find a mother for his children and was not a love match. He never got over the death of his first wife, with whom he shared many common interests. The same could not be said for his relationship with Feodora. His attempts to foster in her a love of the arts and theater proved unsuccessful, and he quickly realized that Feodora would never compare to his beloved Charlotte. Despite their differences, Feodora and Georg had three sons:

Feodora helped found a Meiningen branch of the Albert Association, an organization linked to the Red Cross, which later led to the foundation of the Red Cross Sisterhood. Following the death of their youngest son in 1865, Feodora began to spend much of her time at Villa Feodora, a small residence in Bad Liebenstein, and avoided Meiningen as much as possible. She became Duchess upon her husband’s accession in 1866, and that year commissioned the Feodor Hospital in Bad Liebenstein, which she supported through the rest of her life.

Villa Feodora, Bad Liebenstein. photo: Von Gunnar1m – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3965316

Feodora, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen, died in, Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on February 10, 1872, having contracted scarlet fever the previous month. She is buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen.

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.

Saxe-Meiningen Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Charlotte of Prussia, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Charlotte of Prussia, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte of Prussia was the first wife of the future Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. She died eleven years before her husband’s accession. She was born Princess Friederike Luise Wilhelmine Marianne Charlotte of Prussia on June 21, 1831, at Schönhausen Palace in Berlin,  Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, the eldest child of Prince Albrecht of Prussia and Princess Marianne of the Netherlands.

Charlotte had three younger siblings:

Charlotte also had two younger half-siblings from her father’s morganatic second marriage to Rosalie von Rauch:

  • Count Wilhelm of Hohenau (1854-1930) – married (1) Laura, Countess Saurma von und zu der Jeltsch, had issue; (2) Princess Margaretha of Hohenlohe-Öhringen, had issue
  • Count Friedrich of Hohenhau (1857-1914) – married Charlotte von der Decken, had issue

Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Following her parents’ divorce in 1849, Charlotte and her younger siblings Albrecht and Alexandrine were raised primarily by their aunt, Queen Elisabeth Ludovika of Prussia. By this time, the family was already on the hunt for a suitable husband for Charlotte. As a granddaughter of both King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and King Willem I of the Netherlands, Charlotte was a very wealthy, and very sought-after young woman when it came to European princes looking for a bride. But she found her match in Hereditary Prince Georg of Saxe-Meiningen. He was the son of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Princess Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel. The couple became engaged while Georg was serving in the Prussian military in Berlin, and was married at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on May 18, 1850. Truly a love match (although it was most certainly encouraged by Charlotte’s uncle, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia), Charlotte and Georg shared many of the same interests and unlike many marriages of the time, both were very happy to spend as much time together as possible. They would go on to have four children:

Charlotte with her three children, c1854; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Georg’s military career, the family spent much of their marriage living in Berlin, where they had been given the use of the north wing of the Marble Palace by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. They also spent time at Villa Carlotta, a villa on Lake Como in Italy, which had been a wedding gift from Charlotte’s mother, and named in Charlotte’s honor. They also made trips to Meiningen, particularly returning for the births of several of their children.

Charlotte, the Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, died in childbirth, along with her son, on March 30, 1855, at just 23 years old, in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen now in Thuringia, Germany. She is buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen.

Saxe-Meiningen Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen: On March 26, 1675, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died. Initially, his seven sons collectively governed the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, as set out in their father’s will. On February 24, 1680, the seven brothers concluded a treaty of separation, with each brother getting a portion of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg and becoming a Duke. One of the seven new duchies was the Duchy of Saxe-Meinigen and Bernhard, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Meinigen.

On November 9, 1918, Wilhelm II abdicated as German Emperor and King of Prussia in the wake of the November Revolution. Bernhard III, the last Duke of Saxe-Meiningen abdicated the next day due to pressure from the Meininger Workers and Soldiers Council. His half-brother Ernst waived his succession rights on November 12, 1918, officially ending the monarchy of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen is in the German state of Thuringia.

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Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg II was Duke of Saxe-Meiningen from 1866 until his death in 1914. He was born in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on April 2, 1826, the only son of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel.

Georg had one younger sister:

First educated privately at home by tutors, Georg later attended the University of Bonn where he studied art history, history, and law. He finished his studies at Leipzig University in 1847.

Charlotte of Prussia. source: Wikipedia

On May 18, 1850, Georg married Princess Charlotte of Prussia at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. She was the daughter of Prince Albrecht of Prussia and Princess Marianne of the Netherlands. Charlotte and Georg had become engaged while Georg was serving in the Prussian military in Berlin, and their marriage was truly a love match.

Together they had four children:

Villa Carlotta. photo: By Jean-Christophe BENOIST – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16407555

Georg and Charlotte spent much of their marriage in Berlin, then in the Kingdom of Prussia, now in Germany, living in the north wing of the Marble Palace. They also spent time at Villa Carlotta, a villa on Lake Como in Italy that had been a wedding gift from Charlotte’s mother and named in her honor. Sadly, Charlotte died in March 1855, just after giving birth to their fourth child, who also died.

Princess Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Although distraught over the loss of his beloved Charlotte, Georg set out to find another wife, primarily to be a mother to his children. While on his way to Italy, he met his second cousin, Princess Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and they were quickly engaged. She was the daughter of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the elder half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. They married in Langenburg, Principality of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on October 23, 1858, and had three children:

On September 20, 1866, Georg became Duke of Saxe-Meiningen when his father was forced to abdicate following his defeat in the Austro-Prussian War. Georg had remained loyal to the Prussians during the war, led several regiments of Meiningen soldiers, and took the first French flags at the Battle of Froeschweiler. He maintained a close friendship with Wilhelm I, King of Prussia (later German Emperor), and served on his staff.

Ellen Franz. source: Wikipedia

Georg was widowed again in February 1872, when Feodora died of scarlet fever. The following year, on March 18, 1873, he married once again. His third wife was Ellen Franz, a former actress. Georg created her Baroness von Heldburg just before their marriage at Villa Feodora in Bad Liebenstein. She did not become Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen because the marriage was considered morganatic. They had no children.

Georg, passionate about the theatre, established the Meiningen Theater in the late 1860s and early 1870s, with the help of his third wife. The company toured extensively throughout Germany and Europe from 1874-1890 and became renowned for its attention to detail and authenticity in its sets and costumes and the portrayals of the characters. Georg drew upon his extensive knowledge of history and art to design many of the costumes and scenery and choreograph many of the large crowd scenes within the productions. Having been interested in theatre since his youth, he was able to spend much of his time, effort, and money to create theatre productions that conveyed both lifelike reality and historical accuracy.

In addition to the theatre, Georg was the patron of the Meiningen Court Orchestra. Under his patronage, the orchestra became prominent in the 1880s when Georg hired Hans von Bülow as its conductor. The orchestra served as an ensemble for Johannes Brahms, who conducted when premiering his Fourth Symphony. Brahms remained connected to the orchestra for the rest of his life. Following his death in 1897, Georg had a monument built in his honor in Meiningen’s English gardens.

Georg became nearly deaf in his later years and retired from public life. He died at Bad Wildungen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany, on June 25, 1914. He is buried in the Park Cemetery in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, 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.