Royal Deaths from Diphtheria

compiled by Susan Flantzer

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection affecting the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. Diphtheria typically causes a sore throat, fever, swollen glands and weakness but the determining sign is a thick, gray membrane covering the back of the throat. The membrane can block the windpipe so that the patient has to struggle for breath. Today, diphtheria is extremely rare in developed countries thanks to widespread vaccination against the disease. However, before the advent of modern medicine, diphtheria could be epidemic and it often killed its victims.

Of course, without modern medical diagnostic tools, it was impossible to accurately diagnose illnesses and so this does not purport to be a complete list. Until the development of antibiotics and other drugs, it was impossible to successfully treat many infectious diseases. Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist, physician, microbiologist, and pharmacologist, developed Penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic in 1928. Antibiotics are only effective against diseases caused by bacteria. They are not effective against diseases caused by viruses.

This does not purport to be a complete list. All images are from Wikipedia unless otherwise indicated.

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Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine

  • Born: May 24, 1874, at the Neues Palace, in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
  • Parents: Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
  • Died: November 16, 1878, aged 4, at the Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
  • Buried: Neues Mausoleum at Rosenhöhe Park in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
  • Unofficial Royalty: Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine

In November 1878, the Grand Ducal Family of Hesse and by Rhine began to fall ill with diphtheria. The family had already suffered tragedy in 1873 when 2 1/2-year-old hemophiliac Friedrich, known as Frittie, fell and died from a brain hemorrhage. Grand Duke Ludwig and his children Victoria, Irene, Ernst Ludwig, Alix, and Marie all came down with diphtheria. Elisabeth, known as Ella, was the only member of the family to remain unaffected. Grand Duchess Alice quickly slipped into her role as caregiver, nursing her husband and children. Marie, known as May, was the youngest child in her family. May fell ill with diphtheria on November 12, 1878, and sadly was the only one of the children not to recover. She died on the morning of November 16, 1878.

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

  • Born: April 25, 1843 at Buckingham Palace in London, England
  • Parents: Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
  • Married: Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine in 1862
  • Died: December 14, 1878, aged 35 at the Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
  • Buried: Neues Mausoleum at Rosenhöhe Park in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany
  • Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine

After the death of her youngest child May from diphtheria (see above), Alice tried to keep the news from her husband and the other children until they were in better health. May’s death devastated her brother Ernst Ludwig. Alice broke the one rule of nursing this horrible illness – she comforted him with hugs and a kiss. Soon Alice herself fell ill and was also diagnosed with diphtheria. Her condition quickly deteriorated and in the early morning of December 14, 1878, the 17th anniversary of her father’s death, Alice died.

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Prince Waldemar of Prussia

  • Born: February 10, 1868 at the Crown Prince’s Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
  • Parents: Friedrich III, German Emperor, King of Prussia and Victoria, Princess Royal
  • Died: March 27, 1879, aged 11, at the Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
  • Buried: Friedenskirche (Church of Peace) in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany
  • Unofficial Royalty: Prince Waldemar of Prussia

Four months earlier, Waldemar’s maternal aunt Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine and her daughter May had died of diphtheria. (See above.) Waldemar complained of a sore throat, and unfortunately, he had come down with diphtheria. His mother took all the precautions known at that time to avoid spreading the disease. She washed Waldemar with hot vinegar and water, changed his sheets and clothes, and put them in a pail of carbolic acid. While tending him, Victoria covered her own clothing and sprayed herself with carbolic acid after she left Waldemar’s room. No one else in the family developed diphtheria. Waldemar seemed to be improving but on March 26, 1879, at around 9 PM, the doctors summoned his parents to his room. Waldemar’s breathing had worsened, and he died shortly after midnight.

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