Monthly Archives: March 2015

Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

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

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photo: Wikipedia

Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine was the fourth child of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine. He was born Ernst Ludwig Karl Albrecht Wilhelm (known as Ernie), on November 25, 1868 in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany. He had six siblings:

In 1874, his younger brother Frittie died after falling from a window while the two were playing. A hemophiliac, Frittie succumbed to a brain hemorrhage. Ernie was distraught and developed what would become a lifelong fear of death, particularly of dying alone. This fear would soon be reinforced by the deaths of his mother and youngest sister. In late 1878, most of the family fell ill with diphtheria. Sadly, Ernie’s youngest sister, Princess May, did not recover and died in November. While consoling Ernie, Alice gave him a hug and kiss, thus exposing herself to the illness. Due to her weakened state, she quickly fell ill herself and died on December 14, 1878.

After Alice’s death, Queen Victoria stepped in as a surrogate mother to the Hessian children, often having them stay with her in her various residences in the United Kingdom. Ernie’s three elder sisters also helped to contribute to his upbringing, and he remained particularly close to both Victoria and Ella.

Ernie was educated privately, and then in 1885 began serving with the First Hessian Infantry Regiment as a sub-lieutenant. He became a first lieutenant in 1889 and then attended the University of Leipzig and the University of Giessen. In 1891, following his father’s example, he was attached to the First Prussian Regiment of Foot Guards at Potsdam. Then, on March 13, 1892, Ernie became the reigning Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine upon his father’s death.

 

On April 9, 1894, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in the German state of Bavaria, Ernie married his first cousin, Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. The wedding was attended by Queen Victoria and many of her extended family. It was at this gathering that Ernie’s younger sister, Alix, became engaged to the future Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia. While that marriage turned out to be a happy one, the same could not be said for Ernie and Victoria Melita. Having been pushed into marriage by Queen Victoria, the couple shared little in common and quickly grew to resent each other. Despite this, they had two children:

Queen Victoria, surrounded by her extended family, gathered for Ernie’s wedding, 1894; Credit – Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2022

Disenchanted with each other, Ernie and Victoria Melita wished to divorce, but their grandmother would not allow it. However, following Queen Victoria’s death, they quickly separated and were divorced on December 21, 1901. They shared custody of their daughter, to whom Ernie was particularly close. Victoria Melita went on to marry another first cousin, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia.

The Hesse siblings, October 1903. L-R: Ernie, Alix (with Nicholas), Irene (with Heinrich), Ella (with Serge), Victoria (with Louis). photo: Wikipedia

Following a large family gathering in Darmstadt in October 1903 for the wedding of his niece, Princess Alice of Battenberg, Ernie and his daughter went to visit the Russian Imperial Family at their hunting lodge in Poland. While there, Elisabeth fell ill. At first, it was just believed to be exhaustion from so much playing with her cousins, but her condition quickly worsened. A telegram was sent to her mother, imploring her to come quickly, as it seemed the child would not survive. Unfortunately, the telegram would arrive too late. Princess Elisabeth died on November 16, 1903. Rumors at the time were that she had been poisoned by eating or drinking something which was intended for her uncle Nicholas II. However, it was discovered that she had died from typhoid. Ernie, of course, was distraught. His daughter had been, in his own words, “the sunshine of my life.”

On February 2, 1905, Ernie married Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich, in Darmstadt. Eleonore was the daughter of Hermann, The Prince of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich and Countess Agnes of Stolberg-Wernigerode. This marriage, from all accounts, was a very happy one. The couple had two sons:

Ernie, Eleonore, and their two sons; Credit – Wikipedia

Ernie was well-loved in Hesse and involved himself with maintaining and supporting the arts, particularly music. Sadly, the later years of his life were marred by tragedy. World War I brought the murders of two sisters, Alix and Ella, in Russia, as well as the loss of the Grand Ducal throne. With the fall of the German states, Ernie refused to abdicate but still lost his throne on November 9, 1918. However, unlike many of his counterparts, he was allowed to remain in Hesse and retained several of the family’s properties, including Schloss Wolfsgarten and the New Palace in Darmstadt.

Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine died at Wolfsgarten on October 9, 1937. Tragically, just weeks later, a plane crash in Belgium took the lives of many of his remaining family – his widow, elder son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. The plane crash took place on November 16, 1937 – ironically, this was the anniversary of the deaths of both Ernie’s sister May (in 1878) and his daughter Elisabeth (in 1903). Ernie is buried in Rosenhöhe Park in Darmstadt, Germany alongside his wife and family.

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.

Hesse and by Rhine Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Photo Credit –Wikipedia

Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe was the first husband of Princess Viktoria of Prussia (Moretta), a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. He was born on July 20, 1859, at Schloss Bückeburg in Bückeburg, then the capital of the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. Adolf was the seventh child of the eight children of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Prince Adolf had seven siblings:

In 1890, Prince Adolf met Princess Viktoria of Prussia, daughter of Friedrich III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal, during a visit to Princess Marie of Wied, the mother of Queen Elisabeth of Romania. On November 19, 1890, he married Viktoria, known as Moretta, in Berlin. After an extended honeymoon in Egypt and Greece, the couple took up residence in the Palais Schaumburg in Bonn. Moretta had a miscarriage early in the marriage and the couple remained childless.

Following the death of Woldemar, Prince of Lippe in 1895, Prince Adolf became the Regent for Woldemar’s successor and brother Alexander who was mentally incapacitated. Adolf served as Regent until 1897 when he was replaced by Count Ernst of Lippe-Biesterfeld.  Prince Adolf served in the Prussian Army and during World War I was the Deputy Commanding General of the 8th Corps in Bonn.

Prince Adolf died on July 9, 1916, in Bonn, Kingdom of Prussia, now in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and was buried in the family mausoleum (link in German) in the Bückeburg Palace Park in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in Lower Saxony, 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.

Prince Sigismund of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The first grandchild of Queen Victoria to die, Prince Sigismund of Prussia (Franz Friedrich Sigismund) was born on September 15, 1864, at the Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany. He was the fourth of the eight children of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Victoria, Princess Royal.

Sigismund had seven siblings:

Sigismund’s mother, known in the family as Vicky, felt a special closeness to her fourth child. Vicky’s first three children all had their own difficulties, and she had always felt more intimate with her five younger children. The first three children were not allowed to be breastfed by their mother. On orders from their paternal grandmother Queen Augusta, they were fed by wet nurses. By the time Vicky had her fourth child, she had enough self-confidence to defy her mother-in-law and breastfeed Sigismund. Perhaps it was the experience of breastfeeding Sigismund that fostered that special closeness.

Two months after Sigismund’s birth, Vicky wrote to one of her mother’s ladies-in-waiting, “My little darling has grown so fat! He has not had a single ache or pain…and sleeps like a top. I cannot say how happy I am with him and what a delight nursing is. I really think that I have never been so happy, and I certainly never loved one of the others so much…” As Sigismund became a toddler, Vicky thought him much cleverer and more intelligent than his three elder siblings and believed he would have great potential when he grew up.

On June 4, 1866, Vicky’s husband Fritz was on his way to the front of the Austro-Prussian War.  Even before his father left, Sigismund had been fretful and it was thought to be caused by teething. However, the day after Fritz left, Sigismund was unable to eat or sleep. Twenty-four hours later, he could no longer stand. Because all the doctors normally used by the family had left with the army, Vicky was forced to consult doctors unknown to her who gave her the terrible news that her son had meningitis. At that time, there was no successful treatment for meningitis, and death usually occurred. Sigismund’s convulsions grew increasingly worse until he died in agony on June 18, 1866, only 21 months old. Vicky wrote to her mother Queen Victoria, “Oh to see it suffer so cruelly, to see it die and hear its last piteous cry was an agony I cannot describe, it haunts me night and day!”

Vicky was without her husband to comfort her, and her mother-in-law Queen Augusta personally went to the front to tell Fritz. Fritz’s father gave him permission to come home for the funeral, but Fritz declined. He said, “I am in the service of the fatherland. I would never forgive myself if we were attacked when I was absent from my post.” Understandably, Vicky did not comprehend this and wrote to her husband, “In you, of course, the soldier is uppermost.”

Vicky prepared a small room in the Friedenskirche in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, with carpets, cushions, pictures, and flowers to receive the tiny coffin. In great shock, Vicky was the only one who attended Sigismund’s funeral who did not cry.

After Sigismund’s father died in 1888, the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum was added to the Friedenskirche, and Sigismund and his brother Waldemar, who died of diphtheria when he was eleven years old, were re-interred there.

Tomb of Prince Sigismund; Credit – Wikipedia

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.

Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, Princess of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

 

Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine was the third daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine. She is often overlooked, as history tends to focus on two of her sisters – Ella and Alix – who both married into the Russian Imperial Family and tragically lost their lives at the hands of the Bolsheviks in 1918. Irene’s obscurity would likely be satisfying to the Princess, who much preferred living her life out of the spotlight. She was born Princess Irene Luise Maria Anna on July 11, 1866, at the New Palace in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany and had six siblings:

Irene was just 12 years old in 1878 when her mother died, following an outbreak of diphtheria in the family which also took the life of her youngest sister, May. Much of the next years were spent, along with her sisters, under the supervision of their grandmother, Queen Victoria. The Queen had taken a particular interest in the children following Alice’s death, overseeing almost every aspect of their lives. Soon, following the marriages of her two elder sisters in 1884, Irene became the eldest daughter living at home, and thus became her father’s companion and often served as hostess for his official events.

Wedding of Irene and Heinrich, 1888. photo: Wikipedia

On May 24, 1888, in the chapel of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, Irene married her first cousin, Prince Heinrich of Prussia. He was the second son of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia, and Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. Like her own mother, Irene was a carrier of hemophilia and passed it to two of her sons. They were two of the nine descendants of Queen Victoria who suffered from the disease. (Read more here — Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants)

The couple had three children:

  • Waldemar (1889-1945) – married Princess Calixta of Lippe-Biesterfeld, no issue; a hemophiliac who died at age 56 in Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany  due to lack of blood transfusion facilities as the Russians and Americans advanced on Germany at the very end of World War II
  • Sigismund (1896-1978) – married Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg, had issue
  • Heinrich (1900-1904) – hemophiliac, died at age 4 from a brain hemorrhage due to a fall

Prince Henry with his wife, Princess Irene, and their two surviving sons Waldemar and Sigismund; Credit – Wikipedia

Irene and her husband gained the nickname “The Very Amiables” because of their quiet, unassuming manner. Perfectly happy to stay home and enjoy their family, they were the least royal of the Prussian royals of the time. Heinrich’s primary focus was his military career, and Irene’s was raising her family. In 1894, they bought Hemmelmark, an estate in Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, KIngdom of Prussia, now in Germany, as it was close to Heinrich’s military base in Kiel. Hemmelmark would become the family’s primary home, with occasional stays in Potsdam and Berlin when royal duty called.

photo: Wikipedia

Irene remained very close to her siblings. She and her sister Victoria often traveled to Russia to visit Ella and Alix, and back to Darmstadt to visit their brother Ernie. The families would all gather for vacations in Hesse, often staying at Schloss Wolfsgarten. The above photo shows the siblings with their spouses, gathered in Darmstadt in 1903 for the wedding of Princess Alice of Battenberg. L-R: Ernie, Alix, Nicholas II, Irene, Heinrich, Ella, Serge, Victoria, and Louis.

Irene and her sisters were separated during World War I, with the others being on opposite sides and, for the most part, unable to communicate with each other. It would not be until the end of the war that Irene would learn of the murders of her sisters Ella and Alix, as well as Alix’s whole family. Meanwhile, in Prussia, her brother-in-law (and first cousin) Kaiser Wilhelm II, was forced to abdicate, bringing an end to the Prussian monarchy. While he was banished from the country, Irene and Heinrich were able to remain and lived the remainder of their days at Hemmelmark.

In 1920, Irene met with Anna Anderson, the woman who claimed to be her niece, Grand Duchess Anastasia. Although Irene surely held hope that one of her nieces had survived the family’s execution, she quickly found Anderson to be a fake. It was a subject that caused great stress to Irene, with her husband banning Anderson’s name from being brought up in his wife’s presence. Some years later, Irene’s son would pose some questions to Anderson about their childhood and found that Anderson answered them all to his satisfaction. Many years later, Anderson’s claim was proven false thanks to DNA evidence.

Following her husband’s death in 1929, Irene continued to live at Hemmelmark. More losses would come in the following years. Her brother Ernie died in 1937, followed just weeks later by the horrific plane crash which took the lives of Ernie’s widow, his elder son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons. Then, World War II broke out, once again separating Irene from her only remaining sibling, her sister Victoria.

Following the war, and her sister’s death in 1950, Irene spent her remaining years quietly, often in the company of her granddaughter Princess Barbara of Prussia. On November 11, 1953, Princess Irene passed away at Hemmelmark with Barbara by her side. She was buried beside her husband and youngest son in the chapel on the grounds of Hemmelmark.

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.

Prince Heinrich of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Heinrich of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Heinrich of Prussia (Albert Wilhelm Heinrich) was Grand Admiral of the German Imperial Navy, a brother of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and a grandson of Queen Victoria. Heinrich (Albert Wilhelm Heinrich) was born on August 14, 1862, at the Kronprinzenpalais (Crown Prince’s Palace) in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. He was the third of the eight children of Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest child of Queen Victoria.

Heinrich had seven siblings:

Heinrich’s family; Credit – Wikipedia

As a baby Heinrich was fretful and as a toddler, he was unsteady on his legs, crying to be carried around, or just plain crying. When Heinrich was 3 1/2 years old, his mother sent him off to England to spend the winter with his grandmother Queen Victoria and sent this warning, “You do not know how much trouble we have had with Henry…He never spoke the truth, roared by hours together if the least thing was refused him…bit, kicked and scratched the maids if they did not instantly do what he chose…”

Five-year-old Heinrich started his lessons with Georg Hinzpeter, who was already the tutor of Heinrich’s elder brother Wilhelm. Hinzpeter complained that Heinrich was “very backward and slow.” When Heinrich was eleven years old, his mother wrote to Queen Victoria, ” Henry is so awfully backward in every thing…is hopelessly lazy, drole, and idle about his lessons – but such a good natured boy – everyone likes him…” Eventually, it was decided that the best thing for Heinrich was to put him in the navy.

In 1877, at the age of 15, Heinrich entered the German Imperial Navy.  His training included a two-year voyage around the world (1878 to 1880), the naval officer examination (Seeoffizierhauptprüfung) in October 1880, and attendance at German Imperial Naval Academy (1884 to 1886).

Heinrich held various commands:

In 1899, Heinrich became Commander of the East Asia Squadron and in 1903, he returned to Germany as the Commander of the Baltic Sea Naval Station. From 1906 to 1909, Henry was Commander of the High Seas Fleet. He was promoted to Grand Admiral (Großadmiral) in 1909, the highest rank in the German Imperial Navy.

On May 24, 1888, Heinrich married his first cousin, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine at the chapel in Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. Irene was the daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria’s second eldest daughter. At the time of the wedding, Heinrich’s father and Irene’s uncle by marriage, Friedrich III, German Emperor (known as Fritz), was suffering from cancer of the larynx and would die in less than a month. To honor his son, Fritz wore one of his full-dress uniforms with the Hessian Order and the Order of the Garter Star, entered the chapel leaning heavily on a cane, and although pale and thin, looked quite dignified. He can be seen in the photo below next to his wife who is to the right of the minister. Among other guests were the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) who was the uncle of both the bride and groom, Grand Duke Serge Alexandrovich of Russia and his wife Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna (born Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, sister of the bride), and Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg (the princess was born Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, sister of the bride).

Wedding of Heinrich and Irene; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Unfortunately, Irene was a hemophilia carrier having inherited the gene from her mother Princess Alice who had inherited it from her mother Queen Victoria. Nine of Queen Victoria’s descendants were afflicted with hemophilia and two of them were Heinrich and Irene’s sons.
Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants

  • Prince Waldemar (1889 – 1945) married Princess Calixta of Lippe-Biesterfeld, no issue; a hemophiliac who died at age 56 in Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany due to lack of blood transfusion facilities as the Russians and Americans advanced on Germany at the very end of World War II
  • Prince Sigismund (1896 – 1978) married Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg, had one son and one daughter
  • Prince Heinrich (1900 – 1904), a hemophiliac, died at age 4 from a brain hemorrhage due to a fall

Prince Henry with his wife, Princess Irene, and their two surviving sons Waldemar and Sigismund; Credit – Wikipedia

At the beginning of World War I, Heinrich was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet. He was charged with preventing the Russian Navy from attacking the German coast and was successful. At the end of World War I, and with the abdication of his brother Wilhelm as German Emperor and King of Prussia, Heinrich left the navy.

 

After the dissolution of the German monarchies, Heinrich and his family lived at Hemmelmark, an estate in Eckernförde in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Heinrich had bought the estate in 1894 because it was near his residence in the naval port city of Kiel. He continued participating in motorsports and sailing and was successful in sailing regattas even in his old age. Heinrich popularized the Prinz-Heinrich-Mütze (“Prince Henry cap”), still worn by some sailors.

Hemmelmark; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Heinrich died of throat cancer at the age of 66, at his home Hemmelmark on April 20, 1929. He was buried in a Russian-style chapel surrounded by trees, built on a field at Hemmelmark. Princess Irene died in 1953 at the age of 87 and was interred with her husband.

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.

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, photo: Wikipedia

Grand Duke Sergei “Serge” Alexandrovich of Russia was the husband of Princess Elisabeth “Ella” of Hesse and by Rhine, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. He was born on May 11, 1857, at the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo near St. Petersburg, Russia, the son of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia and Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.

He had seven siblings:

Serge (left) with his mother and brother Paul. Photo: Wikipedia

From an early age, Serge exhibited a passion for languages, music, and the arts, and his early studies focused strongly on these areas. However, he was destined for a career in the Russian military. Following his education, he took the oath of allegiance to the Emperor on his 20th birthday and then served in the Imperial Guard during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. He continued his military service and also traveled around the world representing his father. In June 1880, his mother died of tuberculosis while he was on a trip to Italy, and the following March, his father was assassinated. His elder brother, to whom he was very close, became Emperor Alexander III.

In June 1881, Grand Duke Serge, along with his younger brother Paul, traveled to Palestine and Jerusalem, where he established – and served as president of – The Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, an organization devoted to the preservation and upkeep of the Orthodox shrines, as well as providing services to the Russian pilgrims who visited the lands. This is one of the projects which gave him the most pleasure and satisfaction, and one which he held very dearly for the remainder of his life. The following year, his brother appointed him to the Preobrazhensky Life Guard Regiment, the most senior military group in the Russian forces. Serge eventually reached the rank of Colonel and served as commander of the regiment until 1891.

Sergei with his wife Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine – photo: Wikipedia

Serge was enamored with his first cousin once removed, Princess Elisabeth “Ella” of Hesse and by Rhine. Ella was the daughter of Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine, and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, the second daughter of Queen Victoria. They were both descended from Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and by Rhine, and often saw each other at family gatherings. Queen Victoria was strongly against a marriage, primarily due to her strong distaste for all things Russian. Despite the misgivings of the two families, Serge was intent on making Elisabeth his bride. In 1883, during a visit to Wolfsgarten, Serge proposed and Ella accepted. The engagement was announced publicly the following February when Serge was again visiting Darmstadt.

The couple married on June 15, 1884, at the Grand Church of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia. Ella had not yet converted to Orthodoxy, so there were two ceremonies – one Lutheran and one Russian Orthodox. The wedding was attended by many royals from around Europe, with the noticeable exception of Queen Victoria. Instead, she was represented by two of her sons, The Prince of Wales, and Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (Serge’s brother-in-law). Following the wedding, they spent their honeymoon at Ilinskoye, Serge’s country estate outside of Moscow, and then settled at the Sergeivsky Palace in St. Petersburg. In addition to these two homes, they also had a home on the grounds of Peterhof, and a house on the bank of the Moskva River. Serge and Ella did not have any children of their own. However, they later took in the children of Serge’s brother Grand Duke Paul – Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (the younger), and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. The children’s mother had died in 1891, and they spent much time with Serge and Ella. In 1902, when Paul entered into a morganatic marriage and was banished from Russia, he was not permitted to take the children, and they were formally put under the guardianship of Serge and Ella.

The couple was very close with Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna and were often asked to represent them at royal events elsewhere in the world. In 1887, they represented the Emperor at Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and the following year attended the consecration of the church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem, which was built in memory of their mother, the late Empress Maria Alexandrovna.

Serge, 1892. photo: Wikipedia

In 1891, Emperor Alexander III appointed Serge Governor-General of Moscow, and in the following years was also appointed to the Imperial State Council and made Commander of the Moscow military district. When Emperor Alexander III died in 1894, he was succeeded by his son Emperor Nicholas II. As Governor-General, Serge was responsible for major activities and events in Moscow, including the 1896 Coronation of his nephew Emperor Nicholas II. As part of the events surrounding the coronation, a large event was held at the Khodynka Field just outside of Moscow. Unprepared for such a large number of people and with minimal police presence, over 1,300 people were killed when the crowds surged forward hoping to come closer to the activities. Serge, as Governor-General, bore the ultimate responsibility for the tragedy but refused to accept blame instead of passing it on to others.

Over the next 13 years, Serge would eventually become disenchanted with the policies and decisions of his nephew. Finally, after massive losses in the Russo-Japanese War, Serge resigned as Governor-General of Moscow on January 1, 1905.

Having been targeted by assassins (as were most of the Imperial family), Serge moved to the Nicholas Palace within the walls of the Kremlin. Often more concerned with others’ safety than his own, he began to travel without any of his aides, particularly those with families. It was on one of these outings, with just his carriage driver, that his life would come to a tragic end.

the remains of the carriage in which Serge was killed. photo: Wikipedia

On February 17, 1905, Grand Duke Serge left the Nicholas Palace in his carriage, en route to the Governor General’s mansion where he was in the process of clearing out his office. He had just come through one of the gate towers when an assassin threw a nitroglycerin bomb into the carriage from just a few feet away. The bomb landed in Serge’s lap and exploded. The Grand Duke was killed instantly, his body was literally blown to pieces. The assassin, Ivan Kalyayev, who was injured in the attack, was promptly arrested and later executed. Serge’s wife, having heard the blast from the Nicholas Palace, rushed to the scene and began to gather what was left of Serge’s body.

He was buried in a crypt at the Chudov Monastery within the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. The monastery had been demolished in 1928, and it was not until 1990 that Serge’s grave was discovered. In 1995, his remains were exhumed and reburied in a crypt at the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow, Russia.

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.

Bibliography of Royal Biographies: Queen Victoria and Family

The Family of Queen Victoria in 1887 by Laurits Regner Tuxen; Credit – The Royal Collection Trust

We have used many of the books below from our own personal libraries as resources in our articles about Queen Victoria and her family.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

General

  • Ask Sir James – Michaela Reid (about Sir James Reid, Queen Victoria’s personal physician)
  • Childhood At Court, 1819-1914 – John Van der Kiste
  • Grandmama of Europe: The Crowned Descendants of Queen Victoria – Theo Aronson
  • Life at the Court of Queen Victoria – Barry St. John-Nevill
  • Purple Secret – Genes, Madness and the Royal Houses of Europe – John C.G. Rohl, Martin Warren, and David Hunt
  • Queen Victoria’s Descendants – Marlene A. Eilers
  • Queen Victoria’s Family: A Century of Photographs – Charlotte Zeepvat
  • Queen Victoria’s Gene: Hemophilia and the Royal Family – D.M. Potts
  • Queen Victoria’s Jubilees: 1887 and 1897 – Caroline Chapman
  • Serving Victoria: Life in the Royal Household – Kate Hubbard

Biographies of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

  • Becoming Queen Victoria: The Unexpected Rise of Britain’s Greatest Monarch – Kate Williams
  • Dear Papa, Beloved Mama: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as Parents – Christina Croft
  • Farewell to Splendor: The Passing of Queen Victoria – Jerrold Packard
  • Her Little Majesty – Carolly Erickson
  • Prince Albert: The Man Who Saved the Monarchy – A. N. Wilson
  • Queen Victoria – Walter L. Arnstein
  • Queen Victoria: A Life of Contradictions – Matthew Dennison
  • Queen Victoria: A Personal History – Christopher Hibbert
  • Queen Victoria: Twenty-Four Days That Changed Her Life (US edition)/Queen Victoria: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Widow (UK edition) – Lucy Worsley
  • Queen Victoria’s Highland Journals – Queen Victoria, edited by David Duff
  • Queen Victoria’s Secrets – Adrienne Munich
  • Shooting Victoria – Paul Thomas Murphy
  • Twilight of Splendor: The Court of Queen Victoria During Her Diamond Jubilee Year – Greg King
  • Uncrowned King: The Life of Prince Albert -Stanley Weintraub
  • Victoria: A Life – A. N. Wilson
  • Victoria R.I. – Elizabeth Longford
  • Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire – Julia Baird
  • We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners and Rivals – Gillian Gill

Quee Victoria’s Children

General

  • Queen Victoria’s Children – John Van der Kiste
  • Victoria’s Daughters – Jerrold M. Packard

Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress

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

King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

  • Edward and Alexandra: Their Private and Public Lives – Richard Alexander Hough
  • Edward VII: The Last Victorian King – Christopher Hibbert
  • King Edward VII – Philip Magnus
  • Queen Alexandra – Georgina Battiscombe
  • The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, The Playboy Prince – Jane Ridley
  • The Marlborough Set – Anita Leslie

Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse of Hesse and by Rhine

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

Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

  • Dearest Affie: Alfred, Queen Victoria’s Second Son – John Van Der Kiste

Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

  • Helena: A  Princess Reclaimed – S. Chomet
  • Helena: Queen Victoria’s Third Daughter – John Van der Kiste and Bee Jordaan

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll

  • Darling Loosy: Letters to Princess Louise (1856-1939) – Elizabeth Longford
  • Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Unconventional Daughter – Jehanne Wake
  • The Mystery of Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Rebellious Daughter – Lucinda Hawksley

Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught

  • Witness of a Century: Life and Times of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught (1850-1942) – Noble Frankland

Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany

  • Queen Victoria’s Youngest Son: The Untold Story of Prince Leopold – Charlotte Zeepvat

Princess Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg

  • The Last Princess: The Devoted Life of Queen Victoria’s Youngest Daughter – Matthew Dennison
  • The Shy Princess – David Duff

Queen Victoria’s Grandchildren

General

  • Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria – Julia P. Gelardi
  • Edward VII’s Children – John Van der Kiste
  • King, Kaiser, Tsar – Catrine Clay
  • Queen Victoria’s Granddaughters: 1860-1918 – Christina Croft
  • Queen Victoria’s Grandsons: 1859-1918 – Christina Croft
  • The Four Graces: Queen Victoria’s Hessian Granddaughters – Ilana D. Miller
  • The Prussian Princesses: The Sisters of Kaiser Wilhelm II – John Van der Kiste
  • The Royal Mob – Theresa Sherman

Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia

  • Kaiser Wilhelm II: Germany’s Last Emperor – John Van der Kiste
  • The Last German Empress: A Life of Empress Augusta Victoria, Consort of Emperor Wilhelm II –
  • Wilhelm II, Volume 1: Prince and Emperor 1859-1900 – Lamar Cecil
  • Wilhelm II, Volume 2: Emperor and Exile, 1900-1941 – Lamar Cecil

Princess Charlotte of Prussia, Princess of Saxe-Meiningen

  • Charlotte and Feodora: A Troubled Mother-Daughter Relationship in Imperial Prussia – John Van der Kiste

Prince Albert Victor of Wales (Eddy)

  • Prince Eddy: The King Britain Never Had – Andrew Cook

King George V of the United Kingdom

  • King George V – Kenneth Rose
  • King George V: His Life and Reign – Harold Nicolson

Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, Marchioness of Milford Haven

  • Advice to My Grand-daughter: Letters from Queen Victoria to Princess Victoria of Hesse – compiled by Richard Hough

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia

  • Elizabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia – Hugo Mager
  • The Life and Death of Ella, Grand Duchess of Russia: A Romanov Tragedy – Christopher Warwick

Princess Alix of Hesse of Hesse and by Rhine, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia

  • A Lifelong Passion – Sergei Mironenko and Andrei Maylunas
  • Nicholas and Alexandra – Robert Massie
  • The Last Empress: The Life and Times of Alexandra Feodorovna, Tsarina of Russia – Greg King

Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia

  • A Fatal Passion – Michael John Sullivan
  • Princess Victoria Melita: Grand Duchess Cyril of Russia 1876-1936 – John Van der Kiste

Princess Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania

  • The Last Romantic: A Biography of Queen Marie of Romania – Hannah Pakula
  • The Story of My Life – Queen Marie of Romania

Princess Marie Louise (of Schleswig-Holstein)

  • My Memories of Six Reigns – Princess Marie Louise

Princess Alice of Albany, Countess of Athlone

  • For My Grandchildren: Some Reminiscences of Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone  – Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
  • Princess Alice: Countess of Athlone – Theo Aronson

Prince Louis of Battenberg, Marquess of Milford Haven

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

photo: Wikipedia

Prince Louis of Battenberg, Marquess of Milford Haven

Prince Louis of Battenberg was the husband of Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Despite his German roots, he became a naturalized British subject at the age of 16 when he joined the British Royal Navy, where he would spend his entire career. In 1917, King George V asked all of his extended family to relinquish their German titles. Louis gave up his Battenberg title and took the surname Mountbatten (the anglicized version of Battenberg). The King then created him Marquess of Milford Haven in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

Louis was born Count Ludwig Alexander of Battenberg, on May 24, 1854, in Graz, Austria. He was the eldest son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, and Countess Julia Hauke. As his parents’ marriage was morganatic, Louis and his siblings took their titles from their mother, who had been created Countess of Battenberg (later elevated to Princess of Battenberg in 1858). Louis had four siblings:

In October 1868, having been influenced by his cousin’s wife, Princess Alice, and her brother, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Louis joined the British Royal Navy at just 14 years old. The next year, before his training was finished, the Prince of Wales requested Louis to be aboard his ship, the HMS Ariadne, as he and his wife cruised the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and visited Egypt. Upon his return, he served on several ships before again joining the Prince of Wales, this time on the HMS Serapis, in 1875 for the Prince’s tour of India. He then served under Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh about the HMS Sultan for the next two years. He served aboard the royal yacht HMY Osborne before being posted to the HMS Inconstant from 1880-1882. After some time visiting his brother Alexander, by that point the reigning Prince of Bulgaria, Louis was appointed to the royal yacht HMY Victoria and Albert in 1883.

On April 30, 1884, in Darmstadt, Louis married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the daughter of his first cousin, Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine, and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom. The couple had four children:

Louis and Victoria with their two eldest children, c. 1890. Photo: Wikipedia

Louis was much loved by his wife’s grandmother, Queen Victoria, who along with her son the Prince of Wales, often stepped in to help Louis’ career. These gestures, while well-intended, were not always welcomed by the young Louis. However, through his own efforts and accomplishments, he was raised to the rank of Commander in 1885, and then Captain in 1891. In 1892, he invented the Battenberg Course Indicator, a device used to determine course and speed to steer for changes of position between ships.

Captain Louis Battenberg, 1894. Photo: Wikipedia

His rank continued to rise, as did his influence in the Royal Navy. In 1902, he was made Director of Naval Intelligence, and two years later elevated to Rear Admiral. In 1908, he was made Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet. Having served aboard for many years, he returned to the Admiralty in 1911, as Second Sea Lord, and was made Admiral in July 1912. Five months later, Prince Louis was made First Sea Lord.

However, in 1914, with war imminent, there was an intense anti-German sentiment in Britain. Louis, despite his exemplary career in the Royal Navy, was still seen by many as just a German prince. There were false accusations in the media of spying for the Germans. In fact, due to his German relations, he was able to learn much about the German military and share that information with the Brits. Despite protests from King George V, Louis was asked to resign his position as First Sea Lord in October 1914. The King appointed him to the Privy Council, in what was deemed to be a public show of support for what he felt was Louis’ mistreatment by the navy. The next few years were spent living quietly at Kent House on the Isle of Wight, England although Louis had been assured that he would be recalled to service after the war.

 

In 1917, King George asked his family to relinquish their German titles. Prince Louis of Battenberg gave up his royal style and took on the surname Mountbatten – the anglicized version of Battenberg. The King offered him a Dukedom, however, Louis declined as he was not able to maintain the lifestyle accustomed to that level of the peerage. He was the only one of the extended family to be offered a dukedom, an indication of the level of respect and esteem the King felt for him. Instead, he was created Marquess of Milford Haven.

In late 1918, Louis was informed that he would not be recalled to service, and he formally retired from the Royal Navy on January 1, 1919, after a career lasting nearly 50 years. Louis and Victoria, now facing reduced income, sold Kent House and Schloss Heiligenberg in Hesse, Germany, which Louis had inherited from his father. They took up residence at Fishponds, a home on the grounds of Netley Castle in Hampshire, England. Netley Castle was owned by Lt. Colonel Crichton, whose wife, Nona, had been a lady-in-waiting and close companion of Louis’ wife Victoria.

Following his retirement, he was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet on the retired list and was appointed to the Military Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath by the King. In late August 1921, he was invited to board the HMS Repulse, on which his younger son was serving, and spent a week aboard the ship. It would be his last journey. While aboard, he caught a cold which later turned to pneumonia. On September 11, 1921, while staying at the Naval & Military Club in London, England, Louis fell ill. While his wife was out at a pharmacy picking up prescriptions for him, Louis suffered a heart attack and died. He was 67 years old. Several days later, his remains were brought to the Isle of Wight, where he and his wife had enjoyed some of the happiest years living at Kent House. Following a funeral at Westminster Abbey, he was buried in the grounds of St Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England. His wife, who survived him by 29 years, is buried by his side.

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.

Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, Marchioness of Milford Haven

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, Marchioness of Milford Haven. photo: Wikipedia

Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, Marchioness of Milford Haven is often overlooked in history due to the accomplishments and fame of her family members – two sisters who became Russian royalty and were killed during the Russian Revolution; a son who became one of the most decorated military heroes in British history; and a grandson who married the future Queen Elizabeth II. However, Victoria herself is quite fascinating in her own right.

Princess Victoria Alberta Elisabeth Mathilde Marie of Hesse and by Rhine was born in the Tapestry Room at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on April 5, 1863, in the presence of her grandmother and namesake Queen Victoria. The two Victorias shared a very close bond that would last their entire lives. The younger Victoria was the eldest child of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine. It is through Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine that the British Royal Family is not only the descendants of Queen Victoria’s son King Edward VII but also of her daughter Princess Alice. Princess Alice of the United Kingdom → Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine → Princess Alice of Battenberg → Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh → King Charles III of the United Kingdom

Princess Alice holding the young Princess Victoria

On April 27, 1863, in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, Victoria was christened in the arms of her grandmother and namesake by the Lutheran Hessian court chaplain who had come to Windsor Castle for the occasion.

Her godparents were:

Victoria had six younger siblings:

Victoria was educated privately, as was typical for the times, and was quite intellectual. She and her sister, Ella being so close in age, were educated together and shared a room. They would remain extremely close until Ella’s tragic death in 1918. As a child, Victoria developed a love of books, becoming an avid reader, and at an early age began to keep a record of all the books she read. This continued for the rest of her life.

Princess Victoria and her three surviving sisters mourning their mother, 1879; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

In November 1878, Victoria fell ill with diphtheria. The illness quickly spread to most of her family, with some of them dangerously sick. On the 16th of the month, her youngest sister, May, succumbed to diphtheria and died. Less than a month later, her mother, who had nursed the family back to health, also fell victim and died on December 14, 1878. Alice’s death devastated the family, and Victoria found herself suddenly placed in the role of surrogate mother to her younger siblings. She also began to serve as a companion to her father and later became the hostess for many of his official duties.

On April 30, 1884, in the chapel of the Old Palace in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany, Victoria married her father’s first cousin, Prince Louis of Battenberg, the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, and Princess Julia of Battenberg (born Countess Julia Hauke). Victoria’s father was personally against the marriage, primarily because he would be losing his eldest daughter and companion, and also because his cousin did not have the financial resources that most other royal husbands would be able to provide. Victoria, however, would have none of the reservations her father had, and being fiercely independent, made it clear that she intended to marry with or without her father’s blessing. In the end, Ludwig put his daughter’s happiness ahead of his own. The wedding, which had been postponed a few weeks due to the death of Victoria’s uncle, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, was attended by many of the extended family from Europe, including Queen Victoria, and The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Prussia (Victoria’s aunt). The couple honeymooned for a week at Heiligenberg before returning to England where Louis was serving in the Royal Navy. Prince Louis had become a naturalized British subject in 1868, having joined the British Navy. They leased Sennicotts, a country home in Chichester, England as their first home.

Standing: Princess Alice, Prince George; Sitting L to R: Princess Louise, Prince Louis, Princess Victoria holding Prince Louis; Credit – Wikipedia

Victoria and Louis had four children:

Victoria’s life moved around quite a bit, with her husband taking up residence in different places based on his Navy assignments. In 1896, at her husband’s urging, she brought on Cecil Nona Kerr as a lady-in-waiting. The two became close companions and friends, and Nona helped with raising the children. Nona stayed with Victoria until her own marriage in 1915, but the two remained lifelong friends.

Victoria (far right) with her siblings and their spouses at the wedding of her daughter Alice to Prince Andrew of Greece, 1903. photo: Wikipedia

In addition to moving around with her husband, Victoria was constantly on the move, visiting relatives and friends around the world. She made extended visits back to Darmstadt, visiting her brother Ernie, as well as visiting her sister Irene in Prussia, and her sisters Ella and Alix in Russia. It was on one of these Russian visits in 1914 that Victoria received an urgent telegram from her husband, instructing her to come home immediately, as World War I was breaking out in Europe. Accompanied by her daughter Louise, and Nona Kerr, Victoria quickly made arrangements to return home, and assuming Russia would be safe, left all of her jewels with Alix for safekeeping. Sadly, it would be the last time she would see either Ella or Alix, as both were killed by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Victoria returned home to Kent House, on the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, England. The property had been inherited by her aunt, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, upon Queen Victoria’s death. And in 1913, Louise gave the home to Victoria and Louis. Having leased properties for their entire marriage, Kent House was the only home in the United Kingdom that the couple ever owned.

1914 saw more changes for the couple. Prince Louis, who had spent his entire life in the British Royal Navy, and had earned the rank of First Sea Lord, was forced to resign due to widespread anti-German sentiment. Despite protests from King George V, Louis resigned from the position in October 1914. While still remaining in the Royal Navy, he spent his remaining years in basic retirement at Kent House, having been assured a return to service following the war.

Due to anti-German sentiment, in 1917, King George V changed the name of the royal house to Windsor and asked all of his relatives to relinquish their German titles. Giving up their Battenberg titles, the couple took on the surname Mountbatten, the anglicized version of Battenberg. Victoria was offered the option to retain her style of Princess Victoria (without the Hesse and by Rhine), but she declined this, stating that her husband’s title, whatever it was, was good enough for her. Louis was created Marquess of Milford Haven, having initially been offered a Dukedom, but declining as he felt unable to meet the financial requirements and lifestyle of the title. He was the only one of the relatives offered a dukedom, most likely in recognition of the King’s deep respect for both Louis and Victoria. Victoria, however, was disappointed with her cousin for bringing about the name change. To her, it was just another slap in the face to her husband, who had devoted his life to Britain. They would remain close, but she never fully forgave him.

 

The new Marquess and Marchioness continued to live a quiet retirement at Kent House. However, after the war, Louis was informed that he would not be recalled to service, and formally retired from the Royal Navy in January 1919. Soon, due to financial reasons, Victoria sold Kent House. They were also forced to sell Schloss Heiligenberg  (which Louis had inherited from his father), earning just a fraction of its value. Nona Kerr’s husband, Lt Col Crichton, offered them a home – called Fishponds – on the grounds of his home, Netley Castle in Netley, Hampshire, England. They settled there for the next several years.

Prince Louis, Marquess of Milford Haven died suddenly on September 11, 1921, in London, England. Victoria was devastated. Their marriage had truly been a love match that survived through the ages. Concerned for her financial position, King George offered Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, but she declined, having already paid up the lease on Fishponds until 1922. At that point, she did accept his offer of apartments in Kensington Palace in London, England. After extensive renovations overseen by Victoria and Queen Mary (the space was formerly the Chapel Royal until 1901), Victoria moved into Apartment 7 in the winter of 1922 and would remain there until her death.

By the 1930s, Victoria had become a surrogate mother to her grandson Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, the future husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Her daughter Alice had suffered several breakdowns and spent many years institutionalized. Victoria, along with her two sons, took over the care of the young Philip, overseeing his education and social ventures. Victoria continued her travels, seemingly always off visiting some relative or another. She continued to spend time in Darmstadt with Ernie and his family, often accompanied by her sister Irene.

The late 1930s would see more tragic losses in Victoria’s life. 1937 saw the death of her brother Ernie, followed weeks later by the tragic plane crash that killed Ernie’s widow, their elder son, his wife (also Victoria’s granddaughter), and their two young sons. The following year, her own son George died of bone cancer. The losses took a heavy toll on Victoria.

When World War II came, Victoria spent much of her time at Windsor Castle with King George VI and his family after Kensington Palace had been bombed. During this time, her grandson Philip made frequent visits which also allowed him to spend time with his future wife. So it was with great pleasure that Victoria welcomed the announcement of the engagement of her grandson Philip to Princess Elizabeth in 1947. Despite the loss of her titles and the hardships that she had endured in life, she found great satisfaction in knowing that her descendants would one day occupy the throne of the United Kingdom.

Christening of the future King Charles III with his parents and godparents: Seated left to right: Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (born Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine), the then Princess Elizabeth holding the infant Charles and Queen Mary. Standing left to right: Patricia Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (representing godparent Prince George of Greece), King George VI, David Bowes-Lyon, Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (representing godparent King Haakon of Norway), and Princess Margaret

On December 15, 1948, Victoria served as one of the godparents to her great-grandson, the future King Charles III. Once a vibrant woman, she appears quite tiny and frail in the photos. It would be one of the last official functions that she attended. Over the next two years, Victoria’s health began to diminish. She spent most of her time at Kensington Palace or Broadlands, her son Louis’ home in Hampshire. During the summer of 1950, while at Broadlands, Victoria developed bronchitis, and suffered a heart attack. Sensing the end was near, she insisted on returning home to Kensington Palace. It was here, on the morning of September 24, 1950, that she passed away, surrounded by her three surviving children. Four days later, she was buried beside her husband on the grounds of St Mildred’s Church in Whippingham on the Isle of Wight.

St Mildred’s Church, Whippingham. photo: Wikipedia

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

  • Advice to My Grand-daughter: Letters from Queen Victoria to Princess Victoria of Hesse – compiled by Richard Hough

Who Are The Battenbergs?

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

The Battenbergs were a morganatic branch of the Grand Ducal family of Hesse and by Rhine. The name began when Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, the youngest son of Grand Duke Ludwig II, entered into a morganatic marriage in 1851. Later, the name would be anglicized to Mountbatten, a name very familiar to the British Royal Family.

Ten years earlier, Prince Alexander had accompanied his younger sister, Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine, to Russia where she was married to the Tsarevich (the future Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia). Prince Alexander remained there after the wedding, establishing himself in the Russian military and becoming a prominent member of the Imperial court. Emperor Alexander II was even considering Alexander as a possible spouse for one of his daughters. However, Alexander had other plans. In fact, he had fallen in love with one of his sister’s ladies-in-waiting, Countess Julia Hauke.

Julia Hauke was the orphaned daughter of Count Johann Mauritz Hauke, a lifelong soldier, and Deputy Minister of War of Congress of Poland. He and his wife were killed in an assassination attempt on Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, and their children became wards of  Alexander I, Emperor of all Russia. She later became a lady-in-waiting to the new wife of the Tsarevich, the former Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine, Alexander’s sister.

Alexander and Julia. Photo: Wikipedia

Alexander and Julia were in love, and despite being banned from marrying by the Emperor, the couple eloped and left the Russian court. Prince Alexander was stripped of his Russian honors and military appointments, basically leaving him as a deserter from the Russian Army. The couple managed to get away, and married on October 28, 1851, in Breslau, Silesia (now Wrocław in Poland).

By this time, Alexander’s brother was the reigning Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, Ludwig III. The Grand Duke allowed the couple to settle in Hesse. Although he recognized their marriage, it was considered morganatic, meaning that none of their children would be in the line of succession to the grand ducal throne. It also meant that neither Julia nor their children would receive any titles from Alexander. Instead, the Grand Duke granted Julia the hereditary title Countess of Battenberg, with the style Illustrious Highness. This is the title that would pass to the couple’s children. Later, in 1858, the Grand Duke would elevate Julia and her children to the title of Prince/Princess of Battenberg, with the style Serene Highness. The origin of the title came from the small town of Battenberg in northwestern Hesse, and its castle Schloss Battenberg.

The couple had five children:

Prince Alexander served with the Austrian army and held a command position in Hesse’s forces. Following Prussia’s defeat of Austria in 1866, he retired from the military and the family lived a quiet life. They split their time between the Alexander Palace (also known as the Battenberg Palace) in Darmstadt, and their country residence, Heiligenberg Castle in Seeheim-Jugenheim.

Because of the unequal marriage between Alexander and Julia, their children were often overlooked by other royal families when searching for prospective spouses. At the time, many monarchies would not even consider the idea of someone of a “lesser birth” marrying into their family. Fortunately, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom had no such misgivings.  Eventually, all five of the Battenberg children made successful marriages.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Princess Marie. photo: Wikipedia

Princess Marie of Battenberg

Marie married Count Gustav of Erbach-Schönberg in 1871. Gustav was later elevated to Prince by the Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine in 1903. They had four children.

Prince Ludwig (“Louis”). photo: Wikipedia

Prince Louis of Battenberg

Louis married his first cousin once removed, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Louis served as First Sea Lord before stepping down at the onset of World War I due to anti-German sentiment. Louis and Victoria relinquished their German titles in 1917 and were created Marquess and Marchioness of Mountbatten – the anglicized version of Battenberg. They had four children:

Prince Alexander. photo: Wikipedia

Prince Alexander of Battenberg

Alexander (known as ‘Sandro’) was elected Prince of Bulgaria and held the throne from 1879-1886. He later married Johanna Loisinger and took the style Count of Hartenau. The couple had two children who took on the surname ‘von Hartenau’.

Prince Heinrich (“Henry”). photo: Wikipedia

Prince Henry of Battenberg

Henry married Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. The family lived in the Queen’s household where Beatrice served as her mother’s secretary and companion. Having convinced his mother-in-law to allow him to serve with British forces in the Ashanti War, Henry died of malaria on the journey. He was just 37 years old. In 1919, his wife and children relinquished their German titles and took on the surname Mountbatten. Henry and Beatrice had four children:

Prince Franz Joseph. photo: Wikipedia

Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg

Franz Joseph married Princess Anna of Montenegro, the daughter of King Nicholas I of Montenegro and Milena Vukotić. He served as an officer in the Bulgarian army during his brother Alexander’s reign. He was a favorite of Queen Victoria and met his wife at a dinner party held by The Queen while on holiday in Cimiez, Nice. The couple had no children.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In 1917, King George V of the United Kingdom asked all of his family, and extended family to relinquish their German titles due to the anti-German feelings in the United Kingdom. For the Battenbergs, this affected Prince Louis and the family of Prince Henry, who had died 21 years earlier.  They gave up their Battenberg titles and took on the surname Mountbatten, the anglicized version of Battenberg.

Prince Louis became Louis Mountbatten and was created Marquess of Milford Haven.  His elder son took the courtesy title of Earl Medina, and his younger son became Lord Louis Mountbatten.  His daughter Louise became Lady Louise Mountbatten.  His elder daughter, Alice, was already married and had become Princess Andrew of Greece.

Prince Henry’s two surviving sons both took the surname Mountbatten as well.  His eldest son, Prince Alexander became Alexander Mountbatten and was created Marquess of Carisbrooke. His younger son, Prince Leopold, became Lord Leopold Mountbatten.  Henry’s daughter Victoria Eugenie was already Queen of Spain, and his youngest son Maurice had been killed in action before the title changes had occurred.

The Mountbatten name continues today through the descendants of Prince Louis. Although his daughter Alice never took on the Mountbatten name, her son did. Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, was born Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark. He gave up his royal titles upon joining the British Royal Navy and took on the name Philip Mountbatten. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II issued an Order in Council declaring that her descendants, when needing a surname, would use Mountbatten-Windsor.

The Mountbatten name also continues through Prince Louis’ two sons, both as a surname and a title. His elder son George succeeded him as Marquess of Milford Haven and that title continues today with Louis’ great-grandson, also named George Mountbatten. Louis’ younger son, Lord Louis Mountbatten, later served as First Sea Lord like his father before him and became the last Viceroy, and first Governor-General, of India. He was later created Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a title which passed down to his elder daughter, Patricia Mountbatten Knatchbull.  Countess Mountbatten passed away in 2017, and the title passed to her son Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

The name ceased in Prince Henry descendants in the following generation.  Henry’s eldest son, Alexander, had just one daughter Iris.  Upon her marriage in 1941, the surname ceased in this branch of the family.  Lord Leopold Mountbatten died unmarried, with no children.

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.