Category Archives: Battenberg Royals

Wedding of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Marriage of Princess Beatrice by Richard Caton Woodville painted for Queen Victoria. Princess Beatrice is accompanied to the altar by her brother, the Prince of Wales, and Queen Victoria. Her nieces were bridesmaids, but only eight out of the total of ten are shown in the painting; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg were married on July 23, 1885, at Saint Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England.

Beatrice’s Early Life

Princess Beatrice with her mother Queen Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Beatrice was born on April 14, 1857, at Buckingham Palace in London, England. She was the youngest of the nine children of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. On December 14, 1861, Prince Albert died at the age of 42. Beatrice was only four and a half and had lost one of her principal role models. Queen Victoria was grief-stricken. The night Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria went into the nursery and carried the sleeping Beatrice to her own bed, where she lay unable to sleep, hugging Beatrice while wrapped in the bedclothes of her deceased husband. Because of her mother’s prolonged grief and mourning, Beatrice’s life would forever be shaped by her father’s death. She became a great solace to her mother, and as the years progressed Queen Victoria hoped that Beatrice would always be her constant companion.

Despite her father’s death, Beatrice’s education proceeded according to the plan Prince Albert had devised for all his children. She received lessons in French and German and received a hands-on history education by visiting historical sites. Unlike her mother, Beatrice eventually had clear and legible handwriting and was an accurate speller. By the age of fifteen, Beatrice was writing letters on behalf of Queen Victoria and she was developing into the quiet, attentive, and devoted helper the Queen wanted. When the last of her sisters married and left home, Beatrice took on the job of being her mother’s full-time personal assistant.

To learn more about Beatrice, see Unofficial Royalty: Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, Princess Henry of Battenberg

Henry’s Early Life

Prince Henry of Battenberg; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Henry (Heinrich) of Battenberg was born on October 5, 1858 in Milan, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, now in Italy. Henry (nicknamed Liko) was the fourth of the five children and the third of the four sons of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Countess Julia Hauke. As his parents’ marriage was morganatic, Henry and his siblings took their titles from their mother, who had been created Countess of Battenberg and was later elevated to Princess of Battenberg in 1858.

Henry received a military education and was commissioned a lieutenant in the 1st Regiment of the Rhenish Hussars of the Prussian Army. He also served in the Gardes du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the King of Prussia and, after 1871, of the German Emperor.

To learn more about Henry, see Unofficial Royalty: Prince Henry of Battenberg

The Engagement

Prince Henry giving an engagement ring to Princess Beatrice, illustration from “The Penny Illustrated Paper” (Jan 24 1885); Credit – The British Museum

In 1884, Henry’s brother Prince Louis of Battenberg married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the eldest child of Queen Victoria’s third child Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine. Of course, Henry attended the wedding in Darmstadt and so did the bride’s aunt, Princess Beatrice. Queen Victoria had expectations that Beatrice would never marry and would remain her personal assistant and secretary. However, during the wedding celebrations, Henry and Beatrice fell in love. When Beatrice told her mother of her desire to marry Henry, Queen Victoria did not speak to Beatrice for seven months. Eventually, the Queen realized that Beatrice would not back down and with some persuasion from the Prince of Wales, Alice’s widower Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, and Henry’s brother Prince Louis of Battenberg, Queen Victoria decided to allow the marriage with several conditions: Henry must renounce his military career, his nationality, and his home and agree to live with Beatrice and the Queen.

Wedding Site

St. Mildred’s Church, Whippingham; Credit – By Mypix at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57460350

Saint Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England was where Queen Victoria and her family worshipped when in residence at Osborne House, the beloved home Queen Victoria and Prince Albert built on the Isle of Wight. The original church was redesigned by architect Albert Jenkins Humbert with Prince Albert’s input. The chancel of the church was built in 1854 – 1855 and the remainder of the church was constructed in 1861 – 1862. A side chapel, originally used by members of the household at Osborne House when worshipping at Whippingham, was later made into a shrine, the Battenberg Chapel, upon the early death of Prince Henry of Battenberg. Several family members are buried there including Prince Henry and his wife Princess Beatrice.

Wedding Guests

Since Saint Mildred’s Church was a small, parish church, the guest list had to be limited. Also, because there were limited places for royal relations and guests from abroad to stay on the Isle of Wight, the royal yachts served as floating hotels.

Royal Guests

  • Queen Victoria, mother of the bride
  • The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, brother of the bride
  • The Princess of Wales, later Queen Alexandra, sister-in-law of the bride
  • Prince Albert Victor of Wales, nephew of the bride
  • Prince George of Wales, later King George V, nephew of the bride
  • Princess Louise of Wales, niece of the bride
  • Princess Victoria of Wales, niece of the bride
  • Princess Maud of Wales, niece of the bride
  • Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, brother of the bride
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh, born Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, sister-in-law of the bride
  • Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, nephew of the bride
  • Princess Marie of Edinburgh, niece of the bride
  • Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, niece of the bride
  • Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, niece of the bride
  • Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, brother of the bride
  • The Duchess of Connaught, born Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, sister-in-law of the bride
  • Princess Margaret of Connaught, niece of the bride
  • Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Helena, sister of the bride
  • Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, brother-in-law of the bride
  • Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, niece of the bride
  • Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, niece of the bride
  • Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome, sister of the bride
  • John Campbell, Marquis of Lome, brother-in-law of the bride
  • Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge, first cousin once removed of the bride
  • Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar
  • Ernst, 4th Prince of Leiningen, first cousin of the bride
  • Princess of Leiningen wife of Ernst, born Princess Marie of Baden
  • Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine, father of the groom
  • Princess of Battenberg, born Countess Julie Hauke, mother of the groom
  • Prince Louis of Battenberg, brother of the groom
  • Princess Louis of Battenberg, born Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, niece of the bride and first cousin once removed of the groom
  • Alexander (of Battenberg), Prince of Bulgaria, brother of the groom
  • Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg, brother of the groom
  • Count Gustav Ernst of Erbach-Schoenberg, brother-in-law of the groom
  • Countess of Erbach-Schoenberg, born Princess Marie of Battenberg, sister of the groom
  • Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, brother-in-law of the bride and first cousin of the groom
  • Ernst Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse of Hesse and by Rhine, nephew of the bride and first cousin once removed of the groom
  • Princess Irene of Hesse of Hesse and by Rhine, niece of the bride and first cousin once removed of the groom
  • Princess Alix of Hesse of Hesse and by Rhine, niece of the bride and first cousin once removed of the groom
  • Prince Philip of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, second cousin of the bride

Invited Guests

  • William FitzRoy, 6th Duke of Grafton
  • Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford and Elizabeth Russell, Duchess of Bedford
  • Susanna Innes-Kerr, Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe
  • James Butler, 3rd Marquess of Ormonde and Elizabeth Butler, Marchioness of Ormonde
  • Spencer Cavendish, Marquis of Hartington
  • John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
  • Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim
  • Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare
  • Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville
  • John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney
  • Standish Vereker, 4th Viscount Gort, Caroline Vereker, Viscountess Gort and The Honorable Miss Vereker
  • Admiral Lord Frederick Kerr
  • General Lord Alfred Paget and The Honorable Evelyn Paget
  • Lieutenant-General Dudley FitzGerald-de Ros, 23rd Baron de Ros
  • Ismania FitzRoy, Baroness Southampton and The Honorable Frederica Fitzroy
  • Thomas Hovell-Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce, 5th Baron Thurlow
  • Emily Cavendish, Lady Waterpark
  • Frederick Methuen, 2nd Baron Methuen
  • General Lord Wolseley
  • Prince Lichnowsky
  • Count Alexander Münster
  • Count Vitzthum
  • Colonel The Honorable C. H. Lindsay
  • Sir Edward Malet and Lady Ermyntrude Malet
  • Captain The Honorable A. Denison
  • The Honorable Flora Macdonald
  • General Sir Francis Seymour, 1st Baronet
  • Lady Cowell
  • Sir Robert Collins
  • Sir William Carter Hoffmeister, Surgeon to Queen Victoria
  • Captain Sir Alfred Balliston
  • Fraulein Bassing
  • Miss Bauer, Beatrice’s former German tutor, now one of Queen Victoria’s readers
  • Mr. Doyne C. Bell
  • Miss Biddulph
  • Mr. W. Campbell of Blythswood
  • Reverend A. Campbell, Vicar of Crathie Church near Balmoral in Scotland
  • Madame de Arcos
  • Reverend Canon Robinson Duckworth, former tutor to Prince Leopold
  • Mrs. F. I. Edwards
  • Miss Jessie Ferrari, singer and music teacher
  • Captain Fisher
  • Mr. Frederick Gibbs, former tutor to The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred
  • Mr. Charles Hallé, pianist and conductor
  • Rear-Admiral F. A. Herbert
  • Dr. John Hoffmeister
  • Mr. R. R. Holmes, Librarian of Windsor Castle
  • Lieutenant-Colonel George Ashley Maude, Crown Equerry of the Royal Mews
  • Mademoiselle Norelle, former French tutor to Queen Victoria’s children
  • Miss Alberta Ponsonby and Miss Magdalen Ponsonby, daughters of Sir Henry Frederick Ponsonby, Queen Victoria’s Private Secretary
  • Dr. Alexander Profeit, Commissioner of Works at Balmoral Castle
  • Mrs. and Miss Prothero, wife and daughter of Reverend Canon George Prothero, Rector of Whippingham and Chaplain in Ordinary to Her Majesty
  • Mr. Hermann Sahl, Librarian and German Secretary to Queen Victoria
  • Colonel Stockwell
  • Reverend Canon C. F. Tarver, former tutor to The Prince of Wales
  • Signer Tosti, composer of romantic and drawing-room songs
  • Captain Webbe and Lady Cecilia Webbe
  • Captain Welch
  • Miss Van de Weyer
  • Mr. Arnold White
  • The Mayor of Newport, Isle of Wight, England

The Queen’s Household

  • Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch, Mistress of the Robes
  • Jane Loftus, Dowager Marchioness of Ely, Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting
  • The Honourable Harriet Phipps, Maid of Honor in Waiting
  • The Honorable Maude Okeover, Maid of Honor in Waiting
  • William Edgcumbe, 4th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Lord Steward
  • Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom, Lord Chamberlain
  • Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford, Master of the Horse
  • William Heneage, Viscount Lewisham, Vice-Chamberlain
  • Major-General Sir J. C. McNeill, Equerry-in-Waiting
  • Colonel H. P. Ewart, Equerry-in-Waiting
  • General Sir Henry Ponsonby, Private Secretary and Keeper of the Privy Purse
  • Major-General Sir John Cowell, Master of the Household
  • The Honourable Sir S. Ponsonby-Fane, Comptroller in The Lord Chamberlain’s Department
  • Mr. Conway Seymour, Gentleman Usher
  • Mr. Arnold Royle, Gentleman Usher
  • Sir William Jenner, 1st Baronet, Physician in Ordinary to Her Majesty
  • Dr. James Reid, Resident Physician to Her Majesty

Attendant on the Bridegroom

  • Major F. I. Edwards, Groom in Waiting to the Queen, in attendance on Prince Henry of Battenberg

Attendants on the Bride

  • Miss M. Cochrane, Lady in Waiting on Princess Beatrice
  • The Honourable Lady Biddulph, Lady in Waiting on Princess Beatrice
  • Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill, Acting Lady in Waiting on Princess Beatrice

Attendants on Other Royalty

  • Major-General Bateson, Equerry in Waiting on The Duke of Cambridge.
  • The Honorable Lady Ponsonby, Acting Lady in Waiting on Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne
  • Baron d’Ablaing de Giessenbuvg, Gentleman in Waiting on Prince Philip of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
  • Colonel Baron Rotsmann, Equerry in Waiting on Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Honorable W. Carington, Equerry in Waiting on The Queen, in attendance on Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine
  • Hoffrath Munther, Gentleman in Waitng on Ernst Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Wernher, Equerry in Waiting on Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
  • Captain Arthur J. Bigge, Equerry in Waiting to The Queen, in attendance Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
  • The Honorable A. Yorke, Acting Equerry in Waiting on Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
  • Miss Loch, Lady in Waiting on Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
  • Colonel Sir Howard Elphinstone, Comptroller to The Duke of Connaught
  • Major Francis H. Poors, Equerry in Waiting on The Duke of Connaught
  • The Honorable Ethel Cadogan, Acting Lady in Waiting on The Duchess of Connaught
  • Lady Harriot Poore, Lady in Waiting on The Duchess of Edinburgh
  • Lord Colville of Culross, Chamberlain to The Prince of Wales
  • The Honorable H. Tyrwhitt Wilson, Equerry in Waiting to The Prince of Wales
  • Lieutenant-General Sir Dighton M. Probyn, Comptroller and Treasurer to The Prince of Wales
  • The Honorable Mrs. Coke, Lady of the Bedchamber to Her Royal Highness to The Princess of Wales
  • Baron Riedesel, Marshal of the Court to The Prince of Bulgaria
  • Mr. Topchileschtoff, Secretary to The Prince of Bulgaria
  • Colonel Lord E. Pelham Clinton, Groom in Waiting to The Queen, in attendance on The Prince of Bulgaria

Bridesmaids and Supporters

Wedding of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg (see below for who’s who in the photo); Photo Credit – www.victorian-gothic.co.uk

THE BACK: (L-R): Prince Alexander of Bulgaria, Princess Louise of Wales, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, Princess Victoria of Wales, Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg * THE MIDDLE: (L-R): Princess Maud of Wales, Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, Princesses Marie Louise and Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein * THE FRONT: (L-R): Princesses Victoria Melita, Marie, and Alexandra of Edinburgh and the bridal couple.

The supporters of Prince Henry of Battenberg were his brothers Alexander (of Battenberg), Prince of Bulgaria and Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg. Princess Beatrice’s supporters were her mother Queen Victoria and her eldest brother The Prince of Wales.

The ten royal bridesmaids were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and nieces of Princess Beatrice, ranging in age from seven-years-old to nineteen-years-old:

  • Princess Louise of Wales, daughter of The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, married Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife
  • Princess Victoria of Wales, daughter of The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, unmarried
  • Princess Maud of Wales, daughter of The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, married King Haakon VII of Norway
  • Princess Marie of Edinburgh, daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the future Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, married King Ferdinand I of Romania
  • Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the future Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, married (1) Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, divorced (2) Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia
  • Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the future Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, married Prince Ernst II of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
  • Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, daughter of the late Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, married Prince Heinrich of Prussia
  • Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, daughter of the late Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, married Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia
  • Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, daughter of Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, unmarried
  • Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, daughter of Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, married Prince Aribert of Anhalt, marriage dissolved

Wedding Attire

Prince Henry and Princess Beatrice on their wedding day; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon Queen Victoria’s insistence, Prince Henry of Battenberg wore the rather dashing white cuirassier uniform of Prussian Garde Du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the King of Prussia and, after 1871, of the German Emperor.

The ten royal bridesmaids were dressed in high-necked white dresses with flounced skirts and carried bouquets of stephanotis.

Princess Beatrice’s wedding dress was made of white satin, trimmed with orange blossoms, white heather, myrtle, and lace. There was lace on the pointed neckline and on the sleeves. Princess Beatrice loved lace and became an expert on lace. Knowing this, Queen Victoria allowed Princess Beatrice to wear the precious Honiton lace veil she had worn on her wedding day. Beatrice was the only one of her daughters to wear the veil. Atop her head, Beatrice wore an orange blossom wreath and a diamond circlet with diamond stars, a wedding gift from her mother.

Beatrice wore diamond collet drop earrings, a diamond collet necklace with a diamond cross suspended from it, a diamond bee brooch, a diamond rose brooch, and a large diamond butterfly brooch. On her right wrist, she wore a wide diamond and sapphire bracelet, a gift of the groom, and on her left wrist, she wore five bangle bracelets, some with diamonds and others plain gold. Beatrice wore the Order of Victoria and Albert, the Crown of India, the Gold Lion of Hesse, the Royal Red Cross, and the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family order.

The Wedding

 

Clergy Officiating

  • Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Harold Browne, Bishop of Winchester
  • The Very Reverend Randall T. Davidson, Dean of Windsor, Domestic Chaplain to Her Majesty
  • Reverend Canon George Prothero, Rector of St. Mildred’s Church, Whippingham and Chaplain in Ordinary to Her Majesty

Music provided by:

  • Walter Parratt, Organist of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor
  • Choir of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor

A special train carrying the wedding guests, along with the members of The Queen’s Household and those in attendance on the royalty who were not already at Osborne House, left Victoria Station in London at 9 AM on the day of the wedding. The train traveled to Portsmouth, England where the royal yacht Alberta was waiting to take them across The Solent to the Isle of Wight. Carriages were provided for the trip to St. Mildred’s Church, Whippingham. Upon arrival at the church, the guests were shown to their seats by Her Majesty’s Gentlemen Ushers.

At 12:40 PM, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester, the Dean of Windsor, and the Rector of St. Mildred’s Church, Whippingham arrived from the church rectory with the choir and took their places at the altar while a voluntary was played on the organ.

At 12:30, the royal family and other royalty left Osborne House with their attendants in a carriage procession. They were received at the church gate by the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward, who, with the Vice-Chamberlain, conducted them to the seats in the royal pews. The Princess of Wales, Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, and the groom’s parents, Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and the Princess of Battenberg, were seated in front of the altar. Georg Friedrich Handel’s March from The Occasional Overture was played as the royal procession moved down the aisle. The royal attendants were shown to seats at the back of the royal and household pews. Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales waited for the bride’s arrival at the church gate.

The ten royal bridesmaids, all nieces of the bride, arrived at 12:45 PM and waited for the bride’s arrival in the church vestry. Ten minutes later, the groom arrived with his supporters, his brothers Alexander (of Battenberg), Prince of Bulgaria and Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg. As a march by Walter Parratt, the organist of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, was played, they were conducted to their places on the right of the altar.

As the bride’s carriage procession approached the church, the bridesmaids were escorted to the church gate. Princess Beatrice with Queen Victoria and The Prince of Wales on either side along with the bridesmaids were conducted to the left side of the altar by the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward. Richard Wagner’s Bridal March (“The Bridal Chorus” from the opera Lohengrin) was played as the bridal procession moved down the aisle. Queen Victoria gave the bride away.

After the couple took their vows, the choir sang the anthem O Give Thanks to the Lord by Felix Mendelssohn, and then the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered a short address. As the bride and groom and their attendants proceeded up the aisle Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” (from The Suite of Incidental Music to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream) was played.

After the Wedding

Guests at the wedding of Princess Beatrice to Prince Henry of Battenberg at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, Original Publication: Illustrated London News – pub. 1885

Upon returning to Osborne House, the bride and groom signed the marriage registry attested by Queen Victoria, the royal family, royal guests, and distinguished persons. Luncheon was served for Queen Victoria, the royal family, and the royal guests in a tent upon the lawn. The other guests were served luncheon in a separate tent. The Band of the Royal Marines and the Pipers of the Sutherland Highlanders provided the music.

Beatrice and Henry’s wedding cake; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

The wedding cake was made by Mr. Ponder, the royal confectioner. It stood six feet tall and weighed 280 pounds. The cake featured a replica of the sculpture Hebe by Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova.

At 5 PM, Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry, attended by Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill and Colonel E. P. Ewart, left Osborne House for their honeymoon at nearby Quarr Abbey House.

In the evening, there was a dinner party in the tents on the lawn during which the Royal Marines Light Infantry Band played. Later, the guests proceeded to the Osborne House terrace to view a display of fireworks from the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, HMS Hector, and other yachts in Osborne Bay.

Children

Beatrice and her children in 1900; Credit – Wikipedia

Beatrice and Henry had four children:

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Works Cited

  • Avictorian.com. (2019). Victorian Wedding Cakes, AVICTORIAN.COM. [online] Available at: http://www.avictorian.com/wedding_cakes.html [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  • Dennison, Matthew. (2009). The Last Princess – The Devoted Life of Queen Victoria”s Youngest Daughter. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
  • Duff, David. (1974). The Shy Princess. London: Evans.
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Wedding Dress of Princess Beatrice. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_dress_of_Princess_Beatrice [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). Prince Henry of Battenberg. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-henry-of-battenberg/ [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2015). Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, Princess Henry of Battenberg. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/princess-beatrice-of-the-united-kingdom-princess-henry-of-battenberg/ [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  • Packard, Jerrold. (1998). Victoria’s Daughters. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
  • Royal-magazin.de. (2019). The Princess Beatrice of Great Britain and Ireland|Battenberg | Diamond Stars. [online] Available at: https://royal-magazin.de/england/beatrice-battenberg/princess-beatrice-wedding.htm [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  • Thegazette.co.uk. (1885). Ceremonial observed at the Marriage of Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry of Battenberg | Issue 25495, 28 July 1885 | London Gazette | The Gazette. [online] Available at: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/25495/page/3529 [Accessed 19 Sep. 2019].
  • Van der Kiste, J. (2011). Queen Victoria’s Children. Stroud: The History Press.

Wedding of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

 

King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg were married on May 31, 1906, at the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo in Madrid, Spain.

King Alfonso XIII of Spain’s Background

King Alfonso XIII of Spain with his mother and sisters, 1897; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 25, 1885, three days before his 28th birthday, King Alfonso XII of Spain died from tuberculosis at the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid, leaving two daughters and his queen pregnant with her third child. It was decided that Alfonso’s widow, born Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria, would rule as regent until the child was born. If the child were a male, he would become king and if the child were a female, Alfonso and Maria Christina’s elder daughter María Mercedes would become queen.

On May 17, 1886, Maria Christina gave birth to a son. King Alfonso XIII of Spain was the Spanish sovereign from his birth until the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic on April 14, 1931. He was given the names Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena. His mother would remain Regent until Alfonso turned 16 and took control of the monarchy. He had two older sisters:

  • Infanta Mercedes, Princess of Asturias (1880 – 1904)
  • Infanta Maria Teresa (1882 -1912)

During Maria Christina’s regency, Spain lost its colonial rule over Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States as a result of the Spanish-American War (1898). In 1902, at the age of sixteen, Alfonso XIII was declared of legal age and assumed the constitutional role of head of state. The week of his sixteenth birthday was marked by festivities, bullfights, balls, and celebrations throughout Spain.

Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg’s Background

Princess Victoria Eugenie with her mother and brothers, 1900; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena of Battenberg (known as Ena, which will be used in the rest of the article) was born on October 24, 1887, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the only daughter of Prince Henry of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. She had three brothers:

  • Prince Alexander of Battenberg, later Alexander Mountbatten, Marquess of Carisbrooke (1886-1960)
  • Prince Leopold of Battenberg, later Lord Leopold Mountbatten (1889-1922), hemophilia sufferer
  • Prince Maurice of Battenberg (1891-1914), killed in action during World War I

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

The Engagement

 

In 1905, nineteen-year-old King Alfonso XIII of Spain toured Europe seeking a bride, and he made a stop in the United Kingdom where the press speculated that Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Patricia of Connaught, known as Patsy, would most likely catch Alfonso’s eye. At a dinner at Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria’s eligible granddaughters were seated around the dinner table, all aware that they had the possibility of being the next Queen of Spain. Alfonso had been seated next to Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Helena who answered his questions about the princesses. When his eyes fell on seventeen-year-old blonde Ena, Alfonso was immediately smitten and asked, “And who is that young lady with the nearly white hair?”

Alfonso saw the tall, blond, dignified Ena again the next night at a reception. However, he forgot her name and referred to her as “the fair-haired one” and his feelings were reciprocated by Ena. A ball was held at Buckingham Palace on the third evening and it was the first time Alfonso and Ena could speak privately with each other. Because Alfonso’s English was limited and Ena spoke no Spanish, they spoke French. While dancing together, Alfonso asked Ena if she collected postcards, a common hobby for well-born women. When Ena said she did, Alfonso promised he would send her some postcards if she promised to reply.

After the London visit, the couple exchanged letters and Alfonso regularly sent her postcards, and it was through this correspondence that their courtship developed. However, there were several problematic issues. The first issue was religion. Alfonso was Catholic while Ena was Protestant. It was unthinkable that a Queen of Spain not be Roman Catholic. The second issue was the potential of Ena bringing hemophilia into the Spanish royal family. As Ena’s brother Leopold suffered from the disease, there was a chance that Ena herself was a carrier. Today we know that there was a 50% chance that Ena would be a hemophilia carrier. However, with little known about the disease at the time, Alfonso did not seem too concerned. The third obstacle was Alfonso’s mother, Maria Christina. She did not feel the Battenbergs were royal enough due to the morganatic marriage which started that family and wanted her son to marry a member of the Habsburg dynasty of Austria.

Nevertheless, Ena and Alfonso met again in Biarritz, France in January 1906 where they became unofficially engaged. Six days later, Ena went to Spain for the first time and met Alfonso’s mother at Miramar Palace in San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain. Maria Christina finally agreed to her son’s choice of a bride and sent a letter to Princess Beatrice, Ena’s mother, telling her about the love Alfonso felt for her daughter and seeking unofficial contact with King Edward VII, Beatrice’s brother and Ena’s uncle. Several days later at Windsor Castle, King Edward congratulated his niece on her future engagement.

Ena agreed to convert to Roman Catholicism and she started religious instruction with Monsignor Robert Brindle, Bishop of Nottingham. She was officially received into the Roman Catholic Church on March 7, 1906, at Miramar Palace, and the engagement was officially announced on the same day. On April 3, 1906, King Edward VII elevated his niece’s style from “Her Highness” to “Her Royal Highness” thereby softening Maria Christina’s objection that the Battenbergs were not royal enough.

The terms of the marriage were settled by two agreements, a public treaty and a private contractual arrangement. The treaty was executed between Spain and the United Kingdom in London on May 7, 1906. One of the provisions of the treaty stated that Ena “forfeits forever all hereditary rights of succession to the Crown and Government of Great Britain.” This was solely because by marrying and becoming a Roman Catholic, Ena lost any right to inherit the British crown as a consequence of the Act of Settlement 1701. Any of Ena’s descendants who did not become Roman Catholic or marry a Roman Catholic would remain in the line of succession to the British Throne.

Wedding Preparations

Royal Palace of Madrid; Photo Credit – By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42954029

On May 24, 1906, Ena arrived in France onboard a British warship and took a special train to the Spanish border where she was met by Alfonso, the Spanish Prime Minister and the Spanish Foreign Minister who accompanied her to the Royal Palace of El Pardo in the Fuencarral-El Pardo district of Madrid. Enormous crowds assembled outside the gates of Pardo Palace and greeted the king and their future queen with loud cheering and cries of “Long live the King!” and “Long live the Queen!” Once they entered the palace, the gates were opened and the crowds were admitted to the palace grounds. Alfonso appeared on the palace balcony holding Ena’s hand, thrilling the crowd. Later in the evening, Alfonso returned to the Royal Palace of Madrid and Ena stayed at Pardo Palace with her mother until the wedding.

The Royal Palace of Madrid was a scene of constant reception of arriving delegations, many of them bringing splendid presents. Presents already fill three large salons at the palace. On May 29, 1906, many foreign royals and envoys arrived in Madrid. That night, festivities were held at Pardo Palace for guests, including a theater performance.

The streets of Madrid were colorful and full of activity. Trains continued to arrive with thousands of Spaniards and foreigners and the streets were packed with throngs of people in bright summer attire. The streets along the cortege route were colorfully decorated with floral arches, British and Spanish flags, and floral garlands on balconies. 1,200 tons of flowers had been ordered from the Canary Islands and parks and other public places were transformed into gardens by planting thousands of palms and rose bushes. Many buildings were decorated with huge crowns that sparkled at night with electric lights. Even the trolleys were decorated with streamers.

Alfonso’s presented jewelry to Ena said to be worth over one million dollars (in 1906 dollars!) including a gold crown with brilliant-cut diamonds to be worn on state occasions; a diadem; two collars (necklaces), one of pearls and the other of rubies and sapphires; a pair of gold bracelets; a pair of magnificent pendants; and a large diamond brooch. Ena gave Alfonso an exquisite jeweled sword designed in Toledo, Spain.

Wedding Guests

The Prince and Princess of Wales (the future King George V and Queen Mary of the United Kingdom) arriving at the church; Photo Credit – Archivo HUM historia urbana de Madrid

Below is a list of some of the wedding guests. It is assumed that spouses of guests were also invited, but the only spouses listed are the ones found in sources.

Family of the Groom

  • Queen Maria Christina, mother of the groom
  • Infante Carlos de Borbón y Borbón, brother-in-law of the groom
  • Infante Alfonso de Borbón-Dos Sicilias y Borbón, nephew of the groom, heir presumptive to the Spanish throne
  • Infanta Isabel Alfonsa de Borbón, niece of the groom
  • Infanta Isabel de Borbón y Borbon, Countess of Girgenti, aunt of the groom
  • Infanta Maria de la Paz de Borbón y Borbón, Princess of Bavaria, aunt of the groom
  • Infante Fernando de Baviera y Borbón, cousin of the groom
  • Princess Pilar of Bavaria, cousin of the groom
  • Infanta Eulalia de Borbón y Borbón, Princess of Orleans, aunt of the groom
  • Infante Alfonso de Orleáns, cousin of the groom
  • Prince Genaro de Borbón-Dos Sicilias, distant cousin of the groom
  • Prince Raniero de Borbón-Dos Sicilias, distant cousin of the groom
  • Prince Philip, de Borbón-Dos Sicilias, distant cousin of the groom

Family of the Bride

  • Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, mother of the bride
  • Prince Alexander of Battenberg, brother of the bride
  • Prince Leopold of Battenberg, brother of the bride
  • Prince Maurice de Battenberg, brother of the bride
  • The Prince of Wales, cousin of the bride, and The Princess of Wales (future King George V and Queen Mary)
  • The Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Dowager Duchess of Edinburgh, aunt of the bride
  • Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, cousin of the bride
  • Princess Alice of Albany, cousin of the bride, and her husband Prince Alexander of Teck
  • Princess Maria Carolina of Battenberg, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg, aunt of the bride

Foreign Princes

  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne) and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg
  • Prince Albert of Belgium (future King Albert I of the Belgians)
  • Crown Prince Constantine of Greece (future King Constantine I of Greece) and Crown Princess Sophie (born Princess Sophie of Prussia), cousin of the bride
  • Prince Andrew of Greece
  • Hereditary Prince Louis of Monaco (future Louis II, Prince of Monaco)
  • Prince Heinrich of Prussia, cousin of the bride
  • Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia
  • Prince Albrecht of Prussia, Regent of Brunswick
  • Prince Luís Filipe, Duke of Braganza (heir apparent to the throne of Portugal)
  • Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and his wife Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia
  • Prince Tommaso of Savoy, 2nd Duke of Genoa
  • Prince Eugen of Sweden, Duke of Närke

Other Guests

  • Segismundo Moret, President of the Council of Ministers
  • Álvaro de Figueroa y Torres, Count of Romanones, Minister of Interior
  • Juan Manuel Sánchez Gutiérrez de Castro, Duke of Almodovar, Minister of State
  • Manuel García Prieto, Minister of Justice
  • Amós Salvador Rodrigáñez, Minister of Finance
  • Agustín de Luque y Coca, Minister of War
  • Víctor María Concas, Minister of the Navy
  • Vicente Santamaría de Paredes, Minister of Education and Fine Arts
  • Antonio de Aguilar y Correa, Marquis de la Vega de Armijo, President of the Congress of Deputies
  • José López Domínguez, President of the Senate
  • Ciriaco Sancha and Hervás, Archbishop of Toledo
  • José María Martín de Herrera, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela
  • Salvador Casañas and Pagés, Bishop of Barcelona
  • José María Salvador y Barrera, Bishop of Madrid-Alcalá
  • Eduardo Martínez del Campo and Acosta, President of the Supreme Court
  • Carlos Martinez de Irujo y Alcáza, Duke of Sotomayor, Majordomo of the King
  • Manuel Falcó y Osorio, Marquis de la Mina, Equerry of the King
  • Sir Maurice de Bunsen, British Ambassador to Madrid
  • Luis Polo de Bernabé, Spanish Ambassador to London
  • William Miller Collier, American Ambassador to Madrid
  • Frederick Wallingford Whitridge, American Special Envoy

Wedding Attire

Ena’s Wedding Dress; Credit – http://www.theroyalforums.com

Ena’s wedding dress was made by the Madrid dressmaker L. Heroe, who submitted several designs to Alfonso and Ena for their approval. The fabric was white duchesse satin which was embroidered by hand. In addition, point d’aiguille Brussels lace was used on the dress, veil, and train.

The bodice and skirt were embroidered with intertwined wreaths of silver roses and orange blossoms, bordered with fleur-de-lys, a symbol of the House of Bourbon. To support the enormous train, there was a court mantle, also of white satin and with the same decorations as the dress. In accordance with the strict observance of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain, the dress did not expose the bride’s decolletage or shoulders. The entire dress was given to the shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Paloma (Our Lady of the Dove) in a poor part of Madrid.

Ena wore a tiara resting on a wreath of orange blossoms. The impressive tiara, a wedding gift from Alfonso and known as “The Fleur-de-Lys Tiara”, is still in the possession of the Spanish royal family and is nicknamed “La Buena” (“The Good One”).  Set in platinum, the tiara features three large fleur-de-lys motifs, each filled with large round diamonds, and connected by swirls and scrolls of larger-sized diamonds.   The tiara is part of the jewelry that is passed down to Queens of Spain. Queen Sofia, the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain, often wore the tiara and Queen Letizia, the wife of King Felipe VI, continued the tradition of wearing the tiara.

 Queen Letizia wearing the Fleur-de-Lys Tiara in February 2017

 

King Alfonso XIII wore the Spanish Army’s Field Marshal uniform with the blue and white sash of the Order of Carlos II. On his uniform, wore the Order of the Golden Fleece and British Order of the Garter.

Wedding Ceremony

Alfonso and Ena leaving the church

Earlier in the morning, Ena and her mother traveled from Pardo Palace to the Ministry of Marine in the center of Madrid where they would prepare for the wedding. At 8:30 AM, the wedding procession started at the Royal Palace. Church bells were ringing, artillery salutes were firing and crowds of cheering people lined the procession route.

The crowds were thrilled when the royal coaches, each drawn by eight white horses with golden and silver harnesses wearing colored plumage on their heads, appeared: the Amaranth Coach for the ladies-in-waiting, the Cypher Coach for the lords-in-waiting, the Coach of the Ducal Crown for the Infantas and Infantes, and then and the Shell Coach for Queen Mother Maria Christina. Next came the Grandees of Spain, the highest-ranking members of the Spanish nobility, in twenty-five coaches drawn by only two horses according to the Spanish protocol. The coaches of the visiting foreign royalty followed.

Next came a coach bearing a royal crown carrying King Alfonso XIII, his witness Infante Carlos de Borbón y Borbón, the widower of Alfonso’s elder sister María de las Mercedes, and four-year-old Infante Alfonso de Borbón-Dos Sicilias y Borbón, son of Carlos and María de las Mercedes, nephew of the groom, and heir presumptive to the Spanish throne.

Immediately following the king’s coach came the bride’s procession with more gala coaches carrying the lords and ladies-in-waiting and princes and princesses of the House of Battenberg. Finally in a beautiful mahogany coach, came Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (Ena) with her mother Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom.

The Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo was regally decorated. Over the entrance was a huge canopy of red and yellow velvet embroidered with Spanish heraldic symbols and supported by gold-tipped lances. Royal guards and halberdiers stood awaiting. As the procession entered the church, the Spanish national anthem was played.

Inside the church, a majestic canopy with the arms of Spain in gold embroidery hung over a raised dais on the left side of the altar. On the dais, was a throne and two beautiful gilded armchairs with silk cushions. On the opposite side of the altar were gilded chairs for Queen Maria Christina, Princess Beatrice, the Spanish Infantas and Infants, and the members of the Battenberg family. Besides them were the foreign princes and princesses.

Credit – http://www.fororeal.net/bodasreyes.htm

As the royal procession entered the church, the congregation stood and a 200-voice choir sang a processional march. Alfonso looked calm and happy, but as usual, slightly pale. Ena entered with her mother, eldest brother, and Queen Maria Christina. Alfonso advanced to meet Ena and they stood together as the ceremony, officiated by Cardinal Ciriaco Sancha, Archbishop of Toledo, began. The hour-long ceremony ended with the Papal Nuncio, the Pope’s representative in Spain, pronouncing the papal blessing of the newlyweds and the chanting of the Te Deum, a hymn of praise.

The Bombing

Photograph taken moments after the assassination attempt on Alfonso and Ena on their wedding day; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

At the end of the ceremony, the newlyweds left the church while the joyful crowds cheered, church bells rang, and cannons boomed. Alfonso and Ena entered the royal coach for the journey through the streets back to the Royal Palace. Crowds along the route shouted, “Long live Queen Victoria!” However, the happy day soon turned into a tragic day when a bomb, concealed in a floral bouquet, was thrown at the royal coach from a third-floor window of an inn on Calle Major, a main street in Madrid.

Building from where the bomb was thrown; Credit – By Basilio – Treball propi, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17730999

The bomb hit the ground and exploded to the right of the royal coach between the last pair of horses and the front wheels of the coach. It would have hit the coach and most likely killed Alfonso and Ena if the bomb had not been deflected by an electric wire. Alfonso and Ena were not hurt, but the bomb killed 23 people and injured more than 100. Blood of the victims had spattered Ena’s wedding dress. Screams of the terrified crowd combined the groans of the injured and dying.

The dead included the Marchioness of Colosa and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Don Antonio Calvo and his six-year-old niece, Captain Barros who commanded the king’s escort, two other officers and six soldiers, a groom who was leading the horses, and two of the horses who were drawing the royal coach.

The sound and shock of the explosion were massive. The Duke of Cornachuelos immediately rushed forward, opened the door of the royal coach, and helped out Alfonso and Ena, who entered another coach and were quickly taken to the Royal Palace. The next day, Alfonso and Ena appeared in public in an open automobile without a military guard to reassure the people of Madrid.

Mateu Morral Roca, a Catalan anarchist, was responsible for the bombing. After the bombing, Morral tried to get lost in the crowd and was then helped and hidden by journalist José Nakens. Morral managed to escape from Madrid with the help of Nakens, but on June 2, 1906, he was recognized by several people in a village near Torrejón de Ardoz where he stopped to eat. These people warned a local policeman and after some inquiries, the policeman decided to follow Morral.

What happened next is unclear. The official investigation says that Morral surrendered peacefully, but while he was being led by the policeman to the Torrejón de Ardoz jail, Morral shot dead the policeman and then died by suicide. However, a forensic examination of the four photographs taken of Morral’s corpse indicates that the bullet wound in his chest is incompatible with both a close-shot range and the Browning pistol Morral allegedly carried.

Children

 Queen Victoria Eugenie in 1918, with her six children: (from left to right) Infanta Maria Cristina, Alfonso, Prince of Asturias, Infante Gonzalo, Infante Juan, Infante Jaime, and Infanta Beatriz

Alfonso and Ena had six children:

Afterword

Unfortunately, Alfonso and Ena’s marriage was not a happy one. After the birth of their first son Alfonso in 1907, it was discovered that he was suffering from hemophilia. Despite having known the risks beforehand, King Alfonso blamed Ena, and it began a rift in their marriage that would never fully heal. Their fourth and last son Gonzalo also had the disease. Both hemophiliac sons died young from internal bleeding after separate car accidents. See Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants.

From 1914 on, Alfonso had several mistresses and fathered five illegitimate children. A sixth illegitimate child had born before his marriage. Following the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the family went into exile. Settling first in France, and then Italy, the couple eventually went their separate ways. Alfonso remained in Rome, while Ena eventually settled in Switzerland.

On January 15, 1941, feeling that his life was coming to an end, Alfonso formally abdicated his claim to the defunct Spanish throne in favor of his third son, Juan, Count of Barcelona, the father of King Juan Carlos I of Spain. His two older sons, Alfonso who had hemophilia and Jaime who was deaf, had both renounced their claims to the throne in the early 1930s. Just weeks later, on February 28, 1941, King Alfonso XIII died at the Grand Hotel in Rome.

In February 1968, Ena returned to Spain for the first time since going into exile in 1931. Staying at the Palace of Liria with her goddaughter, the Duchess of Alba, Ena was there to serve as godmother to her new great-grandson, the future King Felipe VI. Her trip to Spain would be one of her last public appearances. She returned to her home in Switzerland, and soon her health began to fail. Ena died on April 15, 1969, at her home, surrounded by her family.

Both Alfonso and Ena were buried outside of Spain due to the rule of dictator Francisco Franco. In 1969, Franco formally named Alfonso and Ena’s grandson Juan Carlos as his successor, giving him the newly created title ‘The Prince of Spain’. Franco died on November 22, 1975, and Juan Carlos was proclaimed King of Spain. Eventually, both Alfonso and Ena’s remains were returned to Spain where they were interred in the Pantheon of the Kings in the Royal Crypt of the Monastery of El Escorial.

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

Works Cited 

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  • Duff, David. The Shy Princess. 1st ed. London: Muller, 1974. Print.
  • “FLOWER-STREWN STREETS FOR ALFONSO’s WEDDING; 1,200 Tons Of Blossoms Ordered From The Canaries. HOTELS CHARGING $25 DAILY Bride To Drive To The Church In A Coach Of Tortoise Shell Drawn By Eight White Horses.”. Query.nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 8 May 2017.
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  • “MADRID FETES GO ON AMID FEAR AND GLOOM; King And Queen Drive Unattended In An Automobile. WEYLER SERIOUSLY INJURED Twenty Killed On Thursday And Five Of The Wounded Are Dying — An Englishman Arrested.”. Query.nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 8 May 2017.
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  • “SPANIARDS CAPTIVATED BY ALFONSO’s FIANCEE; All Classes Share The Admiration For Princess Ena. KING’s SPLENDID PRESENTS Sovereign Gives Jewels Worth Over $1,000,000 To His Bride — Palace For The American Envoy.”. Query.nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 8 May 2017.
  • “SPLENDID WEDDING CORTEGE.; Brilliant Scenes In The Streets — The Marriage Ceremony.”. Query.nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 8 May 2017.
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Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma; Credit – By Allan warren – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12111584

Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, was a member of the extended British Royal Family and a distinguished Naval officer. A great-grandson of Queen Victoria (and the last great-grandson to be born during her lifetime), he was born a Prince of Battenberg but grew up fiercely British. In addition to his naval career, he also served as the last Viceroy and first Governor-General of India. Mountbatten also played a very prominent role in the lives of his nephew Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and grand-nephew King Charles III.

Prince Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas of Battenberg was born on June 25, 1900, at Frogmore House in Windsor, England the youngest child of Prince Louis (Ludwig) of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine.

Louis, known almost from birth as “Dickie”,  had three elder siblings:

Dickie was christened in the large drawing room of Frogmore House on July  17, 1900, by the Dean of Windsor, Philip Eliot. His godparents were:

Through both of his parents, he was closely related to numerous other royal families of Europe. His mother’s younger sister was Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, and in his childhood, Dickie was close to her children. At a very young age, he began a “lifelong platonic love affair” with one of them, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, and kept a framed photo of her by his bed for his entire life.

At the age of 10, Dickie was enrolled at the Lockers Park School in Hertfordshire, and then at 13 entered the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Destined for a naval career, he received his first posting in July 1916, as a midshipman on HMS Lion. After studying for two terms at Christ’s College, Cambridge, Louis was posted to HMS Renown, accompanying The Prince of Wales on a tour of Australia. The following year, on HMS Repulse, he again accompanied his cousin on a tour of India and Japan. It was during this trip that he became engaged to his future wife.

Dickie first met Edwina Ashley in October 1920, when both attended a ball at Claridge’s in London, hosted by Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III. Edwina was the daughter of Wilfrid Ashley, 1st Baron Mount Temple (a grandson of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury), and Amalia Cassel (daughter of Sir Ernest Cassel). The two were invited to the same house parties and shooting weekends, and a romance began. Both were guests of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland at Dunrobin Castle in Scotland in September 1921, when Louis received word that his father had died. When Edwina’s grandfather died just ten days later, the two grew very close in their shared grief. Several months later, Edwina went to visit Dickie while he was in India with the Prince of Wales. It was there, at a Valentine’s Day Ball held at the Viceregal Lodge in Delhi, that Dickie proposed.

Louis and Edwina were married on July 18, 1922, at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster in London, England. The wedding was a lavish affair, attended by King George V and Queen Mary and other members of the British Royal Family and other royal houses of Europe. The bridal party included The Prince of Wales, who served as Best Man, and Dickie’s four nieces – Princesses Margarita, Theodora, Cecilie, and Sophie of Greece. Following a honeymoon that took them to Canada and the United States, Dickie and Edwina settled at Brook House in London – one of the several properties Edwina had inherited from her grandfather.

They had two daughters:

Admiral Lord Mountbatten receiving the Japanese surrender at Singapore, September 1945. source: Wikipedia.

Dickie was posted to several other boats before being given his first command – HMS Daring – in 1934. This was followed by the commands of HMS Wishart (1934-1936), HMS Kelly (1939-1941), and HMS Illustrious (1941). From 1941 – 1943, he served as Chief of Combined Operations, and then from 1943 – 1946 as Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command. In that role, in September 1945 Mountbatten received the Japanese surrender in Singapore.

On August 27, 1946, he was created Viscount Mountbatten of Burma by King George VI. The following February, Prime Minister Clement Atlee appointed him Viceroy of India and tasked him with overseeing India’s independence from Britain. Following independence in August 1947, Mountbatten served for the next ten months as the country’s first Governor-General. On October 28, 1947, he was created Earl Mountbatten of Burma and Baron Romsey. As Mountbatten had no sons, the Letters Patent creating both the Viscountcy and the Earldom were written to allow the titles to pass to his daughters and their male heirs. Had this not been done, the titles would have ended upon Mountbatten’s death. Instead, they passed to his elder daughter, Patricia, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

Following his time in India, Mountbatten returned to military service in 1949, serving as Commander of the 1st Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet. From 1950-1952, he served as Fourth Sea Lord, and then from 1952-1954 as Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet. Finally, in April 1955, nearly forty-one years after his father had been forced to relinquish the role due to anti-German sentiment, Mountbatten was made First Sea Lord – the head of the British Royal Navy. The following year, he reached the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. Dickie served as First Sea Lord until October 1959, when he became Chief of the Defence Staff, serving until his retirement in July 1965. During this time, he also served as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 1960-1961.

Earl Mountbatten of Burma, in uniform as Colonel of the Life Guards, with Gold Stick in Hand (1973). Source: Wikipedia, photo: by Allan Warren – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28983433

Upon retiring, he was granted several honorary appointments. He was made Colonel of the Life Guards, Gold Stick in Waiting, and Life Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines. The Queen also appointed him Governor of the Isle of Wight. In 1974, he became the first Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight.

Lord Mountbatten was killed on August 27, 1979, when his boat was blown up by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on Donegal Bay, in County Sligo, Ireland. He had been staying at his summer home, Classiebawn Castle, in County Sligo, Ireland, with much of his family. Mountbatten, his grandson Nicholas, his son-in-law’s mother, The Dowager Baroness Brabourne, and a young crew member, Paul Maxwell, all died as a result of the blast. Mountbatten’s daughter Patricia, her husband John, and their son Timothy were all critically injured but they survived. See Unofficial Royalty: Tragedy in the British Royal Family at the End of August (scroll down).

A ceremonial funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on September 5, 1979, attended by most of the British Royal Family and many other European royals. He is buried at Romsey Abbey.

Earl Mountbatten’s tomb at Romsey Abbey. Source: Wikipedia, photo by JohnArmagh

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.

George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven. source: Wikipedia

George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven was born on December 6, 1892, at the Neues Palais in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, now in Hesse, Germany. At the time of his birth, he was HSH Prince George Louis Victor Henry Serge of Battenberg, the third child and elder son of Prince Ludwig (Louis) of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. George had three younger siblings:

George with his mother, Victoria. Credit – Wikipedia

A remarkably intelligent and clever child, George had his own workshop at his father’s Heiligenberg Castle by the age of ten and was soon designing and building precise working models of steam engines. He enjoyed complex math problems “for relaxation” and was recognized by his superiors at Dartmouth Naval College for being perhaps the most clever cadet the college had ever seen. During his time in the Royal Navy, he devised a system to provide air conditioning in his cabin and invented a device that would brew his morning tea, triggered by an alarm clock.

Wedding portrait of George and Nadejda.

On November 15, 1916, at the Russian Embassy in London, England, George married Countess Nadejda Mikhailovna de Torby. Nadjeda was born in Cannes on March 28, 1896, the younger daughter of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess Sophie von Merenberg. Following their wedding, George and Nadejda settled at Lynden Manor, in Bray, Berkshire, and had two children:

  • Lady Tatiana Mountbatten (1917-1988) – unmarried, was mentally disabled, was placed in St. Andrew’s Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Northampton, England, where she spent the rest of her life.
  • David Mountbatten, 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven (1919-1970) – married (1) Romaine Pierce, no issue; (2) Janet Bryce, had issue

In 1917, King George V of the United Kingdom asked his relatives to relinquish their German royal titles. On July 14, 1917, the Battenbergs gave up their titles and styles and took on the surname Mountbatten. George, having previously been created a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, became Sir George Mountbatten. Four months later, on November 7, 1917, his father was created Marquess of Milford Haven, and George assumed the courtesy title Earl of Medina. Four years later, in 1921, when his father died, George became the 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven.

In the late 1920s, having lost most of his inheritance to German inflation and having a wife with very expensive tastes, George left the Royal Navy for a career in business. He worked for a brokerage house before moving to the British Sperry Gyroscope Company where he became chairman. He also served as director for several large companies, including Electrolux and Marks & Spencer.

In 1930, George became instrumental in the upbringing of his nephew Prince Philip of Greece. Philip’s mother Princess Alice of Battenberg suffered a breakdown that year, and his father Prince Andreas of Greece was more or less separated from the family, living with a mistress on the French Riviera. George became Philip’s primary guardian, serving as a surrogate father and arranging and financing Philip’s education.

In 1934, George and Nadejda were brought into the international spotlight during the custody battle for the young Gloria Vanderbilt in New York City. Allegations had been raised that Nadejda and Gloria’s mother Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt had been lovers. Nadejda traveled to New York to testify in the case, decrying the allegations as “malicious, terrible lies.”

In December 1937, George suffered a fall and broke his femur. A month later, when the injury did not appear to be healing, a further examination found that he was suffering from bone marrow cancer. Fearing that the diagnosis would cause him to decline quite quickly, the doctors chose to withhold it from him, in agreement with the family. George lingered for several months, finally losing his battle on April 8, 1938, in London, England. He is buried at the Bray Cemetery in Bray, Berkshire, England. George had accumulated a large collection of erotic art, which he left on permanent loan to the British Library. The library’s index describes the collection as “prospectuses and catalogs of erotic and obscene books, pictures and instruments, dating from 1889 to 1929. 81 parts. Collected by George Mountbatten.”

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Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Andreas of Greece

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Andreas of Greece and Denmark; circa 1967

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

Alice was the eldest child, with three younger siblings:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

photo: Hello!

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

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

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

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Prince Henry of Battenberg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Henry of Battenberg; Credit – Wikipedia

The husband of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Beatrice, Prince Henry of Battenberg (Henry Maurice, German: Heinrich Moritz) was born on October 5, 1858, in Milan, Lombardy–Venetia, Italy. Henry (called Liko) was the fourth of the five children of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Countess Julia Hauke. As his parents’ marriage was morganatic, Henry and his siblings took their titles from their mother, who had been created Countess of Battenberg and was later elevated to Princess of Battenberg in 1858. See Unofficial Royalty: Who Are The Battenbergs?

Henry had three brothers and one sister:

Henry received a military education and was commissioned a lieutenant in the 1st Regiment of the Rhenish Hussars of the Prussian Army.  He also served in the Gardes du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the King of Prussia and, after 1871, of the German Emperor.

In 1884, Henry’s brother Louis married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the daughter of Queen Victoria’s third child Alice. Of course, Henry attended the wedding and so did the bride’s aunt Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, the youngest child of Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria expected that Beatrice would never marry and remain her personal assistant and secretary. However, during the wedding celebrations, Henry and Beatrice fell in love. When Beatrice told her mother of her desire to marry Henry, Queen Victoria did not speak to Beatrice for seven months. Eventually, the Queen realized that Beatrice would not back down and decided to allow the marriage with several conditions: Henry must renounce his career, nationality, and home and agree to live with Beatrice and the Queen.

On the day before the wedding, Queen Victoria created Henry a Knight of the Garter and granted him the style Royal Highness. This style was in effect only in the United Kingdom and not in the German Empire, where Henry was still considered a Serene Highness. Beatrice and Henry were married on July 23, 1885, at Saint Mildred’s Church in Whippingham, Isle of Wight, England near Queen Victoria’s beloved home Osborne House. On the wedding day, a bill passed in the House of Lords making Henry a naturalized British subject. After the wedding, the couple was styled as Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg.

Photo Credit – www.victorian-gothic.co.uk; THE BACK: (L-R): Prince Alexander of Bulgaria, Princess Louise of Wales, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, Princess Victoria of Wales, Prince Franz Joseph of Battenberg * THE MIDDLE: (L-R): Princess Maud of Wales, Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, Princesses Marie Louise and Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein * THE FRONT: (L-R): Princesses Victoria Melita, Marie and Alexandra of Edinburgh and bridal couple

Beatrice and Henry had three sons and one daughter. The Spanish Royal Family descends from their marriage.

Queen Victoria with Henry and Beatrice and their three eldest children in 1889; Credit – Wikipedia

Unfortunately, Beatrice was a hemophilia carrier. Henry and Beatrice’s son Leopold was a hemophiliac and their daughter Victoria Eugenie was a carrier. Leopold died after an emergency operation at Kensington Palace when he was almost 23. Victoria Eugenie, known as Ena, brought hemophilia into the Spanish Royal Family. Two of Ena’s sons had hemophilia. Her son Alfonso died in a car accident at age 31 and her son Gonzalo also died as the result of a car accident at age 20.

NPG P1700(21b); Prince Henry Maurice of Battenberg by Walery

Prince Henry Maurice of Battenberg by Walery, albumen print, 1895 NPG P1700(21b) © National Portrait Gallery, London

Beatrice and Henry kept their promise and lived with Queen Victoria and Beatrice remained her full-time confidante and secretary. Henry was often bored by the lack of activity and to give him more to do, Queen Victoria appointed him Governor of Carisbrooke Castle and Captain-General and Governor of the Isle of Wight in 1889, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army in 1887, Colonel in 1893, and a member of the Privy Council in 1894.

In November 1895, Henry persuaded Queen Victoria to allow him to go to West Africa to fight in the Anglo-Ashanti Wars. Henry arrived in Africa on Christmas Day 1895. By January 10, 1896, Henry was sick with malaria and it was decided to send him back to England. Henry died aboard the ship HMS Blonde off the coast of Sierra Leone on January 20, 1896, at the age of 37. His funeral took place on February 5, 1896, at St. Mildred’s Church on the Isle of Wight where he had been married. He was interred at St. Mildred’s Church in what became known as the Battenberg Chapel.

Beatrice survived Henry by 48 years, dying on October 26, 1944, at the age of 87, the last surviving child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She was buried with Henry at St. Mildred’s Church.

Tomb of Princess Beatrice and her husband Prince Henry of Battenberg; Credit – Wikipedia

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Prince Louis of Battenberg, Marquess of Milford Haven

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Louis of Battenberg, Marquess of Milford Haven – photo: Wikipedia

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 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 aboard 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. 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

Louis’ 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 British. Despite protests from King George V, Louis was asked to resign his position as First Sea Lord in October 1914. King George V 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 V 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 but Louis declined because he was unable 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, indicating the respect and esteem King George V 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, Louis fell ill while staying at the Naval & Military Club in London, England. While his wife was out at a pharmacy picking up prescriptions for him, 67-year-old Louis suffered a heart attack and died. 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, was buried by his side.

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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 became Russian royalty and were killed during the Russian Revolution, a son became one of the most decorated military heroes in British history, and a grandson 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. 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. Concerned for her financial position, King George offered Victoria 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 and 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, Victoria’s 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 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

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Recommended Book

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

Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

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

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

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

Ena had three brothers:

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

 

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

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

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

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

Eventually, the couple would have seven children:

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

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

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

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

 

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

photo: Casa Real

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

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

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

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Kingdom of Spain Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Prince Maurice of Battenberg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Maurice of Battenberg; By Royal Photographers Bassano National Portrait Gallery, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74566003

Prince Maurice of Battenberg was born on October 3, 1891, at Balmoral Castle, his grandmother’s beloved home in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He was the third son and the youngest of the four children of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria’s youngest child, and Prince Henry of Battenberg. The birth of a prince in Scotland was cause for great celebration. A royal salute was fired, a bonfire was built, and the locals who lived and worked on the Balmoral estate drank whiskey to the newborn prince’s health, paraded, and danced.

Maurice_baptism

The Baptism of Prince Maurice of Battenberg by George Ogilvy Reid; Credit – The National Galleries of Scotland

The infant prince was christened on October 31, 1891, in the drawing-room of Balmoral Castle. It was the first christening of a prince in Scotland for 300 years. Queen Victoria, the proud grandmother, commissioned a painting to commemorate the christening (above).  She can be seen in the painting by the Scottish artist Sir George Reid holding her grandson, dressed in the same christening gown used by so many princes and princesses before him, with the baby’s father Prince Henry, wearing the Royal Stuart tartan, standing next to her. The new prince was given the names Maurice (his father’s middle name), Victor (after his grandmother Queen Victoria), and Donald (a compliment to Scotland).

His godparents were:

Prince Maurice had three older siblings, two brothers and a sister:

Princess Beatrice and her children; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Maurice’s mother was one of two daughters (Princess Alice was the other) of Queen Victoria who was a hemophilia carrier. His brother Leopold was a hemophiliac and died during a hip operation. His sister Victoria Eugénie, known as Ena, was a hemophilia carrier and had two hemophiliac sons. For more information on hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s family see Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants.

Queen Victoria had allowed Maurice’s parents to marry under the condition that Beatrice and Henry live permanently in the United Kingdom with her. Henry was increasingly bored with court activity and longed to do something on his own. Ten years after his marriage, Henry pleaded with his mother-in-law to allow him to join the Ashanti expedition fighting in the Anglo-Ashanti Wars. Queen Victoria reluctantly agreed and Henry left for Africa on December 6, 1895. In Africa, Henry contracted malaria, was sent back home but died aboard the ship on January 20, 1896. Maurice was four years old, the same age his mother Beatrice was when her father Prince Albert died.

 

Maurice was the child that most resembled his father and he was his mother’s favorite. He attended Lockers Park School, a day and boarding preparatory school in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, and then attended Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England.

Prince Maurice; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In 1900, Prince Maurice’s much older first cousin Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, son of Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Helena, was participating in the Boer War when he came down with malaria and then enteric fever and subsequently died. Maurice was upset with his cousin’s death especially since Christian Victor had served with his father in the Anglo-Ashanti Wars. Prince Christian Victor’s regiment was the 60th King’s Royal Rifles.  The news of Prince Christian Victor’s death arrived at Balmoral Castle where Maurice’s family and Christian Victor’s family were both staying. In his dressing gown, Maurice went to the room of Christian Victor’s sister Princess Helena Victoria (known as Thora), and said, “Cousin Thora, it may comfort you to know that I have decided to join the 60th when I am old enough.”

In 1910, Prince Maurice fulfilled this promise to his cousin Thora and joined the 60th King’s Royal Rifles. When World War I started, all three of Princess Beatrice’s sons were serving in the British Army and the princess received a letter asking her what effort she would play in the effort to win the war. Princess Beatrice replied that her husband had died on active duty and that all three of her sons had left for the front on August 12, 1914, just eight days after the United Kingdom had declared war.

On October 27, 1914, Prince Maurice was leading an attack on the German frontline at Zonnebeke near Ypres in the Belgian province of West Flanders when he was mortally wounded by shrapnel. The platoon sergeant tried to offer help to the wounded prince, but Maurice, aged 23, died before his men could bring him to a safer place. Upon hearing the news, King George V, Prince Maurice’s first cousin, and Queen Mary drove to Kensington Palace to console Princess Beatrice. Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, offered to bring Prince Maurice’s body back to England, but Princess Beatrice replied, “No, let him lie with his comrades.” Prince Maurice was buried in the Ypres Town Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Ypres, Belgium.

Maurice_grave 1

Prince Maurice’s grave in 1915; Photo Credit – http://media.iwm.org.uk

On November 5, 1914, a memorial service for Prince Maurice was held at the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace in London. Those who attended included Princess Beatrice, King George V, Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, Field Marshal Kitchener, Field Marshal Grenfell, and the former Empress Eugénie of France whose only child was killed in 1879 while serving with the British in the Anglo-Zulu War.

Prince Maurice’s grave today; Photo 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.

Sources
Dennison, Matthew. The Last Princess. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2007. Print.
Duff, David. The Shy Princess. London: William Clowes and Sons, Limited, 1958. Print.
“Prince Maurice of Battenberg.” Wikipedia. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.