Category Archives: German Royals

Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Prince Consort of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Bernhard was the husband of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Bernhard Friedrich Eberhard Leopold Julius Kurt Carl Gottfried Peter, Graf von Biesterfeld was born on June 29, 1911, in Jena in the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the elder son of Prince Bernhard of Lippe (younger brother of Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe) and his wife Armgard von Cramm. Bernhard and Armgard’s marriage was considered morganatic, so the younger Bernhard was styled Graf von Biesterfeld (Count of Biesterfeld) at birth.  In 1916, Bernhard’s uncle, the reigning Prince of Lippe, created Armgard Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld with the style Serene Highness and this title and style also was extended to her two sons.

Bernhard had one younger brother:

Bernhard started his education with tutors at home and at the age of 12 began to attend a boarding school for boys in Züllichau in the Prussian province of Brandenburg, now Sulechów, Poland. In 1929, he completed his secondary education and then studied law at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and at the Friedrich-Wilhelm University in Berlin, Germany, now Humboldt University. Bernhard then obtained a job at the Parisian subsidiary of the German chemical company IG Farben, where he continued to work until his engagement to Juliana.

In February of 1936, Bernhard attended the Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. There he met and fell in love with Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, the only child, and heir of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. After Queen Wilhelmina had lawyers draft a very detailed prenuptial agreement that specified exactly what Bernhard could and could not do, the couple’s engagement was announced on September 8, 1936. After a civil marriage at The Hague City Hall, a religious marriage was held at the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk in The Hague on January 7, 1937. Before the wedding, Bernhard had been granted Dutch citizenship and changed the spelling of his names from German to Dutch, and on his wedding day, he became His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.

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Juliana and Bernhard had four daughters:

Prince Bernhard also had two illegitimate daughters:

  • Alicia von Bielefeld (born 1952), whose mother has not been identified, Alicia is a landscape architect who lives in the United States
  • Alexia Grinda (born 1967), whose mother was French socialite and fashion model Hélène Grinda

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During World War II, three days after Germany began its invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch Royal Family left for London, England. One month later, Juliana, along with her daughters Beatrix and Irene, went to Ottawa, Canada, where they would be safer. Prince Bernhard stayed with Queen Wilhelmina in London during the war, although both did make occasional visits to the rest of the family in Canada. Juliana and Bernhard’s third daughter Margriet was born while the family was in Canada. On August 2, 1945, the whole family returned to the Netherlands.

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On September 4, 1948, after a reign of nearly 58 years, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favor of her daughter and Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands and Bernhard became Prince Consort. From 1954 to 1976, Bernhard served as chairman of the Bilderberg Conference, an international political group that seeks a better understanding between the cultures of the United States and Europe to encourage cooperation on political, economic, and defense issues. Prince Bernhard helped found the World Wildlife Fund and was its first president, serving from 1962 – 1976.

Bernhard was forced to step down from leadership roles in both groups after being involved in the Lockheed bribery scandal. The scandal was comprised of a series of bribes and contributions in the process of negotiating the sale of aircraft made by officials of Lockheed, an American aerospace company, in the 1950s to the 1970s. It caused considerable political controversy in West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan. Prince Bernhard received a $1.1 million bribe from Lockheed to ensure the Lockheed F-104 would win a contract over the French-made Mirage 5. The results of a Dutch government inquiry almost led to a constitutional crisis because Queen Juliana threatened to abdicate if Bernhard was prosecuted. Bernhard was not prosecuted but had to step down from several public positions and was forbidden to wear his military uniforms again. Although Bernhard always denied the charges, interviews published after his death revealed that he had admitted to taking the money.

Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard returning from Italy due to developments in the Lockheed scandal on August 26, 1976; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

On January 31, 1980, Queen Juliana announced that she would abdicate in favor of her eldest daughter Beatrix on April 30, 1980, her 71st birthday. After 1995, when Juliana’s general health began to decline, she made fewer public appearances. In 2001, during a television interview on the occasion of his 90th birthday, Prince Bernhard said that Juliana no longer recognized her family and had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for several years. On March 20, 2004, Juliana died in her sleep at the age of 94 due to pneumonia.

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Prince Bernhard with his daughter Queen Beatrix at Queen Juliana’s funeral

On November 17, 2004, eight months after Juliana’s death, it was announced that Prince Bernhard had lung cancer. An additional announcement was made two weeks later stating that he also had a malignant tumor in the intestines. Bernhard died at the University of Utrecht Medical Center on December 1, 2004, at the age of 93.

Funeral procession in Delft; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

A state funeral was held on December 11, 2004, in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. The funeral had a military nature and the coffin was brought to the church on a gun carriage as a Royal Air Force flyover in the missing man formation flew overhead. After the funeral, Prince Bernhard was interred in the royal crypt at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

The access to the royal crypt in the foreground; Credit – By Sander van der Wel from Netherlands – Royal grave tomb and the grave of Willem van Oranje, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28146859

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.

Kingdom of the Netherlands Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Prince Hendrik of the Netherlands; Credit: Wikipedia

Prince Hendrik was the husband of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and thus far, is the longest-serving Dutch consort. Heinrich Wladimir Albrecht Ernst was born on April 19, 1876, in Schwerin in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.  He was the youngest of the four children of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his third wife Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Heinrich had three full siblings:

Heinrich had six half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Princess Auguste of Reuss-Köstritz:

Heinrich had one half-sister from his father’s third marriage to  Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine:

  • Duchess Anne (1865 – 1882), unmarried, died in her teens

Heinrich had seven half-siblings, and five survived to adulthood.  Among his half-siblings were Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, father of Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark and Cecile, last Crown Princess of Prussia and Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Maria Pavlovna of Russia) who married Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia. Their son Kirill became a pretender to the Russian throne after the assassination of his cousin Nicholas II of Russia.

When Heinrich was seven years old, his father died. After finishing his secondary education in Dresden, he traveled to Greece and the British colonies of India and Ceylon.  He then joined the Prussian Army and served as a first lieutenant in the Garde-Jäger-Bataillon in Potsdam, Prussia.

In 1900, Heinrich and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands were introduced by their mothers. After spending part of the summer together, the two became engaged on October 16, 1900.  The wedding preparations were overshadowed by the deaths of Wilhelmina’s uncle Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach on January 5, 1901, and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom on January 22, 1901.

The couple was married on February 7, 1901, at the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk in The Hague in the Netherlands.  Following the wedding, Heinrich became a Prince of the Netherlands and also became known by the Dutch version of his name – Hendrik. Wilhelmina decreed that the Dutch royal house would remain the House of Orange-Nassau and not change to the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  Although the marriage was a peaceful one, Hendrik and Wilhelmina grew apart due to her religious mysticism and his unfaithfulness and frustrations over his lack of an official role in the Netherlands.

Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelmina had no surviving siblings at the time of her marriage and the fear that the Dutch throne would pass to a German prince made it imperative that she provide herself with an heir. The couple’s only child, the future Queen Juliana, was born on April 30, 1909, to her parents’ great relief.  Wilhelmina had several miscarriages before and after Juliana’s birth, as well as a stillborn child.

Juliana in 1910; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Throughout his marriage, Hendrik was plagued by financial problems.  He received no subsidy from the Dutch treasury, and instead received an annual sum of 100,000 guilders from his wife. His activities and pastimes cost money and he was expected to financially support charities and also provide funds to his impoverished family in Germany.  In addition, there was money Hendrik had to give to his mistresses who bore him illegitimate children.  Dutch historian Gerald Aalders has said Prince Hendrik had eight known illegitimate children.  After Hendrik’s death, Queen Wilhelmina continued to compensate the mothers of his illegitimate children.

Hendrik held various honorary appointments in the armed forces and also served on the Council of State, but his wife kept him out of all political matters. He deeply regretted his rather insignificant position and said about his situation, “It’s not nice when you always want some more bacon and all that’s ever left is beans.”

Prince Hendrik had a great interest in the social and economic life in the Netherlands. He oversaw the merger of the two scouting organizations to create De Nederlandse Padvinders (The Netherlands Pathfinders), an organization that still receives royal patronage.  He was chairman of the Dutch Red Cross and in 1928 he opened the Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

Funeral of Prince Hendrik; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

During the last years of his life, Hendrik’s health quickly deteriorated. His arthritis worsened, he gained much weight, and had his first heart attack in 1929. The second heart attack followed on June 28, 1934. During the afternoon of July 3, 1934, while in his office, Prince Hendrik died at the age of 58 of cardiac arrest. As per his wishes, he had a white funeral and was buried in the crypt at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

The access to the royal crypt in the foreground; Credit – By Sander van der Wel from Netherlands – Royal grave tomb and the grave of Willem van Oranje, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28146859

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.

Kingdom of the Netherlands Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen of Spain; Photo: 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 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.

 

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 their first son, Alfonso, 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. 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. The following year she 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 were accusing 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 keeping up 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.

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.

Kingdom of Spain Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Augusta of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg, the second youngest of the sixteen children of Friedrich II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalene Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst, was born on November 30, 1719, in Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany.

Augusta had fifteen siblings:

  • Sophie (1697 – 1703), died in childhood from smallpox
  • Friedrich III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1699 – 1772), married Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen, had nine children
  • Wilhelm (1701 – 1771), married Anna of Holstein-Gottorp, no children
  • Karl Frederick (1702 – 1703), died in infancy from smallpox
  • Johann August (1704 – 1767), married Luise Reuss of Schleiz, widow of his brother Christian Wilhelm, had two children
  • Christian (born and died 1705), died in infancy from smallpox
  • Christian Wilhelm (1706 – 1748), married Luise Reuss of Schleiz, no children
  • Ludwig Ernst (1707 – 1763), Munster Lieutenant General
  • Emanuel (1709 – 1710), died in early childhood
  • Moritz (1711 – 1777), regent in Saxony-Eisenach, Hesse-Kassel Lieutenant General
  • Sophie (born and died 1712), died in infancy
  • Karl (1714 – 1715), died in infancy
  • Fredericka (1715 – 1775), married Johann Adolf II, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, had five children
  • Magdalena Sibylle (born and died 1718), died in infancy
  • Johann Adolf (1721 – 1799), married morganatically Marie Maximiliane Elisabeth Schauer, had three children

In 1736, at the age of 16, and still very young for her age, clutching a doll, and knowing no English, Augusta arrived in England for her marriage to Frederick, Prince of Wales, the son of King George II of Great Britain.  On May 8, 1736, after having dinner with Frederick and his siblings, Augusta was led up the aisle of the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace by her future brother-in-law William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, to marry her 29-year-old groom.

The newlyweds were strictly controlled by Frederick’s parents who did not allow them to set up their own household.  Augusta only spoke German and a little French, so a tutor was arranged to teach her English.  Because she was so lonely, her old governess was brought to England to keep her company.  Having been brought up as a Lutheran, Augusta had misgivings about receiving communion in the Church of England.  She was only persuaded to do so when her mother-in-law threatened to annul her marriage and send her back home.

Frederick and Augusta had nine children including King George III who succeeded his grandfather King George II and Caroline Matilda, Queen Consort of Denmark whose marriage was a tragic story.

Family of Frederick, Prince of Wales painted in 1751 after the prince’s death; Photo Credit – Wikipedia Front row: Henry, William, Frederick; Back row: Edward, George, Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales holding Caroline Matilda, Elizabeth, Louisa

During Augusta’s first pregnancy in 1737, King George II and Queen Caroline demanded to be present at the birth, but Frederick would not hear of it.  Augusta and Frederick were at Hampton Court Palace having dinner with Frederick’s parents when Augusta went into labor.  They took a bumpy carriage ride to St. James’ Palace to prevent the grandparents from being present at the birth.  Afterward, the king ordered them to leave St. James’ Palace and they moved to Kew Palace.  The queen paid a visit to Frederick and Augusta before they left St. James’ Palace and expressed a wish that she never see them again.  Queen Caroline got her wish as she died several months later without reconciling with her son and daughter-in-law.

After Queen Caroline’s death, the couple’s life was somewhat less tense and despite several fleeting affairs, Frederick was a good husband and father.  In early 1751, Frederick’s health began to be a concern and on March 31, 1751, he died at the age of 44.  His death was attributed to a burst abscess in his lung, but a ruptured aneurysm seems more likely.

At the time of Frederick’s death, his 32-year-old widow was pregnant with her ninth child.  Augusta spent her years as a widow raising her nine children and improving the gardens at Kew Palace, which today are a world-class botanical garden.  Her eldest son George succeeded his grandfather as king in 1760.  Augusta died of cancer of the throat on February 8, 1772, at the age of 52, and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

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Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha could have become Queen Consort of Sweden if her husband had not tragically died in a plane accident. Sibylla Calma Marie Alice Bathildis Feodora was born on January 18, 1908, at Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Thuringia, Germany. Sibylla was the second of the five children of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Her father was the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son Prince Leopold, so, therefore, Sibylla was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. Sibylla started her education at home and then attended the Gymnasium Alexandrinum in Coburg and the Kunstgewerbeschule in Weimar, Saxony.

Sibylla had an elder brother and two younger brothers and a younger sister:

  • Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1906 – 1972) married (1) unequally 1932 Feodora, Baroness von der Horst, renounced his rights as head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; divorced 1962; had issue (2) 1963 Maria Theresa Reindl, no issue
  • Prince Hubertus (1909 – 1943) unmarried, killed in action during World War II
  • Princess Caroline Mathilde (1912 – 1983) married (1) 1931 Friedrich, Count of Castell-Rüdenhausen; divorced; had issue (2) 1938 Captain Max Schnirring who died in action during World War II; had issue (3) 1946 Karl Otto Andree; divorced; no issue
  • Prince Friedrich Josias (1918 – 1998) married (1) 1942 Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth; divorced; had issue (2) 1948 Denyse de Muralt; divorced; had issue (3) 1964 Katherine Bremme; no issue

Princess Sibylla (center) with her parents and siblings in 1918; Photo Credit – “Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R14326, Karl-Eduard von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, Familie” by Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R14326 / CC-BY-SA. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons

Sibylla’s father was affected by the Titles Deprivation Act 1917 which was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom authorizing enemies of the United Kingdom during World War I to be deprived of their British peerages and royal titles. Besides being the sovereign Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Sibylla’s father had been born a Prince of the United Kingdom. Because his father Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany died before his son’s birth Charles Edward succeeded to his father’s titles at birth and he was styled His Royal Highness The Duke of Albany. In 1900, at the age of 16, Charles Edward inherited the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from his uncle Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria. Alfred’s only son, Prince Alfred died in 1899. Queen Victoria’s third son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, had renounced his claims to the duchy as did his only son, Prince Arthur of Connaught. Charles Edward was conflicted as to what side he should support in World War I, but he finally supported Germany and was a general in the German Army. On March 28, 1919, Charles Edward’s British peerages, the Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence, and Baron of Arklow, were formally removed. In addition, Charles Edward and his children also lost their entitlement to the titles of Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom and the styles Royal Highness and Highness.

In November 1931, Sibylla was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Lady May Cambridge, a niece of Queen Mary, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom. One of the other bridesmaids was Princess Ingrid of Sweden, who introduced Sibylla to her brother, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten. Prince Gustaf Adolf was the eldest son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden) and was therefore second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. Sibylla and Gustaf Adolf, who were second cousins, became engaged on June 16, 1932.

The Nazi Party was gaining considerable power in Germany at the time. As Sibylla’s father was a prominent member of the Nazi Party, the wedding almost was a state affair. Adolf Hitler, who would soon become the German Chancellor, wrote a letter to Sibylla’s father congratulating the couple. The civil service was held on October 19, 1932, at Veste Castle in Coburg with the Nazi Mayor of Coburg officiating, followed by a large reception, which included a torchlight procession of 4,000 members of the Nazi party. The religious wedding was held on the following day at St. Moritz Church in Coburg. During the wedding festivities, numerous swastikas and other Nazi symbols could be seen throughout Coburg. The Nazi connection did not sit well with the Swedish people, and the groom’s grandfather King Gustaf V of Sweden, protesting Coburg’s close relation to the Nazi Party, refused to attend the wedding.

 

Sibylla and Gustaf Adolf had four daughters and one son:

The couple lived at Haga Palace and their daughters were nicknamed the Haga Princesses. Princess Sibylla participated in official duties, but she never felt at home in Sweden. She never learned to speak fluent Swedish and spoke German with her children. In addition, she had to deal with the distrust caused by the crimes of the Germans during World War II and the activities of her father in the Nazi Party.

Tragically, Prince Gustaf Adolf was killed in a commercial airplane crash on January 26, 1947, at the Kastrup Airport in Kastrup, Denmark near Copenhagen.  He was returning to Stockholm from a hunting trip and a visit to Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The plane had landed at Kastrup Airport for a routine stop before continuing to Stockholm. After the plane took off from Kastrup Airport, it climbed to an altitude of only 150 feet, stalled, and plummeted nose-first to the ground, where it exploded on impact. All 22 people aboard the plane were killed. Sibylla was a 39-year-old widow with five children ranging in age from nine months to 12 years old.

After her stepmother-in-law Queen Louise died in 1965, Sibylla was the senior royal princess and acted in a supporting role for her father-in-law King Gustaf VI Adolf. She became more popular and continued the activities started by Queen Louise such as the ladies’ democratic lunches.

 

Unfortunately, Sibylla did not live long enough to see her son Carl Gustaf become king. Her last public appearance was on King Gustaf VI Adolf’s 90th birthday on November 11, 1972. On November 28, 1972, Sibylla died of colon cancer at the age of 64, less than a year before her son would become king. At her request, Sibylla’s remains were cremated and interred next to her husband at the Royal Cemetery at Haga Park in Solna, Sweden.

Grave of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

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Queen Elisabeth of Belgium

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

photo: Wikipedia

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium was the wife of Albert I, King of the Belgians. She was born Elisabeth Gabriele Valérie Marie, Duchess in Bavaria, on July 25, 1876, at Possenhofen Castle in the Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany. Elisabeth was the third of six children of Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria (a grandson of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria), and his second wife, Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal (a daughter of King Miguel I of Portugal). She was named after her father’s sister, Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria.

Elisabeth had four siblings:

Elisabeth was raised and educated at home, and from a very early age developed a passion for the arts. She also, through the efforts of her parents, gained an understanding and appreciation for helping those less fortunate. These interests would later make her a very beloved Queen in Belgium.

Engagement photo of Elisabeth and Albert. photo: Wikipedia

While in Paris in May 1897, attending the funeral of her aunt, The Duchess of Alençon, Elisabeth met her future husband, the future Albert I, King of the Belgians. The two quickly become involved, and several months later they became engaged. They married in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, on October 2, 1900, and following a honeymoon in Italy, settled in Brussels, Belgium. They had three children:

In December 1909, Albert and Elisabeth became King and Queen of the Belgians, following the death of Albert’s uncle, King Leopold II. The new Queen took on a much more public role than her predecessors, getting involved with many charities and organizations, particularly those in the arts and social welfare. She often surrounded herself with famous authors and artists, as well as leading scientists of the day. Her friendly nature, and true care and concern for others, quickly endeared her to the people of Belgium.

When war broke out in 1914, Queen Elisabeth worked with the nurses on the front and helped establish the Symphony Orchestra of the field army. She also traveled to the UK often, under the pretext of visiting her children who were studying there. In fact, she was often bringing important messages and information to the British government from her husband and his forces. Following the war, the family made a triumphant return to Brussels and set about to rebuild the nation.

 

In addition to her work helping those less fortunate, Queen Elisabeth also indulged in many of her other interests. She became an avid photographer and continued a life-long interest in ancient Egypt. This interest led her to be the first invited guest to see the newly opened tomb of King Tutankhamun on February 18, 1923, and her subsequent establishment of the Queen Elisabeth Egyptological Foundation. In addition, she established the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation in Belgium, and the Queen Elisabeth Medical Assistance Fund in the Congo, to help those who could not afford medical care. In 1928, she was responsible for the establishment of the Palace for Fine Arts in Brussels.

On February 17, 1934, her husband, King Albert I, was killed in a mountain climbing accident and was succeeded by their elder son, King Leopold III. Elisabeth withdrew from public life, so as not to hinder the efforts of her daughter-in-law, now Queen Astrid.  However, in August 1935, Astrid was killed in an automobile accident in Switzerland. The Dowager Queen Elisabeth returned to public life, doing her best to support her son and his young family, and resuming her position as the first lady of the land. She continued with her patronage of the arts, establishing the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, the new Royal Library of Belgium, and the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.

During World War II, she remained at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels, Belgium with her son, who was held there under house arrest by the Germans. During this time, she used her influence and her connections to help rescue hundreds of Jewish children from deportation by the Nazi regime. For this, she would later be granted the title Righteous Among the Nations by the Israeli government. When Leopold and his family were deported to Germany in 1944, Elisabeth remained in Belgium, doing her best to publicly support her younger son, Charles, who was serving as Regent, and with whom she had a very strained relationship. Upon Leopold’s return in 1950, and subsequent abdication in 1951, Elisabeth moved from the Palace of Laeken, taking up residence at Stuyvenberg Castle, just across the park. Here she would entertain some of the most prominent names of the time – Albert Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, Pablo Casals, Jean Cocteau, among many others.

 

The remainder of her life was spent enjoying her grandchildren and continuing with her artistic pursuits. In 1956, she celebrated her 80th birthday surrounded by her extensive royal family. She was the mother of a King, a Prince Regent and a Queen, and grandmother to two future Kings, a future Grand Duchess, and the pretender to the Italian throne.

 

On November 23, 1965, at her home at Stuyvenberg Castle in Laeken, Brussels, Belgium, the Dowager Queen Elisabeth passed away at the age of 89. Her funeral was held at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels, Belgium, and was attended by nearly all of the Belgian royal family (her son Charles refused to attend), as well as members of royal families from around the world. She was then interred in the Royal Crypt at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken in Brussels, Belgium next to her beloved husband, King Albert I.

Tomb of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth; Credit – Wikipedia

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Kingdom of Belgium Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin) was born on October 29, 1934, in Giessen, Germany. He was the eldest of the five children of Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Margareta Fouché d’Otrante.  Richard’s father served in the German Army during World War II and in 1944 he went missing during a mission in the then Soviet Union, but he was not declared legally dead until 1969. Richard’s mother Margareta was born in Elghammar, Sweden and the family went back to her native country where they lived with Margareta’s father Charles Louis Fouché, 4th Duke of Otranto at Elghammar Castle.

Richard had four younger siblings:

  • Princess Madeleine of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1936), married Otto, Count zu Solms-Laubach, had children
  • Prince Robin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1938), married  (1) Birgitta af Klercker, had one son and one daughter, divorced  (2)  Marie-Christine Heftler-Louiche, had one daughter
  • Princess Tatiana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1940) married Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse, had two daughters and two sons, divorced
  • Princess Pia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1942)

Richard was educated at boarding schools in Viggbyholm, Sweden and Sigtuna, Sweden. He then studied forestry at Munich University and obtained a degree in forestry at the University of Göttingen.  Richard then joined the Wittgenstein Berleburgische Rentkammer,  based at the family home Berleburg Castle, which manages the family’s 30,000 acres of forest and about 150 plots at home and abroad, as well as its corporate investments.

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was originally a county (its ruler was a Count) located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany in the present state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1792, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was raised to a principality and its ruler was then a Prince (Fürst in German). In 1806, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was mediatized into the Grand Duchy of Hesse and then was annexed by Prussia in 1816. In 1919, Germany stopped recognizing the various titles of the nobility and royalty. In Germany today former hereditary titles are allowed only as part of the surname.

At the wedding of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1966, Richard met his future wife Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the daughter of King Frederik IX of Denmark. The couple married at the Fredensborg Palace Church in Fredensborg, Denmark on February 3, 1968.

Richard and Benedikte had one son and two daughters. Because their three children were not raised in Denmark, they are not in the line of succession to the Danish throne. However, they are styled as Highnesses in Denmark and Serene Highnesses elsewhere. Richard’s daughter Nathalie competed for Denmark in the Equestrian Team and Individual Dressage in the 2008/Bejing and 2012/London Summer Olympics. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nathalie won a Bronze Medal in Team Dressage.

 

Richard was active in many conservation programs including a project to reintroduce European bison on his 30,000-acre estate. See NPR: German Prince Plans To Put Bison Back In The Wild.

Prince Richard died at his home, Berleburg Castle, in Bad Berleburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on March 13, 2017, at the age of 82. He was buried at the Forest Cemetery Sengelsberg in Berleburg, Germany.

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Prince Maurice of Battenberg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Prince Maurice of Battenberg; Photo source: FirstWorldWar.com 

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.

The infant prince was christened on October 31, 1891, in the drawing-room of Balmoral Castle, the first christening of a prince in Scotland for 300 years. Queen Victoria, the proud grandmother, commissioned a painting to commemorate the christening.  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:

Maurice_baptism

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

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 who was Prince Maurice’s first cousin, and Queen Mary drove to Kensington Palace to console Princess Beatrice. Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, offered to have Prince Maurice’s body brought 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.

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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.

Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles

When dealing with German royals and nobles, we often see their titles in German. A glossary of these titles is below.

For more information, see:
Wikipedia: German Nobility
Heraldica: The German Nobility

  • Altgraf/Altgräfin – Altgrave/Altgravine – used by the counts of Lower Salm to distinguish themselves from the Wild- and Rhinegraves of Upper Salm
  • Burggraf/Burggräfin – Burgrave/Burgravine – hereditary governor of a castle or town
  • Edler/Edle – Noble – lowest rank of nobility in Austria-Hungary and Germany
  • Erzherzog(in) – Archduke/Archduchess – used by the Habsburg rulers of the Archduchy of Austria and later by all members of that dynasty
  • Freiherr/Freifrau – Baron(ess) – literally “free lord,” third lowest rank within the nobility
  • Freiin – unmarried daughter of a baron
  • Fürst(in) – Prince(ss) *see note below
  • Graf/Gräfin – Count(ess) – equivalent to the British earl
  • Grossherzog(in) – Grand Duke/Grand Duchess – a lesser sovereign in Germanic countries, ranking below a king but higher than a sovereign duke
  • Herr / Edler Herr – Lord / Noble Lord -similar to Edler
  • Herzog(in) – Duke/Duchess – hereditary ruler of a territorial duchy
  • Kaiser(in) – Emperor/Empress – emperors of the German Empire, the Austrian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire
  • König(in) – King/Queen
  • Kronprinz(essin) – Crown Prince(ss) – heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy
  • Kurfürst(in) – Prince-Elector/Electress – members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire
  • Landgraf/Landgräfin – Landgrave/Landgravine – ruled over an entire province or a large territory
  • Markgraf/Markgräfin – Margrave/Margravine – originally ruled over territory on the border of the Holy Roman Empire
  • Pfalzgraf/Pfalzgräfin – Count(ess) Palatine
  • Prinz(essin) – Prince(ss) *see note below
  • Reichsfreiherr/Reichsfreifrau – Baron(ess) of the Empire
  • Reichsgraf/Reichsgräfin – Count(ess) of the Empire
  • Ritter – Knight – second lowest rank within the nobility

*Fürst/Prince was used for a reigning sovereign ruler or monarch. The present-day rulers of the Principality of Liechtenstein bear the title of Fürst and the title is also used in German when referring to the ruling princes the Principality of Monaco. Non-reigning descendants of a Fürst are referred to in German as Prinz (prince) or Prinzessin (princess).

Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Embed from Getty Images 

Duchess Sophie Elizabeth Marie Gabrielle in Bavaria was born on October 28, 1967, in Munich, Germany. She is the eldest of five daughters of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria and Countess Elizabeth Douglas.

Sophie has four younger sisters:

  • Duchess Marie-Caroline in Bavaria (born 1969), married Duke Philipp of Württemberg, had three daughters and one son
  • Duchess Helena Eugenie in Bavaria (born 1972), unmarried
  • Duchess Elisabeth Marie in Bavaria (born 1973), married Daniel Terberger, had one son and one daughter
  • Duchess Maria Anna in Bavaria (born 1975), married (1) Klaus Runow, no children, divorced  (2) Baron Andreas von Maltzahn, had two sons

Sophie was raised on the family’s estate, Wildbad Kreuth, about 65 kilometers south of Munich,  Germany, where she began her primary schooling. She then attended the Girls’ Home Primary School of the English Lady in Heiligenstadt, followed by the Girls’ Secondary Boarding School Hohenburg in Lenggries. In 1984, she enrolled in the Adolf Weber High School in Munich, graduating in 1988.

Following several months in London where she attended the Inchbald School of Interior Design, Sophie began studying history and English language and literature at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in 1989.

photo: Corbis

photo: Corbis

On July 3, 1993, Sophie married Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein at the Vaduz Cathedral in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. He is the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein and Countess Marie Aglaë Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau. They had met some seven years earlier at a party hosted by a mutual friend.  The couple has four children:

  • Prince Joseph Wenzel (born 1995)
  • Princess Marie-Caroline (born 1996)
  • Prince Georg (born 1999)
  • Prince Nikolaus (born 2000)

The family initially lived in London but returned to Liechtenstein in 1996, where her husband began working for The Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation, which oversees and manages the various assets of the Princely Family.

The Hereditary Princess often accompanies her husband on foreign visits, as well as many events within Liechtenstein itself. She serves as a patron for many organizations and events, often relating to children, education, and the arts. She has been the President of the Liechtenstein Red Cross since 2015.

In 2006, she founded the Sophie of Liechtenstein Foundation for Woman and Child. “The goal of the foundation is to give women, who unintentionally become pregnant, a more positive life perspective for themselves and their child.” (Source: The Princely Family of Liechtenstein). The Foundation is funded by the Princely Family and by private donations, and the Hereditary Princess serves as President.

Sophie is a member of the House of Wittelsbach, formerly the reigning house of the Kingdom of Bavaria. She is second in line to the Jacobite succession to the British throne. The Jacobites sought to restore the British crown to King James II of England after he was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and subsequently, to his heirs. The current Jacobite heir is Sophie’s childless uncle Franz, Duke of Bavaria, who has never pursued the claim. Franz’s heir is Sophie’s father, Maximilian, Duke in Bavaria who only has five daughters. As the eldest of her father’s daughters, Sophie will be his heir to the Jacobite claim and her eldest son is her heir.

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