Category Archives: German Royals

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. This appeased  Alfonso’s mother, 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.

Ena and Alfonso had 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 worked 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, Ena and Alfonso 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 reunited 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.

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

Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales; 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 and heir 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.

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

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.

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.  Frederick and Augusta 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, a world-class botanical garden today.  Her eldest son George succeeded his grandfather as king in 1760.  Augusta died of throat cancer 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

Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; 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 British 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 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 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 in Sweden 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 of Sweden. 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 Burial Ground in Haga Park in Solna, Stockholm, 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

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium – 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. From a very early age, she developed a passion for the arts. Through her parents’ efforts, she 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 became 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 often traveled to the United Kingdom, 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.

Queen Elisabeth (seated) visits the tomb of Tutankhamun with her son the Duke of Brabant, later King Leopold III (center, black suit, holding camera), Lord Carnarvon (fifth from right) who funded the excavation, and members of the British and Egyptian administration in Thebes, Egypt, February 18, 1923

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 establishing 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 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.

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

Prince 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

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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. The Weimar Constitution of 1919 abolished noble and royal titles and the current constitution, the German Basic Law, states that titles are only valid as part of a surname.

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

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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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Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was born at the Untere Schloss (Lower Castle) (scroll down) in Mirow, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,  on May 19, 1744. Charlotte was the youngest daughter and the eighth of ten children of Duke Carl Ludwig Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen.  Charlotte’s father died when she was eight-years-old and her mother died when she was 17, shortly before Charlotte married.

Charlotte had nine siblings:

At the time of Charlotte’s birth, Great Britain was ruled by King George II and his heir was his eldest son, Frederick, Prince of Wales.  Frederick predeceased his father in 1751 and his eldest son George became heir to the throne. When King George II died in 1760, his 22-year-old grandson succeeded him as King George III.  Before George became king, two attempts to marry him had failed and now that he had succeeded to the throne, the search for a wife intensified. The choice fell upon Charlotte and George’s mother Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales probably played a major role in the decision.

Charlotte’s journey to London took ten days and included a very stormy crossing of the British Channel. While most of her attendants were seasick, Charlotte practiced playing “God Save the King” on the harpsichord. On September 8, 1761, at 10 PM, George and Charlotte married in the Chapel Royal of St. James’ Palace in London, England. On September 22, 1761, their coronation was held at Westminster Abbey in London, England.

Coronation Portraits of King George III and Queen Charlotte by Allan Ramsey; Credit -http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

George and Charlotte’s marriage was a very happy one, and George remained faithful to Charlotte. Between 1762 – 1783, Charlotte gave birth to 15 children, and all survived childbirth. Only two of the children did not survive childhood. It is remarkable that in 1817 at the time of the death in childbirth of Princess Charlotte of Wales, who was second in line to the throne after her father the Prince of Wales, Princess Charlotte was the only legitimate grandchild of King George III, despite the fact that eleven of his fifteen children were still living.

The 15 children of King George III and Queen Charlotte:

In the same year as his marriage, King George III purchased Buckingham House, originally built for John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703. Originally purchased as a get-away for Charlotte who gave birth to 14 of her 15 children there, the house became known as the Queen’s House and was the architectural core of the present Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham House around 1710; Credit – Wikipedia

George and Charlotte led a simple life with their children, residing at the Queen’s House, Windsor Castle, and Kew Palace.  The family took summer holidays at Weymouth in Dorset, England making Weymouth one of the first seaside resorts in England. The simplicity of the royal family’s life dismayed some of the courtiers. Upon hearing that the King, Queen, and the Queen’s brother went for a walk by themselves in Richmond, Lady Mary Coke said, “I am not satisfied in my mind about the propriety of a Queen walking in town unattended.”

Charlotte played no part in politics and was content in dealing with family affairs. She had some charities including the silk weavers of Spitalfields, but she spent most of her time dealing with her growing family. George and Charlotte were possessive parents and often made unwise decisions regarding their family. Charlotte thought the Prince of Wales could do no wrong and encouraged him in the cruel treatment of his wife Caroline.  Charlotte and George’s six daughters were well brought up, kind and considerate, but all attempts by young, eligible men to marry them were stymied.

Queen Charlotte by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1789; Credit – Wikipedia

The only disruption in the family’s domestic lives was George’s attacks of illness. We now know that King George possibly suffered from porphyria and his attacks severely worried Charlotte. The stress caused by her husband’s illness caused Charlotte’s personality to change. She became bad-tempered and depressed and her relationships with her children were strained. In 1810, George became so ill that Parliament needed to pass the Regency Act of 1811.  The Prince of Wales acted as Regent until his father died in 1820. Charlotte was her husband’s legal guardian, but could not bring herself to visit him due to his violent outbursts and erratic behavior.

Charlotte was extremely upset at the death of her granddaughter and namesake Princess Charlotte of Wales in 1817. She had been in Bath at the time of her granddaughter’s death and was criticized for not being present. During the last year of her life, Charlotte presided over the weddings of her aging sons who were marrying to provide heirs to the throne after the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales.

Queen Charlotte died on November 17, 1818, at Kew Palace seated in a small armchair holding the hand of her eldest son. She was buried in the Royal Tomb House at St. George’s Chapel Windsor. Charlotte is the second longest-serving consort in British history. Only her descendant, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, served as a consort longer. King George III was unaware of his wife’s death. He died at Windsor Castle on January 29, 1820, six days after the death of his fourth son, Edward, Duke of Kent. The Duke of Kent’s only child, a daughter, was only eight months old when her father died, but 17 years later she succeeded to the throne as Queen Victoria.

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House of Hanover Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia

by Emily McMahon  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

The last German Crown Prince and Crown Prince of Prussia was born at the Marmorpalais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on May 6, 1882, a little over a year after the wedding of his parents, the future Wilhelm II, German Emperor and the former Augusta Victoria (Dona) of Schleswig-Holstein.  Christened Friedrich Wilhelm Victor August Ernst but known as Wilhelm, he was born during the reign of his great-grandfather, Wilhelm I.

Wilhelm had five brothers and one sister:

Wilhelm with his parents and siblings; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm attended school in Plön and later the University of Bonn. During his teen years and young adulthood, he gained a reputation as a ladies’ man and would carry on many notable affairs during his lifetime. Wilhelm’s father looked on his son’s promiscuity with strong dislike, at one point more or less banishing young Wilhelm to Danzig to ease the gossip at court. Among Wilhelm’s alleged mistresses were American opera singer Geraldine Farrar and Mata Hari, a dancer and World War I spy.

Wilhelm in 1901; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm spent his time in Danzig playing tennis and having affairs with various women. He also developed an interest in football (soccer), a new sport in Europe. As he became bored at Danzig, Wilhelm began to speak out publicly against his father’s political acumen (or lack thereof). This did not improve the relationship between father and son.

Wilhelm and Cecilie’s engagement photo; Credit – Wikipedia

Wilhelm married Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, on June 6,  1905, in Berlin. The couple had met at the wedding of Cecilie’s brother the previous year. Cecilie had been selected for Wilhelm by his father due to her close associations with Russia through her mother and her noted beauty. Although he did initially take an interest in his wife, Wilhelm soon resumed his affairs with other women.

Wilhelm and Cecilie had six children:

Wilhelm with his wife and children, circa 1925; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Alexandrine had Down’s Syndrome, but unlike most disabled royal children of the time, she was not separated from the family, nor was her education neglected. Alexandrine appeared in most family photographs and attended a special school for girls with learning difficulties.

Despite his place in the German militaristic culture, Wilhelm had little interest in the military. He was named commander of the 5th Army at the outbreak of World War I in the summer of 1914, a post he held for two years. He was also the commander of the Army Group German Crown Prince until the end of the war. For the most part, Wilhelm remained under the tutelage of more experienced military commanders during his tenure.

Wilhelm went into exile in the Netherlands following the end of the monarchy in 1918. Five years later, Wilhelm and Cecilie returned to Germany after promising to remain out of politics. The family was able to retain much of its wealth and even some former residences, allowing them to live a comfortable life in Germany. By this time, Wilhelm and Cecilie had separated but maintained friendly relations and reunited during family events.

Wilhelm did not entirely remain out of politics despite his promise, as he met with and supported Adolf Hitler in his early days of power. He also joined Stahlhelm, a German paramilitary organization, and considered running for President of Germany until he was discouraged by many people. Following the Night of the Long Knives, in which many political figures were murdered, Wilhelm stayed out of politics permanently.

When his father died in 1941, Wilhelm became head of the House of Hohenzollern. He did not support Hitler’s activities after 1934 and lived a quiet life. After Cecilienhof, the family home, was seized by the Soviets following World War II, Wilhelm moved to a small house in Hechingen, Germany. He died of a heart attack there on July 20, 1951, at the age of 69. Wilhelm is buried with his wife at Hohenzollern Castle in Bisingen, Zollernalbkreis, Germany.

Wilhelm and Cecilie’s graves; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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