Category Archives: German Royals

Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony; Credit – Wikipedia

Given a long string of names, Maria Josepha Amalia Beatrix Xaveria Vincentia Aloysia Franziska de Paula Franziska de Chantal Anna Apollonia Johanna Nepomucena Walburga Theresia Ambrosia, the third wife of King Ferdinand VII of Spain, Princess Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, was born in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany on December 7, 1803.  She was the youngest child of the seven children of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and his first wife Princess Caroline of Parma, a granddaughter of Maria Theresa of Austria.   When  Maria Josepha Amalia was only three months old, her mother died and she was sent to a convent to be raised by nuns.  Her childhood in the convent was quite austere and as a result, she was a very ardent Roman Catholic.

Maria Josepha Amalia had six older siblings:

King Ferdinand VII of Spain’s first two wives (of four) had died and he had no surviving children.  His choice for a third wife was the nearly 16-year-old Maria Josepha Amalia.  The couple was married in Madrid on October 20, 1819.  The king fell in love with the beautiful, young princess, but her youth and inexperience made the adjustment to marriage difficult.  There was much pressure upon Ferdinand VII to produce an heir.  There were rumors that Maria Josepha Amalia’s devout Roman Catholicism caused her to believe that sexual relations between spouses were wrong and that Pope Pius VII had to convince her that sexual relations were permissible.  However, the marriage remained childless and Maria Josepha Amalia died of a fever at the age of 25 on May 18, 1829, at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.  She was buried in the royal crypt at the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real.  King Ferdinand VII eventually got his heir through his fourth marriage to Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies who gave birth to Queen Isabella II of Spain.

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Kingdom of Spain Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Marie of Prussia, Queen of Bavaria

by Emily McMahon and Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Marie of Prussia, Queen of Bavaria, Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Marie of Prussia (Marie Friederike Franziska Hedwig) was the wife of King Maximilian II of Bavaria who reigned from 1848 until he died in 1864. Born at the Berlin City Palace in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany, on October 15, 1825, she was the youngest child of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, a son of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia and Friederike Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt, Queen of Prussia.

Marie had seven siblings but only three survived to adulthood:

Marie was raised primarily at Schloss Fischbach in Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Poland, one of the many properties of the Prussian Royal Family. At one point, she was named as a potential bride for the future Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, but his reputation caused her parents to look elsewhere for an appropriate spouse.

Marie with her husband and sons. source: Wikipedia

On January 23, 1842, Marie became engaged to the future King Maximilian II of Bavaria. He was the son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The couple married in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria, on October 12, 1842, just three days before Marie turned seventeen. They had two sons:

Like her two predecessors, Caroline of Baden and Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Marie did not convert to Catholicism upon marriage, choosing to retain her Lutheran faith. The marriage was a peaceful one, although the two shared few interests. Maximilian’s interests were primarily academic, whereas Marie had a great love of charity work and being among the Bavarian people. Marie’s kind and open personality endeared her to the Bavarians, with whom she was quite popular. Marie led the resurgence of the Bavarian Women’s Association, which later evolved into the Red Cross.

Marie as Crown Princess, c1843. source: Wikipedia

In March 1864, King Maximilian II died and the couple’s elder son took the throne as King Ludwig II. Both of Marie’s sons were thought to have suffered from mental illness that severely hampered their abilities to rule Bavaria. Marie was said to have taken the reality of this situation remarkably well, believing it to be God’s will. A deeply religious woman, Marie later converted to Catholicism on October 12, 1874, on what would have been her 32nd wedding anniversary.

Marie lived in relative seclusion, splitting her time between her country home in Elbigenalp and Hohenschwangau Castle in Füssen, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in the German state of Bavaria. In 1883, her elder son, King Ludwig II, was deemed incompetent, and Marie’s brother-in-law, Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, was appointed Prince Regent. Days later, King Ludwig II was found dead, and Marie’s younger son became King Otto I, also under the Regency of Prince Luitpold.

Queen Marie died at Hohenschwangau Castle on May 17, 1889. She was buried with her husband in a side chapel at the Theatinerkirche in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany. Her heart is entombed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Altötting.

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Bavaria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Louise of Baden, Elizabeth Alexeievna, Empress of All Russia

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Louise of Baden, Elizabeth Alexeievna, Empress of All Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

The Romanov Emperors of Russia often married princesses of German principalities and grand duchies and Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia was no different.  Princess Louise Maria Auguste of Baden was born in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on January 24, 1779.  She was the third of the six daughters and the third of the eight children of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Amelia Frederica of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Louise, herself an empress, had seven siblings including two queens, a grand duchess, a duchess, and a grand duke. Collectively, Louise’s siblings are ancestors of a number of royal families.

Catherine II (the Great, Empress of All Russia) was considering candidates for the bride of her eldest grandson Alexander and was favorably impressed by 12-year-old Louise.  Louise and her younger sister Frederica went to St. Petersburg, Russia in the fall of 1792.  Empress Catherine was enchanted with the young princess and Louise was attracted to the tall, handsome Alexander.   Louise stayed in Russia to learn the Russian language and convert to Russian Orthodoxy.  She exchanged her birth name for Elizabeth Alexeievna and became a Grand Duchess of Russia.  The couple was formally betrothed in May 1793 and the wedding occurred on September 28, 1793. Elizabeth Alexeievna looked resplendent with the diamond-studded Order of St. Andrei on her silver brocade gown. The bride was fourteen and the groom was fifteen.

Alexander I circa 1801; Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth Alexeievna and Alexander’s young age and lack of experience caused them to become overwhelmed with expectations that they could not fulfill.  Court intrigues confused and frightened Elizabeth Alexeievna and Empress Catherine’s own lover attempted to seduce the young Grand Duchess.  She felt alone in a strange world, especially after her sister Frederica returned to Baden and felt comfort only with her husband.  Less than six months after her marriage, Elizabeth Alexeievna wrote to her mother, “Without my husband, who alone makes me happy, I should have died a thousand deaths.”

Empress Catherine II  died in 1796, disappointed that her eldest grandson and his wife had not produced a son,  and Alexander’s father Paul became Emperor.  Elizabeth Alexeievna did not like her father-in-law or his policies and avoided his court as much as possible.  Alexander and Elizabeth Alexeievna’s marriage started to falter and she sought affection from her husband’s friend Polish Prince Adam Czartoryski, a Polish noble.  In 1799, Elizabeth Alexeievna gave birth to a daughter Maria Alexandrovna, who had dark eyes and dark hair like Prince Adam Czartoryski and unlike the blond-haired and blue-eyed Elizabeth Alexeievna and her husband.  Sadly, the child died when she was 13 months old.

Prince Adam Czartoryski; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1801, the behavior and policies of Emperor Paul led to a conspiracy to overthrow him.  Paul was assassinated and his eldest son became Emperor Alexander I.  Elizabeth Alexeievna fulfilled her duties as Empress, but by this time their marriage was really one in name only.  Alexander started a long-term affair in 1803 and Elizabeth Alexeievna resumed her affair with  Prince Adam Czartoryski.  This affair lasted until Elizabeth Alexeievna began a new affair with Captain Alexis Okhotnikov.  In 1806, Elizabeth Alexeievna gave birth to another daughter, Elizabeth Alexandrovna, who died of an infection when she was 17 months old.  Rumors circulated that Elizabeth Alexandrovna was really the daughter of Alexis Okhotnikov.  In 1807, Alexis Okhotnikov was killed and suspicions arose that either Emperor Alexander I or his brother Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich had ordered him killed.

Elizabeth Alexeievna in 1807; Credit – Wikipedia

Although the death of Elizabeth Alexandrovna brought Alexander and Elizabeth Alexeievna temporarily closer, they had no more children.  In 1819, Alexander became very involved in religious mysticism, ended his long-term affair, and somewhat reconciled with his wife.  By 1825, Elizabeth Alexeievna’s health was suffering due to lung problems and the doctors recommended getting away from the harsh climate of St. Petersburg.  Alexander and  Elizabeth Alexeievna relocated to the city of Taganrog, Russia by the Sea of Azov where they stayed in a modest house.  In November of 1825, Alexander returned to Taganrog after visiting Crimea.  He had a cold, which developed into typhus. On December 1, 1825, he died in Elizabeth Alexeievna’s arms in their home in Taganrog.  Elizabeth Alexeievna survived him by five months.  While traveling back to St. Petersburg for her husband’s funeral, she felt so sick that it was necessary to stop at Belev in Tula Province, Russia.  On the morning of May 16, 1826, Elizabeth Alexeievna’s maid went to check on her and found her dead in her bed of heart failure at the age of 47.  Elizabeth Alexeievna and her husband were buried at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Tombs of Emperor Alexander I and Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna, Photo: Wikipedia

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Romanov Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

by Emily McMahon and Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

 

The second of three daughters of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Princess Ingrid of Sweden, daughter of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, and his first wife Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden, born Princess Margaret of Connaught, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Princess Benedikte of Denmark was born on April 29, 1944, at the Frederick VIII Palace in Amalienborg Palace complex in Copenhagen during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. As the Danish military was prohibited from performing the usual salute, a Danish resistance group set off 21 bombs in a Copenhagen park to mark the occasion of her birth.  At the time of her birth, her grandfather King Christian X sat upon the throne of Denmark.

The infant princess was christened with the names Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid on May 24, 1944, in Holmens Church in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Her godparents were:

Princess Benedikte has two sisters:

Embed from Getty Images 

During her childhood, Benedikte attended local Danish schools. She also joined the Girl Guides, beginning her long association with Danish scouting. Benedikte also developed a lifelong love of horses, owning several while still in her teens. In her early 20s, Benedikte began performing royal duties. She visited the United States in 1965 and also began working for organizations dedicated to assisting the disabled.

Benedikte served as a bridesmaid for her cousin Princess Birgitta of Sweden at her wedding to Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern in 1961, and later for Princess Sophia of Greece when she married Prince Juan Carlos of Spain in 1962. At the 1966 wedding of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands to Claus von Amsberg, Benedikte met German Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and they began dating. The couple announced their engagement in 1967 shortly before the marriage of her sister Margrethe to Henri de Laborde of Monpezat. Benedikte and Richard married on the evening of February 3, 1968, in the Chapel of Fredensborg Palace, followed by a banquet.

 

The couple took up residence at Berleburg Castle in Germany, the groom’s ancestral home.

The couple had three children:

Benedikte’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.

Princess Nathalie competing in the Olympics

Still in the line of succession to the Danish throne, Princess Benedikte remains an active member of the Danish Royal House. She is the patron of several organizations in Denmark and appears at most official functions, and represents the Danish crown at various events. While she remains in the line of succession, her children are not. At the time of the wedding,  her father King Frederik IX had decreed that to be in the succession, any children must be raised in Denmark. As the children were raised in Germany, they hold no succession rights.  Princess Benedikte’s husband Prince Richard died at his home, Berleburg Castle, in Bad Berleburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on March 13, 2017, at the age of 82.

 

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.

Wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont

by Emily McMahon and Susan Flantzer, revised May 2020
© Unofficial Royalty 2013

Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, aged 29, and 21-year-old Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont were married on April 27, 1882, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Sadly, Leopold and Helena’s marriage lasted only two years. The couple’s daughter Alice was born in 1883. Helena was pregnant with their second child when Leopold died on March 28, 1884,  following a fall, apparently of a cerebral hemorrhage, the injuries having been exacerbated by his hemophilia. Their son Charles Edward was born several months after Leopold died in 1884.  Charles Edward is the grandfather of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Leopold’s Early Life

Prince Leopold at the University of Oxford in 1875; Credit – Wikipedia

Leopold was the eighth of the nine children and the fourth and youngest son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. It became apparent that Leopold suffered from the genetic disease hemophilia and was the first of the nine hemophiliacs among Queen Victoria’s descendants. 

Naturally, Leopold’s childhood activities were curtailed due to his hemophilia. He was perhaps Queen Victoria’s most intellectual child and had the artistic tastes of his father, Prince Albert. Leopold somehow managed to convince his mother to allow him to spend four years (1872-1876) at Christ Church College, University of Oxford, and he received an honorary doctorate in civil law in 1876. After Oxford, Leopold was involved in the patronage of various charitable organizations and served as a secretary and advisor to his mother.

Helena’s Early Life

Princess Helena, circa 1880; Credit – Wikipedia

Helena was the fifth of six daughters and the fifth of the seven children of Georg Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and Helena of Nassau. Through both of her parents, Helena was a descendant of Anne, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain. Helena’s sister Marie married Prince Wilhelm of Württemberg, later King Wilhelm II of Württemberg, but died in childbirth. Another sister, Princess Emma, married King Willem III of the Netherlands and had one child, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.

Helena’s family lived mostly at Arolsen Castle, a Baroque-style home built in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont, now in Hesse, Germany. The Scottish philosopher, historian, and writer Thomas Carlyle was a great friend of Helena’s mother and a frequent visitor to Arolsen Castle. Carlyle described life at Arolsen Castle as a “pumpernickel court.” Helena had a Lutheran education from a very liberal-minded pastor.

The Engagement

Prince Leopold and Princess Helena in 1882; Credit – Wikipedia

Leopold saw marriage as a way to become independent from Queen Victoria, his overbearing mother. Besides having hemophilia, Leopold also had mild epilepsy.  Although hemophilia had more serious consequences, it was a disease that was not completely understood at the time, and it was Leopold’s epilepsy that caused him problems while seeking a bride.  Epilepsy was considered a social stigma, and many families hid away their epileptic relatives.

After Leopold was rejected by several potential royal brides, Queen Victoria and her eldest daughter Victoria, Crown Princess of Prussia, stepped in and made arrangements for Leopold and Helena to meet in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, in September 1881. Leopold was staying with Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, the widower of Leopold’s sister Alice. The two liked one another immediately, and after being briefed on Leopold’s health, the Waldeck-Pyrmont family had no objections to the marriage.

During a visit to Arolsen Castle, Helena’s home, Leopold and Helena became engaged on November 17, 1881.  Leopold was ecstatic when he wrote the news to his brother-in-law Ludwig, widower of his sister Alice: “…we became engaged this afternoon…Oh, my dear brother, I am so overjoyed, and you, who have known this happiness, you will be pleased for me, won’t you?… You only know Helena a little as yet – when you really know her, then you will understand why I’m mad with joy today.”

The Wedding Site

Embed from Getty Images

The wedding was planned for April 27, 1882, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. St. George’s Chapel was begun in 1475 by King Edward IV and completed by King Henry VIII in 1528.  It is a separate building located in the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle. The chapel seats about 800 people and has been the location of many royal ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and burials. Members of the Order of the Garter meet at Windsor Castle every June for the annual Garter Service, held at St. George’s Chapel.

There had been no royal weddings at St. George’s Chapel until 1863, when Queen Victoria’s eldest son, the future King Edward VII, married Princess Alexandra of Denmark. Three other children of Victoria were also married at St. George’s Chapel: Princess Louise in 1871, Prince Arthur in 1879, and Prince Leopold in 1882.

Wedding Guests

Special trains for the guests left Paddington Station in London for Windsor at 10:35 AM, and returned from Windsor at 3:10 PM and 4:30 PM, and after the State Banquet at 11:00 PM.  When the guests arrived at the Windsor train station, they proceeded in carriages to the South Entrance of St. George’s Chapel and were shown to the seats reserved for them by Her Majesty’s Gentlemen Ushers.

CLICK TO ENLARGE The Marriage of the Duke of Albany, 27th April 1882 by Sir James Dromgole Linton; Credit – Royal Collection Trust https://www.rct.uk/collection/404481/the-marriage-of-the-duke-of-albany-27th-april-1882

About the above painting from Royal Collection Trust: The Marriage of the Duke of Albany, 27th April 1882: Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884), was the eighth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He married Princess Helen of Waldeck and Pyrmont in St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in 1882. In the painting the bride and groom stand in front of the altar after their marriage. Queen Victoria stands on the right. She stated in her Journal that she wore for the first time ‘my own wedding lace over black satin, & my own wedding veil, which I had not worn since my wedding day in 1840, surmounted by my small diamond crown’. Sir Frederick Leighton was asked if he could suggest a rising young artist to paint a small picture of the wedding for Queen Victoria. She wanted ‘a simple representation of the group at the altar’. Leighton put forward Linton. Progress on the painting was slow, mainly because the artist had difficulty obtaining access to the dresses and uniforms worn by the participants. It was nearing completion in early 1884 when the Duke of Albany died of a brain haemorrhage and the painting that had begun as a celebration became a memorial. In December of that year the Queen described it as ‘not nearly finished, but promising to be good’, although she found the artist had been ‘very slow & tiresome’. The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1885. Signed and dated: JD Linton. 1885.

Royal Guests – The Groom’s Family

  • Queen Victoria, mother of the groom
  • The Prince of Wales, brother of the groom
  • The Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark), sister-in-law of the groom
  • Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, brother of the groom
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh (Marie Alexandrovna of Russia), sister-in-law of the groom
  • Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, brother of the groom
  • The Duchess of Connaught (Louise Margaret of Prussia), sister-in-law of the groom
  • Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (Princess Helena), sister of the groom
  • Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, brother-in-law of the groom
  • Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome, sister of the groom
  • Princess Beatrice, sister of the groom
  • Princess Louise of Wales, niece of the groom
  • Princess Victoria of Wales, niece of the groom
  • Princess Maud of Wales, niece of the groom
  • Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, first cousin once removed of the groom
  • The Duchess of Teck (Mary Adelaide of Cambridge), first cousin once removed of the groom
  • The Duke of Teck, husband of Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
  • Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, brother-in-law of the groom
  • Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, niece of the groom
  • Ernst Leopold, 4th Prince of Leiningen, half-first cousin of the groom
  • Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Augusta of Cambridge), first cousin once removed of the groom
  • Friedrich Wilhelm, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, husband of Augusta of Cambridge

Royal Guests – The Bride’s Family

  • Georg Victor, Reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, father of the bride
  • Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont (Helena of Nassau), mother of the bride
  • Princess Elisabeth of Waldeck and Pyrmont, sister of the bride
  • Friedrich,  Hereditary Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, brother of the bride
  • King Willem III of the Netherlands, brother-in-law of the bride
  • Queen Emma of the Netherlands (Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont), sister of the bride

Other Royal Guests

  • Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar
  • Maharajah Duleep Singh
  • Maharanee Bamba, wife of Maharajah Duleep Singh
  • Prince Philip of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • Princess Philip of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Louise of Belgium), wife of Prince Philip
  • Alexis, Hereditary Prince of Bentheim

Other Guests

  • Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond and Frances Gordon-Lennox, Duchess of Richmond
  • William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St. Albans and Grace Beauclerk, Duchess of St. Albans
  • Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford
  • George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll and Amelia Campbell, Duchess of Argyll
  • William Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland
  • Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington and Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
  • Countess of Dornburg, morganatic wife of Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar
  • Countess Laura Gleichen, widow of the groom’s half first-cousin Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and her children Countess Feodora Gleichen and Count Edward Gleichen
  • Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquis of Salisbury and Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, Marchioness of Salisbury
  • Francis Seymour, 5th Marquis of Hertford and Emily Seymour, Marchioness of Hertford
  • John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquis of Bute and Gwendolen Crichton-Stuart, Marchioness of Bute
  • Caroline Loftus, Dowager Marchioness of Ely
  • Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquis of Londonderry and TheresaVane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry
  • Henry Francis Conyngham, 4th Marquis Conyngham and Jane Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham and Lady Jane Seymour Conyngham, sister of the 4th Marquis Conyngham
  • Frances Butler, Dowager Marchioness of Ormond
  • James Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford and Emily Lindsay, Countess of Crawford
  • Alma Campbell, Countess of Breadalbane
  • Katrine Cowper, Countess Cowper
  • Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn and Blanche St Clair-Erskine, Countess of Rosslyn
  • Thomas Anson, 3rd Earl of Lichfield and Mildred Anson, Countess of Lichfield
  • Charlotte Spencer, Countess Spencer
  • Gertrude Browne, Countess of Kenmare
  • George Greville, 4th Earl of Warwick and Anne Greville, Countess of Warwick and their daughter Lady Eva Greville
  • Charles Yorke, 5th Earl of Hardwicke and Sophia Yorke, Countess of Hardwicke
  • Nina Leveson-Gower, Countess Granville
  • Florence Wodehouse, Countess of Kimberley
  • Emily Townshend, Countess Sydney
  • Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom and Alice Bootle-Wilbraham, Countess of Lathom
  • Lord Charles Fitzroy
  • Lord Archibald Campbell
  • Lord Ronald Leveson Gower
  • Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport
  • Hugo Charteris, Lord Elcho and Mary Constance Charteris, Lady Elcho
  • Lady Marion Alford
  • William Elphinstone, 15th Lord Elphinstone
  • Lady Agneta Montagu, wife of Rear-Admiral The Honorable Victor Montagu
  •  Emily Cavendish, Lady Waterpark
  • Colonel George Harris, 4th Baron Harris
  • Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
  • Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington and Mary Cochrane-Baillie, Lady Lamington
  • Montagu Corry, 1st Baron Rowton
  • Baron Franz von Roggenbach, Grand Duchy of Baden politician
  • The Honorable Sidney Herbert (later 14th Earl of Pembroke) and Lady Beatrix Herbert
  • Admiral of the Fleet The Honorable Sir Henry Keppel
  • The Honorable Mrs. Charles Grey and Miss Grey
  • Sir Stafford Northcote (later 1st Earl of Iddesleigh) and Lady Northcote.
  • Sir R. A. Cross (later 1st Viscount Cross)
  • General Sir William Knollys
  • The Honorable Mrs. Gerald Wellesley, wife of The Honourable and Very Reverend Gerald Wellesley, Dean of Windsor
  • Colonel The Honorable A. Liddell
  • The Honorable Lady Petty
  • The Honorable Lady Biddulph
  • The Honorable Lady Ponsonby and Miss Ponsonby, wife and daughter of Major-General Sir Henry Frederick Ponsonby, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria
  • Sir Rainald Knightley, 3rd Baronet and Lady Knightley
  • Sir Coutts Lindsay of Balcarres and Lady Lindsay of Balcarres
  • Sir William Jenner, Baronet, M.D., Physician-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria
  • Sir James Paget, Baronet, Surgeon Extraordinary to Queen Victoria
  • Sir Archibald Campbell of Blythswood, 1st Baronet and The Honorable Lady Campbell of Blythswood
  • General Sir Patrick Grant
  • Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B.
  • General Sir Edward Shelby Smyth
  • Lady Harcourt
  • Colonel George Ashley Maude, Crown Equerry of the Royal Mews
  • Mr. Frederick Gibbs, former tutor to The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred
  • Colonel W. G. Stirling.
  • Mr. Francis Knollys, Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales
  • Captain Binkes, Royal Netherlands Navy.
  • Captain Thomson, Royal Navy
  • Captain Welch, Royal Navy
  • Staff Captain Alfred Balliston
  • Captain A. G. Perceval
  • Henry Liddell, Dean of Christchurch, Oxford, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Mrs. Liddell
  • Richard Chenevix Trench, Dean of Westminster
  • Reverend Henry Mildred Birch, Chaplain to The Prince of Wales
  • Reverend Canon G. H. Connor, Chaplain in Ordinary to The Queen
  • Reverend A. Campbell, Vicar of Crathie Church near Balmoral in Scotland
  • Reverend Canon Robinson Duckworth, former tutor to Prince Leopold
  • Reverend Canon Richard Gee, Chaplain in Ordinary to The Queen
  • Reverend William Rowe Jolley, former tutor to Prince Alfred
  • Reverend Canon George Prothero, Rector of Whippingham and Chaplain in Ordinary to The Queen
  • Reverend John Tulloch, The Queen’s Chaplain for Scotland
  • Dr. Henry Wentworth Acland, Physician in Ordinary to The Queen
  • Mrs. Collins
  • Mrs. Childers
  • Mr. Walter Campbell of Blythswood
  • Madame de Arcos, friend of Empress Eugenie of France
  • Dr. Wilson Fox, Physician Extraordinary to The Queen
  • Mrs. Gladstone, wife of Prime Minister William Gladstone
  • Mr. R. R. Holmes, Librarian at Windsor Castle
  • Mr. Holzmann
  • Mr. and Mrs. Coleridge Kennard
  • Dr. Wickham Legg, Medical Attendant to Prince Leopold
  • Mr. Augustus Savile Lumley, The Queen’s Assistant Master of Ceremonies
  • Miss Mackworth
  • Mr. Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford
  • Mr. F. Myers
  • Mr. Whyte-Melville
  • Mademoiselle Norelle, former French tutor to Queen Victoria’s children
  • Dr. George Poore, former physician to The Prince of Wales
  • Mrs. A. Royle
  • Mr. Hermann Sahl, Librarian and German Secretary to Queen Victoria
  • Mrs. Waller, British actress
  • Mr. Arnold White, British journalist
  • Sir Joseph Devereux, Mayor of Windsor

Guests in The Queen’s Gallery

  • Mr. Doyne C. Bell, author
  • Mr. Edward Henry Corbould, artist, instructor of historical painting to the royal family
  • Dr. Francis Laking, Surgeon-Apothecary in Ordinary  to The Queen
  • Dr. William Ellison, Surgeon-Apothecary to The Queen’s Household
  • Mr. S. Evans
  • Mr. Charles Hallé, pianist and conductor
  • Miss Jessie Ferrari, singer and music teacher
  • Dr. William Hoffmeister, Surgeon-Apothecary to The Queen at Osborne House
  • Dr. John Marshall, Private Physician in Attendance to The Queen
  • Dr. Alexander Profeit, Estate Manager at Balmoral Castle
  • Dr. James Reid, Physician in Ordinary to The Queen

The Queen’s Household – Guests and Participants in the Processions

  • Mistress of the Robes – Elizabeth Russell, Duchess of Bedford
  • Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting – Susanna Innes-Ker, Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe
  • Maids of Honour in Waiting  – The Honorable Evelyn Paget, The Honorable  Frances Drummond
  • Bedchamber Woman in Waiting – The Honorable Lady Hamilton Gordon
  • Lord Steward – John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney
  • Lord Chamberlain – Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare
  • Master of the Horse – Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
  • Private Secretary and The Keeper of the Privy Purse – General Sir Henry Ponsonby
  • Treasurer of the Household – Gavin Campbell, 7th Earl of Breadalbane
  •  Comptroller of the Household – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington
  • Vice-Chamberlain – Lord Charles Bruce
  • Gold Stick in Waiting – Field-Marshal Hugh Rose, 1st Baron Strathnairn
  • Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms – Charles Wynn-Carrington, 3rd Baron Carrington
  • Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard – William John Monson, 7th Baron Monson
  • Master of the Buckhounds – Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork
  • Master of the Household – Major-General Sir John Cowell
  • Lord in Waiting – John Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie
  • Groom in Waiting – Colonel The Honorable. C. H. Lindsay
  • Master of the Ceremonies – General Sir Francis Seymour, Baronet
  • Clerk Marshal – General Lord Alfred Paget.
  • Equerries in Waiting – Colonel The Honorable H. W. J. Byng, Captain A. J. Bigge.
  • Groom of the Robes – Mr. Henry Erskine of Cardross.
  • Silver Stick in Waiting – Lieutenant-Colonel Burnaby
  •  Field Officer in Brigade Waiting – Colonel G. H. Moncrieff
  • Comptroller in the Lord Chamberlain’s Department -The Honorable Ponsonby Fane
  • Pages of Honour – Mr. G. Byng, Mr. A. Ponsonby
  • Gentlemen Ushers in Waiting –  Mr. Algernon West, Mr. E. H. Anson, Captain N. G. Phillips, Mr. A. Montgomery, Mr. Wilbraham Taylor
  • Garter King of Arms – Sir Albert W. Woods
  • Lancaster Herald – Mr. George Cokayne
  • Chester Herald – Mr. H. Murray Lane
  • Comptroller of the Household of Prince Leopold – Mr. R.H. Collins
  • Equerries in Waiting to Prince Leopold – The Honorable Alexander Yorke, Captain Stanier Waller, Mr. A. Royle
  • Lady in Attendance on Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont – The Honorable Mrs. Moreton
  • Lord in Waiting to The Queen in Attendance on Princess Helena – George Byng, 7th Viscount Torrington

Guests – Ambassadors

  • His Excellency The Turkish Ambassador and Madameisolle Musurus
  • Count Georg Herbert Münster, His Excellency The German Ambassador and Countess Marie Munster
  • Count Luigi Federico Menabrea, His Excellency The Italian Ambassador and Countess Menabrea
  • Count Alajos Károlyi, His Excellency The Austro-Hungarian Ambassador and Countess Karolyi
  • Prince Aleksey Borisovich Lobanov-Rostovsky, His Excellency The Russian Ambassador
  • Paul-Armand Challemel-Lacour, His Excellency The French Ambassador
  • The Netherlands Minister and Countess de Bylandt
  • The Belgian Minister
  • Luís Pinto de Soveral, The Portuguese Minister
  • Count de Sponneck, Secretary to the Danish Legation
  • Count Piper, The Swedish Minister representing King Oscar II and Queen Sofia of Sweden
  • Count von Seckendorff, representing The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the German Empire and Prussia, the groom’s brother-in-law and sister

Guests – Government Officials

  • Lord Chancellor – Roundell Palmer, 1st Baron Selborne
  • Lord President of the Council – John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
  • Lord Privy Seal – Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford
  • Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer – William Gladstone
  • Secretary of State for the Home Department – Sir William Harcourt
  • Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs – Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville
  • Secretary of State for the Colonies – John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley
  • Secretary of State for War – Hugh C. E. Childers
  • Secretary of State for India – Spencer Cavendish, Marquis of Hartington
  • First Lord of the Admiralty – Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook
  • President of the Board of Trade – Joseph Chamberlain
  • Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster –  John Bright
  • President of the Local Government Board –  John Dodson
  • Chief Secretary for Ireland – William Forster
  • Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland – Francis Cowper, 7th Earl Cowper
  • First Commissioner of Works – George Shaw-Lefevre
  • Postmaster-General – Henry Fawcett
  • Paymaster-General – George Glyn, 2nd Baron Wolverton
  • Judge Advocate-General – George Osborne Morgan
  • Vice-President of the Board of Education – A. J. Mundella
  • Adjutant-General – Field Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Baron Wolseley
  • Quartermaster-General – Lieutenant-General Arthur Herbert
  • Military Secretary – Lieutenant-General Sir Edmund Whitmore,
  • Earl Marshal – Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk
  • Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain – Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 2nd Baron Aveland
  • Speaker of the House of Commons – Henry Brand

Supporters and Bridesmaids

Leopold was supported by his eldest brother The Prince of Wales and his brother-in-law Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, the widower of his sister Alice.

Helena was supported by her father Georg Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and her brother-in-law Willem III, King of the Netherlands, the husband of Helena’s sister Emma.

Helena’s eight bridesmaids were unmarried daughters of Dukes, Marquises, and Earls:

  • Lady Florence Anson (1860–1946), daughter of Thomas George Anson, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
  • Lady Florence Bootle Wilbraham (died 1944), daughter of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom
  • Lady Blanche Butler (1854–1914), daughter of John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde
  • Lady Mary Campbell (1859 – 1947), daughter of George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll
  • Lady Anne Lindsay (1858 – 1936), daughter of Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford
  • Lady Ermyntrude Russell (1856–1927), daughter of Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford
  • Lady Alexandrina Vane-Tempest (1863 – 1945), daughter of George Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry
  • Lady Feodore Yorke (1864 -1934), daughter of Charles Yorke, 5th Earl of Hardwicke

The Wedding Attire

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Leopold wore a Colonel’s uniform and used a cane to assist him in walking. He walked with a slight limp as he had injured his knee a few weeks earlier, and his hemophilia had exacerbated the injury.

Helena’s dress, a gift from her sister Queen Emma of the Netherlands, was made by Madame Corbay of Rue Ménar in Paris. The gown was made of white satin, decorated with traditional orange blossom and myrtle, and trimmed with fleur-de-lis. The bodice ended in a sharp V-shape and was swathed in tulle and ruched lace with a small floral bouquet. The shoulders were bare, and on the short drop-sleeves were pinned the Royal Family Order of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert and the Companion of the Order of the Crown of India. The long tulle veil was held in place by a diamond headdress and a wreath of orange flowers and myrtle. The diamond necklace worn by Helena was a gift from Leopold.

The Wedding Ceremony

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Vintage engraving of the Royal Wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont. Queen Victoria kissing the bride on the cheek. The London Illustrated News, 1882

Officiating Clergy

  • Archibald Campbell Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury
  • John Jackson, Dean of the Chapel Royal, Bishop of London
  • Harold Browne, Prelate of the Order of the Garter, Bishop of Winchester
  •  John Mackarness, Chancellor of the Order of the Garter, Bishop of Oxford
  • Henry Philpott, Clerk of the Closet, Bishop of Worcester
  • The Honourable and Very Reverend Gerald Wellesley, Dean of Windsor, Lord High Almoner, Registrar of the Order of the Garter, and Domestic Chaplain

Music

  • Sir George Elvey, composer and the organist of St. George’s Chapel, presided at the organ and directed the orchestra and choir.

The Members of Her Majesty’s Household in Waiting who did not take part in the carriage processions from Windsor Castle, assembled at St. George’s Chapel at 11:30 AM, arriving at the South Entrance. The clergy officiating at the wedding service gathered at the Deanery and took their places within the rails of the altar at 11:45 AM while a march was played on the organ.

At 11:45 AM, The Princess of Wales, the Royal Family, and the Royal Guests, along with their attendants, left the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle in carriages for the West Entrance of St. George’s Chapel. On arrival at the West Entrance, The Princess of Wales, the Royal Family, and the Royal Guests were received by The Lord Steward, John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney and The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, Lord Charles Bruce. The processions of The Princess of Wales, the Royal Family, and the Royal Guests made their way down the aisle to march by Sir George Elvey. As each procession moved from the entrance into St. George’s Chapel, a Flourish of Trumpets was played by Her Majesty’s State Trumpeters stationed at the West Entrance.

At 12 noon, Queen Victoria accompanied by her youngest daughter Princess Beatrice and her granddaughter Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, along with their attendants, left The Queen’s Entrance of Windsor Castle in carriages for the West Entrance of St. George’s Chapel. On arrival, they were met by The Lord Steward, John Townshend,1st Earl Sydney with The Treasurer of the Household, Gavin Campbell, 7th Earl of Breadalbane, The Comptroller of the Household – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington, and The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, Lord Charles Bruce. Her Majesty’s procession was conducted down the aisle by The Lord Chamberlain, Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare as “Occasional Overture” by George Frederick Handel was played.

At 12:15 PM, the bridegroom Prince Leopold accompanied by his supporters, his eldest brother The Prince of Wales and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, his brother-in-law, the widower of Leopold’s sister Prince Alice, and their attendants, proceeded in carriages from The Queen’s Entrance of Windsor Castle to the West Entrance of St. George’s Chapel. On arrival, they were received by The Lord Chamberlain Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare and The Lord Steward, John Townshend,1st Earl Sydney. Their procession was conducted down the aisle as Felix Mendelssohn’s “March” from Athalie was played. Prince Leopold was conducted to his seat on the right of the altar with his supporters standing next to him.

Immediately after the departure of the bridegroom, the bride Princess Helena accompanied by her supporters, her father Georg Victor, The Reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, and her brother-in-law King Willem III of the Netherlands, and their attendants proceeded in carriages from The Queen’s Entrance of Windsor Castle to the West Entrance of St. George’s Chapel.  On arrival, they were received by The Lord Chamberlain Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare, and joined by the eight bridesmaids. The procession moved down the aisle to a “Special March” by French composer Charles Gounod, a friend of Prince Leopold who had asked Gounod to compose a piece of music for his bride’s procession down the aisle. The supporters of the bride stood near her, and the bridesmaids stood behind her.

Archibald Campbell Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury performed the wedding service, and the bride was given away by her father.  After the wedding service,  the choir sang the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Ludwig Van Beethoven’s oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives, and a salute was fired in the Long Walk by a battery of artillery. Felix Mendelssohn’s now-famous “Wedding March” from his suite of Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream was played as the royalty and their attendants left St. George’s Chapel by the West Door.

The Wedding Luncheon and Celebrations

On their return to Windsor Castle, the bride and groom signed the marriage register in the Green Drawing Room. Queen Victoria, royalty, and distinguished guests signed the marriage register. The bride and groom, accompanied by Queen Victoria, King Willem III and Queen Emma of the Netherlands, The Prince and Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont, and other royalty proceeded to the State Reception Room to greet the guests who had assembled there.

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Waterloo Gallery at Windsor Castle, where the non-royal guests were served a buffet luncheon

Luncheon was privately served for Queen Victoria, the royal family, and the royal guests in the Dining Room. The other guests were served a buffet luncheon in the Waterloo Gallery. The bride and groom left for their honeymoon at 4:00 PM.

The wedding cake of the Duke and Duchess of Albany; Credit – Royal Collection Trust https://www.rct.uk/collection/2905679/the-wedding-cake-of-the-duke-and-duchess-of-albany

The wedding cake was made by Her Majesty’s household confectioner. The cake, created in several layers, each separated by a dense icing for support and stacked upon the other to achieve its six-foot height, was entirely edible. The stacking technique was innovative for its day. Modern wedding cakes still use this method, but because of the size of today’s cakes, internal support is added to each layer in the form of dowels.

In the evening, a State Banquet was held in St. George’s Hall presided over by The Lord Steward, John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney.  The guests invited included the royal guests, ambassadors, members of the clergy, members of the government, members of The Queen’s Household, and other guests by special invitation.  After the State Banquet, Queen Victoria and the guests proceeded to the Grand Reception Room, where Her Majesty’s Private Band played in the Waterloo Chamber adjoining the Grand Reception Room. Later in the evening, there was a torchlit procession through the grounds of Windsor Castle. The torches made a letter “A” for Albany as Leopold was the Duke of Albany.

Torchlight procession for the marriage of Prince Leopold, 27 April 1882 by Sir Richard Rivington Holmes; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

The Honeymoon

Claremont House; Credit – By Heathermitch – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28583411

At 4:00 PM, the newlyweds, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Albany, attended by The Honorable Mrs. Moreton and The Honorable Alexander Yorke, left Windsor Castle for their honeymoon at Claremont House in Esher in Surrey, England, escorted by a traveling escort of the 2nd Life Guards.

In 1816, Claremont House was bought by the British Nation by an Act of Parliament as a wedding present for the future King George IV’s daughter, Princess Charlotte of Wales and her husband, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s uncle and the future Leopold I, King of the Belgians. After Princess Charlotte died in childbirth, her widower lived there until he became King of the Belgians, when he loaned the house to Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria, in turn, lent Claremont House to the exiled King and Queen of the French, Louis-Philippe and Marie-Amelie, who were the in-laws of King Leopold I via his second wife. Queen Victoria bought Claremont House from her first cousin, Leopold II, King of the Belgians, as a wedding gift for her son and daughter-in-law, Leopold and Helena.

Leopold and Helena arrived in Esher around 6:00 PM, passing through a series of floral arches to a pavilion decorated with flowers. They were greeted by the Rector of the local church and a group of local people. Leopold told them: “We both feel the greatest satisfaction in the thought that our first days of married life will be spent in the parish of Esher for it is here that we shall hope for the future to centre our local cares and interests.”

Unfortunately, Leopold and Helena’s honeymoon was marked by tragedy. Helena’s sister Marie married Prince Wilhelm of Württemberg, later King Wilhelm II of Württemberg. Marie was unable to attend the wedding because she was nine months pregnant. On April 24, 1882, Marie gave birth to a stillborn daughter, her third child, and suffered serious complications from childbirth. She died six days later, on April 30, 1882, and Helena went into the required period of mourning, which limited her social interactions.

Children

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Helena with her two children

Leopold and Helena had two children:

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

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan, 2013. Prince Leopold, Duke Of Albany. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/march-28-daily-featured-royal-date/>.
  • Flantzer, S., 2014. Princess Helena Of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Duchess Of Albany. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/february-17-1861-birth-of-princess-helena-of-waldeck-pyrmont-wife-of-prince-leopold-duke-of-albany/>.
  • Google Books. 1882. The Illustrated London News – Wedding Of Prince Leopold.
  • Rct.uk. 2020. Sir James Dromgole Linton (1840-1916) – The Marriage Of The Duke Of Albany, 27Th April 1882. [online] Available at: <https://www.rct.uk/collection/404481/the-marriage-of-the-duke-of-albany-27th-april-1882>.
  • The Gazette. 1882. Prince Leopold Wedding Page 1971 | Issue 25102, 2 May 1882 | London Gazett…. [online] Available at: <https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/25102/page/1971>.
  • Van der Kiste, John, 2011. Queen Victoria’s Children. Stroud: The History Press.
  • Zeepvat, Charlotte, 1999. Prince Leopold. Stroud: Sutton.

Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Elisabeth of Württemberg (Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise) was born on April 21, 1767, in Treptow an der Rega in Brandenburg-Pomerania, now Trzebiatów, Poland. She was one of the twelve children of Friedrich II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg and Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Elisabeth had eleven siblings:

At the age of 15, Elisabeth went to Vienna to prepare to become the bride of Archduke Franz, the nephew of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. The Protestant princess was educated by nuns at the Church and Monastery of the Visitation and converted to Roman Catholicism. Elisabeth married Archduke Franz (the future emperor) on January 6, 1788, when she was 20 years old.

Elisabeth was very close to Emperor Joseph, and his final illness in February 1790 greatly upset the then-pregnant Elisabeth. She fainted upon seeing the dying emperor and, on February 18, 1790, gave premature birth to a daughter, Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth. The labor had lasted more than 24 hours, and Elisabeth, age 22, died the same day due to complications. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph died two days later. Archduchess Elisabeth was buried at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, in the Imperial Crypt in the Franzensgruft (Franz’s Vault), where her husband and his three other wives are also buried. Elisabeth’s baby, Ludovika Elisabeth, lived only until June 24, 1791, and is buried in the Imperial Crypt in the southwest pier of Ferdinandsgruft (Ferdinand’s Vault) along with other Habsburgs who died young. After her death, Elisabeth’s husband became Holy Roman Emperor and then Emperor of Austria.

Tomb of Elisabeth of Württemberg, first wife of Holy Roman Emperor Franz II/Emperor Franz I of Austria; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Austria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, Queen of Hanover

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, Queen of Hanover; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on April 14, 1818, in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in the German state of Thuringia, Marie was the eldest daughter of the six daughters of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and Amalie of Württemberg.  She was given a long string of names: Alexandrine Marie Wilhelmine Katharine Charlotte Theresia Henriette Luise Pauline Elisabeth Friederike Georgine.  Marie was born as a Princess of Saxe-Hildburghausen, but in 1826 she became a Princess of Saxe-Altenburg due to a transfer of territories within her family.

Marie had five sisters:

  • Pauline (1819 – 1825), died young
  • Therese (1823 – 1915), unmarried
  • Elisabeth (1826 – 1896), married Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, had issue
  • Alexandra (1830 – 1911), married Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia, son of  Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia; had issue, their daughter Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna and her husband King George I of Greece (born Prince William of Denmark) are ancestors of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Sofía of Spain, and five Kings of Greece.
  • Luise (1832 – 1833), died young

In 1839, Marie met Crown Prince George of Hanover at Schloss Monbrillant, a summer palace of the Hanovers.  George was the son of Ernest Augustus, the fifth son of George III of the United Kingdom, who had inherited the throne of Hanover upon the accession of his niece Victoria in 1837.  Up until that point, Hanoverian kings of the United Kingdom were also Electors or Kings of Hanover. However, Hanover followed the Salic Law, which did not allow female succession.  Ernest Augustus, as the eldest surviving male, became King of Hanover.

Crown Prince George was totally blind, having lost sight in his left eye due to illness when he was ten years old and the sight in his right eye due to an accident four years later.  There were some doubts about his ability to be king due to his blindness, but his father decided to keep him in the line of succession.  Marie and George were married on February 18, 1843.

The couple had three children:

Marie and her family; Credit – Wikipedia

George succeeded his father as King of Hanover and Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, as well as Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, in the Peerage of Great Britain, and Earl of Armagh, in the Peerage of Ireland, on November 18, 1851, and Marie assumed the female counterparts of the styles and titles.  King George V of Hanover reigned for only 15 years, being exiled from Hanover in 1866 because of his support for Austria in the Austro-Prussian War.

On September 20, 1866, Hanover was annexed by Prussia. George never abdicated from the throne of Hanover, and he and Marie lived in exile at Gmunden, Austria, until he died in 1878. After George’s death, Marie continued living in the Villa Thun in Gmunden, known as the Queen’s Villa, still owned by the House of Hanover.  She died on January 9, 1907, and was buried in the mausoleum at Schloss Cumberland in Gmunden, Austria.  Through her son Ernst Augustus, Marie is the ancestor of former King Constantine I of Greece, his sister Queen Sofia of Spain, Sofia’s son King Felipe VI of Spain, and Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover, the husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco.

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Unofficial Royalty Kingdom of Hanover Resources

Princess Viktoria of Prussia, Princess of Schaumburg-Lippe, Mrs Zoubkoff

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Viktoria of Prussia, Princess of Schaumburg-Lippe, Mrs Zoubkoff; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Viktoria of Prussia (Frederica Amalia Wilhelmine Viktoria) was born on April 12, 1866, at the Neues Palais in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany. Known in the family as Moretta, she was the second daughter and fifth of eight children of Friedrich III, German Emperor, King of Prussia and his wife Victoria, Princess Royal, a daughter of Queen Victoria.  Moretta was born two months before the tragic death of her brother Sigismund at the age of 21 months due to meningitis.  Sigismund was a favorite of their mother, who suffered intense grief upon her son’s death.  Unlike some of her older siblings, Moretta was devoted to her mother and very English in her ways.

Moretta had seven siblings:

Moretta’s family; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Moretta’s mother and grandmother, Queen Victoria, recommended her first possible love match. Prince Alexander of Battenberg (called Sandro), was a brother of Prince Henry of Battenberg (husband of Moretta’s aunt Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom), and a brother of Prince Louis of Battenberg (husband of Moretta’s cousin Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine), and had been selected the reigning Prince of Bulgaria in 1879. Sandro visited the Prussian court at the suggestion of Moretta’s mother in 1881, and at age 15, Moretta fell in love with Sandro. Her parents were eager for a marriage, but Moretta’s grandfather, Wilhelm I, German Emperor, and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck were not in favor of the marriage.  They felt that Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia would be offended by the marriage because Russia and Bulgaria did not have a positive relationship.  When Moretta’s father became the German Emperor in 1888, it appeared that it was possible that the marriage would occur.  However, Friedrich III, already ill with throat cancer, died three months after becoming Emperor.  The new Emperor, Moretta’s brother Wilhelm II, took Bismarck’s advice and did not give permission for the marriage.  The dejected princess was forced to give up the possibility of marrying Sandro.

Engagement photo of Princess Viktoria of Prussia and Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe; Credit – Wikipedia

Over the next several years, Moretta, who was not considered attractive, became convinced that she would remain unmarried. There was talk about Moretta marrying Prince Carl of Sweden and a couple of Russian Grand Dukes.  In June 1890, Moretta, her sister Mossy (Margaret), and their mother visited Princess Marie of Wied.  Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe was one of the other guests.  The weather during the visit was rainy, and Adolf and Moretta spent time together indoors.  On June 11, 1890, the couple became engaged.  They married on November 19, 1890.  Moretta suffered a miscarriage early in the marriage, and the couple never had children.  Prince Adolf died in 1916.

Moretta with her second husband, Alexander Zoubkoff; Credit – Wikipedia

Moretta’s second marriage was made despite the disapproval of her siblings.  On November 19, 1927, Moretta married Alexander Zoubkoff, a Russian refugee described as a “dancer”, who was 35 years younger.  Moretta’s finances were not good, but her new husband carelessly spent her money and was at home very infrequently.  Moretta was forced to sell the contents of Palais Schaumburg, her home in Bonn, Germany, but the sale did not net much money, and she moved into a single furnished room in the Bonn suburb of Mehlem.  In 1929, Moretta announced that she was divorcing her second husband, but she died of pneumonia a few days later on November 13, 1929, at the Hospital of St. Francis in Bonn, Germany.  She was buried at the home her mother had built after her father’s death, the Schloss Friedrichshof in Kronberg im Taunus, Germany.

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Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, Duchess of Braganza

by Emily McMahon © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was the wife of deposed King Miguel I of Portugal. She was born April 3, 1831, in Kleinheubach, Kingdom of Bavaria, now in Bavaria, Germany, to Hereditary Prince Constantine of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg and Princess Agnes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Adelaide had one younger sibling:

After the deaths of both of her parents by the time she was seven years old, Adelaide and her brother were raised by their paternal grandparents, Karl Thomas, Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, and Princess Sophie of Windisch-Graetz.

Wedding of Adelaide and Miguel, watercolor by William Peoples. source: Wikipedia

On September 24, 1851, at Schloss Löwenstein in Kleinheubach, 20-year-old Adelaide married 49-year-old Miguel, who had been deposed as King of Portugal in 1834.  The couple met in the Grand Duchy of Baden, where Miguel lived in exile. Following the wedding, the couple lived in Bronnbach, Grand Duchy of Baden, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, at Schloss Bronnbach, a former monastery owned by the Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg family.

They had seven children:

Adelaide with her husband and two eldest children. source: Wikipedia

Miguel died on November 14, 1866, leaving Adelaide a widow with seven young children. She spent the next several decades arranging prominent marriages for her children. Because of these marriages, Adelaide is the ancestor of the current royal families of Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and the former royal families of Austria, Bavaria, Portugal, and Romania.

Adelaide as a nun; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1895, Adelaide retired to the Abbey of Sainte-Cécile in Solesmes, France, and two years later, on June 12, 1897, she professed as a nun. The cloister later moved to the Isle of Wight in England, first in Cowes and then settling in Ryde, where it was called Saint Cecilia’s Abbey in Ryde. On December 16, 1909, 78-year-old Adelaide died at Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, where she was buried. In 1967, Adelaide and her husband were reinterred at the Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza at the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Portugal Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, Queen of Prussia

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, Queen of Prussia; Credit: Wikipedia

Princess Sophia Dorothea of Hanover was born on March 26, 1687, in Hanover, Principality of Calenberg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany.  At the time of her birth in 1687, her father was styled His Highness Duke Georg Ludwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg and became Elector of Hanover when his father died in 1698. Upon the death of Queen Anne of Great Britain in 1714, he became King George I of Great Britain according to the provisions of the 1701 Act of Settlement.  Sophia Dorothea’s mother was Sophia Dorothea of Celle.

Sophia Dorothea had one sibling, an elder brother:

Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, on the right, with her mother Sophia Dorothea of Celle on the left, and her brother, the future King George II of Great Britain, in the middle

The marriage of Sophia Dorothea’s parents was happy at first, but George and Sophia Dorothea found affection elsewhere. George fell in love with one of his mother’s ladies-in-waiting, Melusine von der Schulenburg.  Sophia Dorothea fell in love with Swedish Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, an officer in the Hanoverian army. Despite warnings from her mother and friends, Sophia Dorothea and her lover wrote letters to each other, met secretly, and planned to escape Hanover together. On the morning of July 2, 1694, after a meeting with Sophia Dorothea, von Königsmarck disappeared from Leineschloss Castle and was never seen again. It was widely believed that George ordered von Königsmarck’s death. There is speculation that the letters were forgeries, and Sophia Dorothea’s guilt is still debated.

On December 28, 1694, a tribunal of judges and Lutheran Church officials declared the marriage of George and Sophia Dorothea dissolved on the grounds of Sophia Dorothea’s desertion. George was not satisfied with punishing his former wife with only a marriage dissolution.  He had his 27-year-old former wife imprisoned in the Castle of Ahlden until she died 32 years later. Sophia Dorothea was never allowed to see her children again.

Sophia Dorothea was eight years old when her disgraced mother was divorced and banished for the rest of her life.  She was raised by her paternal grandmother Sophia, Electress of Hanover at Herrenhausen, the Hanover home.  She married her first cousin Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, son of Friedrich, King  I of Prussia and Sophia Charlotte of Hanover on November 28, 1706, in Berlin.  The couple had fourteen children:

Sophia Dorothea, Queen of Prussia in the center with some of her children during the visit of King Augustus II of Poland to Berlin; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophia Dorothea and Friedrich Wilhelm had met as children as they shared a grandmother, Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and they had disliked each other ever since.  Their interests were very different, and Friedrich Wilhelm contemplated divorcing Sophia Dorothea the same year they were married, but nothing ever came of it.  Sophia Dorothea became Queen of Prussia in 1713 when her husband acceded to the Prussian throne.

Friedrich Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, 1713; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Wilhelm was faithful, but they did not have a happy relationship. Sophia Dorothea feared his unpredictable temper and resented him for allowing her no influence at court and for refusing to marry her children to their English cousins. She detested his cruelty towards their son and the heir Friedrich, with whom she was close.  In his own way, Friedrich Wilhelm was devoted to Sophia Dorothea.  Their daughter Wilhelmine wrote that when her father was dying, “he had himself rolled in his chair to the queen’s room. Not having thought the danger was imminent, she was still asleep. ‘Get up,’ the king said to her, ‘I have only a few more hours to live and I wish to have the happiness of dying in your arms.'”  Friedrich Wilhelm died on May 31, 1740, in Berlin.  During World War II, his remains were removed and hidden and were later found by American Forces and reburied at St. Elisabeth’s Church in Marburg. In 1953, his remains were moved to Hohenzollern Castle where they remained until 1991. In 1991, his coffin was finally laid to rest on the steps of the altar at the Kaiser Friedrich Mausoleum at the Friedenskirche, the Church of Peace, in Sanssouci Park, surrounding Sanssouci Palace, in Potsdam, Germany.

Sophia Dorothea survived her husband by 17 years, dying at the age of 70 on June 28, 1757, at the Palace of Monbijou near Berlin, and was buried at the Berlin Cathedral.

Tomb of Sophia Dorothea of Hanover; Credit – findagrave.com

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