Category Archives: Schleswig-Holstein Royals

Luise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

The County of Waldeck was a county within the Holy Roman Empire since 1180.  In 1625, the much smaller County of Pyrmont became part of the much larger County of Waldeck through inheritance and the combined territory was known as the County of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1712,  Friedrich Anton Ulrich, Count of Waldeck-Pyrmont was elevated to Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont by Holy Emperor Karl VI.

Friedrich, the last Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont, abdicated on November 13, 1918, and negotiated an agreement with the government that gave him and his descendants the ownership of the family home Arolsen Castle and Arolsen Forest. Today the territory that encompassed the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont is located in the German states of Hesse and Lower Saxony

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Luise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont, 1886; Credit – Wikipedia

The second wife of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Princess Luise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg was born on January 6, 1858, at Schloss Luisenlund in Kiel, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Named Luise Karoline Juliane, she was the third of the three children and the second of the three daughters of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe. Luise’s paternal grandparents were Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Luise Karoline of Hesse-Kassel. Her maternal grandparents were Georg Wilhelm, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Ida of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Luise had four siblings:

Luise’s husband Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Helena of Nassau, the first wife of Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, had been in poor health for the last decade of her life and died on October 28, 1888, aged 57. On April 29, 1891, at Schloss Luisenlund in Güby, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, 60-year-old Georg Viktor married 33-year-old Luise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Luise became the stepmother to Georg Viktor’s five surviving children. Her eldest stepchild was three years older than Luise, the youngest was fifteen years younger.

Luise and Georg Viktor had one son Prince Wolrad of Waldeck and Pyrmont, born on June 26, 1892, in Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse. Through his half-sister Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Wolrad was the uncle of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, the reigning monarch during World War I. He was also the uncle of Charles Edward, the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha during World War I, and Princess Alice of Albany through his half-sister Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont who had married Prince, Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria.

A year after the birth of his son Wolrad, Georg Viktor, aged 62, died from pneumonia on May 12, 1893, in the spa town Marienbad, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. He was buried with his first wife Helena in the Princely Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, now in the German state of Hesse.

Luise’s son Prince Wolrad of Waldeck and Pyrmont; Credit – Wikipedia

Because he showed little interest in his studies, Wolrad was directed toward a military career. He became a Lieutenant in the Dragoon Regiment of the Grand Ducal Hessian Division of the Imperial German Army. During World War I, he fought during the early battles, the Battle of the Frontiers (August 7 – September 6, 1914) and the First Battle of the Marne (September 6 – September 12, 1914). On the evening of October 17, 1914, two months after the start of World War I, Prince Wolrad led a cavalry patrol near Moorslede, Belgium. The patrol came under fire from the advancing British troops. Several of the dragoons were hit and fell off their horses and Prince Wolrad’s horse was also hit. The prince and his aide reached a nearby trench, but then Prince Wolrad saw one of his men lying injured a short distance from the trench. The prince crawled to the wounded man and tried to pull him to safety, but was fatally hit by gunfire and died from his wounds at the age of 22.

Luise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont, 1907; Credit – Wikipedia

Luise survived her husband by 43 years, dying on July 2, 1936, aged 78, in Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. She was buried with her husband Georg Viktor, their son Wolrad, and her husband’s first wife Helena of Nassau in the Princely Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden (link in German) in Rhoden, Hesse, Germany.

Princely Mausoleum and Cemetery at Schloss Rhoden; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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. (2021). Georg Viktor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/georg-viktor-prince-of-waldeck-and-pyrmont/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021). Prince Wolrad of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-wolrad-of-waldeck-pyrmont/
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich,_Duke_of_Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gl%C3%BCcksburg
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Louise_of_Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gl%C3%BCcksburg

Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp was the wife of Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden and served as regent during the minorities of her son Karl XI, King of Sweden and her grandson Karl XII, King of Sweden. She was born on October 23, 1636, at Gottorp Castle at Schleswig, in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Hedwig Eleonora was the sixth of the sixteen children and the fourth of the eight daughters of Friedrich III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Marie Elisabeth of Saxony. Hedwig Eleonora’s paternal grandparents were Johann Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Augusta of Denmark, a daughter of Frederik II, King of Denmark. Her maternal grandparents were Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia.

Hedwig Eleonora had fifteen siblings but only six survived childhood:

Hedwig Eleonora’s husband Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Hedwig Eleonora’s future husband Karl Gustav became King of Sweden in 1654 upon the abdication of his cousin Christina, Queen of Sweden. The 32-year-old new King of Sweden was unmarried as he has expected that he would marry his cousin Queen Christina and he needed to find a bride as soon as possible to provide an heir. The former Queen Christina of Sweden had met Hedwig Eleonora on her way to Rome, where she would spend the rest of her life. Concerned that Karl Gustav was unmarried, Christina suggested the match. However, Hedwig Eleonora was already engaged to Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and so Christina recommended Hedwig Eleonora’s elder sister Magdalene Sibylle instead. After seeing portraits of both sisters, Karl Gustav chose Hedwig Eleonora because of her beauty, and her current fiancé was instead married to her sister Magdalena Sibylle.

The marriage of Karl Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 24, 1654, the day after her eighteenth birthday, Hedwig Eleonora was married to Karl Gustav at the Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden. Three days later, Hedwig Eleonora was crowned Queen of Sweden at the Storkrykan (Great Church) in Stockholm.

Karl Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora had only one child, a son who succeeded his father:

Sweden was involved in the Second Northern War against Denmark-Norway and Poland-Lithuania and so Karl Gustav was often away on military campaigns. However, after the birth of her son Hedwig Eleonora often accompanied Karl Gustav on his military campaigns. She was very interested in the arts, particularly painting and architecture. Under her leadership, Drottningholm Palace, the current residence of the Swedish monarch, was built. Sadly, Hedwig Eleonora’s marriage lasted less than six years. Her husband Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden died at the age of 37 on February 13, 1660, from influenza and pneumonia, leaving his four-year-old son to succeed him as Karl XI, King of Sweden.

Hedwig Eleonora’s son Karl XI, King of Sweden at five years old; Credit – Wikipedia

After the death of her husband, Hedwig Eleonora was the dowager queen for 55 years. She remained visible in Swedish politics and society until her death. Karl X Gustav left specific instructions in his will for the regency of his son. Hedwig Eleonora was to be Regent of Sweden and her son’s guardian until he reached his majority. She would be the chairperson of the regency council and be responsible for the government along with five senior government officials. However, Hedwig Eleonora would have the advantage of having two votes on the regency council. Throughout her son’s regency, Hedwig Eleonora was present at all council meetings except when she was away to administrate her dower lands. She did not take an active part in politics but used her position as regent to protect her son’s interests and rights. Aware that she lacked the knowledge and support to pursue politics, Hedwig Eleonora did not want to give the regency council any excuse to prevent her from attending the meetings. She learned about the issues that were discussed, made statements, and suggested solutions, but did not actively pursue any of her own opinions.

Hedwig Eleonora was only 24-years-old when her husband died and in 1661, she was considered a possible wife for King Charles II of England. She refused the proposal with the official excuse that she wished to remain faithful to her deceased husband. In 1667, 18-year-old Count Carl Gyllenstierna (link in Swedish) became Hedwig Eleonora’s chamberlain. He became her favorite and his career quickly advanced. It is possible that he also became her lover.

Left to Right: Hedwig Eleonora; her son Karl XI; her grandson the future Karl XII; her daughter-in-law Ulrika Eleonora; her granddaughter Ulrika Eleonora; husband of her granddaughter Hedwig Sofia Fredrik IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp; her sister-in-law and the mother of Fredrik IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Fredrika Amalia of Denmark, Dowager Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp; and her granddaughter Hedwig Sofia; Credit – Wikipedia

Even after her son married Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then to Ulrika Eleonora. The hostility between Hedwig Eleonora’s homeland Holstein-Gottorp and Ulrika Eleonora’s homeland Denmark made the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even more tense.

Hedwig Eleonor’s tomb at Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

Hedwig Eleonora survived her husband by fifty-five years and her son by eighteen years, dying on November 24, 1715, in Stockholm, Sweden at the age of 79. She was buried with her husband at Riddarholmen Church.

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

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III,_Duke_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedwig_Eleonora_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-x-gustav-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Hedvig Eleonora av Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedvig_Eleonora_av_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 29 August 2021].

Christina of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Christina of Hesse, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Christina of Holstein-Gottorp was the second wife of Karl IX, King of Sweden. Born on April 13, 1573, in Kiel, Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, she was the fourth of the ten children and the second of the five daughters of Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, and Christine of Hesse. Her father was the third son of King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway and his second wife Sophie of Pomerania. In 1544, Adolf, his brother Johann, and their half-brother King Christian III of Denmark divided the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein which belonged to Denmark. Adolf, as the youngest, got the first choice. Since he selected the part with the Gottorp Castle, the line of the House of Oldenburg founded by him was called the House of Holstein-Gottorp.

Christina had nine siblings:

Christina’s husband the future Karl IX, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria of Palatinate-Simmern, the first wife of the future Karl IX, King of Sweden died in 1589 at the age of 28. Three years later, forty-two-year-old Karl married nineteen-year-old Christina, the first cousin of his first wife. The couple was married on August 27, 1592, at Nyköping Castle in Nyköping, Södermanland, Sweden. At the time of the marriage, Karl was a Prince of Sweden and the Duke of Södermanland and so Christina became a Princess of Sweden and the Duchess of Södermanland. Karl was a staunch Lutheran and Sweden was then ruled by Karl’s brother Johan III, King of Sweden who, although Protestant, was married to a Catholic Polish princess and had Catholic sympathies. Karl’s marriage with Christina created a stronger alliance with the German Protestants.

Karl had six children with his first wife Maria but five of them died in infancy or childhood before his second marriage. Christina became the stepmother of Karl’s only surviving child:

Christina and Karl had four children of their own:

In 1592, Karl’s brother Johan III, King of Sweden died and he was succeeded by his Roman Catholic son Sigismund III Vasa, who was already King of Poland. Eventually, because of religious issues, the Riksdag (legislature) gained control of the Swedish government and appointed the Lutheran Karl Regent of Sweden. Finally, on February 24, 1604, the Swedish Riksdag declared that Karl’s nephew Sigismund abdicated the Swedish throne and he was recognized as the sovereign – Karl IX, King of Sweden. After a delay of three years, Karl and his wife Christina were crowned King and Queen of Sweden on March 15, 1607, at Uppsala Cathedral in Uppsala, Sweden.

In 1604, Christina was appointed to be regent in the event that Karl should die before their sons reached the age of majority. As the potential guardian, Christina held an important leadership position. Although Karl did not allow Christina to dictate policy, he did ask for her advice. She did prevent the potential election of her son Karl Filip as Tsar of Russia. Count Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie, a Swedish statesman had proposed ten-year-old Karl Philip as a candidate for Tsar of Russia. When her husband Karl died in 1611, Christina refused to allow Karl Philip to leave for Russia. However, in 1613, Karl Filip went to Denmark to discuss the terms of a potential tsardom. When he got to Denmark, Karl Philip found out that Russian nobles had rejected several candidates, including him, and that Michael Romanov became the consensus candidate and had been elected the first Romanov ruler of Russia. Christina was relieved that the Russian affair was finally over.

Christina’s elder son Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden in his youth

On October 30, 1611, at Nyköping Castle in Nyköping, Södermanland, Sweden, 61-year-old Karl IX, King of Sweden died. He was buried at Strängnäs Cathedral in Strängnäs, Södermanland, Sweden. After the death of Karl IX, Christina and Johan, Duke of Östergötland, the son of Karl’s brother Johan III, King of Sweden, shared the short regency of Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden. The regency lasted from October 1611 to December 1611, when Christina’s elder son was declared of age. However, Christina remained the guardian of her younger son Karl Philip and was regent for his Duchies of Södermanland, Närke, and Värmland. Despite the short regency for her elder son, Christina was considered the real power behind the throne during the early years of Gustav II Adolf’s reign. She prevented the marriage of his marriage to Ebba Magnusdotter Brahe because she feared the complications of marriage with a noble and because she realized a dynastic marriage could have substantial political benefits.

Christina’s younger son Karl Filip; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1621, Christina’s younger son Karl Philip accompanied his brother Gustav II Adolf on his military campaign in the Baltic States. During the campaign, Karl Philip became seriously ill and traveled to Narva, then a Swedish possession, now in Estonia for treatment and rest. However, Karl Philip did not recover, dying on January 25, 1622, at the age of only 20. Christina was heartbroken after the death of her younger son, and she retired from public life and lived in seclusion. After Karl Philip’s death, his morganatic, secret marriage to Elisabet Ribbing was discovered, and Christina became the guardian of his posthumous daughter Elisabet Gyllenhielm.

Christina survived her husband by fourteen years, dying at the age of 52, on December 8, 1625, at Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred, Södermanland, Sweden. She was buried in the family crypt at Strängnäs Cathedral in Strängnäs, Sweden, below her husband’s most unusual grave monument – a rider on a horse wearing gold armor placed over the family crypt. The gold armor had been made by twelve of Stockholm’s most prominent goldsmiths.

Karl IX’s grave monument; Credit – Av Kigsz – Eget arbete, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71076804

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 Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christine von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_von_Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf> [Accessed 14 July 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf,_Duke_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 14 July 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christina of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 14 July 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. Karl IX, King of Sweden. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-ix-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 14 July 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kristina av Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristina_av_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 14 July 2021].

Wedding of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Marriage of Princess Helena, 5 July 1866 by Christian Karl Magnussen; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg were married on July 5, 1866, at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.

Helena’s Early Life

Helena with her favorite sibling Alfred, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1849; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Helena was the fifth of the nine children and the third of the five daughters of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was born at Buckingham Palace on May 25, 1846. Known within the family as Lenchen, Helena’s childhood was spent at her mother’s various homes, in the care of nurses and nannies. An accomplished artist and pianist from a young age, she was often overshadowed throughout her life by her siblings. Helena was closest to her brother Alfred, and the two remained so for their entire lives.

Helena’s life would change drastically in 1861, with the death of her beloved father. She began helping her sister Alice who became an unofficial secretary to their mother. After Alice’s marriage, Helena would continue in this role, along with her younger sister Louise, before the role was primarily taken by her youngest sister, Beatrice.

Helena had a brief romance with Carl Ruland, who had served as her father’s librarian. When the Queen discovered her daughter’s interest in one of the servants, Ruland was quickly dispatched back to Germany. Victoria then began a quest to find Helena an appropriate husband.

For more information on Princess Helena, see Unofficial Royalty: Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

Christian’s Early Life

Prince Christian by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1866; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, generally shortened to Schleswig-Holstein was born on January 22, 1831, in Augustenborg, Denmark, the sixth of the seven children of Christian August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe. His elder surviving brother was Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein who married Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a daughter of Queen Victoria’s half-sister Feodora of Leiningen, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Among Friedrich and Adelheid’s children was Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein who married Queen Victoria’s grandson Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia.

While attending the University of Bonn, Christian became close friends with the future German Emperor Friedrich III. This friendship would serve him well in later years, as Friedrich’s wife was Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest sister of Christian’s future wife.

For more information on Prince Christian, see Unofficial Royalty: Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

The Engagement

Princess Helena and Prince Christian, part of a series of photographs following their engagement; Credit – Wikipedia

Helena had been described by her mother as plump, dowdy, uncomplicated, unambitious, obedient, and without charm – which did not help her with marriage prospects. One of Queen Victoria’s requirements for Helena’s husband was that he had to be prepared to live near the Queen so that Helena could continue to be her companion and secretary. This eliminated a number of potential husbands. The final candidate in Queen Victoria’s search was a 35-year-old impoverished prince, Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, suggested by Queen Victoria’s uncle Leopold I, King of the Belgians.

Being fifteen years older than Helena, Christian was closer in age to Queen Victoria. When Christian was first summoned to meet Queen Victoria, he assumed that the widowed Queen was inspecting him as a new husband for herself rather than as a husband for one of her daughters. Christian was balding, looked older than his age, and was not considered handsome – certainly not the type of prince a 19-year-old princess sees in her dreams. However, Christian was agreeable and easy-going, spoke fluent English, and had been a long-time friend of Helena’s brother-in-law, the future German Emperor Friedrich III.

In August 1865, Queen Victoria and all her children went to Coburg to unveil a statue of Prince Albert. It was there that Helena and Christian first met. The possibility of a marriage between Helena and Christian was not met with unanimous approval within the royal family. The Princess of Wales (formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark) could not tolerate a marriage to someone who, she felt, took the Schleswig and Holstein duchies away from her own father, the King of Denmark. The Prince of Wales supported his wife in this. Helena’s sister Alice also disapproved as she felt Queen Victoria was pushing Helena into this marriage simply to ensure that Helena would remain near her side. The fact that Christian was 15 years older than Helena certainly did not help that suggestion. However, Helena and Christian both knew that they did not have many marriage prospects and were both agreeable to the marriage. Their engagement was announced on December 5, 1865.

The Wedding Site

The original Private Chapel in Windsor Castle, lithograph by Joseph Nash, 1848; Credit – Wikipedia

The Private Chapel in Windsor Castle was created for Queen Victoria by architect Edward Blore between 1840 and 1847. There were niches with marble sculptures, pews, and a large Gothic chandelier hanging from the ceiling. On November 20, 1992, a fire began in the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle when a spotlight was left too close to the curtains by a painter. The fire caused much damage to Windsor Castle. The Private Chapel was later restored but the new Private Chapel is much smaller, has chairs instead of pews, and is only able to fit thirty people. The new altar was made by Queen Elizabeth II’s nephew David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon who is a furniture designer and maker.

The Wedding Guests

This is a complete list from the London Gazette, Issue 23140, 17 July 1866.

Royal Guests

  • Queen Victoria, mother of the bride
  • The Prince and Princess of Wales, brother and sister-in-law of the bride
  • Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, brother of the bride
  • Prince Louise, sister of the bride
  • Prince Arthur, brother of the bride
  • Prince Leopold, brother of the bride
  • Princess Beatrice, sister of the bride
  • The Duchess of Cambridge, great-aunt of the bride
  • Leopold II, King of the Belgians, first cousin once removed of the bride, and his wife Queen Marie Henriette
  • Ernst, 4th Prince of Leiningen, half first cousin of the bride, and his wife Marie, Princess of Leiningen
  • Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
  • Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, brother of the groom
  • The Maharajah Duleep Singh

The Queen’s Household – participated in the royal, bridegroom’s and bride’s procession

  • Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington, Mistress of the Robes
  • Susanna Innes-Kerr, Duchess of Roxburghe, Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting
  • The Honorable Mrs. Robert Bruce, Woman of the Bedchamber in Waiting
  • John Townshend, Viscount Sydney, Lord Chamberlain of the Household
  • Valentine Browne, Viscount Castlerosse, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
  • John Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough, Lord Steward
  • George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury, Master of the Horse
  • Lieutenant General The Honorable Charles Grey, Joint Keeper of the Privy Purse, Equerry in Waiting
  • Major General Sir Thomas Biddulph, Joint Keeper of the Privy Purse
  • Lord Otho Fitzgerald, Treasurer of the Household
  • Granville Proby, 4th Earl of Carysfort, Comptroller of the Household
  • George Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan, Gold Stick in Waiting
  • Thomas Foley, 4th Baron Foley, Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
  • Henry Reynolds-Moreton, 3rd Earl of Ducie, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
  • Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork, Master of the Buckhounds
  • Major Sir John Cowell, Master of the Household
  • Frederick Methuen, 2nd Baron Methuen, Lord in Waiting
  • Lieutenant-Colonel W.H.F. Cavendish, Equerry in Waiting
  • Lord Alfred Paget, Clerk Marshal
  • Colonel The Honorable Dudley F. DeRos
  • General The Honorable Sir Edward Cust, Master of Ceremonies
  • Lieutenant-Colonel R. Palmer, Silver Stick in Waiting
  • Colonel H.F. Ponsonby, Field Officer in Brigade in Waiting
  • The Honorable Spencer Ponsonby, Comptroller in the Lord Chamberlain’s Department
  • Sir William Martins, Gentleman Usher
  • Major General Henry S. Stephens, Senior Gentleman Usher
  • Sir Charles G. Young, Garter King of Arms
  • Mr. Albert W. Woods, Lancaster Herald
  • Mr. Matthew C.H. Gibbon, Richmond Herald

Bride’s Attendant

  • Jane, Spencer, Baroness Churchill, Lady of the Bedchamber to The Queen

Bridegroom’s Attendants

  • Major General Francis Seymour, Groom of the Robes to the Queen
  • Count Rantzau, Gentleman of Honor to the Bridegroom

Foreign Representatives

  • Henri-Godefroi-Bernard-Alphonse, Prince de La Tour d’Auvergn, French Ambassador
  • Count of Lavradio, Portuguese Ambassador
  • Phillip Ivanovich Brunnov, Russian Ambassador
  • Christian Emil Krag-Juel-Vind-Frijs, Danish Foreign Minister
  • The Hanoverian Foreign Minister
  • The Prussian Ambassador
  • The Turkish Ambassador

Clergy

  • Charles Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Archibald Campbell Tait, Dean of the Chapels Royal, Bishop of London
  • Samuel Wilberforce, Lord High Almoner, Bishop of Oxford
  • Henry Philpott, Clerk of the Closet, Bishop of Worcester
  • Charles Sumner, Prelate of the Order of the Garter, Bishop of Winchester
  • Gerald Wellesley, Dean of Windsor

Government Officials

  • Robert Rolfe, 1st Baron Cranworth, Lord High Chancellor
  • Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, Lord President of the Council
  • George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, Lord Privy Seal
  • John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury
  • Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet, Secretary of State for the Home Department
  • George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
  • Edward Cardwell, Secretary of State for the Colonies
  • Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, Secretary of State for War
  • George Robinson, 3rd Earl de Grey, 2nd Earl of Ripon, Secretary for the State of India
  • Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Ewart Gladstone
  • Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset, First Lord of the Admiralty
  • Edward Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley Postmaster-General
  • George Goschen, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
  • Thomas Milner Gibson, President of the Board of Trade
  • Charles Pelham Villiers, President of the Poor Law Board
  • William F. Cowper, First Commissioner of Works
  • Adjutant General, Major-General Lord William Paulet
  • Quartermaster General, Lieutenant-General Sir James Hope Grant

Attendants to Other Royalty – some participated in processions

  • John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer, Groom of the Stole to The Prince of Wales
  • James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton, Gentleman of the Bedchamber in Waiting to The Prince of Wales
  • The Honorable Charles L. Wood, Groom of the Bedchamber in Waiting to The Prince of Wales
  • Lieutenant-General Knollys, Comptroller and Treasurer to The Prince of Wales
  • Major G. H. Grey, Equerry in Waiting to The Prince of Wales
  • George Harris, 3rd Baron Harris, Chamberlain to The Princess of Wales
  • Countess of Morton, Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting to The Princess of Wales
  • The Honorable Mrs. Edward Coke, Woman of the Bedchamber in Waiting to The Princess of Wales
  • Comte Van der Straten-Ponthoz, Grand Marshal to The King of the Belgians
  • Comte Gustav de Lannoy, Chamberlain to The Queen of the Belgians
  • Marquise de Trazeguies, Lady in Attendance to The Queen of the Belgians
  • Comtesse de Yves de Bavai, Lady in Attendance to The Queen of the Belgians
  • Jules de Vaux, Secretary to The King of the Belgians
  • Thomas Stonor, 3rd Baron Camoys, Lord in Waiting to Queen Victoria in attendance to The King and Queen of the Belgians
  • The Honorable Eliot Yorke, Equerry in attendance to The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Major Sir Howard Craufurd Elphinstone, Governor to Prince Arthur
  • Lieutenant Walter George Stirling, Governor to Prince Leopold
  • Lady Caroline Barrington, Lady Superintendent to Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice
  • Lady Augusta Stanley, Lady in attendance to Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice
  • Colonel Home Purves, Comptroller of the Household to The Duchess of Cambridge
  • Lady Geraldine Somerset, Lady in Waiting to The Duchess of Cambridge
  • Lieutenant-Colonel James Oliphant, Gentleman in attendance to The Maharajah Duleep Singh
  • Lady Susan Leslie Melville, Lady in Waiting to Princess Helena
  • Gardner D. Engleheart, Comptroller to the Household of Prince Christian and Princess Helena
  • Lieutenant-Colonel George G. Gordon, Equerry to Prince Christian

Other Guests

  • Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond and Frances Gordon-Lennox, Duchess of Richmond
  • Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch and Charlotte Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch
  • Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington and Elizabeth Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
  • Augusta, Countess Dornberg, morganatic wife of Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
  • Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, half first cousin of the bride, and his morganatic wife Laura, Countess Gleichen
  • James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn
  • Mary Brudenell-Bruce, Marchioness of Ailesbury
  • George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby and Laura Phipps, Marchioness of Normanby
  • Frances Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough
  • Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
  • Catherine Murray, Dowager Countess of Dunmore
  • William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 6th Earl Fitzwilliam and Frances Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, Countess Fitzwilliam
  • Caroline Edgcumbe, Dowager Countess of Mount Edgcumbe
  • John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor and Sarah Campbell, Countess Cawdor
  • Emily Townshend, Viscountess Sydney
  • George Byng, 7th Viscount Torrington
  • Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley
  • Lady Emily Seymour and The Honorable Miss Seymour
  • The Honorable Reverend Charles L. Courtenay and Lady Caroline Courtenay
  • The Honorable Mrs. Grey and Miss Grey
  • Lieutenant-General Jonathan Peel, politician
  • The Right Honorable Benjamin Disraeli, future Prime Minister
  • Lieutenant-General The Honorable H. Byng and Mrs. Byng
  • The Honorable Mrs. Wellesley, wife of Gerald Wellesley, Dean of Windsor
  • Major-General The Honorable A. N. Hood, Lady Mary Hood and Miss Hood
  • The Honorable Lady Biddulph, wife of Major General Sir Thomas Biddulph, Joint Keeper of the Privy Purse
  • Sir James Clark, Baronet, former Physician-In-Ordinary to Queen Victoria
  • Elizabeth Couper, Dowager Baroness Couper
  • Dr. William Jenner, Physician-In-Ordinary to Queen Victoria
  • Sir Richard Mayne, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
  • Mr. Bernard Woodward, Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle
  • Mr. Hermann Sahl, Librarian and German Secretary to Queen Victoria
  • Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Dean of Westminster
  • Reverend Henry Ellison, Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria
  • Reverend James St. John Blunt, Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Queen
  • Dr. Douglas Argyll Robertson, Surgeon Oculist to Queen Victoria
  • Miss Louisa Bowater, a friend of Princess Helena
  • Lieutenant-Colonel George Ashley Maude, Crown Equerry of the Royal Mews, and Miss E. Maude
  • Mr. Frederick Gibbs, tutor to The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred
  • Reverend Henry Mildred Birch, Chaplain to The Prince of Wales
  • Reverend William Rowe Jolley, tutor to Prince Alfred
  • Reverend George Prothero, Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria, Rector of St. Mildred’s Church, Whippingham, Isle of Wight, where Queen Victoria’s family worshipped when at Osborne House
  • Reverend Robinson Duckworth, tutor to Prince Leopold
  • Reverend N. Shuldham, tutor to Prince Leopold
  • Mr. Adolf Buff, German tutor to Prince Arthur and Prince Leopold
  • Miss Sarah Anne Hildyard, tutor to Queen Victoria’s children
  • Miss Ottilie Bauer, German tutor to Queen Victoria’s children
  • Mademoiselle Norele, French tutor to Queen Victoria’s children

The Supporters and Bridesmaids

Prince Christian’s supporters were his brother Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

Helena had eight bridesmaids, all of whom were unmarried daughters of British Dukes and Earls:

  • Lady Muriel Campbell, daughter of John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor, married Sir Courtenay Edmund Boyle
  • Lady Ernestine Edgcumbe, daughter of Ernest Edgcumbe, 3rd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, unmarried
  • Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, daughter of William Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam, married The Honorable Hugh Le Despencer Boscawen
  • Lady Albertha Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn, married George Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough
  • Lady Caroline Gordon-Lennox, daughter of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, unmarried
  • Lady Alexandrina Murray, daughter of Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore, married Rev. Henry Cunliffe
  • Lady Laura Phipps, daughter of George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby, married John Vivian Hampton-Lewis
  • Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, married Donald Cameron of Lochiel, 24th Chief of Clan Cameron

The Wedding Attire

Princess Helena in her wedding dress; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Helena’s wedding dress was made of white satin with deep flounces of Honiton lace. The design of the lace featured roses, ivy, and myrtle. The train, also made of the Honiton lace, had bouquets of orange blossom and myrtle attached. On her head, Helena wore a wreath of orange blossoms and myrtle with a veil made of Honiton lace which matched her dress. She wore a necklace, earrings, and brooch, all of opals and diamonds, a wedding gift from her mother Queen Victoria. In addition, Helena wore bracelets set with miniatures and the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert.

The eight bridesmaids were dressed in white glacé dresses covered with tulle under a long tunic of silver tulle, which was looped up on one side with a chatelaine of pink roses, forget-me-nots, and white heather. The bodice and skirt were also trimmed with branches of pink roses, forget-me-nots, and heather. On their heads, the bridesmaids wore a wreath of pink roses, forget-me-nots, and heather with a long tulle veil.

The Wedding

Embed from Getty Images 

The wedding ceremony was held at 12:30 PM on July 5, 1866, at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. At 12 noon, members of the British royal family, along with other royalty and important guests gathered in the White Drawing Room in Windsor Castle. Princess Helena remained in Queen Victoria’s Private Apartments while members of her procession assembled in the corridor outside Queen Victoria’s Private Apartments. Prince Christian, his supporters and members of his procession waited in the Red Room. The Ladies and Gentlemen of The Queen’s Household along with the Ladies and Gentlemen of foreign royalty assembled in the corridor. Ambassadors, Foreign Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, and other guests assembled in the Red and Green Drawing Rooms and were then conducted to their seats. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the other clergy taking part in the wedding ceremony assembled in the Audience Chamber. They then proceeded to the Private Chapel and took their places at the altar.

After the Ambassadors, Foreign Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, and other guests had taken their seats and the clergy had assembled in the Private Chapel, the Royal Procession formed in the corridor outside the White Drawing Room and were conducted to the Private Chapel by the Lord Chamberlain and the Vice-Chamberlain. The Lord Chamberlain and the Vice-Chamberlain then proceeded to the Red Room and conducted Prince Christian’s procession to the Private Chapel. Finally, the Lord Chamberlain and the Vice-Chamberlain proceeded to Queen Victoria’s Private Apartments and conducted Princess Helena’s procession to the Private Chapel. As her father had died in 1861, Helena was escorted by her mother Queen Victoria, her eldest brother The Prince of Wales, and her eight bridesmaids.

As the Bride’s Procession made its way to the Private Chapel, the March from the opera “Scipio” by Georg Friedrich Handel was played. When Helena arrived in the Private Chapel she took her place on the left side of the altar while Queen Victoria was led to her seat.

Princess Helena and Prince Christian; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Charles Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury performed the entire wedding ceremony. The responses of both Helena and Christian were made in a firm and audible voice and Christian spoke with a decidedly foreign accent. When the Archbishop of Canterbury asked, “Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?”, it was Queen Victoria, in lieu of her deceased husband, who answered in a dignified and determined manner. During the ceremony, the choir sang a chorale composed by William George Cusins, specially composed for the occasion. Cusins was the organist to Queen Victoria’s Private Chapels and played the organ during the wedding ceremony.

When the ceremony was over, Helena was warmly embraced by Queen Victoria and The Prince of Wales. Then, to Ludwig Spohr’s march from the oratorio “The Fall of Babylon”, Helena and Christian proceeded to the White Drawing Room, accompanied by the royal procession and the clergy, to sign the marriage registry along with Queen Victoria, other royalty, and some members of the Royal Household.

Post-Wedding

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Helena and Prince Christian leave Windsor Castle for their honeymoon

Luncheon was served to members of the British royal family and other royalty in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle. Other guests were served a buffet in the Waterloo Chamber. At 4:15 PM, guests desiring to return to London boarded a special train. At the same time, the bride and groom left Windsor by special train for Southampton where a boat would convey them to the Isle of Wight for their honeymoon at Osborne House.

Later that evening at Windsor Castle, a banquet was held in the Waterloo Gallery and an evening party was held in St. George’s Hall.

Children

Helena and Christian had five 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

  • Chomet, Seweryn. (1999). Helena: A Princess Reclaimed. New York: Begell House Inc.
  • Google Books. (1866). The London Gazette Issue 23140. 17 July 1866. [online] Available at: https://books.google.com/books?id=xTxEAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA4089&lpg=PA4089&dq=London+Gazette.+Issue+23140.+17+July+1866&source=bl&ots=EnAnytK-0J&sig=ACfU3U36Jz4GH6riAvk5Y2WdCGzEbr4sAA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwivwaH9r4bkAhWwT98KHe3WCb0Q6AEwDHoECAwQAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
  • Mehl, Scott. (2015). Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-christian-of-schleswig-holstein/ [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
  • Mehl, Scott. (2015). Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/princess-helena-of-the-united-kingdom-princess-christian-of-schleswig-holstein/ [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
  • Packard, Jerrold. (1998). Victoria’s Daughters. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
  • Trove. (1866). MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS HELENA. – The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842 – 1954) – 14 Sep 1866. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13136740 [Accessed 23 Aug. 2019].
  • Van der Kiste, J. (2011). Queen Victoria’s Children. Stroud: The History Press.

Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark, Princess Frederik of Denmark, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark was the first wife of the future King Frederik VII of Denmark, the wife of Karl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, and the younger of the two surviving daughters of King Frederik VI of Denmark and his wife Marie of Hesse-Kassel. She was born on January 18, 1808, in Kiel Castle in Kiel, Duchy of Holstein, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Vilhelmine Marie had seven siblings but unfortunately, six of them died in infancy:

  • Christian (born and died September 1791), died in infancy
  • Marie Louise (1792 – 1793), died in infancy
  • Caroline (1793 – 1881), married her father’s first cousin Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, no children
  • Louise (August 1795 – December 1795), died in infancy
  • Christian (born and died September 1797), died in infancy
  • Juliana Louise (born and died February 1802), died in infancy
  • Frederikke Marie (June 1805 – July 1805), died in infancy

King Frederik VI and Queen Marie with their daughters Vilhelmine Maria and Caroline by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1821; Credit – Wikipedia

Vilhelmine Marie had several prospects for marriage including the future King Oscar I of Sweden of the new Bernadotte dynasty but an internal Danish marriage was arranged for her to Prince Frederik of Denmark, the only surviving child of King Christian VIII and his first wife Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the future King Frederik VII.  Vilhelmine Marie and Frederik were half-second cousins, both descended from King Frederik V of Denmark. Vilhelmine Marie was a great-grandchild of King Frederik V of Denmark and his first queen Louisa of Great Britain. Frederik was a great-grandchild of King Frederik V and his second queen Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

The future King Frederik VII, Vilhelmine Marie’s first husband; Credit – Wikipedia

This marriage arrangement was mainly due to the desirability of a union of the two branches of the Danish royal family whose relationship was strained. Frederik and Vilhelmine Marie’s wishes and needs were not considered at all. Vilhelmine Marie and Frederick were engaged on May 28, 1826. The wedding was postponed for two years while Frederik was sent on an educational trip to Switzerland, France, and Italy. Frederik and Vilhelmine Marie were married on November 1, 1828, at the Christiansborg Castle Church in Copenhagen, Denmark. The wedding was very popular with the Danish people who participated in many wedding festivities.

However, the marriage was childless and unhappy. Not only was Frederik a heavy drinker, but he was also unfaithful. Vilhelmine Marie, who had a kind-hearted and mild personality, was unable to have any influence on her husband who frequently hurt her feelings. Even Vilhelmine Marie’s parents, the reigning King Frederik VI and his wife Queen Marie felt sorry for their daughter. The couple separated in 1834 and divorced in 1837.

Vilhelmine Marie’s second husband, Karl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg; Credit – Wikipedia

One year later, on May 19, 1838, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, Vilhelmine Marie married her first cousin Karl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the eldest son of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel. Karl was also the elder brother of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the future King Christian IX of Denmark who would succeed King Frederik VII, Vilhelmine Marie’s thrice-married but childless first husband. The marriage was a happy one but Vilhelmine and Karl had no children. It is believed that Vilhelmine Marie was unable to have children as there are no records of any miscarriages or stillbirths.

During the First Schleswig War (1848–1851), which Denmark won, Karl served as commander of a Schleswig-Holstein brigade fighting against Denmark. This caused Vilhelmine Marie’s relations with her Danish family to be cut off for a period of time. In 1852, Vilhelmine Marie reconciled with her Danish relatives. From then on, Vilhelmine Marie and her husband Karl lived mainly in Kiel Castle and Louisenlund Castle in Schleswig-Holstein

In 1864, after the Second Schleswig War, which Denmark lost, Karl’s duchy was annexed by Prussia and Karl lost his ducal title. Vilhelmine Marie and Karl were able to live at the family ancestral home, Schloss Glücksburg, which Wilhelm I, German Emperor allowed the former ducal family to keep. On October 24, 1878, Karl died at Schloss Glücksburg.

Vilhelmine Marie’s charitable work made her popular in Glücksburg. She was sad about Denmark’s loss of the Schleswig-Holstein duchies but the new Danish dynasty founded by her brother-in-law King Christian IX gave her much joy. Eventually, she became more and more isolated as her hearing loss made it difficult to communicate. Vilhelmine Marie survived her husband Karl for thirteen years, dying on May 30, 1891, at the age of 83 at Schloss Glücksburg in Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia, German Empire. She was buried next to her husband in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Neuer Friedhof Glücksburg (New Cemetery Glücksburg).

Entrance to the royal section at the Neuer Friedhof Glücksburg; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Vilhelmine af Danmark. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilhelmine_af_Danmark [Accessed 20 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Karl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl,_Duke_of_Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gl%C3%BCcksburg [Accessed 20 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Princess Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Vilhelmine_Marie_of_Denmark [Accessed 20 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2018). King Frederik VII of Denmark. [online]. Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-vii-of-denmark/ [Accessed 19 Sep. 2018].

Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Queen of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Amalie was the second wife of King Christian VIII of Denmark and was his Queen Consort from 1839 – 1848. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 28, 1796, she was the eldest of the three children and the only daughter of Friedrich Christian II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, and Princess Louise Auguste of Denmark. Caroline Amalie’s mother was the only daughter of King Christian VII of Denmark and Caroline Matilda of Wales, the sister of King George III of the United Kingdom. There is strong evidence that Louise Auguste’s father was her mother’s lover Johann Friedrich Struensee.

Caroline Amalie had two younger brothers:

Princess Caroline Amalie; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Amalie spent most of her childhood in Denmark, moving with her family to Augustenborg Palace in her father’s duchy in 1807. In 1808, Prince Christian of Denmark, the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederik of Denmark, became the heir presumptive to the Danish throne when his half-uncle King Christian VII died. King Frederik VI, the new king, the only son of King Christian VII, had no surviving sons. Prince Christian had divorced his first wife and needed a new wife. His half-aunt Princess Louise Auguste of Denmark, also the sister of King Frederik VI, suggested her only daughter Caroline Amalie.

In December 1814, Caroline Amalie became engaged to Christian, now the Hereditary Prince of Denmark. The couple was married on May 22, 1815, at Augustenborg Palace.  After having no success conceiving a child, Christian and Caroline Amalie visited many spas throughout Europe from 1818 – 1822 seeking a cure for their inability to have children. Sadly, the couple remained childless.

King Frederik VI died on December 3, 1839, and Christian inherited the throne as King Christian VIII and Caroline Amalie became Queen. On June 28, 1849, Caroline Amalie attended Christian VIII’s anointing at the Frederiksborg Castle Church. He was the last Danish monarch to be anointed.

Anointing of King Christian VIII and Queen Caroline Amalie by Joseph-Désiré Court, 1841; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Amalie was a composer of piano music and founded and supported a number of orphanages. She also was instrumental in opening a school for disadvantaged children and establishing the Women’s Care Association whose purpose was to provide maternity nursing care for needy women.

On January 20, 1848, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, 61-year-old King Christian VIII died of blood poisoning after a blood-letting. After her husband’s death, Caroline Amalie spent the winters at Amalienborg Palace and the summers at Sorgenfri Castle north of Copenhagen. Caroline Amalie continued her charitable projects. When Queen Marie, wife of King Frederik VI died in 1852, she took over as patron of the charitable women’s society Det Kvindelige Velgørende Selskab, which remained in existence until 2004.

Caroline Amalie, 1879; Credit -Wikipedia

Caroline Amalie outlived her stepson King Frederik VII and in 1863, saw the resolution of the Danish succession crisis with the establishment of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg when King Christian IX, born Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, became the King of Denmark.

Queen Caroline Amalie survived her husband by 33 years, dying at Sorgenfri Castle north of Copenhagen, Denmark on March 9, 1881, surrounded by the Danish royal family, at the age of 84. She was buried next to her husband at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg – Photo by Susan Flantzer

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 Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Caroline Amalie. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Amalie [Accessed 19 Sep. 2018].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Christian 8.. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_8. [Accessed 17 Sep. 2018].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Caroline Amalie von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Amalie_von_Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg [Accessed 19 Sep. 2018].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Christian VIII.. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_VIII. [Accessed 17 Sep. 2018]
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Caroline Amalie of Augustenburg. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Amalie_of_Augustenburg [Accessed 19 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Christian VIII of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_VIII_of_Denmark [Accessed 17 Sep. 2018].

Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein: In November 1863, Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg claimed the twin duchies as Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein after the death without a male heir of King Frederick VII of Denmark, who was also the Duke of Schleswig and the Duke of Holstein.  In 1864, following the Second Schleswig War, the Duchy of Holstein and the Duchy of Schleswig became occupied territories of the German Confederation and two years later, following the Austro-Prussian War, part of the new Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein. However, Prussia recognized the head of the House of Oldenburg as the *mediatized duke of these two duchies, with the rank and all the titles. The Duchy of Schleswig and the Duchy of Holstein are now the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

*mediatize – to annex (a principality) to another state, while allowing certain rights to its former sovereign

Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

Princess Dorothea Maria Henriette Auguste Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born in Vienna, Austria on April 30, 1881, to Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Belgium. Through her mother, she was a granddaughter of King Leopold II of the Belgians. Dorothea had one older brother:

Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. source: Wikipedia

On August 2, 1898, in Coburg, Dorothea married Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. He was the son of Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Upon his father’s death in January 1880, Ernst Günther had inherited his father’s title. However, just like his father before him, the title was merely in pretense, as the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein had been annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. Ernst Günther served as a General in the Cavalry and was a member of the Prussian House of Lords.

Dorothea and Ernst Günther had no children of their own, but in 1920, they adopted Princess Marie Luise and Prince Johann Georg of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the children of Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his first wife, Countess Ortrud of Ysenburg and Büdingen.

Schloss Taxis. source: Wikipedia

Widowed in 1921, Dorothea survived her husband by nearly 46 years. The Dowager Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein, aged 86, died at Schloss Taxis in Dischingen, Germany on January 21, 1967. She is buried at St. Augustin Church in Coburg, 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.

Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein: In November 1863, Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg claimed the twin duchies as Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein after the death without a male heir of King Frederick VII of Denmark, who was also the Duke of Schleswig and the Duke of Holstein.  In 1864, following the Second Schleswig War, the Duchy of Holstein and the Duchy of Schleswig became occupied territories of the German Confederation and two years later, following the Austro-Prussian War, part of the new Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein. However, Prussia recognized the head of the House of Oldenburg as the *mediatized duke of these two duchies, with the rank and all the titles. The Duchy of Schleswig and the Duchy of Holstein are now the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

*mediatize – to annex (a principality) to another state, while allowing certain rights to its former sovereign

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

Ernst Günther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein; Credit – Wikipedia

Ernst Günther was the mediatized Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 1880 until his death in 1921. He was born in Dolzig, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Poland, on August 11, 1863, to Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a daughter of Queen Victoria’s half-sister Feodora of Leiningen.

Ernst Günther had six siblings:

Upon his father’s death in January 1880, Ernst Günther inherited his father’s title. However, just like his father before him, the title was merely in pretense, as the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein had been annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. He served as a General in the Cavalry and was a member of the Prussian House of Lords.

An affair in 1896 caused a great scandal within Germany. Ernst Günther had fallen in love with Baroness Johanna von Spitzemberg, the daughter of Hildegard von Spitzemberg, a noted hostess in Berlin, and a friend of the German Imperial Family. Ernst Günther and Johanna wanted to marry, but Kaiser Wilhelm and Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria – Ernst Günther’s sister – quickly made it clear that marriage would not be permitted.

Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. source: Wikipedia

Two years later, on August 2, 1898, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in the German state of Bavaria, Ernst Günther married Princess Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the daughter of Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Louise of Belgium. They had no children. However, in 1920, they adopted Princess Marie Luise and Prince Johann Georg of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the children of Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his first wife, Countess Ortrud of Ysenburg and Büdingen.

Ernst Günther died at Schloss Primkenau in Primkenau, Germany, now in Przemków, Poland, on February 22, 1921. He is buried in the Ducal Graveyard in Primkenau. As he had no legal heir, his titles were inherited by his cousin, Prince Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, son of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and a grandson of Queen Victoria.

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Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein

Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the wife of Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. She was born Princess Adelheid Victoria Amalie Louise Maria Konstanze on July 20, 1835, in Langenburg, Principality of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, the daughter of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the elder half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Adelheid had five siblings:

Adelheid with her mother, Princess Feodora. source: Wikipedia

In 1852, the newly throned French Emperor Napoléon III proposed to Adelheid, hoping that marriage to Queen Victoria’s niece would bring about a closer alliance with the United Kingdom. However, Queen Victoria was horrified by the idea and remained silent on the matter. Adelheid’s family understood that Victoria’s silence indicated her disapproval and declined the Emperor’s proposal. He went on to marry Eugénie de Montijo, who would later become a close friend of Queen Victoria and her family.

Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

Four years later, in Langenburg on September 11, 1856, Adelheid married Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, the future Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. He was the son of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe. They had seven children:

Some of Adelheid’s children, photographed c1869. (l-r) Caroline Mathilde, Auguste Viktoria, Luise Sophie and Ernst Günter. source: Wikipedia

In November 1863, Adelheid’s husband claimed his succession to the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, following the death of the Danish King Frederik VII. The family moved to Kiel, but a few years later returned to Dolzig after the duchies were annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War. They alternated between Dolzig, Gotha, Schloss Primkenau in Silesia, and Schloss Gravenstein near Sonderburg (now known as Gråsten Palace). Schloss Gravenstein had been confiscated from Friedrich’s father in 1852 due to his part in the Schleswig-Holstein War. Following Prussia’s annexing of the duchies, the property was returned to Friedrich. Today, it is a summer residence of the Danish Royal Family.

Soon after her husband’s death in 1880, and her eldest daughter’s marriage in early 1881, Adelheid retired from public life, settling in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, where she spent her time painting and enjoying the arts. She died on January 25, 1900, in Dresden and was buried in the Ducal Graveyard in Primkenau, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Przemków, Poland.

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Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein: In November 1863, Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg claimed the twin duchies as Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein after the death without a male heir of King Frederick VII of Denmark, who was also the Duke of Schleswig and the Duke of Holstein.  In 1864, following the Second Schleswig War, the Duchy of Holstein and the Duchy of Schleswig became occupied territories of the German Confederation and two years later, following the Austro-Prussian War, part of the new Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein. However, Prussia recognized the head of the House of  Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg as the *mediatized duke of these two duchies, with the rank and all the titles. The Duchy of Schleswig and the Duchy of Holstein are now the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

*mediatize – to annex (a principality) to another state, while allowing certain rights to its former sovereign

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Friedrich VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein

Born as Prince Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, Friedrich VIII was the pretender Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 1863 until his death in 1880. He was born on July 6, 1829, at Augustenborg Palace in Denmark, the eldest son of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe, and he had six siblings:

Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

On September 11, 1856, in Langenburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Friedrich married Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. She was the daughter of Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Feodora of Leiningen (the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom). Together they had seven children:

Some of Friedrich’s children in1869. (l-r: Caroline Mathilde, Auguste Viktoria, Louise Sophie, and Ernst Gunther)

In November 1863, following the death of King Frederik VII of Denmark, Friedrich proclaimed himself reigning Duke of Schleswig and Holstein. His claim was formally recognized by many of the smaller German states and the Federation, but Prussia and Austria adamantly refused. They tried, unsuccessfully, to force the German Confederation to disavow Friedrich’s claim and the sovereignty of Schleswig and Holstein.

This soon led to the Second Schleswig War which began in February 1864. Just nine months later, the war was over and under the Treaty of Vienna, the two duchies were ceded to Prussia and Austria. Less than two years later, as a result of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, Schleswig and Holstein were formally annexed by Prussia, becoming the Province of Schleswig-Holstein. Friedrich was permitted to keep his title and later served on the staff of the Prussian Crown Prince (later Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia) during the Franco-Prussian War.

At just 50 years old, Friedrich VIII died in Wiesbaden, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Hesse, Germany on January 14, 1880. He is buried in the Ducal Graveyard in Primkenau, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Przemków, Poland.

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.

Schleswig-Holstein Resources at Unofficial Royalty