by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Doberan Minster is a Lutheran church in Bad Doberan, Mecklenburg, and served as a traditional burial site of the rulers of Mecklenburg going back to the 13th century. Several members of the Grand Ducal Family of Mecklenburg-Schwerin are buried there, including the first Grand Duke, Friedrich Franz I.
Wikipedia: Doberan Minster

The Schwerin Cathedral was another traditional burial site of the rulers of Mecklenburg, going back to the 15th century. It was chosen as the burial site of Grand Dukes Paul Friedrich and Friedrich Franz II and their wives, as well as several of their children.
Wikipedia: Schwerin Cathedral

The Luise Mausoleum on the grounds of Ludwigslust Palace was built for Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg following her death in 1808. She was the wife of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz I. The Mausoleum contains the tombs of nine members of the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Grand Ducal Family.
Wikipedia: Luise Mausoleum (link in German)
Wikipedia: Ludwigslust Palace

The Helena Pavlovna Mausoleum on the grounds of Ludwigslust Palace was built for Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, who died in September 1803. She was the first wife of Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Ludwig and the mother of the future Grand Duke Paul Friedrich. The Mausoleum contains the tombs of eleven members of the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Grand Ducal Family.
Wikipedia: Helena Pavlovna Mausoleum (link in German)
Wikipedia: Ludwigslust Palace

The last burial site of the Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin is the New Cemetery in Glücksburg, Schleswig-Holstein. The cemetery is the final resting place of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV and his family. Friedrich Franz IV died at Schloss Glücksburg in 1945 and was buried in the nearby New Cemetery.

The Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

• Friedrich Franz I – reigned June 17, 1815 – February 1, 1837
• Paul Friedrich – reigned February 1, 1837 – March 7, 1842
• Friedrich Franz II – reigned March 7, 1842 – April 15, 1883
• Friedrich Franz III – reigned April 15, 1883 – April 10, 1897
• Friedrich Franz IV – reigned April 10, 1897 – November 14, 1918

Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Index

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Friedrich Franz I
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(June 17, 1815 – February 1, 1837)

Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Franz I was born on December 10, 1756, in Schwerin, the son of Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He married Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg in June 1775 and had six children. He succeeded his uncle as Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1785 and became Grand Duke in 1815. Grand Duke Friedrich Franz I died at Ludwigslust Palace on February 1, 1837, and is buried in the Doberan Minster in Bad Doberan.

Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Unofficial Royalty: Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Luise was born on March 9, 1756, the daughter of Prince Johann August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Countess Luise Reuss of Schleiz. She married Friedrich Franz in 1775 and had six children. In 1785, she became Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin but died before her husband was elevated to Grand Duke. She died at Ludwigslust Palace on January 1, 1808, and is buried in the Luise Mausoleum.

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Children of Friedrich Franz I

Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke
June 13, 1778 – November 29, 1819
Wikipedia: Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Ludwig married Elena Pavlovna of Russia in 1799 and had two children, including the future Grand Duke Paul Friedrich. After Elena’s death, he married Karoline Luise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1810 and had three children. Following Karoline’s death, he married again to Auguste of Hesse-Homburg. He died at Schloss Ludwigslust and is buried in the Helena Pavlovna Mausoleum, along with all three of his wives.

Luise Charlotte
November 19, 1779 – January 4, 1801
Wikipedia: Luise Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Luise Charlotte married Auguste, the future Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg in October 1797, and had one daughter in 1800. She died just 11 days later and is buried in Gotha.

Gustav Wilhelm
January 31, 1781 – January 10, 1851
Gustav was a talented musician and performed often at court concerts. He never married. Gustav is buried in the Luise Mausoleum.

Karl
July 2, 1782 – May 22, 1833
Karl spent much of his life serving with the Russian military. He never married. Karl is buried in the Luise Mausoleum.

Charlotte Friederike
December 4, 1784 – July 13, 1840
Unofficial Royalty: Charlotte Friederike of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Charlotte married the future King Christian VIII of Denmark in 1806 and had one son (later King Frederik VII). Her husband divorced her following her affair with her singing teacher, and she was sent into exile. She eventually settled in Rome where she converted to Catholicism. The former Hereditary Princess of Denmark is buried in the Teutonic Cemetery in Vatican City.

Adolf
December 18, 1785 – May 8, 1821
After serving in the Prussian army, Adolf converted to Catholicism in 1818. Following his death, he was first buried in a chapel just outside the Catholic Church of St. Helena and St. Andreas in Ludwigslust. In 1899, his remains were moved to the Luise Mausoleum.

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Paul Friedrich
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(February 1, 1837 – March 7, 1842)

Unofficial Royalty: Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Paul Friedrich was born at Schloss Ludwigslust on September 15, 1800. He married Alexandrine of Prussia in May 1822 and had three children. In 1837, he succeeded his grandfather as Grand Duke. He died in Schwerin on March 7, 1842, and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

Alexandrine of Prussia
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Unofficial Royalty: Alexandrine of Prussia, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Alexandrine was born in Berlin on February 23, 1803, the daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and Luise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In May 1822, she married the future Grand Duke Paul Friedrich and had three children. Grand Duchess Alexandrine died in Schwerin on April 21, 1892, and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

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Children of Paul Friedrich

Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (below)

Luise
May 17, 1824 – March 9, 1859
Luise married Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Graetz in October 1849 and had four children. She is buried at Wagensberg Castle in Slovenia.

Wilhelm
March 5, 1827 – July 28, 1879
Wikipedia: Wilhelm of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Wilhelm married Alexandrine of Prussia in December 1865 and had one daughter. He died in Heidelberg from blood poisoning following an operation. His body was returned to Schwerin and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

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Friedrich Franz II
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(March 7, 1842 – April 15, 1883)

Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Franz II was born at Ludwigslust Palace on February 28, 1823. He became Grand Duke upon his father’s death and went on to marry three times. His first marriage was to Auguste Reuss of Köstritz in November 1849, with whom he had six children. His second marriage was to Anna of Hesse and by the Rhine, with whom he had one daughter. And finally, he married Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and had another four children. Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II died in Schwerin on April 15, 1883, and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

Auguste Reuss of Köstritz
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
1st wife of Friedrich Franz II

Unofficial Royalty: Auguste Reuss of Köstritz, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Auguste was born May 26, 1822, in Klipphausen, Saxony, the daughter of Heinrich LXIII, Prince Reuss of Köstritz, and Countess Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode. She married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II in November 1849 and had six children. Grand Duchess Auguste died in Schwerin on March 3, 1862, and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

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Children of Friedrich Franz II with Auguste Reuss of Köstritz

Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (below)

Paul Friedrich
September 19, 1852 – May 17, 1923
Wikipedia: Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Paul Friedrich married Marie of Windisch-Graetz in 1881 and had five children. Three years later, he renounced his and his sons’ succession rights and later converted to Catholicism. He died at Ludwigslust and is buried in the Louise Mausoleum.

Marie
May 14, 1854 – September 6, 1920
Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Marie married Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, a son of Tsar Alexander II, in August 1874, and became Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. She and her husband had five children. Maria Pavlovna became one of the most prominent members of the Russian Imperial Family. After escaping Russia in 1920, she eventually settled in Contrexéville, France, where she died. She is buried Chapel of St. Vladimir and St. Mary Magdalene in Contrexéville, France which she had built in 1909.

Nikolaus
August 18, 1855 – January 23, 1856
Nikolaus died at just five months old. He is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

Johann Albrecht
December 8, 1857 – February 16, 1920
Wikipedia: Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Johann Albrecht married Elisabeth Sybille of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1886, and later married Elisabeth of Stolberg-Rossla in 1909. Both marriages were childless. Johann Albrecht served as Regent of Mecklenburg-Schwerin for his nephew, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV, from 1897 until 1901. He later served as Regent of the Duchy of Brunswick from 1907 until 1913. Johann Albrecht is buried at Doberan Minster.

Alexander
August 13, 1859 – August 13, 1859
Alexander lived just a few hours after his birth. He is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

Anna of Hesse and by Rhine
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
2nd wife of Friedrich Franz II

Unofficial Royalty: Anna of Hesse and by Rhine, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Anna was born in Bessungen, Hesse on May 25, 1843, the daughter of Prince Karl of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Elisabeth of Prussia. She married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II in July 1864 and had one daughter. Grand Duchess Anna died in Schwerin on April 16, 1865, and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

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Children of Friedrich Franz II with Anne of Hesse and by Rhine

Anna
April 7, 1865 – February 8, 1882
Anna died of pneumonia a few months before her seventeenth birthday. She is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
3rd wife of Friedrich Franz II

Unofficial Royalty: Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Marie was born January 29, 1850, in Raben Steinfeld, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the daughter of Adolf of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Mathilde of Schönburg-Waldenburg. She married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II in July 1868 and had four children. Grand Duchess Marie died at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague on April 22, 1922, and is buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

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Children of Friedrich Franz II with Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

Elisabeth Alexandrine
August 10, 1869 – September 3, 1955
Unofficial Royalty: Elisabeth Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Elisabeth Alexandrine married Friedrich August II, the last Grand Duke of Oldenburg, in October 1896 and had five children. She died at Schaumburg Castle, near Limburg an der Lahn, on September 3, 1955, and is buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in St. Gertrude’s Cemetery in Oldenburg.

Friedrich Wilhelm
April 5, 1871 – September 22, 1897
After serving with the Mecklenburg military, Friedrich Wilhelm joined the German Navy in 1888 and served for his entire life. He died when his boat capsized following an exercise in the Lower Elbe, near Cuxhaven. His body was recovered several days later and returned to Schwerin, where he was buried at the Schwerin Cathedral.

Adolf Friedrich
October 10, 1873 – August 5, 1969
Wikipedia: Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Adolf Friedrich married Viktoria Feodora of Reuss-Schleiz in April 1917, who died giving birth to their only child in 1918. Several years later, in October 1924, he married Elisabeth of Stolberg-Rossla, the widow of his elder half-brother, Johann Albrecht. Adolf Friedrich was a noted explorer, leading several expeditions in Africa. He served as the last governor of Togoland in German West Africa from 1912-1914, served on the International Olympic Committee from 1926-1956, was President of the German Olympic Committee from 1948-1949 and the first President of the National Olympic Committee of Germany from 1949-1951. Adolf Friedrich died in Eutin, West Germany on August 5, 1969. He is buried at Doberan Minster.

Heinrich
April 19, 1876 – July 3, 1934
Unofficial Royalty: Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, The Prince of the Netherlands
Heinrich married Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands on February 7, 1901, and was created The Prince of the Netherlands, taking on the Dutch version of his name, Henrik. Henrik and Wilhelmina had one daughter, the future Queen Juliana, in 1909. He died at the Kneuterdijk Palace in The Hague and is buried in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, Netherlands.

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Friedrich Franz III
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(April 15, 1883 – April 10, 1897)

Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Franz III was born at Ludwigslust Palace on March 19, 1851. In January 1879, he married Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia and had three children. He became Grand Duke in 1883 and reigned until his death on April 10, 1897, in Cannes, France. Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III is buried in the Helena Pavlovna Mausoleum at Ludwigslust Palace.

Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Unofficial Royalty: Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Anastasia Mikhailovna was born at the Peterhof Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on July 28, 1860. She was the daughter of Grand Duke Mikhail Nicolaievich, a son of Tsar Nicholas I, and Princess Cecilie Auguste of Baden. She married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III in January 1879 and had three children. Grand Duchess Anastasia survived her husband by nearly 25 years and died in Èze, France, on March 11, 1922. She is buried in the Helena Pavlovna Mausoleum at Ludwigslust Palace.

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Children of Friedrich Franz III

Alexandrine
December 24, 1879 – December 28, 1952
Unofficial Royalty: Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Queen of Denmark
Alexandrine married the future King Christian X of Denmark in April 1898, at the Villa Weden in Cannes, France. They had two sons, including the future King Frederik IX. Queen Alexandrine was widowed in 1947 and died in Copenhagen on December 28, 1952. She is buried beside her husband in Roskilde Cathedral.

Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (below)

Cecilie
September 20, 1886 – May 6, 1954
Unofficial Royalty: Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Cecilie married German Crown Prince Wilhelm, the son of Kaiser Wilhelm II, in June 1905, and they had six children. Following the end of the German Empire in 1918, she remained in Germany, living at her home – Cecilienhof – until 1945. Cecilie died on May 6, 1954 while on a visit to Bad Kissingen. Following her funeral, she was buried beside her husband in the grounds of Hohenzollern Castle.

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Friedrich Franz IV
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(April 10, 1897 – November 14, 1918)

Unofficial Royalty: Friedrich Franz IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Franz IV was the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He was born in Palermo, Italy on April 9, 1882, the only son of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III and Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia. Because he was just 15 when he became Grand Duke, his uncle, Johann Albrecht, served as Regent until Friedrich Franz came of age. In June 1904, he married Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland and had five children. On November 14, 1918, Friedrich Franz IV was forced to abdicate and the monarchy was abolished. He died in Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein on November 17, 1945, and is buried in the New Cemetery in Glücksburg.

Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Unofficial Royalty: Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Alexandra was born at Schloss Ort in Gmunden, Austria, on September 29, 1882, the daughter of Crown Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Princess Thyra of Denmark. She married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV in June 1904 and had five children. Grand Duchess Alexandra died at Schloss Glücksburg on August 30, 1963, and is buried in the New Cemetery in Glücksburg.

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Children of Friedrich Franz IV

Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke
April 22, 1910 – July 31, 2001
Wikipedia: Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Friedrich Franz married Karin von Schaper in June 1941. They divorced in 1967 but remarried in April 1977. They had no children. Friedrich Franz was the last Head of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He died in Hamburg and is buried in the New Cemetery in Glücksburg.

Christian Ludwig
September 29, 1912 – July 18, 1996
Wikipedia: Christian Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Christian Ludwig served with the German military before being dismissed from serving in 1944, because of being a member of a foreign ruling house. The family fled Ludwigslust in 1945, but Christian Ludwig soon returned and was arrested by the Soviet military. He was taken to Moscow and sentenced to 25 years at the Lubyanka Prison. However, he was released in 1953 and returned to his family in Glücksburg. In 1954, he married Princess Barbara of Prussia and had two daughters. Christian Ludwig is buried in the New Cemetery in Glücksburg.

Olga
1916-1917
Olga died in infancy and was buried in the Helena Pavlovna Mausoleum at Ludwigslust Palace.

Thyra
June 18, 1919 – September 27, 1981
Thyra never married. She is buried in the New Cemetery in Glücksburg.

Anastasia
November 11, 1923 – January 25, 1979
Wikipedia: Anastasia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
In September 1943, Anastasia married Prince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and had four children. She died in Hamburg and is buried in the New Cemetery in Glücksburg.

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