Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Argyll

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Argyll; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louise Caroline Alberta was born March 18, 1848, at Buckingham Palace in London, England,  the fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She was christened on May 13, 1848, at the Private Chapel in Buckingham Palace.  Her godparents were:

Louise had eight siblings:

Louise was educated at home with her siblings and developed a strong interest in the arts. In 1863, the Queen permitted Louise to enroll at The National Art Training School to pursue her interests and she became a very skilled painter and sculptress. Later in life, she sculpted a statue of Queen Victoria that stands on the grounds of Kensington Palace.

Statue of Queen Victoria sculpted by Princess Louise; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

Several foreign princes were put forward as possible husbands for Louise, including the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Prince Albert of Prussia, and the Prince of Orange. However, none of these was agreeable to Queen Victoria, and Louise wanted nothing to do with marriage to a prince. Instead, she fell in love with John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne and heir to the Dukedom of Argyll. Queen Victoria found this a wonderful match, infusing ‘new blood’ into the royal family. Others, including the Prince of Wales, found it appalling that the Princess should marry below her class. Despite these misgivings, the couple became engaged on October 3, 1870. They married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England on March 21, 1871, and honeymooned at Claremont House (later the home of Louise’s brother Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.)

In 1878, Lorne (as he was known) was appointed Governor-General of Canada, and he and Louise took up residence at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Initially getting a cool welcome, the couple soon ingratiated themselves with the Canadian people, traveling throughout the country and socializing with people from all classes and backgrounds. In 1880, she was severely injured in a sleigh accident, although this was significantly downplayed in both the Canadian and British press. Therefore, her subsequent lack of public appearances gave the impression that she was simply shirking her duties. In fact, her health was significantly affected and she spent much time recuperating. Her husband remained Governor-General until 1883 at which point they again took up residence in Britain. Queen Victoria gave them apartments in Kensington Palace, which would be Louise’s home for the rest of her life.

Princess Louise is often credited with helping to develop the tourist industry of the British colony of Bermuda.  To take advantage of the warmer climate, Princess Louise spent the winter of 1883 in Bermuda.  This quickly led to a trend of wealthier Americans and Canadians escaping to the tropical climate for the winter.  In 1885, a grand hotel was built on Hamilton Harbor to accommodate the influx of wealthy visitors. It was duly named The Princess Hotel in honor of Louise’s visit two years earlier.

Years later, in 1905, the Canadian province of Alberta was named in her honor. Initially, to be named Louise, the Princess requested that her third name, Alberta, be used to also honor her late father Prince Albert. Lake Louise and Mount Alberta were also named for the Princess.

In 1900, her father-in-law passed away and her husband became the 9th Duke of Argyll. This meant that the couple now had several prominent homes at their disposal, including Inveraray Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Argyll as Chief of the Clan Campbell.

The following year, in January 1901, Queen Victoria died at Osborne House in the presence of most of her children, including Louise. Despite the Queen’s wishes that Osborne should remain a royal residence, the new King gifted the house to the nation. Princess Louise was given a small cottage on the estate, Kent House, which she later gave to her niece Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (later Marchioness of Milford-Haven).

Portrait by Philip de Laszlo, 1915 Source: The de Laszlo Archive Trust

Portrait by Philip de Laszlo, 1915; Source: The de Laszlo Archive Trust

Louise was widowed in 1914 when her husband passed away after a lengthy illness. He had been ill for several years, suffering from what is now believed to have been Alzheimer’s Disease. During these years, Louise devoted herself to caring for her husband. Despite the sometimes distant relationship between the two, she was truly devastated at the loss of her beloved husband. She would go on to survive him by more than 25 years. During this time, she remained an active member of the royal family, taking part in official events and maintaining contact with many of her patronages and charities. By the mid-1930s, her health was declining. She made her last public appearance at an Exhibition in 1937, however, she was unable to attend the coronation of her great-nephew, King George VI that May. She spent her remaining years at Kensington Palace, living in her apartments next door to her sister Beatrice. She was very close with her great-nephew The Duke of Kent and his wife, Princess Marina of Greece.

The Duchess of Argyll, 1933

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll  circa 1933

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, died at Kensington Palace in London, England on December 3, 1939, at the age of 91. Following a private funeral on December 12, 1939, her cremated remains were initially placed in the Royal Crypt at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. A few months later, in March 1940, her ashes were moved to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

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Recommended Books

  • Darling Loosy: Letters to Princess Louise (1856-1939) – Elizabeth Longford
  • Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Unconventional Daughter – Jehanne Wake
  • The Mystery of Princess Louise: Queen Victoria’s Rebellious Daughter – Lucinda Hawksley

Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty