Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Maria Leszczyńska, Queen of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Karolina Zofia Felicja Leszczyńska was the wife of King Louis XV of France. She was born on June 23, 1703, in Trzebnica, Silesia (now Poland) to Stanisław I Leszczyński and his wife Catherine Opalińska. She had one older sister, Anna (born 1699), who died at the age of 18.

The year after her birth, her father was made King of Poland by King Carl XII of Sweden, who had invaded the country that year. He reigned as King Stanisław I until 1709 when the Swedish forces were defeated. The family took up residence in Kristianstad, Sweden, and became prominent members of Swedish society. They later moved to Zweibrücken, then personal union with Sweden, now in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. After the death of King Carl XII,  the family moved to Wissembourg in France, where they were largely supported by Philippe I, Duke of Orléans who was serving as Regent for the young King Louis XV.  Maria’s father became King of Poland again in 1733, reigning until being forced to abdicate in 1736. He was then created Duke of Lorraine by his son-in-law King Louis XV.

King Louis XV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

After being suggested as a bride for several marriages, Maria was soon proposed as a potential wife for King Louis XV of France. King Louis XV had fallen ill, and being unmarried with no heir, plans were made to arrange a marriage for him as quickly as possible. Although engaged to Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, she was still a child and would be unable to provide an heir for quite some time. The engagement was ended, and the young Infanta was sent back to Spain. Meanwhile, Maria was just one of many potential brides and not near the top of the list. Initially removed from the list because of her lack of wealth, she was soon the preferred choice by all parties involved in the marriage discussions.

The marriage of King Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska, source: Wikipedia

The couple was married by proxy on August 15, 1725, at the Cathedral of Strasbourg, at which point she took the French version of her name, Marie. Marie and Louis, who met the night before their wedding, were married in person in the chapel at the Château de Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725.

Marie and Louise had ten children:

Queen Marie with her son, the Dauphin, painted by Alexis Simon Belle, c1730. source: Wikipedia

The marriage of Marie and Louis XV was a success, and the two were very happy and in love. However, after nearly dying during the birth of her last child in 1737, Marie refused her husband’s romantic advances and their relationship quickly fell apart. By that time, King Louis had taken several mistresses, including the famed Madame de Pompadour. These women were often given positions in Queen Marie’s court against her wishes, causing Marie great distress. Only one, Madame de Pompadour, showed Marie the slightest bit of respect, and Marie was able to maintain a friendly relationship with her.

As Queen, Marie maintained the strict protocol and etiquette of the French court and fully embraced her role and responsibilities of her ceremonial role. However, when not at official functions, she preferred to retreat to her private apartments, spending time with a small group of close friends and confidants. She only once made a foray into politics, and that proved disastrous. Shortly after her marriage, Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon enlisted the new Queen to participate in a plot to banish Cardinal de Fleury from the King’s court. When it failed, it caused a temporary rift with her husband. From that point forward, she resolved to avoid all politics.

A great lover of the arts, she supported several prominent artists and musicians and arranged for weekly Polish choral concerts to be held at the Palace of Versailles. She was also an avid gambler and often found herself in debt.

The tomb of Queen Marie in the Basilica of St. Denis. source: Wikipedia

Queen Marie died at the Palace of Versailles on June 24, 1768. She was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris, while her heart was entombed at the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Nancy. Having held her position for nearly 43 years, Queen Marie was the longest-serving Queen consort in the French monarchy.

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France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Louis XV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Louis XV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

Louis XV reigned as King of France from 1715 until 1774, succeeding his great-grandfather, King Louis XIV. He was born on February 15, 1710, at the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France, the third son of Prince Louis, Duke of Burgundy, and Princess Marie Adélaïde of Savoy. At birth, he was created Duke of Anjou. Louis had two older brothers, both also named Louis:

Louis had two older brothers, both also named Louis:

  • Louis, Duke of Brittany (1704 – 1705), died from convulsions
  • Louis, Duke of Brittany (1707 – 1712), died from measles

Shortly after his birth, his grandfather died suddenly, and his father became the direct heir to the throne. The following year, in February 1712, Louis’s mother died of measles. Within days, Louis’s father also succumbed to the illness, and both Louis and his surviving brother were also infected. On February 8, 1712, his elder brother died, and Louis became the Dauphin, heir to the throne.

Three years later, on September 1, 1715, King Louis XIV died, and the young Louis took the throne as King Louis XV. His great-grandfather had stipulated in his will that a Regency Council be established until Louis reached his majority. The Regency Council was led by King Louis XIV’s nephew, Philippe, Duke of Orléans, and included several of the late King’s legitimized sons.

Louis was raised by a governess, Madame de Ventadour, splitting his time between the Château of Vincennes, and the Tuileries Palace. His education was overseen by the Duke of Maine, one of his great-grandfather’s legitimized sons. Louis was placed in the care of François de Villeroy, an old friend of King Louis XIV, and was tutored by André-Hercule de Fleury (later Cardinal de Fleury). An avid student, the young King developed a wide variety of interests, particularly in science.

King Louis XV and Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, painted by Alexis Simon Belle. source: Wikipedia

In 1721, Louis was betrothed to his first cousin, Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, who was just 3 years old at the time. She was the daughter of Louis’s uncle, King Felipe V of Spain, and Elisabeth Farnese of Parma. However, Louis showed little interest in his young cousin or the prospect of marrying her. The marriage was later called off, and the young Spanish Infanta returned to Spain. She would later become Queen of Portugal as the wife of King José I.

King Louis XV in his coronation robes, source: Wikipedia

In 1722, Louis returned the court to the Palace of Versailles, where it would remain through his reign. In October of that year, he was crowned at Reims Cathedral. Following his majority in February 1723, Louis retained the Duke of Orléans as his first minister, and upon his death, appointed his cousin Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon. Bourbon was concerned that the King was not in the best health, and feared the House of Orléans would try to take the throne should the King die. He began searching for an appropriate bride for the King, preferably one old enough to bear children.

Maria Leszczyńska as Queen of France, source: Wikipedia

Before long, the search was narrowed, and a bride was selected. Maria Leszczyńska was the daughter of the deposed King Stanisław I of Poland. Although poor and considered rather plain-looking, Maria was determined to be the best choice, primarily because of her lack of alliance with any of the people involved in finding the King a wife. And the fact that she was Catholic and old enough to bear children immediately made the decision final. The couple was engaged on April 2, 1725, and married by proxy at the Strasbourg Cathedral on August 15. Several weeks later, the couple’s wedding took place at the Château de Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725, having only met in person for the first time the night before. Initially a love match, the couple enjoyed a happy marriage for several years, and had ten children:

Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress; Credit – Wikipedia

Louis soon began to take mistresses – beginning with Diane Adélaïde de Mailly, the first of four de Mailly sisters who would enjoy the King’s affections. Then, in February 1745, the King met Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson at a ball given in honor of the marriage of the Dauphin. Poisson, who would later become Marquise de Pompadour, was perhaps the King’s most famous mistress. Within weeks of meeting, she became the King’s chief mistress and was given apartments at the Palace of Versailles.  The King created her Marquise de Pompadour, as she could not be presented at court without holding a title.  Until her death, she remained one of the King’s closest friends and confidantes and had significant power within the court.  Of all of the King’s mistresses, Madame de Pompadour was the only one who maintained a respectful relationship with the Queen, to whom she later served as a lady-in-waiting.  Despite ending their romantic relationship in the early 1750s, she and the King remained devotedly close until she died in 1764.

Madame du Barry, painted by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. source: Wikipedia

The King’s last chief mistress was Jeanne Bécu, comtesse du Barry, who first met the King in 1768.  After being formally presented at court in 1769, Madame du Barry remained with the King until his death.  Her extravagance would later help contribute to the downfall of the French monarchy.  King Louis was infatuated with his much younger lover and lavished her with gifts, including many priceless jewels.  In 1772, he commissioned a jeweler to create a diamond necklace that would be grander than any other.  Although the King died before the necklace was finished, it would later become the focus of a huge scandal in which Queen Marie Antoinette would be falsely accused.  See Wikipedia: The Affair of the Diamond Necklace.

King Louis XV, painted by Louis-Michel van Loo. source: Wikipedia

Just a few years after taking the throne, with economic and social discord in France caused by the Duke of Bourbon’s policies, the King dismissed him in 1726 and replaced him with Cardinal Fleury. Fleury’s leadership brought about perhaps the most prosperous years of the King’s reign. With the support of the King, Fleury stabilized and greatly expanded the French economy. Highways were built connecting the most remote parts of the country, and trade was greatly increased throughout the world. Peace was sought with England and Spain, aided greatly by the birth of a male heir in 1729, eliminating any succession crisis.

However, the King often deviated from Fleury’s policies. He intervened in the War of the Polish Succession, hoping to help restore his father-in-law to the Polish throne and to try to gain control of the Duchy of Lorraine. While he was unsuccessful in helping his father-in-law, he was able to take the Duchy of Lorraine. Under the terms of the Treaty of Vienna in 1738, the duchy was granted to the former King Stanisław, with the condition that it would eventually pass to King Louis.

King Louis XV’s reign saw France’s entry into the War of the Austrian Succession in 1740, with France gaining significant territory.  However, at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, Louis returned the lands to their rightful owners.  For this, he was greatly praised throughout Europe but became very unpopular within his own country.  A few years later, the King would find France at war with Great Britain in the French and Indian War, and soon pulled into the Seven Years’ War.

The King was a victim of an assassination attempt in 1757.  While walking to his carriage in the Marble Courtyard at the Palace of Versailles, Robert-François Damiens stabbed the king with a small knife.  Fortunately, it was a relatively minor wound, and the King survived.

King Louis XV died of smallpox at the Palace of Versailles on May 10, 1774, and was buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris. He was succeeded by his grandson, King Louis XVI.

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.

France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Born twenty-one years after her eldest sibling, Princess Amelia was the sixth daughter and the youngest of the fifteen children of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She was born on August 7, 1783, at Lower Lodge (now called Royal Lodge), in Windsor, England, the only child of George III not to be born at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace).  Amelia was christened on September 18, 1783, in the Great Council Chamber at St. James’ Palace in London by John Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury.  She was named after her great-aunt, Princess Amelia, daughter of King George II. Her godparents were:

Princess Amelia in 1785 by John Hoppner; Credit – Wikipedia

Amelia had 14 siblings, but her brothers Octavius and Alfred both died shortly before her birth.

George III children

Queen Charlotte in 1779 with her 13 eldest children; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

George III had dearly loved his son Octavius, who had died at age four just three months before Amelia’s birth. Although George still mourned Octavius, Amelia’s birth helped to raise his spirits. The three younger sisters, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia were educated together, spending much time with Charlotte de Montmollin, their new French governess, who taught the sisters French and exquisite needlework. Jane Gomm joined the sisters in 1786 as an English teacher and supervised the remainder of their education. Mary, Sophia, and Amelia lived much of the time apart from their parents, sometimes with the younger brothers at Kew Palace, but most often at Lower Lodge (now called Royal Lodge) at Windsor. The three younger sisters were much less disciplined than the three elder sisters. The artist John Singleton Copley discovered this when he painted Sophia, Mary, and Amelia with the family pets in 1785. The children, the dogs, and the parrots would not cooperate. Somehow Copley managed to finish the painting, but he then returned to historical painting and never painted another portrait. The Copley painting is below.

Left to right: Sophia, Amelia, and Mary, The Three Youngest Daughters of King George III by John Singleton Copley, 1785; Credit – Wikipedia

The living conditions of King George III’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark. Christian’s mental illness led to Caroline Matilda having an affair, being caught, the execution of her lover, her exile, and her early death from scarlet fever at age 23. The story was told in several novels including Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and in the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012). Stella Tillyard also covers Caroline Matilda’s affair in her nonfiction book A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings (2006). Despite what happened to their aunt, the sisters longed to escape from “the Nunnery.”

Before King George’s first bout with what may have been porphyria in 1788, he had told his daughters that he would take them to Hanover to find husbands for them. Further bouts occurred in 1801 and 1804 and prevented talk of marriage for his daughters. Queen Charlotte feared that the subject of marriage, which had always bothered her husband, would push him back into insanity. She was stressed by her husband’s illness and wanted her daughters to remain close to her. The sisters – Charlotte, Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia – continued to be over-protected and isolated which restricted them from meeting eligible suitors.

In 1798, 15-year-old Amelia developed a pain in her knee and was sent to the seaside town of Worthing for recovery. She wrote to her father, “Certainly the vapour and warm sea bath are of use and therefore I hope that I shall be able to assure you that I am better.” This was the beginning of the poor health that would plague Amelia for the rest of her short life. Amelia’s symptoms indicated tuberculosis, which usually affects the lungs, but can also affect the joints. Her pain was severe and she was determined not to complain and she had to endure painful, frightening treatments.

Limited in exposure to eligible men, Amelia and several of her sisters became involved with courtiers and equerries. In 1801, Amelia went to the seaside town of Weymouth to take a cure. Accompanying Amelia was Colonel The Honorable Charles Fitzroy, an equerry to King George III and a son of Charles FitzRoy, 1st Baron Southampton.  The name “Fitzroy” was often given to illegitimate children of British kings. Fitzroy was a great-great-great-grandson of King Charles II of England and his mistress Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, through their son Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton.  While in Weymouth, the 18-year-old Amelia and Fitzroy, who was 21 years older, began an open romance despite the disapproval of her governess Jane Gomm. Amelia refused to hide the relationship, riding with Fitzroy and insisting on playing at his card table. Queen Charlotte learned of Amelia’s attraction to Fitzroy around 1803, but she kept it a secret from King George so he would not be upset. The Queen continually lectured Amelia about “this unpleasant business” which Amelia considered unforgivable.  She was determined to marry Fitzroy, but she knew the permission required by the Royal Marriages Act would never be given.

Princess Amelia by Andrew Robertson, 1807; Credit – Wikipedia

By 1810, Amelia was fatally ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. She was sent to the seaside at Weymouth on one last unsuccessful cure and returned in the autumn of 1810 when she was settled at Augusta Lodge at Windsor near her birthplace Lower Lodge (now Royal Lodge). Her father King George III visited her every day. Now in addition to tuberculosis, Amelia was suffering from erysipelas,  an acute skin infection. Before the advent of antibiotics, erysipelas frequently resulted in death. Amelia’s case of erysipelas was particularly severe with the rash literally from her head to her toes.

Amelia made a will and left all her clothing to her maid. She left everything else to Fitzroy with this note: “Should my cruel situation continue to separate our persons, be assured my heart is and long has been joined and united with yours. I live but for you, I love you with the purest affection, the greatest gratitude.” Amelia made one last attempt to marry Fitzroy when she asked her doctor to seek permission from her father to marry. The doctor, Sir Henry Halford, refused saying that it would “entail great wretchedness upon yourself and misery upon all the Royal Family for ages to come..this blow to the King’s peace of mind must be so heavy as to endanger the loss of His Majesty’s happiness but also of his health.” Amelia died on November 2, 1810, at the age of 27 with her sister Mary at her bedside. Mary wrote to Fitzroy, “My dear Fitzroy, Our beloved Amelia is no more but her last words to me were, ‘Tell Charles I die blessing him.'”

Amelia’s funeral occurred on November 13, 1810, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Her sisters and mother, as was tradition, were not at her funeral, but her brothers “in floods of tears” attended as did Amelia’s ladies-in-waiting. Amelia was buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel. Her death is partly credited to the decline in her father’s health which resulted in his final insanity and the Regency Act of 1811.

by and published by A & G Minasi, after Louisa Anne Beresford (nÈe Stuart), Marchioness of Waterford, stipple engraving, published 1811

Princess Amelia by and published by A & G Minasi, after Louisa Anne Byam, stipple engraving, published 1811 NPG D33325 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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
Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Print.
Hibbert, Christopher. George III. New York: Basic Books, 1998. Print.
“Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 30 July 2016. Web. 24 Aug. 2016.
Van Der Kiste, John. The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, 2000. Print.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Prince Octavius of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Prince Octavius of Great Britain; Credit – Wikipedia

Note: Prince Octavius is “of Great Britain” because it was not until 1801, after his death, that his father’s title changed to “of the United Kingdom.”

Prince Octavius of Great Britain was born on February 23, 1779, at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace) in London. He was the eighth son and the thirteenth of the fifteen children of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The prince’s name comes from the Latin for the number eight, octavus, as Octavius was his parents’ eighth son. Octavius was christened on March 23, 1779, in the Great Council Chamber at St. James’ Palace in London by Frederick Cornwallis, Archbishop of Canterbury.

His godparents were:

Octavius had fourteen siblings:

George III children

Queen Charlotte painted by Benjamin West in 1779 with her 13 eldest children, Octavius is the baby in this portrait; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

Octavius was a beautiful child and a favorite of his father. King George III’s elder sons (Octavius’ oldest brother George was 17 years older than him) were causing trouble, so King George enjoyed spending time with his younger children. He enjoyed giving them presents, attending their birthday parties, and arranging special outings. Sophia, who was two years older than Octavius, was very close to him and called him “my son.”

Prince Octavius by Benjamin West, 1783; Credit – Wikipedia

Smallpox, now eradicated, was a serious contagious disease that killed many and left many survivors scarred. The disease knew no class boundaries, and royalty was as likely to suffer from it as the common folk. Smallpox was a leading cause of death in the 18th century. It killed an estimated 400,000 Europeans each year in the 18th century.

During the 17th century, the British House of Stuart was greatly affected by smallpox.  King William III’s parents, William II, Prince of Orange and Mary, Princess Royal (daughter of King Charles I), both died of smallpox as did King William III’s wife and co-ruler, Queen Mary II.  Other Stuarts who died from smallpox were: Henry, Duke of Gloucester (son of King Charles I), Charles, Duke of Cambridge (son of King James II), and William, Duke of Gloucester (only surviving child of Queen Anne).  In addition, King Charles II, Henrietta (daughter of King Charles I), King William III, and Queen Anne all had smallpox and survived.

Before Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine that contained the cowpox virus in 1796, which ultimately led to the eradication of smallpox,  variolation was used. First seen in China in the fifteenth century, live smallpox virus in the liquid from a smallpox blister in a mild case of the disease was placed into a cut of a healthy person, who then developed a very mild case of smallpox. There was some risk in using a live virus. About 3% of those inoculated developed a severe case of smallpox and died, but that was preferable to catching smallpox with its mortality rate of 20–40% and scarred survivors.

In 1722, King George I allowed the variolation inoculation of two of his grandchildren, the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and they survived. King George III and Queen Charlotte also allowed the variolation inoculation of their children. By having their children inoculated against smallpox, King George III and Queen Charlotte were trying to protect them and starting down the long road that would eventually eradicate this terrible disease. The variolation inoculation gained acceptance and was used until Edward Jenner developed his much safer vaccination using the cowpox virus instead of the smallpox virus.

Two of the 3% who died after receiving the variolation inoculation were the two youngest sons of King George III, Prince Octavius and Prince Alfred. 19 months younger than Octavius, Prince Alfred was born on September 22, 1780. Alfred was probably a “blue baby” due to a heart defect and was always in delicate health.  In 1782, Alfred received the variolation inoculation. However, Alfred did not recover as he should have. His face and his eyelids had smallpox eruptions, and he had difficulty breathing. The doctors agreed that he would survive for only a few weeks, which came as a great shock to his family. After suffering from prolonged bouts of fever, Alfred died on August 20, 1782, a month short of his second birthday. King George III said, “I am very sorry for Alfred, but if it had been Octavius, I should have died too.”

Less than a year later, Octavius and his sister Sophia had their variolation inoculation. Sophia recovered without incident, but four-year-old Octavius became ill and died several days later, on May 3, 1783, at Kew Palace. King George III was heartbroken: “There will be no heaven for me, if Octavius is not there.” Little Octavius was the last member of the British Royal Family to suffer from smallpox. On May 10, 1783, Octavius was buried beside his brother Alfred at Westminster Abbey. Shortly after King George III died in 1820, Octavius and Alfred’s eldest brother, now King George IV, ordered their remains transferred from Westminster Abbey to the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, so they could rest in peace with their parents.

Prince Octavius meeting his brother Prince Alfred in heaven by Benjamin West, 1783; Credit – Wikipedia

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
Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Print.
“Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Aug. 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.
“Prince Octavius of Great Britain.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 22 July 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.
Van Der Kiste, John. The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, 2000. Print.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

10 Million Views!

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Photo Credit – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HM_The_Queen_and_Prince_Philip.JPG

We are proud to announce as of October 4, 2016, Unofficial Royalty has had 10 million views since we moved to this website in January 2012. What began as a simple news site in 1995 by Geraldine Voost, quickly evolved into the site we have today.  Geraldine began posting royal news articles and was soon inundated with questions about the British royals.  A FAQ section was added, as well as a Yahoo group.  In 1997, she decided to consolidate everything into one site, establishing Unofficial Royalty, and adding content areas for a number of Royal families as well as an integrated forum.

By 2009, we had a team of volunteers helping with the daily news updates, contributing content for the various royal families, moderating the forums, and writing featured columns for the site.  We decided to move the site to a new domain – www.unofficialtoyalty.com – with a new content management system to make it easier to maintain.

In 2010, Geraldine handed over the day-to-day administration of Unofficial Royalty to Susan and Scott, in order to focus on her passion for competition ballroom dancing.
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As of January 1, 2012, the site was sold, with Deven, a long-time contributor to the site, taking the reins.  Susan and Scott continued as site-administrators. Thank you to Yvette and Patricia who help update the daily royal news and to Prof H who serves as a forum moderator. And a big thanks to Geraldine…while she is no longer involved in the website, she will always be our Empress.

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Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Known for giving birth to an illegitimate son, Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom was the fifth daughter and the twelfth of the fifteen children of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She was born at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace) in London, England on November 3, 1777. Sophia’s mother wrote to her brother Karl about the birth, “I was taken ill and delivered in the space of fifteen minutes.”

On December 1, 1777, she was christened Sophia Matilda in the Great Council Chamber at St. James’ Palace by Frederick Cornwallis, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Her godparents were:

Sophia at age 5 by Thomas Gainsborough; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophia had fourteen siblings:

George III children

Queen Charlotte painted by Benjamin West in 1779 with her 13 eldest children; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

The three younger sisters, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia, were educated together, spending much time with Charlotte de Montmollin, their new French governess, who taught the sisters French and needlework.  Jane Gomm joined the sisters in 1786 as an English teacher and supervised the rest of their education.  Mary, Sophia, and Amelia lived much of the time apart from their parents, sometimes with the younger brothers at Kew Palace, but most often at Lower Lodge (now called Royal Lodge) at Windsor.  The three younger sisters were much less disciplined than the three elder sisters. The artist John Singleton Copley discovered this when he painted Sophia, Mary, and Amelia with the family pets in 1785.  The children, the dogs, and the parrots would not cooperate. Somehow, Copley managed to finish the painting, but he then returned to historical painting and never painted another portrait.  The Copley painting is below.

Left to right: Sophia, Amelia, and Mary, The Three Youngest Daughters of King George III by John Singleton Copley, 1785; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophia was the favorite of many of her tutors and attendants and considered the cleverest of the sisters. As a child, she showed amazing sympathy for the less fortunate. She listened carefully when her father read newspaper articles aloud at the breakfast table. One day, when she had been told about prisons and the situation of prisoners, she offered to give all her allowance to buy bread for the prisoners. Her parents were so touched that they agreed to contribute additional money.

Sophia’s childhood was very sheltered, and she spent most of her time with her parents and sisters. The living conditions of King George’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark. Christian’s mental illness led to Caroline Matilda having an affair, being caught, the execution of her lover, her exile, and her early death from scarlet fever at age 23. The story was told in several novels, including Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012). Stella Tillyard also covers Caroline Matilda’s affair in her nonfiction book A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings (2006). Despite what happened to their aunt, the sisters longed to escape from “the Nunnery.”

Before King George’s first bout with what may have been porphyria was in 1788, he had told his daughters that he would take them to Hanover to find husbands. Further bouts occurred in 1801 and 1804 and prevented talk of marriage for his daughters. Queen Charlotte feared that the subject of marriage, which had always bothered her husband, would push him back into insanity. She was stressed by her husband’s illness and wanted her daughters to remain close to her. The sisters – Charlotte, Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia – continued to be over-protected and isolated, restricting them from meeting eligible suitors.

In December 1800, Sophia wrote a rather cryptic letter to Elizabeth Harcourt, wife of George Harcourt, 2nd Earl Harcourt, who was one of her mother’s ladies of the bedchamber: “…the excessive kindness of your manner has, I assure you, greatly soothed my distressed and unhappy days & hours…It is grievous to think what a little trifle will slur a young woman’s character forever. I do not complain, I submit patiently, & promise to strive to regain mine, which, however imprudent I have been, has I assure you been injured unjustly.” It seems that this referred to Sophia’s affair with Major-General Thomas Garth.

With limited exposure to eligible men, Sophia and several sisters became involved with courtiers and equerries.  Major-General Thomas Garth, an equerry to King George III, was 56 years old, 33 years older than Sophia, and had a large purple birthmark that disfigured his face. Sophia and Garth were allegedly lovers during the winter of 1799 at Windsor Castle, resulting in a pregnancy. In the summer of 1800, Sophia went to the seaside town of Weymouth, a holiday destination for the royal family, pretending to be suffering from dropsy.

Apparently, on August 5, 1800, Sophia gave birth to a son in Weymouth who was christened at the parish church on August 11, 1800. He is listed in the parish register as “Thomas Ward, stranger,” stranger meaning foundling, and adopted by Samuel and Charlotte Sharland. Samuel Sharland was a local tailor and a colonel in the Weymouth Volunteers. Eventually, Major-General Garth adopted the boy, renamed him Thomas Garth (Tommy), paid for his education at Harrow School, made him his heir, and helped him in an army career in the 15th The King’s Hussars, his old regiment. Later, defamatory rumors circulated that the child’s father was Sophia’s brother, Prince Ernest, Duke of Cumberland. Legend has it that when King George III noticed that Sophia was gaining weight, he was told it was caused by eating roast beef and was later cured by sea-bathing.

Painting of Sophia commissioned by The Prince of Wales by Sir William Beechey, 1797; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophia’s eldest sister, Charlotte, Princess Royal, had married at age 31, the earliest age of the three sisters who married. George, Prince of Wales (future King George IV) felt sympathetic to the plight of his sisters in “the Nunnery.” Sophia lived with her mother until she died in 1818. George’s efforts to help his sisters led to the marriages of Mary and Elizabeth. After Queen Charlotte died in 1818, George allowed Augusta and Sophia their domestic freedom, although it was too late for them to marry. From her mother, Sophia inherited Lower Lodge at Windsor Great Park, which she gave to her brother George. After her mother died, Sophia lived at Kensington Palace, next to her niece, Princess Victoria of Kent, the future Queen Victoria. As a result, Sophia was one of the few paternal relatives that Victoria often saw.

In the early 1830s, Sophia’s eyesight began to cause her problems. By 1832, she had lost sight in her right eye. However, Sophia remained in good spirits and continued to ride and play music. On June 20, 1837, Sophia’s brother King William IV died, and her niece Victoria became Queen. Sophia wrote to Victoria, “My dear Victoria, The awful day is arrived which calls you to fill the most exalted and important station in our country.”  Sophia had to move from Kensington Palace as that part of the palace needed to be renovated. Her new home was York Place in Vicarage House, adjacent to Kensington Palace. Unfortunately, the sight in her good eye, the left one, was also diminishing. By December of 1837, Sophia’s eyesight had completely failed. By 1838, she could only see light when she was outdoors. Her friend Frances, Baroness Bunsen described Sophia as “never complaining, always cheerful, talking of the many blessings she had to be thankful for.”

by Thomas Fairland, after Sir William Charles Ross, lithograph, circa 1840s

Princess Sophia by Thomas Fairland, after Sir William Charles Ross, lithograph, circa 1840s, NPG D33323 © National Portrait Gallery, London

After Victoria became Queen and moved to Buckingham Palace, Sophia and Victoria continued to correspond. In January 1846, Queen Victoria and her five-year-old daughter, Victoria, Princess Royal, paid a luncheon visit to Sophia. Queen Victoria noted in her diary that they found, “a sad sufferer and a complete cripple, unable to move, and quite blind. In spite of it all, she is quite cheerful. She was much pleased at my bringing Vicky who was civil and good.” In January 1848, Sophia’s brother Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge reported to Queen Victoria that Sophia was “in a precarious state and, I fear, sinking…she seems herself not to wish to live on.” On February 14, 1848, Queen Victoria visited Sophia and found her “much altered. She is nearly bent double, and very much wasted, and her voice is very feeble.”

On the morning of May 27, 1848, Sophia’s family was warned that the end was near. She was visited by her sister Mary, her sister-in-law Queen Adelaide, and her nephew-in-law Prince Albert. She died later that evening at the age of 70, with her sister Mary and her sisters-in-law, the Duchess of Kent and the Duchess of  Cambridge, present. Two days after her death, Sophia’s banker brought a letter to Queen Victoria in which Sophia stated she wished to be buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in Kensal Green, London close to where her brother Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex had been buried, and that she wished her funeral to be as private as possible. Her funeral was private, and she was temporarily laid to rest in the cemetery’s vault while a tomb was built. A year later, Sophia’s remains were transferred to the tomb.

Princess Sophia’s tomb at Kensal Green Cemetery; Credit – Wikipedia by Von Perseus1984

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
Fraser, Flora. Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. Print.
“Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 17 July 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2016.
Van Der Kiste, John. The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, 2000. Print.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

October 1916: Royalty and World War I

by Susan Flantzer

  • Major John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock and Captain Percy Robert Herbert, Viscount Clive
  • Timeline: October 1, 1916 – October 31, 1916
  • A Note About German Titles
  • October 1916 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

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During October of 1916, two British officers, one a peer and one the heir of a peer, died from wounds received in the terrible Battle of the Somme which lasted from July 1 – November 18, 1916. Both men were from families whose peerages had Welsh roots and both families suffered multiple tragedies.

Major John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock

john rolls llangattock

Major John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock; Photo Credit – http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk

Major John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock was born in London, England on April 25, 1870. He was the eldest of the four children of John Rolls, 1st Baron Llangattock and Georgiana Marcia Maclean, the daughter of Sir Charles Maclean, 9th Baronet of Morvaren.  John Rolls, 1st Baron Llangattock was appointed High Sheriff of Monmouthshire in 1875 and served as Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire from 1880–1885. In 1892, he was created Baron Llangattock of The Hendre in the County of Monmouth. The family home, The Hendre, from the Welsh words hen (meaning “old”) and dre (meaning “farmstead”), was located in Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was originally built in the eighteenth century as a hunting lodge and was expanded by the Rolls family throughout the nineteenth century. Today it is the clubhouse of the Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club.

The Hendre, Monmouthshire, Wales; By KJP1 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18135546

John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock’s three younger siblings:

The most famous member of the family was the 2nd Baron’s youngest sibling, Charles Stewart Rolls, a motoring and aviation pioneer. In 1904, Charles Rolls and Henry Royce began a partnership that would result in the famous British car manufacturing company Rolls-Royce Limited. In late October – early November 1900, the 1st Baron Llangattock and his wife were hosts to TRH The Duke and Duchess of York (the future King George V and Queen Mary), who stayed at The Hendre. The Duke and Duchess were taken on motorcar excursions by Charles Rolls, probably the first time that the royal couple had been in a car. Unfortunately, on July 12, 1910, Charles Rolls died at the age of 32 when the tail of his Wright Flyer airplane broke off during a flying display. He has the first British person to be killed in an airplane accident.

John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford where he received a BA in 1893, BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law) in 1895, and MA in 1896. He was called to the Bar in 1895 and admitted to the Inner Temple in 1896. John served for several years with the 1st Monmouth Volunteer Artillery, retiring with the rank of Captain and Honorary Major. He also served as High Sheriff of Monmouthshire in 1900 and Mayor of Monmouth in 1906 – 1907. John was a talented musician and was one of the finest amateur organists in Great Britain. In 1912, upon the death of his father, John became the 2nd Baron Llangattock.

Painting of John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock in Monmouth Library, Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

In January of 1915, John joined the 4th Welsh Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.  He attained the rank of Major and served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders during World War I. He was wounded while on observation duty during the Battle of the Somme, and died on October 31, 1916 at the age of 46 at the military hospital in Boulogne, France. John was buried at the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery in France.  A former commanding officer wrote: “He could have accepted less dangerous work, but he and his battery had done so well in the training that, having been selected as the 1st Battery in the Division for efficiency, he felt it his duty to go out with the battery. The country, county and brigade have lost in Major Lord Llangattock a well-tried and sincere friend.”

Only a few months before, on June 26, 1916, John’s brother Henry Allan Rolls, a Lieutenant in the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, had died due to wounds received in World War I. As John never married and his two brothers predeceased him, the title Baron Llangattock became extinct upon his death.

Boulougne Cemetery

Boulogne Eastern Cemetery in France; Photo Credit – http://www.cwgc.org

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Captain Percy Robert Herbert, Viscount Clive

Viscount Clive

Captain Percy Robert Herbert, Viscount Clive and his parents; Photo Credit – https://www.1418now.org.uk/

Captain Percy Robert Herbert, Viscount Clive, born on December 2, 1892, was the eldest of the three children of George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis and Violet Ida Eveline Sackville Lane-Fox, 16th Baroness Darcy de Knayth in her own right.  As the eldest son and heir of the 4th Earl of Powis, Percy used his father’s subsidiary title Viscount Clive as a courtesy title. The seat of the Earl of Powis was the medieval Powis Castle near Welshpool, in Powys, Wales. One of the family ancestors was Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, Commander-in-Chief of British India who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal, India.

Percy had a younger sister and brother:

Percy was educated at Eton College, where he developed a passion for cricket. He then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.  In October of 1913, he joined the Scots Guards, part of the Guards Division, and one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. At the beginning of World War I, Percy was in France fighting against the onrush of German troops on Paris and Calais. Shortly before Christmas of 1914, he was invalided home suffering from frostbitten feet. Upon his recovery, Percy was the thirteenth officer commissioned into the newly formed Welsh Guards in 1915.

Percy Herbert-powiscastle-96

A portrait of Percy on a desk in a room at Powis Castle; Photo Credit – www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Percy was shot in the thigh which fractured the femur, the bone in the thigh, at the Battle of Flers-Courcellette, part of the Battle of the Somme on September 25, 1916. His family arranged for him to come home to England for treatment, and he arrived at Southampton on September 28, 1916. He was taken to King Edward VII Hospital in London, England. The following day an operation was performed to remove the bullet. However, sepsis (blood poisoning) and a serious hemorrhage from a main artery occurred and Percy Herbert, Viscount Clive died on October 13, 1916, at age 23, 18 days after being wounded. He was buried in the churchyard at Christ Church in Welshpool, Wales within sight of Powis Castle.

Upon Percy’s death, his brother Mervyn became the heir and used the courtesy style Viscount Clive. In 1929, Percy’s mother died in a car accident and she was also buried in the churchyard at Christ Church. She had been the 16th Baroness Darcy de Knayth in her own right and her surviving son Mervyn succeeded to her title while retaining the higher title of Viscount Clive by courtesy. Mervyn who was 12 years younger than Percy, enlisted in the Royal Air Force at the start of World War II in 1939.  Sadly, Mervyn also was killed in action while flying with the No. 157 Squadron RAF, a night fighter squadron. He was also buried in the churchyard at Christ Church, and his only child, four-year-old Davina, became the 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth as females had succession rights to the peerage. Percy’s father, George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis, died in 1952 at the age of 90. As he had no surviving sons and no grandsons, his cousin Edward Robert Henry Herbert, became the 5th Earl of Powis.

Christ Church Welshpool

Aerial view of Christ Church and the graveyard in Welshpool; Photo Credit – http://christchurchwelshpool.blogspot.com/2014/05/christ-church-from-air.html

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Timeline: October 1, 1916 – October 31, 1916

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A Note About German Titles

Many German royals and nobles died in World War I. The German Empire consisted of 27 constituent states, most of them ruled by royal families. Scroll down to German Empire here to see what constituent states made up the German Empire.  The constituent states retained their own governments, but had limited sovereignty. Some had their own armies, but the military forces of the smaller ones were put under Prussian control. In wartime, armies of all the constituent states would be controlled by the Prussian Army and the combined forces were known as the Imperial German Army.  German titles may be used in Royals Who Died In Action below. Refer to Unofficial Royalty: Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles.

24 British peers were also killed in World War I and they will be included in the list of those who died in action. In addition, more than 100 sons of peers also lost their lives, and those that can be verified will also be included.

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October 1916 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

The list is in chronological order and does contain some who would be considered noble instead of royal. The links in the last bullet for each person is that person’s genealogical information from Leo’s Genealogics Website or to The Peerage website.  If a person has a Wikipedia page, their name will be linked to that page.

Captain Percy Robert Herbert, Viscount Clive

Major John Maclean Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge was a male-line grandchild of King George III of the United Kingdom, a first cousin of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and the mother of Mary of Teck, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom. Through her daughter Mary (known as May), Mary Adelaide is the great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and an ancestor of the members of the House of Windsor. Princess Mary Adelaide, the youngest of the three children of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (the seventh son and tenth child of King George III and Queen Charlotte) and Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. She was born on November 27, 1833, at Cambridge House in the Kingdom of Hanover where her father served as Viceroy of Hanover for his brothers King George IV and King William IV, who were also Kings of Hanover.

The infant princess was christened on January 9, 1834, at Cambridge House in Hanover by Reverend John Ryle Wood, chaplain to her father. She was named Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth for her godparents. Her godparents were:

Mary Adelaide had an older brother and an older sister:

Upon the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837, Mary Adelaide’s family returned to England. Because Hanover followed the Salic Law which allowed only male succession through the male line, Queen Victoria could not become Hanover’s monarch and the Kingdom of Hanover separated from the British crown. Queen Victoria’s eldest surviving paternal uncle, Prince Ernest Augustus, became King of Hanover, and he moved to his new kingdom.

In 1838, the Duke of Cambridge’s family made their permanent residence at Cambridge Cottage in Kew Gardens. It had been purchased from John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute who had helped Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, the Dowager Princess of Wales (mother of King George III) create Kew Gardens.  In 1806, King George III settled the Cambridge Cottage on his youngest surviving son Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge.  From 1839 – 1843, Cambridge Cottage was remodeled and extended to form the building it is today.

In 1850, Mary Adelaide’s father Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, died. By this time both Mary Adelaide’s siblings, who were much older, had married. The Duchess of Cambridge continued to live at Cambridge Cottage with Mary Adelaide. When the Duchess died in 1889, her son George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge, moved into the Cottage with his wife and lived there until his own death in 1904. He had no legitimate male heirs so the title Duke of Cambridge became extinct and King Edward VII presented Cambridge Cottage to Kew Gardens. Today Cambridge Cottage is used for weddings and other events.

Cambridge cottage from Kinloch-Cooke 1900 2

Cambridge Cottage; Credit – www.regencyhistory.net

In 1851, 17-year-old Mary Adelaide made her social debut at the official opening of the Great Exhibition which Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert had helped organize. Soon the Duchess of Cambridge and Mary Adelaide were enjoying the social events in London. They also gave receptions and parties at Cambridge Cottage and lived a genial and happy existence in contrast to the more formal atmosphere of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. For the next fifteen years, Mary Adelaide and her mother led a very active social life.

Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck by Camille Silvy, albumen carte-de-visite, 9 October 1860 NPG Ax46799 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Princess Mary Adelaide weighed approximately 250 pounds and was affectionately known as “Fat Mary.” Her first cousin Queen Victoria wrote of her, “Her size is fearful. It is really a misfortune.” Because of her large size, many members of her family considered her unmarriageable. Mary Adelaide, however, was high-spirited and full of life and was adored by the Victorian public who called her “The People’s Princess.” After failed marriage prospects with Prince Oscar of Sweden (the future King Oscar II of Sweden) and others, a suitable candidate was eventually found in Württemberg, Prince Francis of Teck.

His Serene Highness Prince Francis of Teck was the product of a morganatic marriage. Prince Francis’ father, Duke Alexander of Württemberg, was once heir to the throne of Württemberg. However, Duke Alexander contracted a morganatic marriage (marriage to a person of a lower rank) to a Hungarian countess, Claudine Rhedey. Alexander lost his rights to the throne and his children lost the right to use the Württemberg name. Francis’ cousin King Karl of Württemberg eventually elevated him to the more important Germanic title of Duke of Teck. “Fat” Mary Adelaide (age 33) and genealogically-tainted Francis (age 29) married on June 12, 1866, at St. Anne’s Church in Kew in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

Mary Adelaide and Francis with their first child, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck,; Credit – Wikipedia

The couple had four children:

During World War I in 1917, when British royals were anglicizing names and titles, Adolphus became the Marquess of Cambridge and Alexander became the Earl of Athlone. Both Adolphus and Alexander adopted the surname Cambridge.

Mary Adelaide with her children by Alexander Bassano, half-plate glass negative, circa 1884 NPG x96004 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Mary Adelaide and Francis had a happy marriage but had chronic financial problems due to Mary Adelaide’s extravagance and generosity. Queen Victoria gave them an apartment at Kensington Palace where their four children were born. In 1883, the Tecks fled from their creditors to the European continent where it was cheaper to live. The family lived with various relatives in Europe and eventually settled down in Florence, Italy. The Tecks returned from Italy in 1885 and continued to live at Kensington Palace and White Lodge in Richmond Park. Mary Adelaide devoted her life to charity, serving as the first royal patron of Barnardo’s, a charity still in existence, founded by Thomas Barnardo in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people. Barnardo’s has a long history of royal patrons and presidents including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary (Mary Adelaide’s daughter), Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Camilla.

Mary Adelaide, circa 1880; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Mary Adelaide wanted her daughter May to marry one of the sons of The Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII).  Prince Albert Victor, known as Prince Eddy, was the Prince of Wales’ eldest son and therefore, second in the line of succession. Eddy was backward and lazy. He was an apathetic student and received very little education. He was primarily interested in pursuing pleasure which often led him into trouble. His lack of concentration on anything serious caused great concern in his family. Eddy’s family decided that finding a suitable wife might help correct his attitude and behavior. It was at this time that, unbeknownst to her, May was considered the most suitable bride for Eddy. Eddy offered no resistance to this suggestion. May had been brought up to revere the monarchy and to be proud that she was a member of the British Royal Family. The fact that May’s father was a product of a morganatic marriage could have presented difficulties for her in the marriage market. Despite Eddy’s shortcomings, May felt it was her duty to marry him. The engagement was announced on December 6, 1891, and the wedding was set for February 27, 1892.

Amid the wedding preparations, Eddy developed a high fever on January 7, 1892. Two days later, his lungs became inflamed and pneumonia was diagnosed. On the morning of January 14, 1892, Eddy died, surrounded by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, his brother George, his sisters Louise, Victoria, and Maud, his fiancée May, and her mother the Duchess of Teck. Eddy’s funeral was held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor where he is buried in the Albert Memorial Chapel. May’s wedding bouquet of orange blossoms lay on his coffin.

After the death of Prince Eddy, May and Eddy’s brother George, who replaced his brother as the second in the line of succession to the throne, spent much time together. As time passed and their common grief eased, there was hope that a marriage might take place between them. George proposed to May on April 29, 1893. The engagement was announced on May 3, 1893, with the blessing of Queen Victoria. May and George were married on July 6, 1893, at the Chapel Royal, St. James’ Palace in London.

George and May on their wedding day; Credit – Wikipedia

Mary Adelaide’s dream was fulfilled. Her only daughter would one day be Queen of the United Kingdom. After the marriage of her daughter, Mary Adelaide’s health declined. She dreadfully missed May. Queen Victoria wrote: “What Mary will do without May, I cannot think, for she is her right hand.” Mary Adelaide lived long enough to see May’s first three children: the future King Edward VIII, the future King George VI, and the future Mary, Princess Royal. She was a godmother of the future King Edward VIII and the future Mary, Princess Royal.

By the summer of 1896, Mary Adelaide’s health was worsening. In April 1897, she had a serious emergency operation, but she made a quick recovery that allowed her to participate in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebration on June 22, 1897. On October 25, 1897, May noted in her diary, “Mama was not quite well.” The next day, the doctors decided that another emergency operation was necessary. Two hours after the operation was completed, Mary Adelaide died from heart failure at the age of 63. Mary Adelaide was buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Her husband Francis, Duke of Teck died on January 20, 1900, and was buried with his wife.

Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck, 3 July 1897; Credit – Wikipedia

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
2016, Barnardo’s. Barnardos links between Barnardo’s children charity and royalty. 2016. Web. 17 Aug. 2016.
Pope-Hennessy, James. Queen Mary. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1960. Print.
“Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 28 June 2016. Web. 17 Aug. 2016.
Unofficial Royalty. Wedding of George V and Princess May of Teck. Unofficial Royalty, 16 Aug. 2016. Web. 17 Aug. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge was a male-line grandson of King George III, a first cousin of Queen Victoria, and the maternal uncle of Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, later Queen Mary, the wife of King George V. In addition, he made a marriage in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. George was born on March 26, 1819, at Cambridge House in the Kingdom of Hanover, where his father was serving as Viceroy of Hanover. He was the only son and the eldest of the three children of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge and Augusta of Hesse-Kassel.

Prince George was born amidst the race for an heir to the British throne in the third generation. The death of Princess Charlotte of Wales in childbirth in 1817 left King George III without any legitimate grandchildren. Prince George was born two months before the eventual heir, Alexandrina Victoria (Queen Victoria), who was ahead of her cousin in the line of succession by being the child of King George III’s fourth son. George was the son of King George III’s seventh son. The baby prince was christened George William Frederick Charles on May 11, 1819, at Cambridge House in Hanover by Reverend John Stanford, chaplain to his father.

His godparents were:

George had two younger sisters:

by Camille Silvy, albumen carte-de-visite, 9 October 1860

George’s mother and youngest sister, Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa, Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck by Camille Silvy, albumen carte-de-visite, 9 October 1860 NPG Ax46799 © National Portrait Gallery, London

George received his early education from tutors in Hanover and then, beginning in 1830, from Reverand J. R. Wood, a canon of Worcester Cathedral. Like his father, George had a career in the army, starting as a colonel in the Hanoverian army when he was 18 years old, and then as a brevet colonel in the British army. George saw action in the Crimean War (1853-1856) and participated in the Battle of the Alma, Battle of Balaclava, Battle of Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.

He held the following positions in the British army:

  • 1842–1852: Colonel of the 17th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers)
  • 1852–1861: Colonel of the Scots Fusilier Guards
  • 1856–1895: Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
  • 1861–1904: Colonel of the Grenadier Guards
  • 1856: Promoted to General
  • 1862: Promoted to Field Marshal

As Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, George took a traditional view. He was very reluctant to change promotions from being based on social position to being based on merit. The armies of Germany and France were prodigious in the amount of military research and writing they produced, while the British army did very little. As a result, the British Army was not progressing and advancing as other European armies were. George instituted some reforms: the establishment of the Staff College and the Royal Military School of Music, the promotion of a plan of annual military maneuvers, and a restriction of corporal punishment. Following the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), Prime Minister William Gladstone and Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell called for major reforms in the British Army. Many reforms were instituted, some of which George was against. This disagreement occurred over a long period. George resisted pressure to resign for several years until Queen Victoria advised him to resign his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in 1895.

George in 1855; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1840, George met an actress, Sarah Louisa Fairbrother, known as Louisa, born in 1816 in London, and the daughter of a servant. In 1832, despite her parents’ opposition, Louisa started an acting career at the Drury Lane Theater in London and developed a reputation as a pantomime actress. She also appeared in plays at the Lyceum, Royal Opera House, and Covent Garden Theatre, all in London. In 1839, Louisa gave birth to a son, Charles Manners Sutton Fairbrother, probably the son of Charles Manners-Sutton, 2nd Viscount Canterbury.

It is known that Louisa Fairbrother and George first met on February 10, 1840, the wedding day of his first cousin Queen Victoria, because George recorded the meeting in his diary. George had been considered by Victoria’s predecessor King William IV as a potential husband for his niece Victoria. Instead, Victoria married another first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 1841, Louisa gave birth to a daughter, Louisa Catherine. It is thought that Louisa Catherine was the daughter of an army officer, Thomas Bernard of Castle Bernard, in Kinnitty, County Offaly, Ireland. However, Louisa Catherine used the surname FitzGeorge and was present at George’s death. In 1843 and 1847, Louisa Fairbrother gave birth to two sons, who were definitely George’s sons  While pregnant with her second son, Louisa married George on January 8, 1847, at St. John Clerkenwell in London.

by Richard James Lane, printed by JÈrÈmie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon, lithograph, published December 1839

Louisa Fairbrother (‘Mrs FitzGeorge’) as Columbine by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon, lithograph, published December 1839 NPG D22385 © National Portrait Gallery, London

In 1772, the Royal Marriages Act was passed because two brothers of King George III had made marriages that the King considered very unsuitable. The Royal Marriages Act said that no descendant of King George II, other than the issue of princesses who had married into foreign families, could marry without the sovereign’s consent. In addition, any member of the Royal Family over the age of 25 who had been refused the sovereign’s consent could marry one year after giving notice to the Privy Council of their intention to marry unless both houses of Parliament declared their disapproval. Any marriage in contravention of the act was void, and any children would be illegitimate and not have any succession rights. A member of the Royal Family who contracted such a marriage would not lose his or her place in the succession. George and Louisa’s marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act, any children born of the marriage would be considered illegitimate, and Louisa would be unable to be styled and titled as befitted the wife of George. Louisa was first known as Mrs. Fairbrother and later as Mrs. FitzGeorge. Queen Victoria ignored her existence. In 1850, George’s father died and George became the 2nd Duke of Cambridge.

Sarah Louisa Fairbrother as Abdullah in Open Sesame, staged in 1844; Credit – Wikipedia

George and Louisa’s three sons:

George provided Louisa and her children with a house at 6 Queen Street in the Mayfair section of London, close to where George lived at Gloucester House in the Piccadilly section of London. However, George continued to have affairs. Louisa died at her Queen Street home on January 12, 1890, at the age of 73. She was buried in the mausoleum George had built for them at Kensal Green Cemetery in Kensal Green, London, England.

Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, 1883; Credit – Wikipedia

George’s health began to fail as he grew older. He had hearing loss, and his strength and physical stamina diminished. George attended the funeral of his cousin Queen Victoria in 1901 but had to ride in a carriage instead of riding on a horse as he wished. On March 17, 1904, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge died at his home, Gloucester House, aged 84. After a funeral service at Westminster Abbey on March 22, 1904, George was buried next to Louisa in the mausoleum at Kensal Green Cemetery. Because George’s sons were illegitimate, his title Duke of Cambridge, became extinct. 107 years later, the title Duke of Cambridge was created for Prince William, his father’s great great great great grandson, on the occasion of William’s wedding.

Duke of Cambridge’s mausoleum; Credit – Wikipedia

Works Cited
“Prince George, Duke of Cambridge.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 21 July 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2016.
“Sarah Louisa Fairbrother.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 28 May 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2016.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

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

Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex is infamously known for making two marriages in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772.  He was born at the Queen’s House (now Buckingham Palace) in London, England on January 27, 1773, the sixth son and the ninth of the fifteen children of King George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. On February 25, 1773, he was christened Augustus Frederick in the Great Council Chamber at St. James’s Palace by Frederick Cornwallis, Archbishop of Canterbury. His godparents were:

Augustus had fourteen siblings:

George III children

Queen Charlotte painted by Benjamin West in 1779 with her 13 eldest children; Credit – http://www.royalcollection.org.uk

Augustus and his siblings were raised by their governess, Lady Charlotte Finch, who served the Royal Family for over 30 years. Lady Charlotte supervised the royal nursery and was responsible for the princes’ education until they lived in their own households and for the princesses until they turned 21. When he was older, Augustus lived in a household with his brothers Ernest and Adolphus near the royal residence, Kew Palace. The three brothers were educated by private tutors. In 1786, Ernest, Adolphus, and Augustus were sent to the University of Göttingen in the Electorate of Hanover under the supervision of Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, a mathematics and physics professor.

Augustus by Thomas Gainsborough, 1782; Credit -Wikipedia

Augustus suffered from asthma, and because of that, a military career was considered inappropriate. He was quite ill during the summer of 1790 and was confined to his room for five weeks. His doctors advised him to avoid the winter in England, so in December 1790, he began a journey through southern France and Italy, which would last a few years. On his travels, Augustus met a young Englishman who had also attended the University of Göttingen, Josiah Dornford. Dornford’s father was active in prison reform, and this young man’s liberal views influenced Augustus.

In August 1791, Augustus was still traveling through France and Italy. At that time, he considered becoming a cleric in the Church of England, and he wrote to his father: “…at a moment when in some measure the Church of England is attacked, nothing can give it more strength than your Majesty’s giving one of your sons a place in it.” King George III never answered Augustus’ letter, and so he continued wandering around Europe, becoming more and more restless.

Augustus by French painter Louis Gauffier (1793); Credit – Wikipedia

Augustus went to Rome in November 1792, where a group of English aristocrats were living abroad. He met Lady Augusta Murray, exactly five years older than him to the day, the daughter of John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore and Lady Charlotte Stewart, daughter of Alexander Stewart, 6th Earl of Galloway. Lord Dunmore had been Governor of the Province of New York, Governor of the Province of Virginia, and Royal Governor of the Bahamas. Augustus fell passionately in love with Augusta.

Lady Augusta Murray; Credit – Wikipedia

In January 1793, Augustus once again wrote to his father: “…should your Majesty think my presence of any use at this moment in England you have only to order…”, and once again, King George III did not answer. Frustrated and bored, Augustus felt his life had no direction. He proposed marriage to Augusta without the knowledge of the Royal Family. In 1772, the Royal Marriages Act was passed because two brothers of King George III had made marriages that the King considered very unsuitable. The Royal Marriages Act said that no descendant of King George II, other than the children of princesses who had married into foreign families, could marry without the sovereign’s consent. In addition, any member of the Royal Family over the age of 25 who had been refused the sovereign’s consent could marry one year after giving notice to the Privy Council of their intention to marry unless both houses of Parliament declared their disapproval. Any marriage in contravention of the act was void, and any children would be illegitimate and not have any succession rights. A member of the Royal Family who contracted such a marriage would not lose his or her place in the succession. Augustus was only 20 years old and needed his father’s permission to marry.

At first, Augusta refused Augustus’ proposal because of the situation their marriage would place Augustus in regarding the Royal Marriages Act. However, this only fueled Augustus’s passion, and he would not take “no” for an answer to his proposal. On April 4, 1793, after Augusta’s mother had left the Hotel Sarmiento for the evening, where they were staying in Rome, Augustus and a Church of England cleric entered the hotel. The marriage ceremony was performed without witnesses, and all three swore to keep it secret, although Augusta’s mother was told. In August 1793, Augustus was recalled to England because his governor, who had no idea that a marriage had taken place, alerted Augustus’ parents that he was forming a dangerous relationship. Augusta and her mother followed him back to England, and Augustus continued visiting them in their London home. By this time, Augusta was pregnant.

During the autumn of 1793, banns of marriage for a Mr. Augustus Frederick and a Miss Augusta Murray were read at St. George’s, Hanover Square, in London without suspicion of the couple’s true identities. On December 5, 1793, a very pregnant Miss Augusta Murray and Mr. Augustus Frederick were married at the church. The bride explained that they had been married in Italy when the groom was underage and that they wanted to be remarried in England. On January 13, 1794, Augusta gave birth to a boy, named after his father, Augustus Frederick.

The marriage greatly angered King George III and was declared null and void in August 1794. Despite this, Augustus and Augusta continued to live together. A daughter named Augusta Emma was born in London on August 11, 1801. The two children, deemed illegitimate, used the last name D’Este as both their parents were descendants of the House of Este.

In 1801, some kind of deal was brokered, and Augustus and Augusta separated. Augustus was created Duke of Sussex, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Arklow and received a parliamentary grant of £12,000. Augusta retained custody of the children and received £4,000 a year. On March 5, 1830, Augusta died at the age of 62 in Ramsgate, Kent, England. Augustus was saddened at her death: “When one looks back to events of thirty-seven years ago one cannot do it without a sigh.”

Augustus Duke of Sussex 2

Augustus, Duke of Sussex, 1812; Credit – Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III

Augustus and Augusta’s son, Augustus Frederick D’Este, was an active member of the Aborigines Protection Society and was particularly interested in Native Americans. He was also the earliest recorded person for whom a definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can be made. The diagnosis was made in 1948 after the discovery of the diaries he kept for 22 years detailing his symptoms. He never married, probably due to his illness, and died in 1848 at the age of 54.

Augusta Emma D’Este; Credit – Wikipedia

The couple’s daughter, Augusta Emma D’Este, married Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro, but their marriage was childless. Like her father, she suffered from asthma and spent time in the warmer climates of Europe to ease her symptoms. Augusta kept in touch with her father and spent time at court attending Queen Adelaide, the wife of her uncle, King William IV. She died in 1866 at the age of 65.

Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness; Credit – Wikipedia

After the death of first wife Augusta Murray in 1830, Augustus married again in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act. He had become friendly with a widow, Lady Cecilia Buggin.  Lady Cecilia was the eldest daughter of Arthur Gore, 2nd Earl of Arran and Elizabeth Underwood. Augustus and Cecilia married at Great Cumberland Place in London, on May 2, 1831. Because marriage was not considered legal, Cecilia could not take the style and title Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex, so instead, she assumed the surname Underwood, her mother’s maiden name, and was known as Lady Cecilia Underwood. The couple lived at Augustus’s apartments in Kensington Palace.

In 1837, Augustus’ niece succeeded to the throne as Queen Victoria. Neither Victoria’s mother nor Lord Melbourne, her mentor and first Prime Minister, had anything positive to say about her uncles, but Augustus had always been genuinely fond of his niece. Queen Victoria gave Augustus the respect she knew was due to him. She appointed him Grand Master of the Order of the Bath. Augustus was also given the honor to move the Address to the Throne in the House of Lords at the first session of a new parliament in the new reign. At Queen Victoria’s coronation, Augustus received the biggest ovation from the crowd of all Victoria’s aunts and uncles on their way to and from Westminster Abbey.

Augustus, Duke of Sussex; Credit – Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III

However, Augustus’ biggest honor was yet to come. Victoria requested that Lord Melbourne write to Augustus to ask if he would give her away at her marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha “as her nearest relation in this country and one who stands in the place of a Father.” Augustus was overjoyed to accept and sobbed emotionally throughout the wedding ceremony. As a token of her gratitude, Queen Victoria created Augustus’ wife Cecilia, Duchess of Inverness in her own right in 1840. The protocol had created problems with Cecilia’s precedence at court, and from then on these problems would be resolved. In 1841, Augustus was one of the godparents at the christening of Queen Victoria’s first child, Victoria, Princess Royal.

Queen Victoria’s wedding, Augustus is wearing the black cap, standing to the right of Queen Victoria; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 21, 1843, Augustus died from erysipelas at the age of 70 with his brother Adolphus and his wife Cecilia at his bedside. Because Augustus feared that Cecilia would not be allowed to be buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, he left instructions that he be buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in Kensal Green, London, England, where he was buried in front of the main chapel, opposite the tomb of his sister Princess Sophia. His wife Cecilia continued to live at Kensington Palace and survived him by 30 years, dying on August 1, 1873, at the age of 88. She was buried next to Augustus at Kensal Green Cemetery.

Grave of Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex; Credit – Wikipedia

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
“Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 21 July 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2016.
“Lady Augusta Murray.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 28 May 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2016.
“Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 28 May 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2016.
Van Der Kiste, John. George III’s Children. Trowbridge: Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, 1999. Print.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.