Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia
Princess Victoria Louise was born on 13 September 1892, the seventh
child and only daughter of German Emperor Wilhelm II and
Empress Augusta Victoria.
The young princess was christened on 22 October, and was named after her
paternal great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, and her paternal
great great grandmother, Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Known officially as Victoria Louise, she was nicknamed "Sissy" by her family.
Childhood
Historian Justin C. Vovk writes that Victoria Louise was intelligent
like her paternal grandmother Empress Frederick, stately and dignified
like her mother, but imperious and willful like her father.
She enjoyed being the center of attention,and was her father's favourite.
like her paternal grandmother Empress Frederick, stately and dignified
like her mother, but imperious and willful like her father.
She enjoyed being the center of attention,and was her father's favourite.
The family resided at Homburg Castle, and Victoria Louise and Joachim
would often visit their cousins – the children of the Prussian princesses
Margaret and Sophia – at nearby Kronberg Castle.
would often visit their cousins – the children of the Prussian princesses
Margaret and Sophia – at nearby Kronberg Castle.
In 1905, the princess studied music with concert pianist Sandra Droucker.
For a period of one week in May 1911, Victoria Louise traveled to England
aboard the royal yacht Hohenzollern with her parents, where they
visited their cousin George V, for the unveiling of a statue of
Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace.
The princess's confirmation took place at Friedenskirche in
Potsdam on 18 October 1909.
For a period of one week in May 1911, Victoria Louise traveled to England
aboard the royal yacht Hohenzollern with her parents, where they
visited their cousin George V, for the unveiling of a statue of
Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace.
The princess's confirmation took place at Friedenskirche in
Potsdam on 18 October 1909.
A love story
In 1912, Ernest Augustus, the wealthy heir to the title of Duke of
Cumberland, came to the Berlin court to thank Emperor Wilhelm for having
Crown Prince Wilhelm and Prince Eitel Friedrich attend the funeral of his
brother, Prince George William.
Cumberland, came to the Berlin court to thank Emperor Wilhelm for having
Crown Prince Wilhelm and Prince Eitel Friedrich attend the funeral of his
brother, Prince George William.
At the time, the House of Hanover lived in exile at Gmunden, Austria.
While in Berlin, Ernest Augustus met Victoria Louise, and the two became
smitten with each other.
While in Berlin, Ernest Augustus met Victoria Louise, and the two became
smitten with each other.
However, any discussions of marriage were prolonged for months
due to political concerns; Ernest Augustus was also the heir to the
Kingdom of Hanover, which had been annexed into the
Kingdom of Prussia following the 1866 Austro-Prussian War.
due to political concerns; Ernest Augustus was also the heir to the
Kingdom of Hanover, which had been annexed into the
Kingdom of Prussia following the 1866 Austro-Prussian War.
The Prussian crown prince was displeased with the match and wished
that Ernest Augustus abdicate his rights to Hanover; in a compromise,
it was decided that in exchange, he would succeed to the smaller
duchy of Brunswick, of which his father was the lawful heir. The family
had been barred from the succession to Brunswick due to their claims
towards the Hanoverian kingdom.
that Ernest Augustus abdicate his rights to Hanover; in a compromise,
it was decided that in exchange, he would succeed to the smaller
duchy of Brunswick, of which his father was the lawful heir. The family
had been barred from the succession to Brunswick due to their claims
towards the Hanoverian kingdom.
Marriage
Ernest and Victoria were engaged in Karlsruhe on 11 February 1913.
Their wedding, an extravagant affair, took place on 24 May 1913
in Berlin.
Their wedding, an extravagant affair, took place on 24 May 1913
in Berlin.
It was hailed in the press as the end of the rift between the
House of Hanover and House of Hohenzollern that had
existed since the 1866 annexation.
House of Hanover and House of Hohenzollern that had
existed since the 1866 annexation.
In a diplomatic gesture, Emperor Wilhelm invited almost all of his
extended family. Also two imprisoned British spies Captain Stewart
and Captain Trench, were pardoned and released by the Kaiser as a
present to the United Kingdom.
extended family. Also two imprisoned British spies Captain Stewart
and Captain Trench, were pardoned and released by the Kaiser as a
present to the United Kingdom.
The wedding became the largest gathering of reigning monarchs in
Germany since German unification in 1871, and one of the last great
social events of European royalty before World War I began fourteen
months later.
Germany since German unification in 1871, and one of the last great
social events of European royalty before World War I began fourteen
months later.
Attendees included Wilhelm's cousins George V and Tsar Nicholas II.
The wedding feast included 1,200 guests.
The wedding feast included 1,200 guests.
The new duke and duchess of Brunswick moved into Brunswick
Palace in the capital of Brunswick and began their family with the
birth of their eldest son, Prince Ernest Augustus, less than a year after
their wedding.
Palace in the capital of Brunswick and began their family with the
birth of their eldest son, Prince Ernest Augustus, less than a year after
their wedding.
They had four further children: Prince George William (b. 1915),
Princess Frederica (b. 1917),
Prince Christian Oscar (b. 1919),
and Prince Welf Henry (b. 1923).
Princess Frederica (b. 1917),
Prince Christian Oscar (b. 1919),
and Prince Welf Henry (b. 1923).
Duty
On 8 November 1918, her husband was forced to abdicate his
throne along with the other German kings, grand dukes, dukes,
and princes, and the duchy of Brunswick was subsequently abolished.
The next year, he was deprived of his British peerages under the
Titles Deprivation Act 1917 as a result of his service in the German
army during the war.
throne along with the other German kings, grand dukes, dukes,
and princes, and the duchy of Brunswick was subsequently abolished.
The next year, he was deprived of his British peerages under the
Titles Deprivation Act 1917 as a result of his service in the German
army during the war.
Thus, when his father died in 1923, Ernest Augustus did not succeed
to his father's British title of Duke of Cumberland. For the next thirty years,
Ernest Augustus remained the head of the House of Hanover, living in
retirement on his various estates with his family, mainly Blankenburg Castle
in Germany and Cumberland Castle in Gmunden, Austria. He also owned
Marienburg Castle near Hanover; however, the couple rarely
lived there until 1945.
to his father's British title of Duke of Cumberland. For the next thirty years,
Ernest Augustus remained the head of the House of Hanover, living in
retirement on his various estates with his family, mainly Blankenburg Castle
in Germany and Cumberland Castle in Gmunden, Austria. He also owned
Marienburg Castle near Hanover; however, the couple rarely
lived there until 1945.
World War II
Several of Victoria Louise's brothers were early members of the
Nazi party, including former Crown Prince Wilhelm and Prince August
Wilhelm.
Nazi party, including former Crown Prince Wilhelm and Prince August
Wilhelm.
While Ernest Augustus never officially joined the party, he donated
funds and was close to several leaders. As a former British prince,
Ernest Augustus as well as Victoria Louise desired a rapprochement
between the United Kingdom and Germany.
funds and was close to several leaders. As a former British prince,
Ernest Augustus as well as Victoria Louise desired a rapprochement
between the United Kingdom and Germany.
Ostensibly desiring to pursue an alliance with the UK, in the mid-1930s,
Adolf Hitler took advantage of their sentiment by asking the couple
to arrange a match between their daughter Princess Frederica and the
Prince of Wales.
Adolf Hitler took advantage of their sentiment by asking the couple
to arrange a match between their daughter Princess Frederica and the
Prince of Wales.
The Duke and Duchess of Brunswick refused, believing that the
age difference was too great; Princess Frederica would have been
around 18 years of age while the prince was over 22 years older.
age difference was too great; Princess Frederica would have been
around 18 years of age while the prince was over 22 years older.
After his abdication in 1936, Edward VIII and his wife visited
"the Cumberlands" at Cumberland Castle in Gmunden, Austria.
"the Cumberlands" at Cumberland Castle in Gmunden, Austria.
In 1938 Princess Frederica married the future King Paul of Greece.
In May 1941, her father fell ill from an intestinal blockage, and
Victoria Louise traveled to Doorn to visit him, as did several of her
brothers. Wilhelm recovered enough for them to depart, but soon
relapsed. Victoria Louise returned in time to be at her father's bedside,
along with nephew Louis Ferdinand and stepmother Hermine,
when he died on 4 June 1941 of a pulmonary embolism.
Victoria Louise traveled to Doorn to visit him, as did several of her
brothers. Wilhelm recovered enough for them to depart, but soon
relapsed. Victoria Louise returned in time to be at her father's bedside,
along with nephew Louis Ferdinand and stepmother Hermine,
when he died on 4 June 1941 of a pulmonary embolism.
By the time of the war's ending in Europe in April 1945,
Victoria Louise was living with her husband at Blankenburg Castle.
A few days before Blankenburg was handed over to the Red Army by
British and U.S. forces in late 1945, to become part of East Germany,
the family was able to move to Marienburg Castle, at the time located
in the British Occupation Zone, with all their furniture, transported by
British Army trucks, on the order of George VI.
Victoria Louise was living with her husband at Blankenburg Castle.
A few days before Blankenburg was handed over to the Red Army by
British and U.S. forces in late 1945, to become part of East Germany,
the family was able to move to Marienburg Castle, at the time located
in the British Occupation Zone, with all their furniture, transported by
British Army trucks, on the order of George VI.
Later life
After the war, Victoria Louise spent much of her time attending
public events in Lower Saxony, supporting palace restoration projects,
high-society parties, hunting, and the showing of horses. She also spent time
helping with philanthropic causes, for instance supporting a holiday
estate for low-income children.
public events in Lower Saxony, supporting palace restoration projects,
high-society parties, hunting, and the showing of horses. She also spent time
helping with philanthropic causes, for instance supporting a holiday
estate for low-income children.
Her husband died at Marienburg on 30 January 1953. When her eldest
son made Marienburg a museum in 1954 and moved himself to
Calenberg Estate nearby, she became at odds with him, although he had
offered her several other manor houses to move in. There was also a
rivalry between them about her popularity and public appearances.
Instead, she moved back to Brunswick, occupying a house which had
been offered to her by a wealthy industrialist and a circle of fans
called "Braunschweiger Freundeskreis" (circle of Brunswick friends).
son made Marienburg a museum in 1954 and moved himself to
Calenberg Estate nearby, she became at odds with him, although he had
offered her several other manor houses to move in. There was also a
rivalry between them about her popularity and public appearances.
Instead, she moved back to Brunswick, occupying a house which had
been offered to her by a wealthy industrialist and a circle of fans
called "Braunschweiger Freundeskreis" (circle of Brunswick friends).
She lived there until her death on 11 December 1980.
She is buried next to her husband in front of the Royal Mausoleum in the
Berggarten at Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover, which is the burial
chapel of Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover, and his wife
and, since his reburial after World War II, also of George I of Great Britain.
Berggarten at Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover, which is the burial
chapel of Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover, and his wife
and, since his reburial after World War II, also of George I of Great Britain.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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