18th Cent. Princess Caroline Elizabeth of Great Britain

Princess Caroline Elizabeth was born on 30 May 1713, at Herrenhausen Palace, in Hanover, Germany. She was the daughter of Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Queen Consort of Great Britain and Ireland (1 March 1683 - 20 November 1737) and George II, King of Great Britain and Ireland (10 November 1683 - 25 October 1760). Her maternal grandparents were Duchess Eleonore of Saxe-Eisenach and Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Her paternal grandparents were Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Hereditary Princess of Hanover (15 September 1666 - 13 November 1726) and George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland (28 May 1660 - 11 June 1727). Caroline's parents were married in 1705, in Hanover. Her siblings included: Frederick, Prince of Wales (1 February 1707 - 31 March 1751), Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (2 November 1709 - 12 January 1759), Princess Amelia (10 July 1711 - 31 October 1786), Prince George William (13 November 1717 - 17 February 1718), Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (26 April 1721 - 31 October 1765), Princess Mary (5 March 1723 - 14 January 1772) and Princess Louise (7 December 1724 - 19 December 1751). Caroline was baptized on 1 June 1713, at Herrenhausen Palace. Queen Anne (1665-1714) died on 1 August 1714. She was succeeded by her grandfather, as George I. Caroline moved with her family to Great Britain, where they resided at St. James's Palace, in London. George I died on 11 June 1727. He was succeeded by her father, as George II. Her sister, Anne, The Princess Royal married William IV, Prince of Orange on 25 March 1734, at St. James's Palace. The music played on her wedding was by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). Her mother, Queen Caroline died on 20 November 1737, at St. James's Palace, London. She was interred at Westminster Abbey, in London. Her sister, Princess Louise married Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway (1723-1766) on 11 December 1743, at Altona, in Holstein. Princess Caroline Elizabeth died aged 44, on 28 December 1757, at St. James's Palace, in London. She was interred at Westminster Abbey, in London.

17th Cent. Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria, Empress Consort of the Holy Roman Empire.

 

Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria was born on 30 May 1653, in Innsbruck. She was the daughter of Anna de' Medici of Tuscany and Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria (17 May 1628 - 30 December 1662). Her maternal grandparents were Maria Magdalena of Austria and Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Her paternal grandparents were Claudia de' Medici and Archduke Leopold V. Claudia had a younger sister, Maria Magdalena of Austria (17 August 1656 - 21 January 1669). Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Austria married Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor (9 June 1640 - 5 May 1705) on 15 October 1673, in Graz. He was the son of Maria Anna of Spain and Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. Claudia was his second wife. Leopold I married first Margaret Theresa of Spain (12 July 1651 - 12 March 1673) in 1666. She was the daughter of Mariana of Austria (24 December 1634 - 16 May 1696) and Felipe IV, King of Spain. The couple had four children: Ferdinand Wenzel (1667-1668), Maria Antonia (1669-1692), Johann Leopold (1670) and Maria Anna Antonia (1672). Margaret Theresa died on 12 March 1673. Claudia and Leopold I had two children.
 

The Children of Claudia Felicitas and Leopold I:

Archduchess Anna Maria Sophia of Austria (11 September 1674 - 21 December 1674)
Archduchess Maria Josepha of Austria (11 October 1675 - 11 July 1676)

Claudia Felicitas died on 8 April 1676, in Wien, Austria. She was interred at the Capuchin monastery. Leopold I married his third wife, Eleonor Magdalene of the Palatinate (6 January 1655 - 19 January 1720) in 1676. The couple had eleven children. Leopold I died on 5 May 1705, in Wien. He was interred at the Kapuzinergruft, in Wien.

17th Cent. Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Charles Stuart was born on 29 May 1630, at St. James's Palace, in London, England. He was the son of Henrietta Maria of France, Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (25 November 1609 - 10 September 1669) and Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland (19 November 1600 - 30 January 1649). His maternal grandparents were Marie de' Medici, Queen Consort of France and Navarre (26 April 1573 - 3 July 1642) and Henri IV, King of France and Navarre (13 December 1553 - 14 May 1610). His paternal grandparents were Anne of Denmark (14 October 1574 - 4 March 1619) and James I and VI, King of Scotland and England (19 June 1566 - 27 March 1625). Charles's parents were married on 13 June 1625, at St. Augustine's Church, in Canterbury, Kent. His siblings included: Mary, Princess Royal (4 November 1631 - 24 December 1660), James II, King of England (14 October 1633 - 16 September 1701), Elizabeth, Princess of England (29 December 1635 - 8 September 1650), Anne, Princess of England (17 March 1637 - 8 December 1640), Henry, Duke of Gloucester (8 July 1640 - 18 September 1660) and Henrietta Anne, Princess of England (16 June 1644 - 30 June 1670). By the end of August 1642, civil war in England officially began when Charles I declared war on Parliament from Nottingham. Lord Oliver Cromwell crushed the Royalists on 2 July 1644, at the Battle of Marston Moor, near York, England. Oliver Cromwell's army routed the King's army on 14 June 1645, at Naseby. In 1645, Charles was made titular commander of the English forces in the West Country. By 1646, he was in exile. The English army seized King Charles I as a hostage on 4 June 1647. In 1648, Charles moved to his sister Mary and his brother-in-law William II, Prince of Orange, in The Hague. While there, Charles had a brief affair with Lucy Walter. King Charles I was beheaded on 30 January 1649, at Banqueting House, Whitehall. He was succeeded by his son, as Charles II, although technically Britain was a republic. From 1649 to 1658, Parliament was the supreme power in England under the rule of Oliver Cromwell. In March 1650, Charles accepted the Scots' offer of support. Charles arrived on 23 June 1650, in Scotland and signed the Scottish Covenant. Charles II Stuart was crowned King of Scotland on 1 January 1651, at Scone. In 1651, the Civil war ended. At the battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651, Charles II and his Scottish army was defeated by Oliver Cromwell and the parliamentarian army. Charles again escaped into exile. Oliver Cromwell died from malaria on 3 September 1658. He was succeeded by his son, Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector. In 1659, Richard Cromwell resigned as English Lord Protector. His brother, James married Lady Anne Hyde, Duchess of York (1638-1671) in a secret ceremony in 1659, at Breda, in the Netherlands. Charles II signed the "Declaration of Breda" to establish a general amnesty and freedom of conscience on 4 April 1660, at Breda. In 1660, Lady Barbara Villiers (November 1640 - 9 October 1709) became King Charles's mistress. She was the daughter of Mary Bayning and William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison. Barbara was married to Roger Palmer 1st Earl of Castlemaine on 14 April 1659. In May 1660, King Charles II returned from exile, sailing from Scheveningen to England. Charles II was proclaimed King of England on 8 May 1660. Charles II arrived in England on 23 May 1660. Charles II arrived on 29 May 1660, in London. He was restored to the English throne after the Puritan Commonwealth.

"For its merit I will knight it, and then it will be Sir-Loin."

Charles II was crowned King in June 1660, at Westminster Abbey. Those who had signed Charles I's death warrant were punished, but the new King pursued a policy of political tolerance and power-sharing. From 1660 to 1666, the Earl of Clarendon served as Charles's first minister. In August 1660, the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion was passed. James and Lady Anne were married in an official marriage ceremony on 3 September 1660, in London, England. A marriage treaty between Charles II and Princess Catherine of Braganca (25 November 1638 - 31 December 1705) was signed on 23 June 1661. She was the daughter of Luisa de Guzmán and John IV of Portugal. Catherine and Charles II were married by proxy on 23 April 1662, in Lisbon. After Catherine arrived in Portsmouth on 14 May 1662, the couple were married in a Catholic ceremony, followed by a Anglican service on 21 May 1662. She was not crowned, as Roman Catholics were forbidden to take part in Anglican services. During the Great Plague of London in July 1665, Charles II and his family and court fled London to Salisbury. The Parliament met in Oxford. The Great Fire of London started on 2 September 1666. The fire raged for four days and three nights, consumed about 13,200 houses and 87 churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral. It ended the plague. Charles II was the personal patron of Sir Christopher Wren, the architect who helped rebuild London after the Great Fire in 1666. In April 1668, Charles II started a romance with the actress Nell Gwynne (2 February 1650 - 14 November 1687). Previously having been the mistress of Charles Hart and Charles Sackville, Nell Gwynne jokingly titled the King, "her Charles the Third". In 1670, Charles II agreed to the Treaty of Dover, under which Louis XIV would pay him £160,000 each year. In exchange, Charles II agreed to supply Louis XIV with troops and to announce his conversion to Roman Catholicism, "as soon as the welfare of his kingdom will permit". In 1670, Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kérouaille (September 1649 - 14 November 1734) accompanied Henrietta Anne Stuart, Duchess of Orléans on a visit to Charles II at Dover. Louise was the daughter of Marie de Ploeuc de Timeur and Guillaume de Penancoët, Seigneur de Kérouaille. The King appointed her a Lady in Waiting to his wife, Catherine of Braganza. Louise soon became his mistress. Lady Anne Hyde died in 1671. His niece, Lady Mary (1662-1694) married William, Prince of Orange (1650-1702) on 4 November 1677, in London. At the bedding ceremony of his nephew William and his niece Mary, the King said; "Now, nephew to your work! St George for England! " Charles II had a number of illegitimate children with various mistresses, but he had none with his wife, Catherine of Braganza. His brother, James was thus his heir. Once the King said to his brother, the Duke of York who expressed concern over his security; "Don't worry Jamie - they'll not kill me to make you King." 

"I always admired virtue - but I could never imitate it." 

The illegitimate Children of King Charles II:

James de la Cloche (1646) Son of Margaret de Carteret

James Crofts, later Scott, Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch (1649-1685) Son of Lucy Walter

Charlotte Jemima Henrietta Maria Fitzcharles (1650-1684) Daughter of Elizabeth Killigrew

Charles Fitzroy, Earl of Plymouth (1657-1680) Son of Catherine Pegge

Catherine Fitzcharles (1658) Daughter of Catherine Pegge

Anne Palmer (1661-1722) Daughter of Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland

Charles Fitzroy, Duke of Southampton (18 June 1662 - 9 September 1730) Son of Barbara Villiers

Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton ( 1663-1690) Son of Barbara Villiers

Charlotte Fitzroy, Countess of Lichfield (5 September 1664 - 17 February 1718) Daughter of Barbara Villiers

George Fitzroy, Duke of Northumberland (1665-1716) Son of Barbara Villiers

Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans (1670-1726) Son of Nell Gwynne

James Beauclerk (1671-1681) Son of Nell Gwynne

Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond and Lennox (1672-1723) Son of Louise de Kerouaille

Mary Tudor, Countess of Derwentwater (16 October 1673 - 5 November 1726) Daughter of Moll Davis

"Never in the way, and never out of the way."

In 1678, the Titus Oates appeared with the tale of a Popish Plot to assassinate the King. The Exclusion Bill from 1679 to 1681, attempted to exclude his brother, James from the succession. In 1679, the names "Whig" and "Tory" were first used as names for British political parties. In 1681, Charles II dissolved the Parliament. In 1683, the Rye House Plot to murder Charles II was discovered. His niece, Anne married Prince George of Denmark on 28 July 1683. He was the brother of Christian V, King of Denmark. When the Prince worried about his weight, Charles II said to him; "Walk with me, hunt with my brother and do justice by my niece and you will not be fat." Later Charles II said about Prince George of Denmark; "I have tried him drunk and I have tried him sober and there is nothing in him." Charles II suffered a sudden apoplectic fit on the morning of 2 February 1685. On his deathbed, Charles II asked his brother, James that his mistress, Nell Gwynne, be looked after; "Let not poor Nelly starve". To his courtiers, he said; "I am sorry, gentlemen, for being such a time a-dying." On the last evening of his life he was received into the Roman Catholic Church. King Charles II died aged 54, on 6 February 1685, at Whitehall Palace, in London. He was interred on 14 February 1685, at Westminster Abbey, in London. He was succeeded by his brother, as James II of England and Ireland and James VII of Scotland.

"I'm definitely the best King in England at the moment." Charles II

17-18th Cent. George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland.

 George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland.

Prince George Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg was born on 28 May 1660, in Osnabrück, Hanover, Germany. He was the son of Sophia of the Rhineland Palatinate (14 October 1630 - 8 June 1714) and Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Elector of Hanover (20 November 1629 - 23 January 1698). His maternal grandparents were Elizabeth Stuart and Frederick V, Elector Palatine. His paternal grandparents were Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt and George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. George's parents were married on 30 September 1658. His siblings included: Friedrich August of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1661-1691), Maximilian Wilhelm of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1666-1726), Sophia Charlotte of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1668-1705), Karl Philipp of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1669-1690), Christian of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1671-1703) and Ernst August II of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1674-1728). George of Brunswick-Lüneburg married Sophia Dorothea of Celle (15 September 1666 - 13 November 1726) in 1682. She was the daughter of Eleonore d'Esmier d'Olbreuse, Countess of Williamsburg (3 January 1639 - 5 February 1722) and George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (26 January 1624 - 28 August 1705). Sophia Dorothea gave birth to their first child, a son, George on 10 November 1683.

The Children of Sophia Dorothea of Celle and George I:

George II (10 November 1683 - 25 October 1760) Married Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach in 1705.
Princess Sophia Dorothea of Hanover (16 March 1687 - 28 June 1757) Married Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg in 1706.

George soon took a mistress, Melusina von Schulenburg. His wife, Sophia Dorothea met on 1 March 1688, Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck. In 1689, the English Throne was accepted by Lady Mary (1662-1694) and William. George had two daughters with his mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg in 1692 and 1693. In 1694, Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck disappeared. The marriage between George and Sophia Dorothea was dissolved. Sophia Dorothea was imprisoned in the Castle of Ahlden, in Celle. Mary II died of smallpox in 1694. His father, Ernest Augustus died on 23 January 1698, at Herrenhausen. George Louis succeeded him as Duke. In 1701, under the Act of Settlement, his mother Sophia was nominated Heiress to the English Throne. In August 1701, George was invested with the Order of the Garter. William III died on 8 March 1702. Anne was crowned Queen, on 23 April 1702. His son, Georg August married Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1 March 1683 - 20 November 1737) on 22 August 1705, in Hanover. She was the daughter of Duchess Eleonore of Saxe-Eisenach and Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. His daughter, Princess Sophia Dorothea married Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg on 28 November 1706. His mother, Sophia died on 8 June 1714. Queen Anne died on 1 August 1714, at Kensington Palace, in London. George was proclaimed King of Great Britain and Ireland. He was crowned on 20 October 1714, at Westminster Abbey. In February 1716, James, the Pretender fled to France. In 1717, George I contributed to the creation of the Triple Alliance, with France and the United Provinces. George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) played Water Music for the King, on 17 July 1717, on a Royal barge trip on the Thames. In 1718, the Holy Roman Empire was added and it became known as the Quadruple Alliance. Sophia Dorothea died on 13 November 1726. In May 1727, she was moved to be interred beside her parents in the Stadtkirche, in Celle. George I died aged 67, on 11 June 1727, in Osnabrück, Hanover. He was interred on 4 August 1727, in Herrenhausen, Hanover. He was succeeded by his son, as George II.

19-20th Cent. Princess Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte

Princess Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine was born on 27 May 1820, in Trieste. She was the daughter of Catharina of Württemberg, Queen Consort of Westphalia (21 February 1783 - 29 November 1835) and Jérôme Bonaparte (15 November 1784 - 24 June 1860). Her maternal grandparents were Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (3 December 1764 -27 September 1788) and Frederick I, King of Württemberg (6 November 1754 - 30 October 1816). Her paternal grandparents were Letizia Ramolino and Carlo Buonaparte. Mathilde's parents were married on 22 August 1807, in the Château de Fontainebleau, at Fontainebleau, France. She had a younger brother, Napoléon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte (9 September 1822 - 17 March 1891). Her mother, Catharina died on 29 November 1835, in Lausanne, Switzerland. Mathilde Bonaparte married Anatole Demidov (5 April 1813 - 29 April 1870) on 1 November 1840, in Rome. He was the son of Elisabeth Alexandrovna Stroganoff and Count Nikolay Demidov. In March 1841, the couple went to St. Petersburg. They arrived on 17 August 1841, in Paris, where they resided at Hôtel Demidoff, at 109 Rue Saint-Dominique. In June 1842, they returned to St. Petersburg, before settling at the villa San Donato. Her husband, Demidov soon took a mistress, Valentine de Sainte-Aldegonde, Duchesse de Dino. Mathilde then took a lover, Count Émilien de Nieuwerkerke. In September 1846, Mathilde fled with her Count to Paris. Mathilde and Demidov were separated in 1847. The couple had no children. Princess Mathilde settled in a mansion in Paris, France. She became a prominent hostess of a Salon for the Aristocracy. Anatole Demidov died on 29 April 1870, at the Hôtel on Rue Saint-Dominique, in Paris. Dying without legitimate issue, his title of Prince of San Donato passed to his nephew Pavel Pavlovitch Demidov. Mathilde Bonaparte married her second husband the artist and poet, Claudius Marcel Popelin (1825-1892). Princess Mathilde Bonaparte died aged 83, on 2 January 1904, in Paris, France. Reffering to her uncle Napoléon Bonaparte, she once told Marcel Proust; "If it weren't for him, I'd be selling oranges in the streets of Ajaccio."

17-18th Cent. Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, Duchesse d'Orléans.

Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate

by Hyacinthe Rigaud

1719

 

Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate was born on 27 May 1652, in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. She was the daughter of Landgravine Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel (20 November 1627 - 16 March 1686) and Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine (22 December 1617 - 28 August 1680). Her maternal grandparents were Amalie Elisabeth of Hanau-Münzenberg and William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. Her paternal grandparents were Princess Elizabeth and Frederick V. Elizabeth's parents were married on 22 February 1650, in Kassel. Her siblings were: Charles II, Elector Palatine (31 March 1651 - 26 May 1685) and Friedrich von der Pfalz (12 May 1653 - 13 May 1653). She was known as Liselotte in her family. In 1653, her father, Charles I Louis began an affair with Marie Luise von Degenfeld (28 November 1634 - 18 March 1677). In 1657, Elizabeth Charlotte was sent to live with her paternal aunt, Sophia. Her father, Charles I Louis married his mistress, Marie Luise von Degenfeld on 6 January 1658, in Schwetzingen. They had thirteen children: Karl Ludwig von der Pfalz (1658-1688), Karoline von der Pfalz (1659-1696), Luise von der Pfalz (1661-1733), Ludwig von der Pfalz (1662-1662), Amalie Elisabeth von der Pfalz (1663-1709), George Ludwig von der Pfalz (1664-1665), Frederike von der Pfalz (1665-1674), Friedrich Wilhelm von der Pfalz (1666-1667), Karl Eduard von der Pfalz (1668-1690), Sophie von der Pfalz (1669-1669), Karl Moritz von der Pfalz (1671-1702), Karl August von der Pfalz (1672-1691) and Karl Kasimir von der Pfalz (1675-1691). In 1663, Elizabeth Charlotte returned to Heidelberg. Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate married Philippe de France (21 September 1640 - 9 June 1701) by proxy on 16 November 1671, in Metz. He was the son of Anne of Austria, Queen Consort of France and Navarre (22 September 1601 - 20 January 1666) and Louis XIII, King of France and Navarre (27 September 1601 - 14 May 1643). The younger brother of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre (1638-1715). Elizabeth Charlotte was his second wife. Philippe de France married first Henrietta Anne, Princess of England (16 June 1644 - 30 June 1670) on 31 March 1661, in the Chapel of the Palais-Royal, in Paris. Henrietta Anne of England died on 30 June 1670, at Château de Saint-Cloud, in Saint-Cloud. According to The Memoirs of Madame de Montespan by Madame de Montespan, the King said, "I was told that the Palatine of Bavaria's daughter is extremely ugly and ill-bred; consequently, she is capable of keeping Monsieur in check. Through one of my Rhenish allies, I will make proposals to her father for her hand. As soon as a reply comes, I will show my brother a portrait of some sort; it will be all the same to him; he will accept her." Upon her arrival in France, Elizabeth converted to Roman Catholicism, before the marriage ceremony. She first met Philippe on the road between the towns of Châlons and Bellay. According to the Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency by Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans, "I am unquestionably very ugly; I have no features; my eyes are small, my nose is short and thick, my lips long and flat. These do not constitute much of a physiognomy. I have great hanging cheeks and a large face; my stature is short and stout; my body and my thighs, too, are short, and, upon the whole, I am truly a very ugly little object. If I had not a good heart, no one could endure me. To know whether my eyes give tokens of my possessing wit, they must be examined with a microscope, or it will be difficult to judge. Hands more ugly than mine are not perhaps to be found on the whole globe. The King has often told me so, and has made me laugh at it heartily; for, not being able to flatter even myself that I possessed any one thing which could be called pretty, I resolved to be the first to laugh at my own ugliness; this has succeeded as well as I could have wished, and I must confess that I have seldom been at a loss for something to laugh at. I am naturally somewhat melancholy; when anything happens to afflict me, my left side swells up as if it were filled with water. I am not good at lying in bed; as soon as I awake I must get up. I seldom breakfast, and then only on bread and butter. I take neither chocolate, nor coffee, nor tea, not being able to endure those foreign drugs. I am German in all my habits, and like nothing in eating or drinking which is not conformable to our old customs. I eat no soup but such as I can take with milk, wine, or beer. I cannot bear broth; whenever I eat anything of which it forms a part, I fall sick instantly, my body swells, and I am tormented with colics. When I take broth alone, I am compelled to vomit, even to blood, and nothing can restore the tone to my stomach but ham and sausages." At the French Court, her husband Philippe was known as Monsieur. As his wife, Elizabeth Charlotte assumed the style of Madame. Elizabeth Charlotte became very close to her two stepdaughters, Marie Louise and Anne Marie. Elizabeth Charlotte had apartments at Versailles, use of the Palais-Royal in Paris, and her favourite residence, the Château de Saint-Cloud. Madame de Montespan wrote, "Charlotte Elizabeth of Bavaria, though aware of the sort of death that her predecessor died, agreed to marry Monsieur. Had she not been lucky enough to make this grand match, her extreme ugliness would assuredly have doomed her to celibacy, even in Bavaria and in Germany. It is surely not allowable to come into the world with such a face and form, such a voice, such eyes, such hands, and such feet, as this singular princess displayed. The Court, still mindful of the sweetness, grace, and charm of Henrietta of England, could not contemplate without horror and disgust the fearful caricature I have just described. Young pregnant women-after the Queen's unfortunate experience-were afraid to look at the Princess Palatine, and wished to be confined before they reappeared at Court. As for herself, armed with robust, philosophical notions, and a complete set of Northern nerves, she was in no way disconcerted at the effect her presence produced. She even had the good sense to appear indifferent to all the raillery she provoked, and said to the King: "Sire, to my mind you are one of the handsomest men in the world, and with few exceptions, your Court appears to me perfectly fitted for you. I have come but scantily equipped to such an assemblage. Fortunately, I am neither jealous nor a coquette, and I shall win pardon for my plainness, I myself being the first to make merry at it." In 1672, Louis XIV awarded his brother with the title of Duke of Nemours, Count of Dourdan and Romorantin and Marquis of Coucy and Folembray. She said, "I could put up with it if Monsieur only squandered his money in gaming, but sometimes he gives away as much as 100,000 francs at one swoop, and all the economies fall upon me and the children. That is not at all pleasant, besides putting me in a position where, as God is my witness, we would have to live entirely on the King's charity, which is a miserable thing." The couple had three children.
 

The Children of Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate and Philippe de France:

Alexandre Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Valois (2 June 1673 - 16 March 1676).
Philippe Charles d'Orléans (2 August 1674 - 2 December 1723) Married Françoise-Marie de Bourbon.
Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans (13 September 1676 - 24 December 1744) Married Leopold, Duke of Lorraine.
 

Her father, Charles Louis married his third wife, Elisabeth Hollander von Bernau (1659 - 8 March 1702) on 11 December 1679. They had one child, Charles Louis von der Pfalz born on 17 April 1681. Charles Louis died on 28 August 1680. Her mother, Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel died on 16 March 1686, in Kassel. Anne Marie Louise, Duchess of Montpensier died in 1693. She left all her wealth to Philippe. He received the titles of Duke of Montpensier, Duke of Châtellerault, Duke of Saint-Fargeau, Duke of Beaupréau, Prince of Joinville, Baron of Beaujolais and Marquis de Mézières. Her son, Philippe Charles married Françoise-Marie on 18 February 1692, in the Chapel of the Château de Versailles. Elizabeth wrote, "If, by shedding my own blood, I could have prevented my son's marriage, I would willingly have done so; but since the thing was done, I have had no other wish than to preserve harmony." Her husband, Philippe I died of a stroke on 9 June 1701, at the Château de Saint-Cloud, in Saint-Cloud. She wrote, "If those who are in the next world could know what was happening in this one, I think His Grace, the late Monsieur, would be most pleased with me, for I have gone through his boxes to find all the letters written to him by his boyfriends and have burnt them unread, so that they will not fall into other people's hands... then... I receive great comfort from the King, otherwise I could not endure my position. When the King speaks about Monsieur he is quite moved." King Louis XIV died on 1 September 1715. He was succeeded by Louis XV, King of France and Navarre (1710-1774), with Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans as his Regent. Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate died aged 70, on 8 December 1722, at the Château de Saint-Cloud, in Saint-Cloud, France. She wrote in her memoirs, "I believe that the histories that will be written about this court after we are gone will be better and more entertaining than any novel, and I am afraid that those who come after us will not be able to believe them and think they are just fairytales."

Excerpts and Sources: Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency by Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans and The Memoirs of Madame de Montespan by Madame de Montespan.

19-20th Cent. Mary of Teck, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Empress Consort of India.

Princess Victoria Mary of Teck was born on 26 May 1867, at Kensington Palace, in London, England. She was the daughter of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (27 November 1833 - 27 October 1897) and Francis, Duke of Teck (28 August 1837 - 21 January 1900). Her maternal grandparents were Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel (25 July 1797 - 6 April 1889) and Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (24 February 1774 - 8 July 1850). Her paternal grandparents were Countess Claudine Rhédey de Kis-Rhéde (21 September 1812 - 1 October 1841) and Alexander, Duke of Württemberg (9 September 1804 - 4 July 1885). Her maternal great-grandparents were Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom (19 May 1744 - 17 November 1818) and George III, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover (4 June 1738 - 29 January 1820). Mary's parents were married on 12 June 1866, at St. Anne's Church, in Kew, West London. Her siblings were: Prince Adolphus of Teck (1868-1927), Prince Francis of Teck (1870-1910) and Prince Alexander of Teck (1874-1957). She was a second cousin to Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1819-1901). Called "May", she was named after her godmother, Queen Victoria. In September 1883, the family departed for Florence, in Italy. According to Mary of Teck; "My parents were in short street, so they had to go abroad to economize." In 1885, the Tecks returned to London. The family took up residence at White Lodge, in Richmond Park. In 1891, Mary of Teck was betrothed to Victor Albert, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (8 January 1864 - 14 January 1892). He was the son of Alexandra of Denmark, Princess of Wales (1 December 1844 - 20 November 1925) and Edward, Prince of Wales (9 November 1841 - 6 May 1910). Her fiance, Victor Albert of Wales died of influenza on 14 January 1892. In May 1893, his brother, Prince George of Wales (3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) proposed and Mary accepted. Mary of Teck and George, Duke of York were married on 6 July 1893, at the Chapel Royal, in St. James Palace, London. They had six children. 

The Children of Mary of Teck and George V:

Edward VIII (23 June 1894 - 28 May 1972) Married Wallis Simpson in 1937.

George VI (14 December 1895 - 6 February 1952) Married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923.
Mary, Princess Royal (25 April 1897 - 28 March 1965) Married Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood in 1922.
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (31 March 1900 - 10 June 1974) Married Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott in 1935.
Prince George, Duke of Kent (20 December 1902 - 25 August 1942) Married Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark in 1934.
Prince John (12 July 1905 - 18 January 1919) 

Her mother, Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck died on 27 October 1897, at White Lodge, Richmond Park, Surrey. She was interred in the Royal Vault, at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor. Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901. She was succeeded by her son, as King Edward VII. George was created Prince of Wales and Mary became, Princess of Wales on 9 November 1901. King Edward VII died on 6 May 1910. He was succeeded by his son, as King George V. Mary and George V were crowned on 22 June 1911, at Westminster Abbey, in London. According to Mary; "I have to remember that my husband is also my sovereign." From 1914 to 1918, Britain was at war with Germany. The name of the British Royal House was changed from the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor on 17 July 1917. In 1917, Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia was overthrown in the Russian Revolution. The Emperor, Empress and children were murdered by Bolshevik revolutionaries in 1918. In 1919, Maria Feodorovna and other members of the Russian Imperial family were rescued from the Crimea by British ships. Their youngest son, John died on 18 January 1919. In 1922, a Royal Navy ship was sent to Greece to rescue Princess Alice of Battenberg and Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark. In 1932, George V made the first Royal Christmas speech on the radio. George V died on 20 January 1936. He was interred at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. He was succeeded by their son, as Edward VIII. Edward VIII abdicated in favour of his younger brother, as George VI. During World War II, she worked for charities and hospitals. Her son, the Duke of Kent died in 1942, in an RAF training exercise in Scotland. Her son, George VI died on 6 February 1952. He was succeeded by her granddaughter, as Elizabeth II. Mary once said; "There's only one thing I never did and wish I had done: climbed over a fence." Mary of Teck died on 24 March 1953, at Marlborough House, in Westminster, London. She was interred beside her husband, at St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

"When I die India will be found engraved on my heart." Mary of Teck

19-20th Cent. Princess Helena of the United Kingdom

Princess Helena Augusta Victoria was born on 25 May 1846, at Buckingham Palace, in London, England. She was the third daughter and fifth child of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (24 May 1819 - 22 January 1901) and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (26 August 1819 - 14 December 1861). Her maternal grandparents were Victoria Maria Louisa of Saxe-Coburg, Duchess of Kent and Strathearn (17 August 1786 - 16 March 1861) and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (2 November 1767 - 23 January 1820). Her paternal grandparents were Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (21 December 1800 - 30 August 1831) and Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2 January 1784 - 29 January 1844). Princess Helena's parents were married on 11 February 1840, at the Royal chapel of St. James, in London. Her siblings were: Victoria Adelaide (1840-1901), Edward Albert (1841-1910), Alice (1843-1878), Alfred Ernest (1844-1900), Louise Caroline (1848-1939), Arthur (1850-1942), Leopold George (1853-1884) and Beatrice Mary (1856-1944). She was baptized on 25 July 1846, at the private chapel at Buckingham Palace, London. Known as Lenchen, she was educated by private tutors. She enjoyed drawing, playing the piano and horseback riding. Her father, Prince Albert died on 14 December 1861. After his death, the family moved from Windsor to Osborne House, at the Isle of Wight. According to a letter Helena wrote to her friend Emily Beauclerck on 14 January 1861, "What we have lost nothing can ever replace and our grief is most, most bitter... Oh! If you knew how miserable I am.... I adored Papa, I loved him more than anything on Earth. His word was a most sacred law and he was my help and adviser...". Princess Helena was engaged to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (22 January 1831 - 28 October 1917) on 5 December 1865. He was the son of Countess Louise of Danneskjold-Samsøe and Christian August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. Helena and Christian were married on 5 July 1866, in the Private Chapel, at Windsor Castle. The couple spent the wedding night at Osborne House, before honeymooning in Paris, Interlaken and Genoa. The couple took up residence at Cumberland Lodge, in Windsor Great Park.

 

The Children of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein:

Prince Christian Victor Albert Ernest Louis Anthony (14 August 1867 - 29 October 1900)

Prince Albert John Charles Frederick Arthur George (28 February 1869 - 13 March 1931)

Princess Victoria Louise Sophia Augusta Amelia Helena (3 May 1870 - 13 March 1948)

Princess Francesca Josepha Louise Augusta Marie Christina Helena (12 August 1872 - 8 December 1956) Married Prince Aribert of Anhalt in 1891. Marriage was dissolved in 1900.

Prince Frederick Christian Augustus Leopold Edward (12 May 1876 - 20 May 1876)

Stillborn Son (7 May 1877 - 7 May 1877)

 

In 1872, Princess Helena became the first President of the School of Art Needlework. In 1876, the School of Art Needlework became the Royal School of Needlework. ;">In 1884, a Memoir devoted to her sister Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse by Princess Helena was published by John Murray. In February 1886 and March 1886, she presided over two free dinners for the unfortunate, at the Windsor Guildhall. In 1887, Helena translated from the French, The Memoirs of Whilelmine, Margravine of Baireuth. She also translated the correspondence between the Margravine and Voltaire and the book, First Aid to the Injured. In 1887, Helena became President of the British Nurses Association (RBNA). In 1888, her eldest son, Prince Christian Victor became a British Army officer in the 60th King's Royal Rifles. Her daughter, Princess Marie Louise married Prince Aribert of Anhalt (18 June 1866 - 24 December 1933) on 6 July 1891, at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor Castle. He was the son of Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenberg and Frederick I, Duke of Anhalt. In 1891, RBNA received the prefix "Royal". In 1892, RBNA received the Royal Charter. Helena was a strong supporter of nurse registration, an issue that was opposed by Florence Nightingale. In 1894, she founded The Princess Christian District Nurses. Her son, Prince Christian Victor fought under Lord Kitchener in 1898, when the British troops defeated the Dervishes at Omdurman near Khartoum and recovered the Sudan. The only grandchild of Princess Helena and Prince Christian was a daughter of their second son, Prince Albert, born 3 April 1900, in Liptovský Mikuláš, Hungary. Named Valerie Marie, she was placed with the Jewish family, Schwalb. In 1900, Prince Christian Victor served in the Boer War. Christian Victor died of enteric fever on 29 October 1900, in South Africa. He was buried on 1 November 1900, in the Pretoria cemetery. Her mother, Queen Victoria died on Tuesday 22 January 1901, at Osbourne, Isle of Wight. She was interred beside Prince Albert in Frogmore Mausoleum, at Windsor Great Park. In 1902, The Princess Christian District Nurses was expanded with a surgical nursing home dedicated to the memory of her son, Christian Victor. Accompanied by her daughter Helena Victoria, she sailed on 20 August 1904, from Southampton to visit her son's grave in South Africa. Princess Helena opened the Princess Christian Park and the Princess Christian Home for elderly ladies, in South Africa. She visited her son's grave on Friday, 23 September 1904. In 1906, Prince Christian was employed as a personal emisary of his brother-in-law, King Edward VII. In 1916, Helena and Christian celebrated the 50th anniversary of their marriage. In 1917, George V changed the Royal Family's German name of Saxe Coburg Gotha to Windsor. Prince Christian died on 28 October 1917, in Schomden House, London. In the spring of 1923, Princess Helena fell ill with influenza. At the end of May 1923, she suffered a heart attack. Helena of the United Kingdom died on Saturday, 9 June 1923, at Schomberg House. She was interred in the Albert Memorial Chapel, at Windsor. Her daughter, Princess Marie Louise, described her as; "…very lovely, with wavy brown hair, a beautiful little straight nose, and lovely amber-coloured eyes... She was very talented: played the piano exquisitively, had a distinct gift for drawing and painting in water-colours... Her outstanding gift was loyalty to her friends... She was brilliantly clever, had a wonderful head for business..."

19-20th Cent. Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India.

Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom

by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

1842

Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent was born on 24 May 1819, at Kensington Palace, in London. She was the daughter of Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent and Strathearn (17 August 1786 - 16 March 1861) and Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (2 November 1767 - 23 January 1820). Her maternal grandparents were Augusta of Reuss - Ebersdorf (19 January 1757 - 16 November 1831) and Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (15 July 1750 - 9 December 1806). Her paternal grandparents were Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom (19 May 1744 - 17 November 1818) and George III, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover (4 June 1738 - 29 January 1820). Alexandrina Victoria's parents were married on 29 May 1818, at Schloss Ehrenburg, Coburg, and again on 11 July 1818, at Kew Palace, Richmond Park, Surrey. This was her mother's second marriage, Victoria Maria married first Emich Carl, Prince of Leiningen (27 September 1763 – 4 July 1814) on 21 December 1803, at Coburg. The couple had two children, Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Emich, Prince of Leiningen (12 September 1804 - 13 November 1856) and Princess Anna Feodora Auguste Charlotte Wilhelmine (7 December 1807 - 23 September 1872). Emich Carl died on 4 July 1814, at Amorbach. Called Drina, she was named Alexandrina after her godfather, Alexander II, Emperor of Russia. Her father, Edward died on 23 January 1820, at Woodbrook Cottage, Sidmouth, Devon. He was interred at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. King George III died on 29 January 1820. He was succeeded by the Prince Regent, as George IV. Victoria was raised by her governess, Baroness Louise Lehzen, from Hanover, at Kensington Palace. The young Princess loved to dress and play with her dolls. Her favourite school subject was history. In 1830, she saw a Royal family tree and remarked; "I am nearer to the throne than I thought." According to her governess, she vowed; "I will be good." George IV died in 1830. He was succeeded by his brother, as William IV. In ca 1835, Victoria met her cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (26 August 1819 - 14 December 1861). He was the son of Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (21 December 1800 - 30 August 1831) and Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (2 January 1784 - 29 January 1844). When Victoria turned 18, on 24 May 1837, she wrote in her journal, "Today is my eighteenth birthday! How old! and yet how far am I from being what I should be. I shall from this day take the firm resolution to study with renewed assiduity, to keep my attention always well fixed on whatever I am about, and to strive to become every day less trifling and more fit for what, if Heaven wills it, I'm some day to be. The courtyard and the streets were crammed when we went to the Ball, and the anxiety of the people to see poor stupid me was very great, and I must say I am quite touched by it, and feel proud, which I always have done, of my country and of the English nation." William died on 20 June 1837. He was succeeded by Victoria. She wrote in her journal, "I was awoke at 6 o'clock by Mamma …who told me the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham were here and wished to see me. I got out of bed and went into my sitting-room (only in my dressing gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham then acquainted me that my poor Uncle, the King, was no more, and had expired at 12 minutes past 2 this morning, and consequently that I am Queen…" She decided to Reign as "Queen Victoria". "Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfill my duty towards my country; I am very young and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure, that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have". According to Victoria's journal, June 1837, "I look forward to the event which it seems is likely to occur soon, with calmness and quietness. I am not alarmed at it, and yet I do not suppose myself quite equal to all; I trust, however, that with good-will, honesty, and courage I shall not, at all events, fail." Victoria was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom on 28 June 1838. She was the first Monarch to take up residence at Buckingham Palace, in London.  Her first Prime minister was Lord Melbourne and she supported his party, the Whigs. In 1839, Prince Albert visited England again. This time Victoria fell in love with him. She described Albert as, "excessively handsome, such beautiful eyes... my heart is quite going." She soon proposed to him at Windsor Castle, and Albert accepted. Victoria adored jewelry. She wore rings, bracelets and brooches. From the day of their engagement she wore a bracelet with Albert's miniature. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were married on 11 February 1840, at the Royal chapel of St. James, in London, by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Their first child, a daughter, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise was born at 1:15 on the afternoon 21 November 1840, at Buckingham Palace, London. Victoria wrote in her journal, "A girl and not a boy, as we had so hoped and wish. We were, I am afraid, sadly disappointed, but yet our hearts were full of gratitude for God having brought me safely and having such a strong and healthy child. Dearest Albert hardly left me at all and was the greatest support and comfort". The Princess was christened on 10 February 1841, first anniversary of her parents wedding day at Buckingham Palace, London.



"What you say of the pride of giving life to an immortal soul is very fine dear, but I own I cannot enter into that: I think much more of our being like a cow or a dog at such moments: when our poor nature becomes so very animal and unecstatic."

The Children of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg:

Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom, Princess Royal (21 November 1840 - 5 August 1901) Married Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia in 1858.
Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom (9 November 1841 - 6 May 1910) Married Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863.
Princess Alice of the United Kingdom (25 April 1843 - 14 December 1878) Married Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine in 1862.
Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke of Edinburgh (6 August 1844 - 31 July 1900) Married Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia in 1874.
Princess Helena of the United Kingdom (25 May 1846 - 9 June 1923) Married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg in 1866.
Princess Louise of the United Kingdom (18 March 1848 - 3 December 1939) Married John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll in 1871.
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1 May 1850 - 16 January 1942) Married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia in 1879.
Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (7 April 1853 - 28 March 1884) Married Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont in 1882.
Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (14 April 1857 - 26 October 1944) Married Prince Henry of Battenberg in 1885. 

Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom

by Franz Xaver Winterhalter
1843
"Men never think, at least seldom think, what a hard task it is for us women to go through this very often. God's will be done, and if He decrees that we are to have a great number of children why we must try to bring them up as useful and exemplary members of society."

In 1849, the Queen made her first official visit to Ireland. In June 1854, Victoria said about the opening of the Crystal Palace, "The tremendous cheering, the joy expressed in every face, the vastness of the building, with all its decorations and exhibits, the sounds of the organ, and my beloved husband the creator of this great 'Peace Festival', uniting the industry and art of all nations of the earth was quite overwhelming." Queen Victoria draped herself in shawls and overloaded her dresses with bows, flounces, lace and ribbons. In 1855, during a visit to France, Queen Victoria appeared in a flounced white dress with a green mantle, a large silk bonnet trimmed with streamers and marabou feathers, and carried a green parasol. Victoria wished to give her husband the title "King," but it was not accepted. In 1857, the Queen persuaded Parliament to officially grant her husband the title "Prince Consort." Queen Victoria loved dogs and other animals. She told her daughter, Vicky; "I feel so much for animals, poor confiding, faithful kind things, and do all I can to prevent cruelty to them which is one of the worst signs of wickedness in human nature!" Victoria, Princess Royal married Prince Friederich Wilhelm of Prussia (18 October 1831 - 15 June 1888) on 25 January 1858, in the Royal Chapel of St. James Palace. He was the son of Augusta of Saxe-Weimar, German Empress Consort and Queen Consort of Prussia (30 September 1811 - 7 January 1890) and Wilhelm I, German Emperor and King of Prussia (22 March 1797 - 9 March 1888). In May 1860, the Queen said to her daughter, Vicky; "I am sick of all this horrid business - of politics and Europe in general, and think you will hear some day of my going with the children to live in Australia, and to think of Europe as of the moon." In March 1861, she said after visiting her mother; "I knelt before her, kissed her dear hand and placed it next to my cheek. But though she opened her eyes she did not, I think, know me." Victoria, Duchess of Kent died on 16 March 1861, at Frogmore. In November 1861, her husband, Albert contracted typhoid fever. He told Victoria; "We don't know in what state we shall meet again, but that we shall recognize each other and be together in eternity I am perfectly certain." Prince Albert died on the night of 14 December 1861, at Windsor Castle. He was buried on 23 December 1861, at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Victoria was devastated; "The poor fatherless baby of eight months is now the utterly broken-hearted and crushed widow of forty-two! My life as a happy one is ended! the world is gone for me! If I must live on (and I will do nothing to make me worse than I am), it is henceforth for our poor fatherless children - for my unhappy country, which has lost all in losing him - and in only doing what I know and feel he would wish." And; "None of you can ever be proud enough of being the child of such a Father who has not his equal in this world - so great, so good, so faultless. Try, all of you, to follow in his footsteps and don't be discouraged, for to be really in everything like him none of you, I am sure, will ever be. Try, therefore, to be like him in some points, and you will have acquired a great deal." She wrote to her eldest daughter, "How I, who leant on him for all and everything - without whom I did nothing, moved not a finger, arranged not a print or photograph, didn't put on a gown or bonnet if he didn't approve it shall go on, to live, to move, to help myself in difficult moments?" Lost in mourning black, she stated; "His purity was too great, his aspiration too high for this poor, miserable world! His great soul is now only enjoying that for which it was worthy!" In December 1861, Victoria said of her husband; "Never can I forget how beautiful my darling looked lying there with his face lit up by the rising sun, his eyes unusually bright gazing as it were on unseen objects and not taking notice of me. I stood up, kissed his dear heavenly forehead and called out in a bitter agonizing cry: 'Oh! my dear darling!', and then dropped on my knees in mute, distracted despair unable to utter a word or shed a tear." Victoria was named, "Widow of Windsor." Her daughter, Princess Alice married Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (12 September 1837 - 13 March 1892) on 1 July 1862, at Osborne House. Her son, the Prince of Wales married Princess Alexandra of Denmark (1 December 1844 - 20 November 1925) on 10 March 1863, at St.George's Chapel, Windsor. She was the daughter of Louise of Hesse-Cassel, Queen Consort of Denmark (7 September 1817 - 29 September 1898) and Christian IX, King of Denmark (8 April 1818 - 29 January 1906). In the summer of 1863, Queen Victoria visited Germany, among her attendants was John Brown. In 1864, John Brown came to England to lead the Queen's pony when she went riding. In 1865, Queen Victoria wrote in her diary, "Have decided that Brown should remain permanently and make himself useful in other ways besides leading my pony as he is so very dependable." Her daughter, Princess Helena married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (22 January 1831 - 28 October 1917) on 5 July 1866, in the Private Chapel, at Windsor Castle. In 1867, Victoria wrote to her oldest daughter, "I have now been 30 years in harness, and therefore ought to know what should be, but I am terribly shy and nervous and always was so". Queen Victoria wrote in March 1870, " I am most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of 'Women's Rights', with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feelings and propriety. Feminists ought to get a good whipping. Were woman to 'unsex' themselves by claiming equality with men, they would become the most hateful, heathen and disgusting of beings and would surely perish without male protection." Her daughter, Princess Louise married John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, Marquis of Lorne on 21 March 1871, at St. George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle. Her son, Alfred married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (17 October 1853 - 24 October 1920), on 23 January 1874, at the Winter Palace, in St. Petersburg. She was the daughter of Maria Alexandrovna (8 August 1824 - 8 June 1880) and Tsar Alexander II of Russia (29 April 1818 - 1 March 1881). Queen Victoria was created Empress of India on 1 May 1876. When Russia declared war against Turkey in 1877, Queen Victoria wrote, "Oh, if the Queen were a man, she would like to go and give those horrid Russians such a beating." Her son, Prince Arthur married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia on 13 March 1879, at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. She was the daughter of Maria Anna, Princess of Anhalt-Dessau (14 September 1837 - 12 May 1906) and Prince Friedrich Carl Nicolaus of Prussia (20 March 1828 - 15 June 1885). Her son, Prince Leopold married Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont (17 February 1861 - 1 September 1922) on 27 April 1882 in St.George's Chapel, Windor Castle. She was the daughter of Helene Wilhelmine Henriette Pauline Marianne of Nassau (12 April 1831 - 27 October 1888) and George Victor of Waldeck-Pyrmont (14 January 1831 - 12 May 1893). John Brown died in 1883. Victoria wrote, "The shock - the blow, the blank, the constant missing at every turn of the one strong, powerful reliable arm and head almost stunned me and I am truly overwhelmed." Victoria erected a statue of Brown at Balmoral. Her daughter-in-law, Helena was pregnant with their second child when Leopold died 28 March 1884, in Cannes, France. He was interred on 5 April 1884, at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Her daughter, Beatrice married Prince Henry of Battenberg (5 October 1858 - 20 January 1896) on 23 July 1885, at St. Mildred's Church at Whippingham. He was the son of Julie Therese, Countess von Hauke (24 November 1825 - 19 September 1895) and Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine (15 July 1823 - 15 December 1888). Queen Victoria said about marriage; "When I think of a merry, happy, free young girl - and look at the ailing, aching state a young wife generally is doomed to - which you can't deny is the penalty of marriage." She continued; "I think people really marry far too much; it is such a lottery after all, and for a poor woman a very doubtful happiness." And; "I feel sure that no girl would go to the altar if she knew all." In 1887, her Golden Jubilee was celebrated. Queen Victoria adviced, "Do not to let your feelings (very natural and usual ones) of momentary irritation and discomfort be seen by others; don't (as you so often did and do) let every little feeling be read in your face and seen in your manner..." Queen Victoria surpassed King George III on 22 September 1896, as the longest-reigning monarch in English, Scottish, and British history.

"The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them."

According to Queen Victoria; "For a man to strike any women is most brutal, and I, as well as everyone else, think this far worse than any attempt to shoot, which, wicked as it is, is at least more comprehensible and more courageous." She wrote, "Lady Blandford came by, I having allowed poor divorced ladies, who have had to divorce their husbands owing to cruelty, or misbehaviour, but are in no way to blame themselves, to appear at Court". In 1897, Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. In 1900, she visited Ireland. She spent the Christmas of 1900, at Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight. Queen Victoria died from a cerebral hemorrhage, aged 81, at half past six in the afternoon on Tuesday, 22 January 1901, at Osbourne, Isle of Wight. She was succeeded by her son, as Edward VII. When her daughter, Victoria heard of her mother's death, she wrote to her daughter, Crown Princess Sophie of Greece, "Words cannot describe my agony of mind at this overwhelming sorrow. Oh, my beloved Mama! Is she really gone? Gone from us all to whom she was such a comfort and support. To have lost her seems so impossible - and I so far could not see her dear face or kiss her dear hand once more.... What a Queen she was, and what a woman! What will life be to me without her... In the bitterness of my grief I must admit that it was a mercy she did not suffer pain, and that she had no long illness, a peaceful end." Her funeral was held on Saturday, 2 February 1901. After two days of lying-in-state, she was interred beside Prince Albert in Frogmore Mausoleum, at Windsor Great Park. Her daughter, Princess Beatrice wrote to the Principal of the University of Glasgow, in March 1901, "...you may imagine what the grief is. I, who had hardly ever been separated from my dear mother, can hardly realise what life will be like without her, who was the centre of everything". Her granddaughter, Alexandra, Empress Consort of Russia wrote, "I cannot really believe she has gone. England without the Queen seems impossible". Her son, King Edward VII was the first British monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 1917, her grandson King George V changed the name to the House of Windsor. Queen Victoria remains the most commemorated British monarch in history, with not only; bridges, cakes, cities, hospitals, parks, and streets named after her, and statues erected throughout of her, but an entire era was named after her.

"I love peace and quiet, I hate politics and turmoil. We women are not made for governing, and if we are good women, we must dislike these masculine occupations. There are times which force one to take interest in them, and I do, of course intensely." Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom

Excerpts and Source: Queen Victoria's Journals by Queen Victoria.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/

18th Cent. Carl von Linné

Carl Linnaeus was born on 23 May 1707, at Stenbrohult, in Småland, Sweden. He was the son of Christina Brodersonia (1688-1733) and Nils Ingemarsson Linnaeus. His maternal grandfather was Samuel Brodersonius. His paternal grandfather was Ingemar Bengtsson. Carl's parents were married in March 1706. His grandfather, Samuel died in December 1707. His father was a Lutheran pastor. In June 1708, his family moved to the rectory at Stenbrohult. In 1714, he was sent to the primary school in Växjö. In 1724, he passed to the gymnasium. In 1727, he studied medicine at the universities of Lund. From 1728 to 1732, he continued his studies at Uppsala University. In 1729, he wrote a treatise on the sexes of plants which caught the attention of the professor of botany in the university, Olof Rudbeck the Younger (1660-1740), who appointed Linnaeus his adjunct. Before he completed his degree, the Academy of Science elected him to go on an exploration of Lapland and record any new plants he found there. On Friday 12 May 1732, he set out alone from Uppsala. In 1733, Linnaeus lectured on mineralogy at Uppsala. His mother, Christina Brodersonia died in 1733. In 1734, Linnaeus lectured on dietetics at Uppsala. In 1734, he made another research trip to Dalarna. Carl Linnaeus met Sara Elisabeth Moraeus (26 April 1716 - 20 April 1806) in Falun. She was the daughter of Elisabeth (1691-1769) and Doctor Johannes Moraeus (1672-1742). Carl Linnaeus and Sara Elisabeth Moraeus became engaged on 23 January 1735. Later in 1735, Linnaeus earned his only academic degree, at the University of Harderwijk. Linnaeus visited De Hartecamp for the first time on 13 August 1735. Hartekamp was the summer home of George Clifford in Heemstede. In 1736, Linnaeus visited the University of Oxford. In 1737, the Linnaea Borealis was named in his honor, by the Dutch botanist Jan Frederik Gronovius (1686-1762). In 1738, Linnaeus published the description of Clifford's garden, as Hortus Cliffortianus. In 1738, Linnaeus returned to Sweden. In September 1738, he was set up in practice as a physician in Stockholm. Carl Linnaeus married Sara Elisabeth Morea on 26 June 1739, at her family farm Sveden outside Falun. In 1739, he became one of the founders of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 1740, Linnaeus published his second edition of Systema naturae. Carl Linnaeus the Younger, was born on 20 January 1741, in Falun. In 1741, he was awarded a professorship at Uppsala University.

The Children of Sara Elisabeth von Linné and Carl von Linné:

Carolus Linnaeus the Younger (20 January 1741 - 1783)

Elisabet Cristina Linnaeus (1743-1782)

Sophia Linnaeus (1757-1830)

Linnaeus liked to say, "Deus creavit, Linnaeus disposuit", Latin for, "God created, Linnaeus organized". In 1741, he ascended to the chair of medicine at Uppsala. The position was soon exchanged for the chair of botany. In 1742, Linnaeus restored Uppsala Botanic Garden. His daughter, Elisabet Cristina was born in 1743. In 1743-1744, Linnaeus designed the thermometer scale by reversing that invented by Anders Celsius. In 1745, he wrote about his father's garden in Småland, "this garden inflamed my mind from infancy onwards with an unquenchable love of plants". Also in 1745, Linnaeus published Flora Suecica, Ölandska och Gothländska resa. In 1747, Linneaus was appointed by the King to Archiater, senior physician. Also in 1747, he became a member of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin. In 1749, Linnaeus was appointed as principal at the University of Uppsala. In 1754, Linnaeus divided the plant Kingdom into 25 classes. In 1757, Adolf Fredrik, King of Sweden, granted Linnaeus nobility. In 1758, Linnaeus was made Knight of the Polar Star. He published the first volume of the tenth edition of Systema naturae, Löfling's Iter Hispanicum. Also in 1758, he bought the manor estate of Hammarby, outside Uppsala. In 1761, he became Carl von Linné. Carl von Linné died aged 70, on 10 January 1778, in Uppsala Cathedral. He was buried on 22 January 1778, at the Uppsala Cathedral. His son, Carl Linnaeus the Younger succeeded him at the University of Uppsala. Carl the Younger died in 1783. Sara Elisabeth von Linné died on 20 April 1806, in Uppsala. 

"A professor can never better distinguish himself in his work than by encouraging a clever pupil, for the true discoverers are among them, as comets amongst the stars." Carl von Linné

18-19th Cent. Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, Landgravine Consort of Hesse-Homburg.

 

Princess Elizabeth was born on 22 May 1770, at Buckingham Palace, in London, England. She was the daughter of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom (19 May 1744 - 17 November 1818) and George III, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover (4 June 1738 - 29 January 1820). Her maternal grandparents were Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Duchess in Saxony (4 August 1713 - 29 June 1761) and Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Prince of Mirow (23 February 1707 - 5 June 1752). Her paternal grandparents were Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales (30 November 1719 - 8 February 1772) and Frederick, Prince of Wales (1 February 1707 - 31 March 1751). Elizabeth's parents were married on 8 September 1761, at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace, London. Her siblings were: George IV (12 August 1762 - 26 June 1830), Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (16 August 1763 - 5 January 1827), William IV (21 August 1765 - 20 June 1837), Charlotte, Princess Royal (29 September 1766 - 6 October 1828), Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (2 November 1767 - 23 January 1820), Princess Augusta Sophia (8 November 1768 - 22 September 1840), Ernest Augustus I of Hanover (5 June 1771 - 18 November 1851), Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (27 January 1773 - 21 April 1843), Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (24 February 1774 - 8 July 1850), Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester (25 April 1776 - 30 April 1857), Princess Sophia (2 November 1777 - 27 May 1848), Prince Octavius (23 February 1779 - 3 May 1783), Prince Alfred (22 September 1780 - 20 August 1782) and Princess Amelia (7 August 1783 - 2 November 1810). In 1782, Princess Elizabeth was painted by Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788). Her mother, Charlotte was a penpal to Marie Antoinette, Queen Consort of France and Navarre (1755-1793). Her brother, George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales married Caroline of Brunswick (1768-1821) on 8 April 1795, at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace, in London. In 1812, Princess Elizabeth purchased The Priory at Old Windsor, in Berkshire. Princess Elizabeth married Prince Frederick of Hesse-Homburg (1769-1829) on 7 April 1818, at Buckingham House. Her mother, Queen Charlotte died 17 November 1818, at Dutch House, in Surrey. She was interred on 2 December 1818, at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Her husband succeeded his father as Frederick VI, Landgraf of Hesse-Homburg, on 20 January 1820. Her father, George III died on 29 January 1820, at Windsor Castle, in Berkshire. He was interred on 15 February 1820, in St. George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. He was succeeded by his son as, George IV. Elizabeth died aged 69, on 10 January 1840, in Frankfurt-am-Main, Hesse, Germany. She was interred at the Mausoleum of the Landgraves, in Homburg, Germany.