Alexandrine of Prussia (1842–1906)
Princess Friederike Wilhelmine Luise Elisabeth Alexandrine of Prussia (born February 1, 1842 in Berlin ; † March 26, 1906 at Marly Palace in Potsdam ) was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and by marriage Duchess of Mecklenburg [-Schwerin].
Life
childhood
Alexandrine, called "Addy", was born as the second daughter of Prince Albrecht of Prussia and his wife Marianne von Oranien-Nassau . It was named after the aunt on her father's side, Grand Duchess Alexandrine von Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] . She had two older siblings, Princess Charlotte , who later became Hereditary Princess of Saxony-Meiningen, and Prince Albrecht .
Alexandrine was seven years old when the Prussian and Dutch courts agreed to the divorce of her parents Marianne and Albrecht in 1849. Marianne had left Albrecht in 1845 because he had entered into an out-of-wedlock relationship with Rosalie von Rauch , daughter of the Prussian Minister of War Gustav von Rauch . The two married morganatically in 1853 with the support of their brother-in-law Georg and their sister Charlotte; Rosalie von Rauch was made Countess von Hohenau . The couple moved into the Albrechtsberg Castle in Dresden , which was built for them . The father's second marriage resulted in the two sons Wilhelm and Friedrich , both Counts of Hohenau.
Alexandrine's mother Marianne began an inappropriate love affair with her coachman, travel companion and later cabinet secretary Johannes van Rossum in 1848 , which also lasted for a lifetime. In 1849 Alexandrine got another half-brother, Johann Wilhelm von Reinhartshausen (1849–1861), the illegitimate son of her mother and Johannes van Rossum.
The young girl had a difficult childhood and spent a lot of time with her childless uncle King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia and his wife Queen Elisabeth . They invited Alexandrine to live with them and treated them like their own daughter.
Possible marriage candidates
Alexandrine was early on as a potential wife for Prince Albert Edward, who later became King Edward VII of Great Britain and Ireland . Edward's sister Victoria , the Crown Princess of Prussia, thought Alexandrine was "not beautiful and clever enough". Despite her comments, Victoria had a soft spot for Alexandrine, as she wrote to her mother Queen Victoria ; Alexandrine is an excellent girl and is much admired here. Victoria also tried to marry her to the much older George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge , which also failed.
marriage
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On December 9, 1865, Alexandrine married her cousin, Duke Wilhelm von Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] (1827–1879), who was almost 15 years her senior , son of Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg and her aunt Alexandrine. Although marriage meant financial security for the future, it was certainly not a love marriage for her. In addition, the groom was considered a notorious gambler and spendthrift. In Berlin he was nicknamed "Prince Schnaps". Crown Princess Victoria described the celebrations in a letter to her mother:
“The wedding was celebrated with the greatest splendor, but it was somewhat of a funeral. Nothing festive. The only thing that made a pleasant impression on me was dear Addy (Alexandrine) herself. Although she cried all the time, she had such a dignified and touching appearance that I have never seen. To look at them all with this most perfect attitude. I didn't even see a smile from her. She didn't look a bit like a bride, but I must say very elegant and posh. The groom looked as angry as possible all the time. I looked in vain for a trace of softness of feelings. "
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Marriage and later life
Wilhelm's older brother Friedrich Franz already had many children from two marriages, so it was unlikely that the future descendants of Wilhelm and Alexandrine would have a claim to the throne of Mecklenburg.
The couple lived primarily at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. Alexandrine saw little of her husband's home. The marriage of the two was so unhappy that Alexandrine tried several times to escape. Only under pressure from her powerful aunt could she be pushed back. During the Franco-Prussian War from 1870 to 1871, Wilhelm commanded the 6th Cavalry Division. He was seriously injured by an explosion in a fight near Vionville , but lived until 1879.
After the death of her husband, Alexandrine devoted herself entirely to her daughter Charlotte, who was born in 1868. She took little part in public events and lived very withdrawn until the end of her life. Alexandrine died on March 26th, 1906 in the Kavaliershaus called "Schloss Marly" at the Friedenskirche in Potsdam at the age of 64.
progeny
- Charlotte Duchess of Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] (* November 7, 1868 - December 20, 1944) ⚭ 1886 Prince Heinrich XVIII. Reuss von Köstritz (1847-1911), last general of the cavalry.
They had three sons:
Heinrich XXXVII. (1888-1964)
Heinrich XXXVIII. (1889-1918)
Heinrich XLII. (1892-1949)
literature
- Bernd Kasten : Prince Schnaps. Black sheep in the Princely House of Mecklenburg. Rostock 2009, ISBN 3-356-01334-3 , pp. 12-18, 72-75
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Romances of a Royal House: The Washington Post. April 20, 1906
- ↑ Christopher Hibbert (2007): Edward VII: The Last Victorian King. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 41.
- ^ The Royal Forums. "Alexandrine"
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Prussia, Alexandrine von |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Prussia, Friederike Wilhelmine Luise Elisabeth Alexandrine von (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Member of the House of Hohenzollern and by marriage Duchess of Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 1, 1842 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Berlin |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 26, 1906 |
| Place of death | Potsdam |