Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna in England

The Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna of Russia and her husband, Charles, Crown Prince of Wurttemberg visited England in August 5, 1853. They were warmly received by Queen Victoria at Osborne House a few days after their arrival. The young Queen wrote to his uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians about Olga:

"Olga is still very handsome as to features, figure, but she is a wraith which is a sad thing for one who was so beautiful and is so young. She is terribly thin and pale... Her manners are very dignified and pleasing."

(Photo courtesy of The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Quote courtesy of The Royal Collection)

Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, Queen of Prussia

Princess Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria,
Queen Consort of Prussia
by Joseph Stieler

My post for today is about another beloved Prussian queen, Elisabeth Ludovika, consort of Frederick William IV of Prussia. The Bavarian-born princess was one of the daughters of Maximilian I, King of Bavaria and his second wife, Caroline of Baden. Elisabeth, called "Elise" by her family, has an identical sister named Amalie who would become Queen of Saxony. By all accounts, Elisabeth's childhood was happy and carefree. She and her sisters were allowed to roam freely around the Nymphenburg Palace. Court atmosphere was tolerant and liberal, owing to their father's preference for a simple and bourgeois way of life. The Bavarian princesses were also taught in literature, history and geography by the philologist and theologian Friedrich Thierch. The Bavarian royal family spent their summers in Tegernsee, where the countryside greatly appealed to Elisabeth. Her visits to Tegernsee intensified her love for her homeland and she would always remain a Bavarian in heart and soul.

The Queen and the Empress

Queen Louise of Prussia and Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna of Russia

In 1809, Tsar Alexander I and the Empress Elizabeth welcomed King Frederick William III of Prussia and Queen Louise in St. Petersburg. The lovely and vivacious Prussian queen managed to charm the whole court, even the Empress Elizabeth herself. The sight of these two beautiful women together caused quite a sensation at the Russian court. Apparently, Louise and Elizabeth instantly "clicked" and they were to become very good friends. Observers were quick to notice the physical resemblance between the two and Joseph de Maistre, Sardinian ambassador to Russia wrote in his memoirs:

"[Queen Louise] has often been compared to the reigning Empress [Elizabeth]. The Queen may be a beautiful woman, but the Empress is a more beautiful sovereign."

After the Prussian couple's departure, Queen Louise and Empress Elizabeth continued writing to each other. Louise wrote to Elizabeth about her and her husband's return to Berlin:

"Our entry was a very touching experience. The people received us with the utmost joy. We could feel that they welcomed us with all their hearts. The King has never been more popular. We see only friendly faces everywhere. God be thanked that we are again in Berlin. Whatever we may still have to endure will be more easily endured here."

Elizabeth was very fond of the Prussian queen. She confided to her mother her thoughts about Louise:

"There is no need for me to measure my words and exercise prudence in speaking of the Queen of Prussia. It is impossible for anyone to be more delightful, more easy to get on with than she is. I cannot think how those reports about her affectation and coquetry originated. I have never seen a trace of any such thing. She was extremely sociable, and one could note the liveliness of her natural disposition. Her relations with the King were quite a pleasure to me. In society she was sure of her position and quite at her ease. Alone with me she was genuinely friendly and confidential. If there is any shade in her portrait I assure you it is barely perceptible."

Isabella of Angouleme, Queen of England

A Victorian artist's engraving of Isabella.

My first post for this month is about an English queen from the Middle Ages: Isabella of Angouleme. Isabella was one of England's least popular queens consort. This was partly attributed to her husband's bad reputation and partly for her own indiscreet and troublesome ways. Her turbulent life perfectly mirrors the struggles between England and France during the 13th century.

She was described to be a stunningly beautiful woman and possessed the Middle Ages' ideal of beauty: blonde hair and blue eyes. She was called "The Fair Maid of Angouleme" and the "Helen of the Middle Ages". Despite her lovely face, Isabella was not a well-liked Queen during and even after her lifetime; she was described to be vain and capricious, and her marriage to the even more unpopular and disliked King John added more fuel to the people's growing hatred and dissatisfaction on his rule.

The First Bavarian Queen: Princess Caroline of Baden

Princess Caroline of Baden, Queen of Bavaria

by Johann Christian von Mannlich, 1817.

Princess Caroline of Baden was born on July 13, 1776 in Karlsruhe. She and her twin sister Amalie were the oldest daughters of Hereditary Grand Duke Charles Louis of Baden and Princess Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt. Caroline had one surviving brother, Charles, and four younger sisters: Louise, Frederica, Marie, and Wilhelmine. All the children of Charles Louis made grand marriages to the different royal houses of Europe and this success was largely attributed to his wife's wise political judgment and strength of character. Amalie was certainly a force to be reckoned with; she made sure that all of her children were highly educated and prepared for their future roles, but at the same time, she was also a caring and devoted mother who fostered a warm and close relationship among her children.

Caroline grew up in a warm and close-knit family. She was very close to her sisters and they would always call and refer to their mother as "my dear beloved Mama". Caroline inherited her mother's love for the arts and talent for painting, but she also developed a strong dislike for anything French. And this was further reinforced by her personal dislike for Napoleon Bonaparte, who was said to be involved with the murder of the Duke of Enghien.

As a teenager, Caroline was considered to be a potential wife for Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon, Duke of Enghien, a relative of the Bourbon monarchs of France. She was said to be very much in love with him, but before any marriage negotiation began, Caroline's family dropped the matter for fear of French opposition.

In 1796, Caroline met Maximilian, Duke of Zweibrucken, in Ansbach, while both their families were on the run from the advancing French army. Maximilian was a 40-year-old widower with four children, and he fell in love with the 21-year-old Caroline. At first, Caroline hesitated, but due to her mother's cajoling and her budding feelings for Maximilian, who was said to be "kind and simple", made her accept him. They married in Karlsruhe on March 9, 1797 and the family settled in Mannheim.

As a young stepmother, Caroline got on quite well with her stepchildren, Augusta (aged 8), Caroline (age 4) and Karl Theodore (age 2). The children lost their mother just over a year ago and Caroline provided all the maternal love and affection they need. Despite her determination to build a strong relationship with them, she had a great difficulty getting along with her eldest stepson, Ludwig, who couldn't completely accept his stepmother. She would have a lifelong strained relationship with him.

Maximilian became Elector of Bavaria in 1799 and he, Caroline and the children moved to Munich in the spring of 1799. That September, Caroline gave birth to a stillborn son and was followed by another son a year later. She would give birth to six daughters: the first set of twins Elisabeth and Amalie, followed by another twins Sophie and Maria Anna, and then daughters Ludovika, and Maximiliana. She and Maximilian's marriage was considered to be happy and harmonious and Caroline was a supportive wife to her husband. She was also a devoted and loving mother to her children and stepchildren; she carefully supervised their education and upbringing and raised them with a deep sense of duty.

Maximilian maintained a close relationship with France and its emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, and because of this support, Bavaria was elevated into a kingdom by the Treaty of Pressburg, thus Caroline and Maximilian became the first King and Queen of Bavaria. Caroline had a strong sense of duty and relished in her role as Queen. She was a clever and able consort and she used her position and influence for the welfare of the people. As a lover of the arts, she helped her husband in transforming Munich into a cultural center.

When her beloved stepdaughter Augusta was eyed by Napoleon as wife for his stepson, Eugene de Beauharnais, Caroline was against the match. She disliked Napoleon, and sensing this, the French emperor went out his way to gain her favor. He and Josephine showered many presents to Caroline and Augusta, but when Caroline realized that Augusta and Eugene were in love, she finally gave her blessing to the couple.

An older Queen Caroline.

Caroline was allowed to remain a Protestant even after she married Maximilian and had her own pastor. Since the Bavarian court was predominantly Catholic, a new wave of religious tolerance was established in Bavaria and this led to an increased influx of Protestant traders and dealers in the country. This, and the many charitable institution established by the Queen made Caroline popular and well-loved by the people.

King Maximilian died in 1825. Before he died, he made his eldest son and successor, Ludwig I, to promise to take care of his stepmother and siblings. As a youth, Ludwig had an uneasy relationship with Caroline and when he became King, he tried to send her away from Munich. She resisted but decided to stay in Tegernsee Castle, a country seat built by Maximilian for her. Caroline died in 1841, 16 years after her husband. Due to her Protestant faith, her funeral was conducted with little dignity as befitted a Queen. The Protestant clergy were not allowed to enter the church, so the funeral service was given outside. Meanwhile, the attending Catholic clergy wore ordinary clothes rather than their religious vestments. When the funeral procession was dissipated, the coffin was placed in the tomb without any ceremony. This undignified treatment of her stepmother by the Catholic clergy greatly angered Ludwig I. His strong pro-Catholic views were changed forever and his attitude towards Protestant softened permanently.


Read about Queen Caroline's daughters here:
The Daughters of King Maximilian I
Princess Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, Queen of Prussia

Read about Queen Caroline's two sisters here:
Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna of Russia
Queen Frederica of Sweden

Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia, Queen of the Netherlands

In the past, I have already written articles about the daughters of Emperor Paul I of Russia: Alexandra, Elena, Maria, and Catherine. So here is a new one about his youngest daughter, the Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna, the future Queen Consort of the Netherlands.

The Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia was born in January 18, 1795 as the youngest daughter of Emperor Paul I of Russia and the Empress Maria Feodorovna. Just like any younger children from other families, she was the “pet” of her parents. As she was too young to spend time with her older brothers and sisters, who were already grown up men and women by the time she was born, Anna’s playmates were her two younger brothers, Nicholas and Michael.

It was said that Emperor Paul’s three youngest children, Anna, Nicholas and Michael were his favourite children. This was not far from the truth. Anna was barely one year old when her grandmother, the Empress Catherine the Great, died. As a result, the three youngest children were brought up by their parents themselves. When Paul was assassinated in 1801, Anna was only six years old, but her recollections about her father were full of tenderness. She wrote in later years how Paul loved to have his three youngest children about him and how he told them that he was estranged to his elder children because they were taken away from him soon they were born.

Anna, Nicholas and Michael were very close to one another. They called themselves the "Triopathy" and wore rings as symbols of their bond to one another. They shared each others' secrets and burdens, and even when they were already adults and had families of their own, their correspondence never ceased.

As for Anna (nicknamed "Annette"), her adolescence years were already clouded by different marital prospects. Each suitor tried to win her hand because of the political significance that such an illustrious marriage with a Russian grand duchess entailed. She became the talk of Europe when in 1810, the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte proposed a marriage between him and Anna.

Anna's vivacious older sister,
Catherine.

Napoleon had divorced his wife Josephine due to her inability to provide him an heir. As he was now on a search for a suitable wife - and a wife that could give prestige to his new empire – his first thought was the Grand Duchess Catherine, Anna’s elder sister. But Emperor Alexander could not possibly consent to a marriage between his favourite sister and his enemy. Likewise, Catherine loathed the French emperor. Conveniently, she was quickly married to Prince George of Oldenburg while the negotiation with the French was ongoing. However, Napoleon was not the type of person who easily gives up. His next choice fell on the 14-year-old Anna who was described as tall for her age, pleasant in appearance, and behaves like an adult princess.

After Alexander found out about Napoleon’s intent to marry Anna, he broke the news to his mother, who was appalled with the idea. She stated that advantages and disadvantages of such marriage for young Anna. On one hand, the interest of the State and the other, the happiness of her daughter. The imperial family gathered together to discuss the matter and in the end, Napoleon's proposal was politely refused - on the grounds that Anna was too young to get married. Later on, the French emperor married the Austrian archduchess, Marie Louise.

After France's defeat in 1813 in the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon's subsequent exile in Elba, Russia emerged as the leading European power. With the peace in Europe finally restored, different royal courts of Europe were vying for the hand of Anna in marriage. For the second time around, France was offering its candidate: Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry. This candidate, unlike Napoleon, came from the illustrious Bourbon Dynasty of France. Charles Ferdinand was a nephew of King Louis VIII of France, but Alexander was not in favour of this match. He felt that the newly-restored throne of King Louis VIII was not firmly established. His opinion was shared by the Dowager Empress. Eventually, Emperor Alexander and the Dowager Empress were right in their observation with France and its king – just a few years later, Charles Ferdinand was assassinated and King Louis VIII was overthrown.

For some time, Alexander had been seriously considering marriage between Anna and his good friend, William, the Prince of Orange. Prince William had been previously and briefly engaged to the Prince Regent’s daughter Princess Charlotte. Their engagement was broken off, however, by Charlotte herself, in 1814 because she did not want to leave England and live in the Netherlands. During the Napoleonic Wars, Prince William distinguished himself to be an able commander and he became one of the war-heroes of the Battle of Waterloo. He was educated at the University of Oxford, and his courage and kind nature made him popular with the British people.

The future King William II of
the Netherlands, portrayed
here as a young man in 1815.

On December 1815, Prince William came to St. Petersburg to meet his intended bride. Two months later, on February 21, 1816, they were married in Orthodox rites at Pavlovsk. A Protestant wedding was performed at the White Hall of the Winter Palace a few days later. Anna was allowed to retain her Orthodox faith, but it was agreed that her children must be raised as Protestants. She and her husband stayed in Russia for six months and afterwards they travelled to the Netherlands. They lived in Palace Kneuterdijk in The Hague, but Prince William did not have a very good relationship with his father, which impelled the young couple to establish their court in Brussels, which was then under the Dutch crown. Anna loved living in Brussels than in The Hague because Brussels’ bustling and sophisticated court life reminded her more of the Russian court. When the Belgian Revolution broke out in 1830 which established Belgium’s independence from the Netherlands, William and Anna left Brussels for good and spent the rest of their lives in the Netherlands.

Anna and William had five children: William, the future King (1817-1890), Alexander (1818-1848), Henry (1820-1879), Ernst Casimir (1822), and Sophie (1824-1897).

As Princess of the Netherlands and later Queen, Anna immersed herself in the study of the Dutch language, history and culture. She became fluent in Dutch more than her French-speaking husband and occupied herself in establishing various charities. However, she never forgot that she was a Grand Duchess of Russia and thought herself of high rank. Her love of pomp, strong adherence for etiquette and old traditions, and unsociable behaviour did not make her very popular with the people. As a result, she was filled with feelings of sadness, longing and resentment.

Anna had a complicated relationship with her husband. William liked to associate with people who had questionable virtues and he gambled his way to debt. He kept mistresses which greatly infuriated Anna. When several pieces of her jewellery were stolen, she suspected her husband to be involved. Nevertheless, she loved William, and her letters to her family in Russia were filled with love and loyalty for him.

She also had a turbulent relationship with her eldest son, William and his wife, Sophie. Anna intensely disliked her daughter-in-law even though she was her niece, being the daughter of her sister Catherine. Anna did not have a particularly warm relationship with her sister and it was widely speculated that this was due to Anna being jealous of Catherine's intellect and magnetism.

Anna Pavlovna wearing the
Russian court dress.

In 1828, Anna received the news that the Dowager Empress Maria had died. She wrote to her brother, the now Emperor Nicholas I, that the death of their mother was like "a chasm that opens up" before them all and that with her death she "felt quite alone in the whole universe". In 1849, she also had to deal with the sudden and unexpected death of her husband. After King William’s death, his valuable and enormous collections of paintings were sold by Anna to her brother Nicholas to pay for the late king’s debt. She retired from court life and became a sad and solitary figure until her death on March 1, 1865 at the age of 70.

Note: A detailed version of this article appears in the latest issue of Royal Russia Annual.

Read about her sisters:
Alexandra | Elena | Maria | Catherine

"The Four Lovely and Noble Sisters on the Throne"

"Aphrodite, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia once looked down into the clear-obscure of earth, and, weary of the ever-bright but cold Olympus, yearned to enter in beneath the clouds of our world. ... Then they determined to take the earthly veil, and to clothe themselves in our mortal form. They came down from Olympus...and our nightingales fluttered to meet them out of the bosom of May. But, as they touched the first flowers of earth...Fate raised her eternal scepter and said: "The immortal becomes mortal upon the earth, and every spirit becomes a human being!" So they became human beings and sisters, and were called Louisa, Charlotte, Theresa, Frederica... And the dream was ended and fulfilled... Therefore, be it consecrated to the four fair and noble sisters..."  

--Jean Paul Fr. Richter.

This was how German Romantic writer Jean Paul dedicated his work, Titan, to the four beautiful daughters of Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The sisters were Louise, Queen of Prussia, Charlotte, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Therese, Princess of Thurn-Taxis, and Frederica, Queen of Hanover. 

Charlotte, Therese, Louise and Frederica were all born and raised in Hanover, where the princesses's father served as governor. Their mother, Princess Friederike, died when the princesses where still very young. Grand Duke Charles remarried, and his second wife was the princesses' maternal aunt, Charlotte. Princess Charlotte was a loving and devoted stepmother, and her stepchildren dearly loved her. Unfortunately, she died a year later, shortly after giving birth to her son. 

With no mother to look after his daughters, Charles decided that his daughters would received proper education and have better upbringing if they live with their grandmother in Darmstadt. And so in 1785, all sisters, except the eldest, Charlotte, went to Darmstadt to be brought up by their grandmother, Princess George. There they were given the kind of education suitable for their position, and this would be of great use to them once they married into the different royal houses of Europe.

Charlotte Georgine, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen

Born in 1769, Charlotte was the eldest of the four sisters. At the 16, he married Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and together they had 12 children! It was not a happy marriage, however. Charlotte was far more intelligent than her husband, and he treated her with indifference. The couple was also plagued by financial problems, and had to live in a reduced civil list. When Charlotte's grandmother came over to Hildburghausen, she noticed the cold relationship between husband and wife. She wrote: "Of all his duties, he only fulfills his marital duties with zeal. Charlotte, who never loved this man, is always pregnant." Despite her country's financial problems, Charlotte gave half of her annual income to charity and educational institutions, and she provided support to poor families and women. Under Frederick and Charlotte, Saxe-Hildburghusen prospered, and its cultural life reached its peak. As a result, poets and artists called Hildburghausen "little Weimar". Charlotte had a beautiful singing voice, and her remarkable talent for singing earned her the nickname "Singlotte". Writer Jean Paul Richter wrote about Charlotte to a friend: "Paint to yourself the heavenly Duchess, with her childlike eyes, her whole face full of love and the charm of youth, her voice like the nightingale's..."

Therese, Princess of Thurn and Taxis

Therese was the second daughter, and she was born 4 years after Charlotte. While she and her sisters Louise and Frederica were living in Darmstadt, they received as their guest the Prince Carl of Thurn and Taxis. His parents were planning to marry him off to a British princess, but upon meeting Therese, he declare that he would not marry no one else but her. They were allowed to get married, on the condition that after marriage, Therese would not convert to Roman Catholic and remain a Lutheran. She was married to Carl at the age of 16 in Neustrelitz, and together they settled down in the Palais Thurn und Taxis in Frankfurt. Therese was very interested in the arts and literature. Possessing political acumen like her sister Louise, she made efforts to reinforce the sovereignty of the Princely House of Thurn and Taxis, and staunchly defended its interest at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Therese's marriage with Prince Carl was greatly strained by her husband's "political incompetence". He was far more interested in hunting than in the affairs of the government. As a result, she embarked in an affair with a Bavarian diplomat, Count Maximilian von Lerchenfeld, and Therese gave birth to two illegitimate children: George and Amalie, Baroness von Krudener. Because of her contributions to her adopted country, historians viewed Therese as "one of the great women of Thurn and Taxis".

Louise, Queen of Prussia

The most famous of the four sisters, Louise was destined to be a queen and a legend. She married the heir to the Prussian throne, Frederick William, and when he became king, and she, a queen, she used her beauty, influence, charm, determination, and political savviness to ensure Prussia's honor. Her love and devotion to her husband, family, country, and people greatly endeared her to the masses, and she was regarded as the personification of German nationalism. Her influence was greatly feared by even Napoleon Bonaparte who called her his "beautiful enemy". She openly encouraged her husband to declare war on France, and favor a Russian alliance. The queen had many admirers, and it was said that the Prussian soldiers were ready to sacrifice their life in war for their beautiful queen. Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun described Louise in her memoirs: "...but here my pen must remain powerless for it cannot convey the impression that my first meeting with the Princess made upon me. her charming and heavenly face shone with an expression of gentle virtue and she possessed the finest and most regular features. The beauty of her figure, her neck, her arms, the dazzling freshness of her complexion, everything about her surpassed the most perfect ideal. She was in deep mourning and wore a crown made with spikes of jet which, far from unbecoming, gave her palid cheeks a certain radiance."

Frederica, Queen of Hanover

Frederica was the youngest of the sisters, and the closest to Louise. As a young girl, she caught the eye of Prince Louis of Prussia, the younger brother of the Crown Prince of Prussia. They had a double wedding; her sister Louise married the Crown Prince. But while Louise's marriage was happy, Frederica's was not. Prince Louis had many mistresses and preferred their company to that of his wife. The neglected wife was hurt and soon tried to find solace elsewhere. Three years later, Prince Louis died, and Frederica was now a young widow with three children. Still very beautiful, she was unofficially engaged to her cousin, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, but she later became pregnant by the Prince Frederick of Solms-Braunfels. To avoid a scandal, the Prince married her, but after their daughter died, he became disappointed and embittered, and soon resumed his usual dissipated lifestyle of alcohol and mistresses. The couple lived  separate lives, and by this time, Frederica had become notorious in Europe for her life and affairs. When the Duke of Cumberland came to Mecklenburg on a visit, he met Frederica and fell in love with her. She and the Prince of Solms-Braunfels were allowed to divorce, but before divorce proceedings could start, the Prince suddenly died. His death was regarded as a "little too convenient", and some suspected Frederica that she had something to do with his death. Nevertheless, Frederica and Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland were married in 1815. They traveled back to England and had a place of their own, Carlton House. Queen Charlotte, Ernest Augustus's mother, didn't like her new daughter-in-law and refused to receive her. When Ernest Augustus became King of Hanover, he and Frederica, now Queen of Hanover, moved to Hanover where they held court at Altes Palace. Despite Ernest Augustus's difficult personality and Frederica's checkered past, fortunately for the couple, they had a happy and harmonious marriage.

Frederica of Baden, Queen of Sweden

Princess Frederica was one of the many daughters of Karl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Princess Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt. She was born in Karlsruhe on March 12, 1781, the fourth daughter of the grand ducal couple.

Frederica grew up in an idyllic and happy family life. She and her sisters enjoyed a close and warm relationship with each other, and they were particularly close to their mother. Throughout their adult lives, their correspondence with their mother was incessant, and they always confide in her about their joy and unhappiness, and even the political situation in their respective countries. Amalie was a strong and formidable woman, and she was always sympathetic to her daughters' plight. She gave them valuable advice and kept reminding them that their duties to their respective countries and husbands must be foremost in their minds.

Portrait of Queen Frederica of Sweden
by Johan Erik Bolinder.

Frederica studied together with her sister Louise, who was only two years older than Frederica. They were taught about history, art, music, dancing, and etiquette. Their first language was German, but they also learned fluent French. When Louise and Frederica were 14 and 12 respectively, an unexpected proposal came from Russia. Empress Catherine II was looking for brides for her grandsons Alexander and Constantine, and after receiving favourable reports about the Princesses of Baden, she agreed to invite them to Russia. Louise and Frederica duly arrived in St. Petersburg in the autumn of 1792, and after meeting them, Catherine was impressed with their appearance and manners. She thought them well-educated and with high morals. The arrival of these two very young but pretty princesses caused so much celebration and sensation in the Russian court. Louise was a blond and shy beauty while Frederica was a brunette and more animated than her older sister. In the end, it was Louise who captured the heart of the heir to the Russian throne, Alexander, and she and Alexander were subsequently engaged and married. Louise became the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alexeievna after her conversion to the Orthodox faith. Catherine was hoping that Constantine would like Frederica, but he did not want anything to do with her. She was sent back to Baden, loaded with expensive gifts and praises from Russia. But her touching farewell to her sister Louise was still etched in their memories even years after.

For the time being, Frederica contented herself with her life in Baden with her mother. But one day, news came to Baden from Sweden that would eventually turn Frederica's fate. She was selected by King Gustav IV Adolf to be his wife.

There was an interesting story about how King Gustav IV Adolf came to know about Frederica. The young king, who always wanted to have a beautiful wife, was first betrothed to Princess Louise-Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin when he was 16 years old. He haven't had met Louise-Charlotte, but he was initially positive about the engagement. However, when he started receiving reports that she was not beautiful, he broke off the engagement. Almost immediately, the King and the Swedish court looked for another candidate. This time the girl was from Russia. She was the Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna, the granddaughter of Empress Catherine. Catherine was very keen on marrying off her eldest granddaughter to the Swedish king. Gustav went to Russia to meet and 'inspect' the princess, but before meeting her in person, he saw a portrait of Alexandra in the studio of the painter Mme. Vigee Le Brun. He was so captivated by her beauty that he fixed his gaze at the portrait for such a long time that his hat, which he held with his hand, fell on the floor. After meeting and spending time with Alexandra, he asked for her hand, and announced that he was in love. Unfortunately, there was no wedding to be concluded. Gustav found out from the engagement contract that Alexandra would not change her religion even after she became Queen. Gustav was incensed and remained adamant that he would not give his people an Orthodox queen. He broke the engagement, and he refused to see Alexandra from then on. Later on, before Gustav left Russia, he had a conversation with Alexandra's sister-in-law, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, the former Princess Louise of Baden and Frederica's sister. The king thought Elizabeth remarkably beautiful, and he felt 'a little in love' with her. But Elizabeth laughed off the king's little attention for her, and sympathetic as ever, tried to comfort him by showing him a portrait her sister Frederica. Upon seeing Frederica's beautiful face, Gustav's expression brighten and thenceforth became resolved in marrying her.

King Gustav IV Adolf 
and Queen Frederica.

Gustav's interest on Frederica was a surprise for Princess Amalie. She wrote to her daughter, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, about the Swedish king's proposal to Frederica: "Judge of my surprise: M. de Taube, who is here, has just asked, on behalf of the King of Sweden, for the hand of one of your younger sisters in marriage. I am so astounded that I do not know what to reply."

Gustav came to Germany to personally see Frederica, and they met in Erhfurt. They were married in Stockholm on October 1797, and later settled in Haga Palace, which Frederica really liked. She was quite popular with the people, and she had no difficulty in getting along with her in-laws, especially her mother-in-law, who treated Frederica with great kindness. But she had a difficult time adjusting to the rigid etiquette of the Swedish court, and felt lonely and homesick in the first few years of her marriage. Gustav was very much in love with his wife, and he often exhaust her with his sexual needs. But his behaviour towards her was very formal, especially in the presence of other people.

Frederica gave birth to the couple's first child, Gustav, in 1799, and he was followed by 4 more children: Sophie, Carl Gustav, Amalia, and Cecilia. Like her sister, now the Empress Elizabeth, Frederica kept a detailed correspondence about her life in Sweden to her mother in Baden.

Gustav and Frederica's marriage started off quite well; Frederica genuinely loved her husband despite his difficult character, but differences in their lifestyle and point of view, and not to mention, the tense political situation in Sweden during those times, greatly strained the couple's marriage. Her letters to her sister Elizabeth paints a woman who had to undergo many difficulties in her life in Sweden. But Frederica possessed a very determined character which would be of great use to her in facing her misfortunes in life. Countess Golovina wrote about her: "She was full of wit and ingenuity... Alas! Her destiny, though brilliant, exposed her to great trials, and the crown placed on her head was woven with many thorns."

These words by Countess Golovina perfectly portrayed Frederica's fate as Queen of Sweden. She was a well-liked queen, but Gustav was an unpopular king, and his inept leadership and the failure of his policies caused him and Frederica the throne. In 1809, the King and Queen were deposed by a coup d'etat of army officers. Gustav was arrested and incarcerated in the Castle of Gripsholm, while Frederica and her children were allowed to remain in Haga Palace. In order to ensure his son's succession as the next king, Gustav abdicated, but the Swedish government announced that he and all his descendants were deprived of the right to succeed the Swedish throne. It was a devastating news for Gustav and Frederica. Gustav's uncle was proclaimed as the new king under the name of Charles XIII, thus giving way to another Swedish dynasty, the Bernadottes.

Queen Frederica in exile. Painted by
Karl Stieler in 1810.

During Frederica and her children's house arrest, her dignity and fortitude earned her the people's respect, sympathy and admiration. The new queen, Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte, treated her with kindness and respect, and sympathize with her. She wanted to help Frederica to preserve her son's right to be king, but Frederica refused. All she ever wanted, she said, was to keep her son and be reunited with her husband. She also firmly explained that "her duty as a wife and mother told her to share the exile with her husband and children". Upon Frederica's request, and with Hedvig's intervention, Gustav was reunited with his family.

Gustav, Frederica, and all their children were allowed to leave the country and lived in exile in Germany. They first settled in Baden with Frederica's mother, but Gustav, restless as ever, did not want to remain there. The couple's relationship greatly deteriorated after their exile, and they eventually divorced in 1812. Gustav settled in St. Gallen in Switzerland until his death in 1837, while Frederica and her children settled in Lausanne. Despite her frail health, she travelled extensively under the name Countess of Itterburg. She died in 1826 of heart failure, and was buried in Schloss und Stiftskirche in the small town of Pforzheim, Germany.

Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony

Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony

Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Princess Carola of Vasa, last Queen of Saxony. She was born in Vienna in 1833, the only daughter of Gustav, Prince of Vasa and Princess Louise Amalie of Baden. Carola's father was Crown Prince of Sweden until 1809, when, following a military coup, the Swedish Parliament denied him the chance to become king. The prince and the royal family were forced into exile and settled in Austria. He also lost his title as Crown Prince of Sweden, but he was given the title Count of Itterburg and Prince of Vasa by the Emperor of Austria because of his military merit. As an exiled royal, Gustav settled in Vienna and served as an officer at the Austro-Hungarian Army.

While staying with his relatives in Karlsruhe, the Prince Gustav met his cousin Princess Louise Amalie of Baden, and they got married in 1828. The young couple were given apartments at the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna and these became their home. Their first child, a son named Louis, was born a year after their marriage but he died soon after he was born. Their second child, Carola, was born and baptized in Schonbrunn Palace a year later.

The marriage of Carola's parents was not happy. When she was ten years old, her parents divorced. Her mother returned to Baden bringing little Carola with her. She spent her early childhood in the home of her grandparents in Karlsruhe, and her grandmother Stephanie de Beauharnais exerted great influence in the spiritual and character development of Carola.

Despite her parents' separation, Carola grew up to be a lively and amiable girl, with melancholic eyes. By the time she was an adolescence, she went to live once again in Austria with her father. Under the elegant and intellectual atmosphere of the Viennese court, she received an excellent education, and became fluent in French, German, English and Swedish. By the time she was 13 years old, Carola was a brunette beauty, with luminous large blue eyes, and an elegant, slender figure. She was regarded by many as one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe, and suitors flocked in her home to obtain her hand. There were proposals to marry her to Emperor Napoleon III of the French, but her father was totally against the match because of the tense political situation in France during that time.

In 1852, Crown Prince Albert of Saxony visited Vienna. The Prince was a good-looking and clever young man, and he was able to meet and make Carola's acquaintance. The couple soon fell in love, and Prince Albert asked Carola's hand for marriage. However, her father was against the marriage because he did not want Carola, a Lutheran, to convert to Catholicism. Nevertheless, Carola went ahead and converted, and she and Prince Albert where married six months later in Dresden, the capital of Saxony.

Carola and Albert settled for a happy and peaceful married life in Dresden. Her affectionate and generous nature won her the affection and support of her husband, her parents-in-law and her future subjects. When she was homesick, her husband and her parents-in-law proved to be a great support for her. As Crown Princess of Saxony, she took a keen interest in her new homeland, and became involved in different charities. During the war of 1866, she visited the Saxon field hospitals in Vienna, where she became known as the Good Samaritan. In 1867 she founded the Albert Commission, which supplied medical equipment and services to the German army hospital during the war between 1870-1871. For her magnanimous work, Carola was awarded the Prussian Order of Louise and the Saxon Order of Sidonia. She accompanied Albert to Compiegne in 1871 at the victory over France, and was a well-liked hostess when she presided over the entertainment for the victorious armies.

When Prince Albert's father died in 1873, Albert and Carola became the King and Queen of Saxony, and they took up residence at the Dresden Castle. With her new position, she continued her charity and other social issues that she had started when she was still Crown Princess. She also made significant contributions for the improvement of health care in Saxony. She helped established a school for nurses in Leipzig, the Carol-Haus Hospital, a women employment agency, and women's school in Schwarzenberg, a home for the handicapped. She was a popular queen in Saxony.

In 1884, the new Bernadotte dynasty of Sweden and the Vasa dynasty made an official reconciliation. The remains of Carola's grandfather and father were transferred to Sweden and interred at the royal crypt. King Oscar II of Sweden came to visit Dresden, and became in good terms with Carola. King Albert died in 1902, and Carola five years later, in 1907. They were buried at Katholische Hofkirche. Carola's funeral is said to have been the finest and most elaborate that Dresden has ever seen.

King Albert and Queen Carola were childless, and after the King's death, he was succeeded by his brother George.

Dolce Paola

Queen Paola of Belgium, consort of King Albert II of Belgium was born as Paola Margherita Giuseppina Maria Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria, the youngest child of Prince Fulco Ruffo di Calabria (an aviator during World War I) and Countess Luisa Maria Gazelli di Rossana e di Sebastiano.

The Queen Over the Water

Mary Beatrice of Modena,
Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Mary Beatrice of Modena is the only Italian ever to become Queen of England. During her tenure as queen, she was unpopular with the people because of her being a Catholic in a staunchly Protestant country. The people never forgave her for her religion, and although she was a lesser-known figure in history, she was one of those queens whose character was one of the best. She was known as "the Queen over the water" because of her being exiled in France after the Glorious Revolution.

She was born on 25 September 1658 in Modena, a small duchy lying in fertile plain south of the Alps. Her father, the Duke of Modena, died in the prime of his life when Mary was only two. Her mother Laura ruled as a regent for Mary's two-year-old brother, Francesco. Strictly brought up by their imposing mother, they were given a stern religious and moral education. Mary learned how to speak and write in Italian, French, English, and Latin. She was a constant travelling companion of her mother, and became a frequent visitor in Paris, where she became a favorite of King Louis XIV. However, court life held little charm for the deeply religious and reflective Mary. She was sent to a convent for Carmelite nuns to finish her education, and by the time she was nine, Mary conceived an idea to become a nun. That was her ultimate goal in life, and throughout her lifetime, she would remain a devout and pious Roman Catholic. Her future, however, lay elsewhere.

In England, James, Duke of York, the younger brother of Charles II, had been a widow for two years. His wife, Anne Hyde, had died of breast cancer, leaving him with two adolescent daughters, Mary and Anne. Left to himself, James would have probably remained a widower or married another non-royal English lady, but he was now heir to the throne. His brother, Charles II, had no legitimate child to succeed him, and so Charles persuaded James to stop making a fool of himself and marry a suitable princess.

"The good and pious Queen of England... She
kept nothing to herself, and gave all she
had to the poor..."

Envoys were sent throughout Europe, but there was a specific agreement that James's future bride must be beautiful in order to placate him to an arranged marriage, and also to prevent the temptation of extramarital affairs. He also wanted a Catholic bride because he was a Catholic himself, although a secret one. When the Earl of Petersborough arrived in Modena and saw the Mary Beatrice, he was enchanted. The fourteen-year-old Mary was beautiful, tall and well-shaped, with a dazzling fair complexion in perfect contrast to her jet-black hair and lustrous dark eyes. When she was told of the Earl's mission, she vehemently protested against the marriage. She told him that she had vowed to become a nun. And although Mary was exceptionally well-educated, she had a very sheltered life that she did not know where England was and had never heard of the Duke of York. When she learnt that he was 40 years old, she screamed and wept for two days, and entreated that her youngest aunt might marry him instead. The marriage negotiations were conducted with much difficulty, with Mary being adamant, until the Pope finally intervened and sent a letter written in Latin to Mary, 'commanding' her to marry the Duke of York. She finally acquiesced, and the marriage agreement was signed. She was married by proxy - a Catholic ceremony - in Modena, and then set off  for England, accompanied by her mother. James met them at Dover and there Mary and James had a second wedding, but this time a Protestant one. He was delighted with his very young and beautiful wife. But Mary had a different opinion. She was shocked by his ugly features, and for weeks, she cried every time she saw him. But James was very kind towards her, and with time, she gradually soften and finally accepted her husband.

The first five years of Mary's married life were the happiest she had ever known. As the new Duchess of York, she tried her innocent best to adjust to King Charles II's licentious court, and in response, the King showed great kindness to her. She also gained the friendship of Queen Catherine, but tried to be civil to the King's numerous mistresses. She was a kind and loving stepmother to Mary and Anne. Only a few years older than them, she was introduced to them by James with the words: “I have brought you a new play-fellow.” The elder one, Mary, responded well and would maintain a close and warm relationship with her stepmother, but Anne disliked her stepmother. Mary also became deeply attached to her husband, and was a loyal and supportive wife to him. His infidelities greatly offended her, however, and Charles II once said that "She is much better than my brother deserves."

"Her mien was the noblest, the most majestic
and imposing in the world, but it was also
sweet and modest."

James's marriage to a Catholic princess caused great alarm to the English people. From the moment she arrived to Britain, she was viewed with suspicion. Mary was branded as "the Pope's daughter", and it was feared that she would help restore Catholicism in the country. After five years of blissful marriage, religious controversies were now overshadowing her life. Protestant statesmen wanted to remove James from the succession and the Popish Plot of 1648 heighten anti-Catholic feelings. Amidst this controversies, Charles II sent James and Mary to live in Edinburgh. However, they were called back to London when the news arrived that Charles II had died. James ascended to the throne as King James II and Mary of Modena became Queen. They were crowned in Westminster Abbey in April 1685.

As a Catholic Queen, Mary did her best to reassure her husband's mostly-Protestant subject that she bore no ill will towards their religion or culture. It deeply hurt her that she could not win the hearts of her people, but this was nothing compared to another controversy that she would be subjected to. Mary had already given birth to five children, all had died in their infancy, when she became pregnant once again. This time, she delivered a healthy baby boy James, who would be known to posterity as "The Old Pretender". Now there was a rumor regarding baby James's birth. It was said that he was not actually the son of the King and Queen but that he was a changeling, smuggled into the Queen's bed with a warming-pan. People readily believed the rumors, but when witnesses denied them, James was accepted as the heir apparent.

James's birth imposed another problem to Parliament. Since the prince's parents were staunch Catholics, it surely means that he would be reared in the same faith. James and Mary's relationship with Princesses Mary and Anne soon deteriorated, and members of the Parliament and Church leaders secretly sent an invitation to the Protestant Princess Mary and her husband, William, Prince of Orange (also a Protestant), to accept the crown and lead an invasion to England in order to dethrone James and Mary. This invasion was henceforth known as the "Glorious Revolution".

Without the support of the army, the King would not stand a chance against William, and so he and Mary escaped to France. With the king away from England, he was now considered deposed, and William and Mary were crowned as the new monarchs. James and Mary lost their status and title as King and Queen of Britain.

"She was the model of what a queen should be,
and she bore her misfortunes heroically."
-Demertius C. Boulger

The exiled couple and their infant son went to live in Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye where they were very much provided for by King Louis XIV of France and were to set up a court in exile. The French people loved and continued to honor Mary. She was admired for her intelligence, wit, amiability, gentle manners, and generosity. Her husband, however, was disliked.

The rest of Mary's life was spent in protecting and trying to make her son the rightful King of Great Britain. However, he would always remain as a pretender to the throne and living out his days as an exile. James II died in 1701, but Mary continued to give her money in support to the Jacobite cause. When Louis XIV died, her financial support was brought to a halt, and she lived out the rest of her life in sadness and poverty. She died from cancer in 1718, seventeen years after her husband, and and she was buried in the Convent of Visitation.

It is fascinating to think how religious bigotry could dramatically alter the fate of a country, and turn its people against their rulers. Mary's unyielding Catholic faith practically prevented her son from gaining the throne, and caused her and her husband's downfall. It was a personal tragedy; for someone who conducted herself with much dignity throughout her life and was widely considered a "saint", it was a poignant end.

Current European Queens

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Queen Margrethe of Denmark

Queen Sonja of Norway

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

Queen Paola of Belgium

Queen Silvia of Sweden

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece

Queen Sophia of Spain

The Landing of Princess Alexandra of Denmark at Gravesend

A poem to celebrate the arrival of Princess Alexandra of Denmark in Britain, as the future bride of Edward, Prince of Wales. It was written by Lord Alfred Tennyson in 1863.

A Welcome to Alexandra

Sea-kings' daughter from over the sea,
Alexandra!
Saxon and Norman and Dane are we,
But all of us Danes in our welcome of thee,
Alexandra!
Welcome her, thunders of fort and of fleet!
Welcome her, thundering cheer of the street!
Welcome her, all things youthful and sweet,
Scatter the blossom under her feet!
Break, happy land, into earlier flowers!
Make music, O bird, in the new-budded bowers!
Blazon your mottos of blessing and prayer!
Welcome her, welcome her, all that is ours!
Warble, O bugle, and trumpet, blare!
Flags, flutter out upon turrets and towers!
Flames, on the windy headland flare!
Utter your jubilee, steeple and spire!
Clash, ye bells, in the merry March air!
Flash, ye cities, in rivers of fire!
Rush to the roof, sudden rocket, and higher
Melt into stars for the land's desire!
Roll and rejoice, jubilant voice,
Roll as a ground-swell dash'd on the strand,
Roar as the sea when he welcomes the land,
And welcome her, welcome the land's desire,
The sea-kings' daughter as happy as fair,
Blissful bride of a blissful heir,
Bride of the heir of the kings of the sea--
O joy to the people and joy to the throne,
Come to us, love us, and make us your own:
For Saxon or Dane or Norman we,
Teuton or Celt, or whatever we be,
We are each all Dane in our welcome of thee,
Alexandra!

Gertrude of Meran, Queen of Hungary

Queen Gertrude and King Andrew II
of Hungary.

Gertrude of Andechs-Meran was the mother of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. She was born in Andechs sometime in 1185, the second daughter of Berthold IV, Count of Andechs and Agnes of Wettin. Like her sisters, Gertrude was also a famous beauty. Her father wanted all her daughters to make important political marriages for the benefit of their small country. Thus, Gertrude's younger sister Agnes married the King of France, and Gertrude herself was married off to Andrew II, King of Hungary.

It was a politically significant marriage, and Gertrude relished her role as Queen. She exerted much political influence over her husband, and he trusted her explicitly, as evidence of him making her regent during his absence. She proved to be an effective regent. Dietrich of Apolda wrote that Gertrude, during the King's absence, conducted the affairs of the kingdom "like a man". She was reported to be quite popular with the Hungarian people, but this popularity never extended to the Hungarian nobles. Gertrude distributed lands as "gifts" for her relatives while her husband was away, and this earned her the anger and hatred of the nobles.

So while King Andrew was campaigning in Galicia, the nobles hatched a plot to murder the queen. While on a hunt with her brother Bethold and several guests in the Pilis Mountain, Gertrude was killed, her body said to be torn into pieces. Berthold and the other guests barely escaped with their lives. The brutal act left an indelible impression on Gertrude's eldest son, Bela, who had probably seen her mother's murder firsthand.

Bela wanted to see all the conspirators executed but his father only executed the group's leader. The other members of the group were pardoned and left unpunished, and this fueled Bela's growing antipathy towards his father. When he became King of Hungary in 1235, one of his first act after his accession was to avenge his mother's murder.

Gertrude's tomb is in Pilisszentkereszt Abbey in Hungary.

Asian Venus

The very first time I saw a picture of this lady was more than a year ago and I was immediately captivated by her otherworldly beauty. I made some research at the Internet about her identity and found out that her name was Fawzia, a princess of Egypt and former Queen of Iran.

She was called an "Asian Venus" by renowned photographer, Cecil Beaton. He described her as a woman blessed with a "perfect heart-shaped face and strangely pale but piercing blue eyes".

Princess Fawzia was born on 5 November 1921 in Alexandria, Egypt. She was the eldest daughter of Sultan Fuad I of Egypt and his second wife Nazli Sabri. One of her ancestors was a French army officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte, later converted to Islam and oversaw the overhaul of the Egyptian army.

Shortly after Fawzia's birth, Fuad I dropped the title 'Sultan' in favor of 'King' and enacted a new constitution that would limit the power of parliament. He then embarked on a program that would modernize Egypt and its image abroad. With these new changes, the Queen and her daughters were allowed to appear unveiled in public.

Queen Fawzia of Iran, 1942.
Photographed by Cecil Beaton.

At the age of 17, Fawzia was engaged to the future Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. They were married on 16 March 1939 in Cairo, and soon after the wedding Fawzia moved to Tehran. Two years later, Mohammad Pahlavi succeeded as the new Shah of Iran, and Fawzia became Queen.

As the new Queen of Iran, Fawzia became an instant celebrity. She was photographed everywhere she traveled, wearing the latest Parisian couture. She appeared in different magazines like Vogue and Life, and was hailed as Persia's beautiful and glamorous queen.

However, marriage life for Fawzia and the Shah was far from being a happy and ideal one. Although Fawzia had given birth to a daughter, Princess Shahnaz, she was unhappy and felt miserable in Tehran. Her strained relationship with her husband was further complicated by her sisters-in-law's meddling. They disliked Fawzia and were jealous of her beauty. Unfortunately, Fawzia could not handle them. She spent more and more time in Egypt, and one time when she came back from a long vacation, she asked for a divorce. The divorce was granted, but one of the major conditions of the divorce was that their daughter must be left behind in Iran. Fawzia was not allowed to see her daughter; it was only when Princess Shahnaz was already 18 years old that she saw her mother again.

After her divorce, Fawzia moved back to Cairo where she met and fell in love with an Egyptian colonel. They married on 28 March 1949, and the couple had two children.

Today, Fawzia was the most senior member of the deposed Egyptian royal family. She currently resides in Switzerland.