boys clothing: British and German royalty Hesse Darmstadt -- Princess Victoria Alberta









Princess Victoria Alberta, 1863-1950


Figure 1.--This photo shows the 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven with sailor-suited son at the 1922 wedding of his brother Louis, later Earl Mounbatten of Burma. The family dropped the name 'Battenberg' during World War I, because of its German connections.

Alice's eldest child was her daughter Victoria. She proved rather a tomboy. One writer desibes her as a good companion for Prince Wilhelm during his visits while he was a university student at Bonn. Victoria was quite a bright child. She reportedly did well in the Oxford exams for girls. Victoria's childhood was essentially over when her mother died (1878). Although only about 15 years old at the time, she began looking after the children and comforting her father. The family began staying more in England with Queen Vivtoria than in Darmstadt. [Vickers, p. 6.] Victoria married Prince Louis of Battenberg (1854-1921). Louis, a Hesssian had improbably pursued a career in the Royal Navy. He served in the British Royal Navy and drew up plans for using destroyers against heavier vessels. Victoria Alberta's father did not approve of the marriage, because of the lowly origins of Louis' mother. Queen Victoria, however, did approve. In fact Queen Victoria after the death of her daughter Princess Alice, insisted on overseeing the birt of Victoria Albert's first child, Alice (1885). [Vickers, pp. 1-3.] Their son Louis is better known as Lord Mountbatten who commanded Allied operations in Burma and was the last British Viceroy in India. His sister Alice (1885-1969) married Prince Andrew of Greece. Their son Prince Philip is the husband of the present Queen. Although Alice was the mother of the Duke of Edinburgh she was little heard of in Britain. I believe she later founded an order of nuns. The Marquis of Milford Haven, their eldest son, was offered that British sounding title at the end of World War I in order to obfuscate their German connections. Battenberg was supposed to sound Teutonic whilst the made-up name of Mountbatten sounded English. Incidentally, Mountbatten was also a cousin to the last Tsar and when they need to run DNA tests on the newly exhumed bones of the murdered Romanovs recently, his nephew Prince Philip (the present British Queen's husband) provided a DNA sample for matching.

Parents

Princecess Victoria Alberta's parents were Louis IV Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt and Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Hesse-Darmstadt

We do not yet have a separate page for Louis IV, we do have a page on Hesse Darmstadt. The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was established by George I, son of Philip the Magnanimous in 1567. It became a Grand Duchy in 1806. Although Hesse-Darmstadt also supported Austria in the Austro-Prussian War (1866), unlike Hesse-Kassel, it managed to maintain its independence when the Prussians proved victorious. The capital Darmstadt is south of Frankfurt, a few miles from the Rhinr River. Hesse-Darmstadt entered the German Empire in 1871. The family mairred into the British, Prussian, and Russian royal family and was given the Bulgarian Crown--although the prince receiving it was forced abdicate because he objected to democratic constitutions. Grand Duke Ernst-Ludwig (Ernst-Louis) of Hesse and by Rhine abdicated on November 9, 1918. The best known modern descendent is probably Lord Mountbatten.

Siblings

Louis and Alice has two well known children. Their oldest child was Princess Victoria, primrily because her grandson was Lord Mountbatten and great grandson was Prince Phillip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II. A younger dauhter, Alix, married Tsar Nicholas II. Alix had a great influence on Victoria's life. Another sister married the Grand Duchess Surge of Russia. Several of the children, including Alix had tragic ends. Two children died tragic deaths at an early age. Her oldest brother was Ernie. He never got involved with the NAZIs. The Hesse-Kassel branch of the family, however, came to promote the NAZIs. There was a lot of NAZIs saluting at his funeral, because of the various German royal families that joined with the NAZIs. [Vickers, p. p. 271.]

Childhood

Alice's eldest child was her daughter Victoria. She proved rather a tomboy. The Princess was intelligent and blessed with a formidable mind. She was curious and independently minded. At a time when women wre not expected to be to vocal, she could be argumentative "to the point of peversity. [Ziggler, Montbatten, p. 24.]

Prince Wilhelm

One writer desibes her as a good companion for Prince Wilhelm during his visits while he was a university student at Bonn. Wilhelm would often as a student stay with his his Hessian relatives. His ecentricities were notable even then to the children.

Education

Victoria Albert and her sisters were very strictly raised. They began their lessons sharply at 7:00 am in the morning and studied until 9:00 am when they had breakfast with their parents. Then there were more lessons, outdoors exercise, a snack, and a substantial meal at 2:00 pm with their parentss. Afterwards there was more exercise and schooling. A light tea at 5:00 pm and then to bed by 6:30-7:00 pm. [Vickers, p. 6.] Victoria was quite a bright child. She loved to read from girlhood. She reportedly did well in the Oxford examps for girls.

Mother's Death

Her character was no doubt formed by the untimely death of her mother. Princess Victoria Alberta was only about 15 at the time and as the oldest child had to assunme responsibilities that would have normally come much later. Grand Duchess Alice did not have as strong a constitution as her mother or older sister. In 1878 Princess Victoria contracted diptheria. All the other children got it, except for Ella who was sent to stay with relatives. Victoria's childhood was essentially over when her mother died (1878). Although only about 15 years old at the time, she began looking after the children and comforting her father. The family began staying more in England with Queen Victoria than in Darmstadt. [Vickers, p. 6.]

Prince Louis (1854-1921)

Victoria Alberta had known Louis of Battenburg since childhood. Louis was her first cousin once removed. Strangely despite the fact that he was a German, was known as "our English cousin". Apparently they primarily met in London rather thn Germany. [Vickers, p. 7.] Louis, a Hesssian, had improbably pursued a career in the Royal Navy. Princess allice had helped Louis' mother make the necessary arrangements for the boiy to enroll as a naval cadet in Englnd. Louis served with destinction in the British Royal Navy. He was especially recognized for plans to use destroyers against heavier vessels.

Marriage

Victoria married Prince Louis of Battenberg. Victoria Alberta's father did not approve of the mairrage, because of the lowly origins of Louis' mother. Nor only was Prince Louis not personally wealthy, but her father as a widower had hope his daughter and a better connected husband would care for him. Princess Victotia Alberta would have none of that. She was determined to select her husband herself. Prince Louis appears to have been quite enfactuated with her, telling the future George V that she was a "darling girl" and that he was "off his chump". [Ziggler, Montbatten, p. 23.] Louis had an ally, however, Queen Victoria, and the matter was settled. The two were wed in Darmstadt with Queen Victoria attending.

Family Life

Victoria Alberta and Louis were very different pepole, but the marriage was fortuitous as they proved to be very campatable. Victoria appears to have been a perfect match to Prince Louis who tended toward formality in his associtions. He loved to prade around in his uniforms. Victoria was more down-to-earh and such austentiouness embarassed her a little. Queen Victoria who was a keen judge of character preceived her granddaughter's strong character if a certain lack of tenderness. [Ziggler, Montbatten, p. 24.] Most observers agreed that Victoria had almost no vanity, but that she could at times be very abrupt. She once quipped "I should have been the man in the family." [Vickers, p. 7.]

Children

Louis and Victoria had four children. Their son Louis is better known as Lord Mountbatten who commanded Allied operations in Burma and was the last British Viceroy in India. Her first daughter Alice (1885-1969) married Prince Andrew of Greece. Although neither parent brought great wealth to their marriage, Prince Louis inherited a considerable fortune when his father died in 1888 and Victoria Alberta had legacies from her grandmother. The children were this reared in comfortable circumstances.

Princess Alice (1885-1969)

Princess Alice was born at Winsor Castle. Queen Victoria after the death of her daughter Princess Alice was very concerned over her granddaughter. She insisted on overseeing the birth of the first child, Alice (1885). [Vickers, pp. 1-3.] Queen Victoria herself assisted with a difficult delivery with left her profoundly death. This was not at first understood and as a child she was criticized for not listening. She is said to have taught herself to lip read in four languages, although her proficiency is dispited. She was named Victoria Alice Elizabeth Julia Marie. She married Prince andrew of Greece. After her mairrage she was often referred to as Princess Andrew. Prince Andrew was a younger son of King George I of Greece. The wedding in 1903 was a major event. Attended by royalty from all over Europe. Tsar Nicholas threw a satin slipper at Princess Alice who in turn hit him over the head with it. The Princess was only 18 years old when they mairred and was described by some as the "prettiest princess in Europe". Their son Prince Philip married Britain's future Queen Elzabeth. Although Alice was the mother of the Duke of Edinburgh she was little heard of in Britain. I believe she later founded an order of nuns.

Princess Louise Alexandra (1889- )

Princess Louise was born 4 years after Alice. Queen Victoria had complained to her mother that Alice had no play mates. I'm not sure how important the queen's encouragment was. Her father gave her the nick name "shrimp" as she was so small. Princess Louise mairred the King of Sweden.

George, Marquess of Milford Haven (1892- )

George was offered the British sounding title of Marquess of Milforhaven at the end of World War I in order to obfuscate the German sounding Battenburg.

Louis of Burma, Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1900- )

The youngest child of Prince Louis proved to be the most famous. He was quite a bit younger than his brothers and sisters and thus grew up in relative isolation. He was a very active child. Given his connections with the Russian, British, and Hessian royal families. Queen Victoria was at his chritening and he was on familiar terms ith King Edward VII and King George V and Tsar Nicholas II and their families. From an early age he was interested in the navy and pursued a naval carer. Battenberg was supposed to sound to Teutonic for the anti-German British public following World War I. Thus the family name was changed to the more British sounding Mountbatten. Mountbatten had an illustrious World War II career. He was very close to Prince Charles who found it difficult to speak with his father Prince Philip. He was killed by Irish terrorists in 19??.

Mountbattens

Battenberg was supposed to sound Teutonic whilst the made-up name of Mountbatten sounded English. Incidentally, Mountbatten was also a cousin to the last Tsar and when they need to run DNA tests on the newly exhumed bones of the murdered Romanovs recently, his nephew Prince Philip (the present British Queen's husband) provided a DNA sample for matching.

Sources

Vickers, Hugo. Alice: Princess Andrew of Greece (St. Martin's Press: New York, 2000), 477p.

Ziegler, Philip. Mountbatten (New York: Knopf: 1985).






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Created: February 26, 1999
Last updated: October 18, 2003