Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884)

[lashinka2002]

1 - prince leopold with wife and daughter Alice
2 - princess Alice
3 - princess beatrice

 

[PssMarie-Elisabeth]

Princess Helena of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Duchess of Albany (1861-1922)

Helena Frederica Augusta was the daughter of George Victor ofWaldeck-Pyrmont and his wife Helene Wilhelmine of Nassau-Weilburg.

She was born in Arolsen, capital of Waldeck principality, in Germany. She was the sister of Queen Emma of the Netherlands (mother of Queen Wilhelmina and great-grandmother of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands).

She later met Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, youngest son of Queen Victoria and upon her suggestion the two became engaged in November of 1881. Helena and Leopold were married on 27 April 1882 in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

The couple had a brief, but happy marriage, ending in Leopold's death from a fall in Cannes, France, in March of 1884. At the time of Leopold's death, Helena was pregnant with their second child. ** Truly sad ** But, Helena would later live to see her many grand-children.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

 

[Roderick]

Thank you for these wonderful photographs. The Duchess of Albany was a strong minded woman and a very good single parent to her two fatherless children.

 

[sinulord]

Thanks so much PssMarie-Elizabeth for the great photos.

 

[PssMarie-Elisabeth]

Thanks so much PssMarie-Elizabeth for the great photos.

You're Welcome !

 

[Warren]

Here's a wedding pic...

Princess Helene, aged 21, 27 April 1882
.

 

[PssMarie-Elisabeth]

Here's a wedding pic...

Princess Helene, aged 21, 27 April 1882
.

Thanks for sharing ! Warren - a few more images of Princess Helene
(the 3rd photo shows the Duchess of Albany and daughter, Alice of Athlone)

 

[Warren]

Thanks for more pics Pss Marie-Elisabeth.
In the last pic of the set above, note the snake or serpent 'bracelet' the Duchess is wearing. These seemed to have been quite popular at the time.

 

[PssMarie-Elisabeth]

You're Welcome, Warren - those bracelets are still very popular among some of us young ladies (even today)

 

[eejm]

I believe the photo above listed as Helena with her children is actually her sister, Marie. She was the Crown Princess of Wurttemburg, first wife of William II. She died a few days after Helena's wedding, giving birth to her third child, a stillborn daughter. Her second child, Ulrich (pictured above) died as an infant. Pauline, Marie's eldest child, is also pictured; she survived to adulthood, married, and had children.

The photo of Helena and her siblings may include sister Pauline instead of Marie. I'm not certain, but I believe this photo was taken after Leopold's death (Helena is in mourning). Marie had died by this point, and Pauline was Helena's only other surviving sister besides Elisabeth and Emma, who are also pictured.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

The second child was a son who became the Duke of Albany at birth and then was selected by Queen Victoria to claim a German principality and eventually became a confidante of Hitler, right?

 

[thedittybopper]

The second child was a son who became the Duke of Albany at birth and then was selected by Queen Victoria to claim a German principality and eventually became a confidante of Hitler, right?

you are right Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and of Albany was a controversial figure in the united kingdom due to his status as Sovereign Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, part of the German Empire, during World War I. He was deprived of his British peerages, his title of Prince and Royal Highness and his British honours in 1919. In 1918, he was forced to abdicate his ducal throne. He also later joined the German Nazi Party, and served in a number of positions in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, including as President of the German Red Cross.
He is the maternal grandfather of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. He was also the younger brother of HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone

 

[cmkrcwi]

I know he lost his British dukedom, but I don't think he lost the style and title of Prince and Royal Highness.

 

[thedittybopper]

Im not sure but according to the following website. In 1918, he renounced his right to the throne for himself and his heirs, and he was removed from the British peerage in 1919. Theres another link below as well, I know its a tabloid source, but it may be of some or little interest.

Biography of Charles Edward Saxe-Coburg, 2nd Duke of Albany - RoyaList Online

The Nazi relative that the Royals disowned | Mail Online

 

[cmkrcwi]

Im not sure but according to the following website. In 1918, he renounced his right to the throne for himself and his heirs, and he was removed from the British peerage in 1919. Theres another link below as well, I know its a tabloid source, but it may be of some or little interest.

Biography of Charles Edward Saxe-Coburg, 2nd Duke of Albany - RoyaList Online

The Nazi relative that the Royals disowned | Mail Online

I'm pretty sure the throne he renounced his (and his heirs) right to was Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, not The United Kingdom. Didn't all the German sovereigns do the same thing?

Well, I checked the Titles Deprivation Act and it does look like he did lose all his British titles plus his HRH. But he did not lose his place in the Order of Succession.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

This is puzzling. If he relinquished his claim to the throne, does that mean Charles Edward still kept his place in the order of succession but if by some strange chance all members with superior claims pre-deceased him, he would have to then renounce it again, or could it have passed to his heirs? Weird

 

[Zonk]

What is really interesting is that Charles Edward was the father of Syblla, who was/is the mother of King Carl Gustaf of Sweden!

What a small small royal world.

 

[cmkrcwi]

He relinguished his claim to the throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, not to the United Kingdom. His descendants who are eligible are still in the Order of Succession. Of course, they're so far back, it doesn't really matter all that much.

 

[thedittybopper]

What is really interesting is that Charles Edward was the father of Syblla, who was/is the mother of King Carl Gustaf of Sweden!

What a small small royal world.

I agree, I also just found out the Duke was a first cousin of King George V of the United Kingdom, Queen Maud of Norway, Grand Duke Ernest Louis of Hesse, Empress Alexandra of Russia, Queen Marie of Romania, Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden, Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, Queen Sophia of Greece, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, and Josias, Hereditary Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (the last two through his mother).

Cmkrcwi thanks for clearing this up it was most helpful.

 

[hennybenny]

Books?

I've never learned much about Helena, i.e. her upbringing, marraige, widowhood, etc. Are there any books about her that someone could recommend?

 

[thedittybopper]

Im not so sure im having a look now, but here are some links that discuss her upbringing etc, hope this helps

Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Princess Helena of Waldeck-Pyrmont and Children- Suite101.com Images

http://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ro...t-1-1922-death-of-helena-of-waldeck-a-pyrmont

The Marriage of Prince Leopold of Albany: The Royal Union with Princess Helena of Waldeck-Pyrmont | Suite101.com

 

[sseitz]

I'm looking for biographical information on Helena, as well, particularly details of the wedding.

 

[NGalitzine]

Have you read the autobiography of her daughter, Princess Alice?

 

[sseitz]

Thank you all for the links and resources. I look forward to many discussions, especially about the Victorians.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In Wikipedia Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha has Leopold before Charles Edward. But the German equivalent places Carl Eduard first and Leopold is placed at the end of his names. Was he referred to as Leopold in his boyhood?

Ish, Thank you for the clarification. I had seen Prince Leopold's son always mentioned as Charles Edward or Carl Eduard in the mentionings of the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. At least he had Leopold (his father's name) as one of his middle names.
​

In A Dark History: The Kings and Queens of Europe, it was stated:

Like his father, Prince Albert, Leopold was intellectually brilliant, with an active, questioning mind that made his frail health a great frustration to him.
​

Leopold told his sister Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse-Darmstadt, that the demise in 1873 of her three-year-old son in an accident was a blessing in disguise.
Alice's son, Frederick William, was a haemophiliac.
Leopold told Alice that the boy's demise after falling out of a window had spared Frederick William a life of suffering and misery.
​

A key to the Cabinet boxes had been made available to Prince Leopold.
​

 

[Beberoyal]

Just read what may be the only bio on Prince Leopold, QV's youngest son. How dreadfully she treated her, mainly in ignoring the abuse by the infamous John Brown's brother, who she assigned to be PL's personal valet...the man was a mean-spirited drunk who would hit PL and abuse him in all ways, told the Queen he did not care for PL's little dog, so QV removed the dog, who was his greatest comfort, and also removed anyone Leopold seemed to love, due to her own sick jealousies. She had already decided he would be "hers" for life and did not want him to get ideas about any other lifestyle. pL fought his heart out, making himself ill, battled to years to attend Oxford, and finally she told him he could go, with a posse of protectors, but he was to learn only and "have no fun". Bless his heart, he had a wonderful time as his team knew well how she treated him. She was do devoted to the Browns that she would call anyone who tried to tell her anything negative about them "prejudiced" or liars or intriguers. She even said he could no longer breakfast with P. Louise, when she saw how much he loved her.

Maybe she was going insane by then, or she was just a mean old women determined to be the center of everything and to care only about her own comfort. All exactly opposite of what P. Albert would have wanted, yet she always claimed (falsely) that she only be guided by him.

All these years later, I am feeling so sad for Leopold...he tried so hard to make a life and when he finally did, he died with three years.

 

[Ish]

In Wikipedia Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha has Leopold before Charles Edward. But the German equivalent places Carl Eduard first and Leopold is placed at the end of his names. Was he referred to as Leopold in his boyhood?

I think this is a typo on the part of Wikipedia. In the info box they list him as Charles Edward George Albert Leopold, and refer to him as Charles Edward throughout the article. Over on The Peerage he's similarly listed and there's no note of him having changed his name.

 

[Duchess of Durham]

Just read what may be the only bio on Prince Leopold, QV's youngest son. How dreadfully she treated her, mainly in ignoring the abuse by the infamous John Brown's brother, who she assigned to be PL's personal valet...the man was a mean-spirited drunk who would hit PL and abuse him in all ways, told the Queen he did not care for PL's little dog, so QV removed the dog, who was his greatest comfort, and also removed anyone Leopold seemed to love, due to her own sick jealousies. She had already decided he would be "hers" for life and did not want him to get ideas about any other lifestyle. pL fought his heart out, making himself ill, battled to years to attend Oxford, and finally she told him he could go, with a posse of protectors, but he was to learn only and "have no fun". Bless his heart, he had a wonderful time as his team knew well how she treated him. She was do devoted to the Browns that she would call anyone who tried to tell her anything negative about them "prejudiced" or liars or intriguers. She even said he could no longer breakfast with P. Louise, when she saw how much he loved her.

Maybe she was going insane by then, or she was just a mean old women determined to be the center of everything and to care only about her own comfort. All exactly opposite of what P. Albert would have wanted, yet she always claimed (falsely) that she only be guided by him.

All these years later, I am feeling so sad for Leopold...he tried so hard to make a life and when he finally did, he died with three years.

I wonder if she had some form of dementia.

 

[Beberoyal]

I wonder if she had some form of dementia.

I don't know...Prince Albert had written to her about her selfishness before he died and she was only forty -two then. Maybe it just got worse and worse.

 

[Roderick]

There is no genuine evidence that Prince Leopold was `intellectually brilliant` to the level that his father was but he did have an active questioning mind and the limitations of both his health and the efforts of his mother Queen Victoria to keep him under her complete control as an invalid were his biggest problems.