prince charles of prussia
The Royal Women

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of Prince Charles of Prussia (Part two)

Read part one here. There was some disappointment in the choice for Charles, as it had been hoped that Marie would marry a future ruler. It was Marie’s grandfather who had written in 1824, “I learned that Marie’s parents did not believe that Prince Charles’s position in the Prussian state was such that they would [read more]
prince charles of prussia
The Royal Women

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – The life and death of Prince Charles of Prussia (Part one)

On 29 June 1801, Queen Louise gave birth to her third son and fourth surviving child at Charlottenburg Palace. He was named Frederick Charles Alexander but was known as Charles. His elder siblings were the future Frederick William IV, King of Prussia, William I, German Emperor, Charlotte (later Empress of Russia), while his younger siblings [read more]
Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach – “None of that love for intrigue” (Part two)

Read part one here. Victoria had a point about Charles’s wicked expression. During the Revolution of 1848, he had tried to manoeuvre his older brothers out of the succession to establish himself as regent for the then-16-year-old Frederick. Augusta had already disliked her brother-in-law, but this had now turned into full-blown hatred. The relationship between [read more]
Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

The Year of Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz – Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach – “Angel from heaven” (Part one)

Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was born on 3 February 1808 as the daughter of Charles Frederick, future Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. She was their eldest surviving child as her elder brother, Charles, had died in infancy two years earlier. She also had two younger siblings: Augusta (born 1811) [read more]