Princess Marianne described her fiancé as follows: “He is shy, gentle, and easily moved. But at the same time, he has character, and his entire demeanour demonstrates his great tact. His behaviour toward his father is highly commendable. He is neither philandering nor effeminate. He talks pleasantly, but, to be honest, he doesn’t engage in brilliant conversations.”1
As time went on and discussions over Gustav’s title continued, he became disillusioned with the engagement. He began to postpone returning to the Netherlands, and when he cancelled a planned return once again in October 1828, the engagement officially came to an end. King William informed the Emperor of Austria, at whose court Gustav resided, that the engagement had been cancelled. Marianne would later comment that she had “escaped” a marriage with Prince Gustav.2 Gustav went on to marry Princess Louise Amélie of Baden in 1830, but this marriage ended in divorce 13 years later.
After the engagement ended, several new suitors emerged, including Emperor Pedro I of Brazil and Prince Alexander of Württemberg. Almost immediately, the one with the best chance appeared to be Marianne’s first cousin, Prince Albert of Prussia. He was the youngest son of King Frederick William III of Prussia and the late Queen Louise. They had known each other for a while already, and Marianne would later write that their love began when she was 13 years old. They had grown even closer during the wedding of Marianne’s brother, Frederick, to Albert’s sister, Louise. However, back then, Prince Gustav was still much higher on the list.
To make his case, Prince Albert wrote to his uncle, King William I, with the support of his father. King William and Marianne responded positively to Albert’s message. Marianne wrote to Albert’s brother, Crown Prince Frederick William, “One could not be more satisfied than I am now with the prospects that await me, and I consider myself fortunate to be joining a family that is already mine, one that I hold dear. I flatter myself that I will be well received as a sister, where, as a niece, I have already received so many expressions of friendship on all my trips to Berlin.”3 By November 1829, the two were formally engaged.
They were married on 14 September 1830, despite the trouble in the southern Netherlands. It did mean that not all the family was present, and from Albert’s family, only his sister, Louise, his brother William and his sister-in-law, Augusta, showed up. The wedding took place in Noordeinde Palace and was quite the spectacle. The ceremony ended with a 101-gun salute. Shortly after the wedding, Albert’s father wrote to King William, “This union fulfils all my wishes. I see my son’s happiness assured, and I believe that in the wife of his choice, I will find a daughter who deserves my affection and love in everything.”4
In early October, Marianne and Albert left for Berlin to start their new lives. Marianne was hopeful for a happy marriage and had written before her wedding, “As you know, I have loved Albert for a long time. I am blessed by him; what more is needed, dear Elise, for the marital happiness of two people?”5 The newlyweds moved into Schönhausen Palace while a palace in the centre of Berlin was still under construction.
On 21 June 1831, Marianne gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Charlotte. Marianne’s mother, Wilhelmina, travelled to Berlin to witness the baptism. During her marriage, Marianne would often return to the Netherlands, and she had her own palace in The Hague. Marianne’s second pregnancy ended in the birth of a stillborn son on 4 December 1832. Five years later, on 8 May 1837, a healthy son was born, and he was named Albert. Her mother had once again travelled to Berlin to be with her, but it was her last trip. She died on 12 October 1837 at the age of 62 at Noordeinde Palace. Marianne had been summoned, but she arrived too late. Marianne inherited a large estate from her mother in Lower Silesia, where she would have the Kamieniec Ząbkowicki Palace built.
Marianne remained in the Netherlands for some time after her mother’s funeral. Her marriage to Prince Albert had begun to show cracks. The blame for this is usually placed on Prince Albert, as he was known quite early for visiting brothels and rowdy behaviour. However, Marianne was also believed to have acted rather freely with male visitors. Nevertheless, Marianne proclaimed her innocence to her brothers and said, “I have the energy of a boy, and that is my misfortune.”6 Eventually, Marianne and Albert managed to reconcile, at least long enough for Marianne to become pregnant again. On 27 August 1840, a daughter named Elisabeth was born at the new Kamieniec Ząbkowicki Palace. Tragically, the little girl died on 9 October 1840 of a “cruel disease.”7
On 7 October 1840, Marianne’s father abdicated in favour of her eldest brother, who now became King William II. The former King wanted to marry his late wife’s lady-in-waiting, Henriette d’Oultremont. Marianne was not in favour of the marriage, but she wanted to do everything she could to support her father. And so, the wedding of the former King, now known as the Count of Nassau, and Henriette took place in Marianne’s palace in Berlin. Marianne later wrote to her brother, Frederick, “No one knows better than I do how much regret one feels seeing Dad marry a Catholic, a Belgian, and, moreover, Mom’s former maid of honour. But apart from that, there’s nothing immoral or perverse about the matter.”8
Finally, on 1 February 1842, Marianne gave birth to her final child with Albert, a daughter named Alexandrine. However, by then her marriage was almost completely over.
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.49
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen, p. 52
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.57-58
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.69
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.71
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.92
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.92
- Prinses Marianne by Arnout van Cruyningen p.98
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