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

Read part two here.

As Charles’s wife Marie lay dying in early 1877, Victoria wrote to her mother, “God knows I have no reason to entertain one kindly feeling towards Prince Charles, for he has always done me all the harm he could, but now his grief is so great that I cannot help feeling for him, he cries all day long and sobs like a child and will not be comforted; he is really a pitiable object – as he had grown very old and broken of late – and wonderful to say, he and aunt Charles always got on so very well together and were very happy and harmonious in their way. I cannot say how sorry I am for her, she was always pleasant and amiable to me – and I think really liked me, after her own fashion, as I fancy that did not prevent her from talking very differently of one behind one’s back, still she was always very kind when we met and very kind to the children. And I feel quite upset – and unstrung by the thought of her sufferings and all the sad scenes which are in store for us!”¹

Queen Victoria wrote back, “I can’t tell you how grieved I am at the sad accounts of poor dear Princess Charles. The Empress is too good and kind – in spite of the harm Prince Charles tried always to do her – not to be deeply grieved at her poor sister’s sufferings. But I will say nothing unless she mentions it – of the nature of her illness. Pray, say something kind on my part to both the Princess and the Prince.”² Marie died on 18 January 1877 at the age of 68. Two days later, Queen Victoria wrote to her daughter, “Pray do not forget to say something kind and feeling to poor Prince Charles, I know they were really, in a manner, happy together.”³

Queen Victoria noted the short mourning period for Marie, which she believed was due to the strained relationship between Marie and her sister, Augusta, who was the Empress. She wrote, “I know Prince Charles is the cause of this!”⁴ Despite their hatred of Prince Charles, Queen Victoria was more than willing to allow his granddaughter, Louise Margaret, “whom everyone likes”⁵, to marry into the British royal family. Nevertheless, he apparently remained as pedantic as ever and refused to congratulate Princess Frederica of Hanover on her upcoming wedding because she was marrying beneath her.⁶

Now at an advanced age, Prince Charles grew weaker. Just before Victoria and her husband’s silver wedding celebrations in 1883, he died at the age of 81 on 21 January 1883. Victoria wrote to her mother, “The disappointment and confusion created by poor Prince Charles’s death on the eve of a festive occasion cannot be described. A cold from which he was too weak to recover, put an end to his existence quite peacefully. The Emperor and Empress and little Fritz Leopold were present. When Fritz and I arrived, it was just over. All his Household had been most attentive and devoted to him, and were all in tears yesterday. His gentlemen, doctors and servants behaved exceedingly well. The Emperor is deeply affected. It is his last brother, and they were very intimate, as you know from childhood upwards. Poor Prince Charles looked peaceful enough; and in death one forgets all that else was difficult to get over. He was most patient all through his illness.”⁷

Queen Victoria reported that Louise Margaret was “much upset at her grandfather’s death; she said he was very kind to her and her sisters and mother. Is this so?”⁸ Princess Victoria later wrote about Charles’s will, “He has left all his places – Glienicke etc. to Fritz Carl [his only son] and has left nine millions of marks, four to Fritz Carl, three to his daughters, one to the Order of St John and one in small legacies. His art treasures he offers for sale to the Crown. If the Crown does not take them, to the State and the money to go to Fritz Carl. The grandchildren are not mentioned.”⁹

Just ten days after his death, Queen Victoria wrote, “Was not Prince Charles a very wicked man? Very immoral, and besides, were there not some mysterious disappearances of people set to his account? Fritz did not conceal his horror of him. You did hint years ago that your children would not be safe with him.”¹⁰ A few days later, she added, “Poor old Prince Charles, he seems regretted by no one except the poor.”¹¹

Prince Charles was buried in the crypt in the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Wannsee, next to Marie.

1. Darling Child edited by Roger Fulford p.235-236
2. Darling Child edited by Roger Fulford p.236
3. Darling Child edited by Roger Fulford p.237-238
4. Darling Child edited by Roger Fulford p.239
5. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.23
6. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.70
7. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.132
8. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.133
9. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.132
10. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.134
11. Beloved Mama edited by Roger Fulford p.134