Louise and her sister, Frederica, were betrothed at the same time to the future King Frederick William III and his younger brother, Prince Louis of Prussia, respectively. Their betrothals took place on 24 April 1793.
Despite the war, Frederica and Louise travelled to Frankfurt in March 1793 when it became clear that the Prussian King, who was stationed there, was looking for two brides for his two sons, Crown Prince Frederick William and Prince Louis. The girls’ father was not enthusiastic about the match, but King Frederick William II of Prussia was delighted with the sisters. He wrote, “When I first saw the two angels, I was so struck by their beauty that I was completely beside myself when the grandmother presented them to me.”1
The King left the choice between the two princesses to his eldest son. The Crown Prince found it challenging to decide and consulted Louis, who showed no interest in either of the girls. He had a mistress in Berlin whom he intended to keep. Frederick William wrote, “I actually liked both princesses very much, without actually being in love with them. Both were quite pretty, had a pleasant tone, and, judging by their appearance, seemed to be nothing short of inferior to one another.”2 In the end, the Crown Prince settled on Louise, leaving Frederica for Louis.
On 19 March 1793, Frederick William asked Louise to be his wife. Louise was delighted and wrote to Therese, “You cannot believe, dear Therese, how pleased I am. The prince is extraordinarily good and straightforward. His speeches are not accompanied by an unnecessary swarm of words, but are astonishingly truthful. In short: I have nothing left to wish for, because I like the prince.”3 A few days later, Louis proposed to Frederica.
Frederica knew nothing of the mistress in Berlin at first and hoped for a happy marriage. She wrote to her father on 20 March 1793, “The prince has an excellent heart, from everything I’ve heard of him, a great deal of reason, and he is handsome. Do you doubt, dear father, if I will be happy?”4 The Crown Prince had noticed his brother’s behaviour towards his bride and wrote, “My brother was and remains very cold towards his bride.”5 He became very protective of Frederica.
Frederica was perhaps most delighted that a marriage with Louis would allow her to remain by her sister’s side. She wrote to her father, “Also think how happy we are about the fulfilment of our wishes, that we, sisters and best friends, can sweeten our lives for each other every day.”6
The two engagements were announced and celebrated at Darmstadt on 24 April 1793, turning the two sisters into instant celebrities wherever they went. When they visited their fiances in the winter quarters, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe saw them and described them as “heavenly apparitions in the chaos of war.”7
- Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.33
- Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.139
- Luise, die Königin and ihre geschwister by Carolin Philipps p.139
- Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.33
- Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.35
- Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.35
- Friederike von Preußen by Carolin Philipps p.36
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