Friedrich Wilhelm III, Queen Louise & family

[Marc]

Does anyone have some interesting info about this brave woman Queen Louise of Prussia,born Princess von Mecklenburg-Strelitz?Something about her life?She was considered as future wife of King George IV of Great Britain and Hannover,but his lover dissaproved the match sinse Louise was beautiful and inteligent and voted for Princess Caroline von Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel(the main enemy of her husband   )Any regal portrait of Queen Louise,sinse I read that she was something like heroin of the that time?

[grandduchessella]

She was exceptionally beautiful and Wilhelm I supposedly cherished her memory (one of the few tender spots in his character) even though she died so young. It's probably why he named his daughter after her.

[Marc]

Thanks,GDElla...I read that she saved the Germans from Napoleon in some way...and that she didn't want to leave her country.Also,she was traveling every day from one place to another to see her childeren who were put on a safe place.

[Marc]

Thanks everyone...Great stories!What kind of a disease?   Any more info about her and Marianne's relationship?

[Marc]

So she really was an angel of her time!!!But,do you know what kind of a disease was she hiding with her veil?Skin disease?

[Marc]

Does anybody know how did they meet and why was their marriage considered unequal since she was born Countess von Harrach zu Rohrau und Thannhausen-later due to her marriage created Princess or Fuerstin von Liegnitz!?!Harrach family was an ancient and imediate family at the time and had the right of equal birth with all European Royal Families!

[Marc]

Nobody knows?

[HerrKaiser]

I don't have an insight to your specific question, but I wonder if this is the woman after whom a main boulevard in Chicago is named? It runs from about Halsted all the way west into Oak Park River Forest.

[Marc]

Don't know!Never been to Chicago  

[bluetoria]

Vicky wrote of her that she:
"Lived in the fourth storey ofa hotel in Frankfurt when Frederick William III made her acquaintance and was so poor she had to borrow a gown to be presented in."  :-/

[Marc]

I assume his was before the marriage,since I read in one book that the Prussia family treated her with respect after the death of King Friedrich Wilhelm III?

[bluetoria]

Oh yes, Marc, I'm sure. It was only when he first met her.

[Svetabel]

Some lines about Augusta Liegnitz are in the wonderful book "Secrets of the Gotha" by Diesbach. The read-headed Duchess of Liegnitz was known at court as "the red death". Friedrich Wilhelm married her in 1824, although many people suspected him of having already married someone else.

Quote from Diesbach
p.284

"The Duchess of Liegnitz was not only beautiful but charming and full of wit. The King made his conquest in a highly military fashion which she recounts as follows, in a tone where respect for royal majesty goes hand in hand with a delightful roguishness:
'His Majesty was keen for me to try on the uniform of a colonel in the horse guards. With great difficulty I managed to get into it, but once I was strapped, buttoned and tied up I could not get out of it, although I am very slim. The King, who wanted to carry out this office himself, took an infinitely long time to restore me to my natural state. Alas, this was only the beginning of the adventure. No sooner had the return to my true sex been achieved - and before I had time to attire myself in my own clothes again - when the King suddenly professed me a desire that was so strong and so truly flattering that, ceasing to behave in the way that is customary to him and which sometimes leaves me in a state of expectation, His Majesty decided to show me so many marks of kindness and carried them out with such application that I am still in a state after so many privileges...'
One wonders how a woman endowed with so much wit could tolerate a mn who was totally devoid of it! "

Really an amusing story!

[Marc]

She seemed to be a very interesting person...Does anyone know what kind of relations did she have with her family after the marriage?Also,also,was the Harrach family status(in the Empire) better the before or were they so proud and never had to pay attention on that?

[Robert_Hall]

Arturo is our resident expert on the German families, but I do not have the family in my lists of "mediatised".  [Burke's]. However, they are linked to the thrones of Liechtenstin & Norway [?!]