Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick

[Jim1026]

Did anyone take note of the "making of" aspect to "The Lost Prince" recent TV movie regarding Princess Viktoria's wedding? It appeared as if it was a huge internationally publicized event and well attended by the royals we are all interested in. Are there any good pictures of the wedding, events surrounding the wedding, etc? Was Viktoria known to have had any special relationships with AF or her grandmother Vicky or her sister in law Cecilie?

It was the last great gathering of European royalty before WWI.  A majority of those present lost their thrones and countries as a by product of the war. I have seen some pictures in various books although Wilhelm II was not a particular friend of the press.

[grandduchessella]

It was the last great gathering of European royalty before WWI.  A majority of those present lost their thrones and countries as a by product of the war. I have seen some pictures in various books although Wilhelm II was not a particular friend of the press.

It was apparently quite the event and was heavily covered. I have 2 graphic magazines commemorating it--it was greatly publicized in England. There'sa great 2 page spead of the dinner and one of the torch dance. She had a remarkably simple and elegant wedding dress. Very romantic, Romeo & Juliet story--right up my alley!   She and Cecile were quite close. There's some info on the relationship under the Cecile thread.

[HerrKaiser]

I love the Romeo & Juliet aspects to VL's romance as well. But, I cannot unearth very much information that would indicate the romance and wedding had any of the European or worldwide attention that we saw when Princess Margaret or Princess Grace or Prince Charles were married. Or am I missing it? Seems to me the huge gathering of royals would have been a storybook event that the media and romantics would have gone overboard about. Plus it appears both Viktoria and her Duke were quite nice looking, making the whole event so much more engrossing. Were VL's cousins the Grand Duchesses of Russia attending?

[grandduchessella]

I love the Romeo & Juliet aspects to VL's romance as well. But, I cannot unearth very much information that would indicate the romance and wedding had any of the European or worldwide attention that we saw when Princess Margaret or Princess Grace or Prince Charles were married. Or am I missing it? Seems to me the huge gathering of royals would have been a storybook event that the media and romantics would have gone overboard about. Plus it appears both Viktoria and her Duke were quite nice looking, making the whole event so much more engrossing. Were VL's cousins the Grand Duchesses of Russia attending?

As I noted, it was covered really well in England (and I imagine in Germany). I have a couple dozen postcards just of the engagement period. I think it seems less covered today because many people (outside of our happy group!) aren't interested in most royalty of that era outside of the 'major' figures. Many today probably couldn't even tell you who VL & EA were.  They did make an extremely attractive couple--VL was the best looking of the Kaiser's children with very delicate features and EA was dashing in his uniform. According to VL's memoirs, they remained devotedly in love their whole marriage and she was distraught at his death.

[Eurohistory]

And ready to fight it out with her son when the new head of the Hannover family tried to make her cut down on her expenses.

Arturo Beéche

[HerrKaiser]

In the book "The Last Empress" about Alexandra, the author states the Wilhelm escorted Alexandra in the wedding procession, so she must have been there.

[Marlene]

In the book "The Last Empress" about Alexandra, the author states the Wilhelm escorted Alexandra in the wedding procession, so she must have been there.

The information is incorrect.  Alexandra did not go to the wedding.  Some years ago, I wrote a long article about this wedding for Atlantis magazine, and used quite a lot of sources including the press coverage for the day.

[HerrKaiser]

Thanks Marlene. Appreciate the correction. I do not recall the author of "The Last Empress" but shame on him or her for the historical error.
Do you have your article on Viktoria Luise's wedding available via email? Or, from what source would it be available? Thanks!

[HerrKaiser]

Also, would Wilhelm and Dona not have considered the absense of Alexandra to have been rude? Surely the wedding of the Emporer's daughter was a huge family event and would have been one of those 'necessary' attendances. I had also read nearly every top level royal person was attending, hence Alexandra's absense must have been very visible.

[Marlene]

Also, would Wilhelm and Dona not have considered the absense of Alexandra to have been rude? Surely the wedding of the Emporer's daughter was a huge family event and would have been one of those 'necessary' attendances. I had also read nearly every top level royal person was attending, hence Alexandra's absense must have been very visible.

Probably not -- travel was not easy in those days -and Alexandra was probably not well.  Moreover, she was no fan of the Kaiser.

[Marlene]

Thanks Marlene. Appreciate the correction. I do not recall the author of "The Last Empress" but shame on him or her for the historical error."

It happens to all of us.  Greg King wrote the book.


Do you have your article on Viktoria Luise's wedding available via email? Or, from what source would it be available? Thanks!

The article is not available electronically.  It was published in Atlantis several years ago.  

[Svetabel]

I found a sketch of Victoria Luise's wedding.Very lovely.



Let's try to recognize all famous characters.Queen Mary at the far left  - dignified as always. Certainly bride and bridegroom are kneeling in the centre. In front of Queen Mary - Nikolai II or George V? Dona and Kaiser by his left side? Or where is Dona?
A man at far right (in profile) could be Prince Heinrich?

Any ideas?

[HerrKaiser]

Thanks SO much for the terrific sketch. I do believe the man next to Mary must be George V. Nickolas II I think is on the far right of the sketch partly cut off. Right above him to the left is the sister of Frederick III. I cannot figure out the woman in the front dominant position on the right. Cecilie? I am also guessing the four women with matching feature head gear are all ladies in waiting for Luise, not major personalities. There were tons of high level royal attendees at this wedding. This scene must be the Berlin Catherdral as the Lutheran minister is presiding.

[Dennis]

I think the man to the far right is George V, not Nicholas.

The ceremony may have been in the Berlin cathedral, I'm not sure.

But, the Church of Prussia was the Evangelical Church, or the Church of the Prussian Union.

This church was both German Lutheran and German
Reformed (more Calvinistic), having been forced together in a church union about a century or so before. As a family, the Protestant Hollenzollerns come out of the German Reformed tradition, going back to the Electors of Brandenburg.

Both Lutheran and Reformed ministers in Germany wore and still often wear the black ministerial gown and white bands, with pectoral cross.

Both tradtions consider themselves heirs of Martin Luther, though the Reformed also count John Calvin as their ancestor.  To most people today, there would be very little theological difference.

The Hannovers and others in northern Germany would have been Lutheran.

[Marlene]

.

"The ceremony may have been in the Berlin cathedral, I'm not sure."

No.  The civil ceremony tookplace at the Elector's Room at the Berlin Schloss, and then the bridal party made its way to the royal chapel where Pastor Ernst Dryander, royal chaplain, performed the wedding.  He had also baptised Viktoria Luise and confirmed her as well.

The Prussians considered themselves Lutheran, Wilhelm made many references to his Lutheranism. In John Rohl's second volume of his bio on KWII, Rohl writes about how furious was WII at Ella's conversion. And Wilhelm "shared the opinion of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the Mecklenburg-born wife of Grand Duke Vladimir, that it was a "disgrave for a German Protestant princess to go over to the Orthodox faith in Russia at a time when both the Lutheran Church and her compatriots there were being persecuted and opressed in the most ruthless and injust manner."

Marie Pavlovna added that "the great, powerful German Reich and it's Kaiser" were now "the stronghold and the refuge" of the Lutheran church.

This is actually rather amusing, MP's comment as in 1908,  she converted to the Orthodox church.

Pastor von Dryander was Lutheran.  He died in 1922. In September 1918, KWII conferred on him the Order of the Black Eagle, and he became von Dryander.