Author Topic: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick  (Read 325987 times)

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Dimitri

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Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« on: May 12, 2004, 10:36:14 AM »
Does any one have any information on Kaisers William II only daughter? Did she write any memoirs?

Janet_W.

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2004, 11:35:47 AM »
You've provided an excellent summation, Thomas!  

I have one of her books--autobiographical in nature--in my "Romanov Library." It reads very well--whoever translated it into English seems to have done an excellent job--and although I haven't reviewed it in awhile, my general impression is that Victoria Louise was a congenial person and very much devoted to her father.

I'm not surprised she was unaccepting of her female role. In a household of brothers, having to act ladylike would have been stressful, not to mention darn near unnatural.  Also, from what I've read there were a great many young ladies out there in Victorian/Edwardian times who were frustrated about their female status, not so much in a sexual sense, but in terms of being able to talk, dress, study, work and socialize in a less constrained fashion.

Offline Guinastasia

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2004, 05:50:40 PM »
She did indeed write her memoires-I have her book in my shelf upstairs, "The Kaiser's Daughter"?  (I'll check on it)

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Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2004, 11:27:04 PM »
She was at the center of what I think is one of the more romantic of royal tales. The deposed King of Hannover had passed his hatred of the Prussian/Hohenzollerns on to his son and other children (plus his daughter-in-law Thyra had her own reasons to despise them). As their eldest son, George Wilhelm was returning from the funeral of his uncle, King Frederick of Denmark, he was involved in a fatal car accident.  The Kaiser, Wilhelm II sent an honor guard to accompany the young prince's body. This led to Ernst, Duke of Cumberland (and de-facto King of Hannover) to send his only surviving son, Ernst August to repay the courtesy. Upon his arrival, he and the young Princess fell in love. Despite the Romeo/Juliet aspects, the 2 were allowed to marry and the Kaiser granted EA the title of Duke of Brunswick and returned some of the confiscated land. The love the 2 shared seemed to never wane and photos can be seen of them in old age beaming and holding hands. VL did write her memoirs as well as books on her parents (I don't know if the latter are in English or not). Her governess, Anne Topham also wrote a series on her time in Berlin. She basically summed up young VL as headstrong and spoiled but of a basic sweet nature and capable of great kindness. VL always reminded me of a story of Eunice Kennedy Shriver where old Joe Kennedy once remarked that basically she had more brains and acumen than her brothers "too bad she wasn't a boy" thus denying outright any meaningful political role because of her gender. VL always seemed to have more intelligence, level-headedness and drive than her brothers--certainly the Crown Prince!
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Annie

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2004, 09:00:23 AM »

Yes, it's called "The Kaiser's Daughter" It is in my local library and I've read it. It's a good book and has a lot of family photos.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Annie »

Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2004, 10:18:03 AM »
She's one of my favorites (oh, who isn't? LOL). I think she's just so pretty and I love the story of her romance with EA--especially the way she describes it in her autobiography. Sigh. Very romantic about love at first sight. She was definitely a character--probably the child the Kaiser was most proud of--he seems to have been far more impressed with her than any of his sons. She was definitely a Daddy's girl and that's basically how she got around the family feud to marry EA. I think she also used her influence to secure her brother Oskar's wedding to her mother's lady-in-waiting. She apparently asked for it as a wedding present. She and EA were in love until the end of their lives and had a very happy marriage, but unfortunately after his death she had a falling out with some of her children regarding the allowance her husband had left for her. I think her son (sons?) thought it was too large. It finally went to court and was settled.
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Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2004, 10:20:01 PM »
Quote
Sorry, but I don't think that this is Victoria Luise.

I know the man who sells these photographs by Witte - he asked me whether I could identfiy some of them. But most are labelled wrong.  :P

She does not at all look like the princess.


Well! After hearing that I'm glad I didn't win the bid for this or another one on ebay.  ;) I had my doubts, but couldn't really tell due to the face being turned away and somewhat shadowed.
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princessalice

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2004, 11:58:41 PM »
i have the autobiography of Viktoria Luise', very well done, even though she may paint a more tender picture of her father, i guess that was to be expected.  i have a few postcards of her in my collection and hope to get more as time goes along!!  i think she was a very devoted wife and certainly a very loving mother....

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2004, 12:27:44 PM »
Did Nickolas and Alexandra bring their children to the wedding of Princess Louise in May of 1913? This was the last, big gathering of royalty prior to WWI and the demise of most of their positions. What was the full guestlist?
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Annie

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2004, 12:35:07 PM »
I know they all went to the wedding of Princess Viktoria Louise, the Kaiser's daughter, is that who you mean?

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2004, 01:55:51 PM »
The wedding  May 10, 1913 in Berlin was Marie-Louise, daughter of Emperor Wilhem to Prince Ernest-August of Cumberland, Duke of Brunswick.

The Imperial Family did not all attend. Nicholas went by himself with Prince Kotchubey (replacing Freedericks), Count Benckendorf, Gen. Dyedyuline, Mossolov and Prince Orlov. He arrived the day before and left immediately after the wedding that same day at 10pm.

Annie

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2004, 06:56:17 PM »
Why was her autobiography called Viktoria Louise ???

I think there is a pic of the wedding dinner in her book if someone can scan it.

Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2004, 07:38:25 PM »
Quote
Why was her autobiography called Viktoria Louise ???

I think there is a pic of the wedding dinner in her book if someone can scan it.


I have 2 double-page spreads from the wedding--one showing the torch dance (where VL was led by George V & Nicholas II--pretty nice!)  and the other showing the dinner. You can make out some of the personages. I know QM went but I don't think Alexandra did or any of their children. I'll try and scan.
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Offline Eurohistory

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2004, 01:18:21 PM »
Nicholas II and George V were at Viktoria Luise of Prussia's wedding to their first cousin Prince Ernst August of Hannover.

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Re: Victoria Louise, Duchess of Brunswick
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2004, 06:41:25 PM »
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?
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