Prince Henry (Heinrich) of Prussia, his family and descendants

[Eric_Lowe]

Well I totally agree that what Irene did with her money was of course her business. However it did not reflect her as the kind, and helpful image in the Hesse sisters. Irene personally went down to Costa Rica and demand her son to come back to Hemmelmark (or Europe to live), Sigismund refused, and they parted on bad terms. She then cut him and his family out of her will. When Barbara came to live with Irene, she put her back in. Prince Alfred once said he did not know his grandmother well. I think it is one thing to do with one's money, but quite another to use it to make or break a relationship. Not even a momento (a vase or a clock) to one's offspring is really mean and not at all sentimental. I think I lost my admiration of her after that. Her sister, VMH was much more understanding and less demanding. She supported Ella, when Irene and their father wrote harsh letters to her on the latter's conversion to Orthodoxy. Finally the Anastasia fiasco...

[Eddie_uk]

What about the Anastasia fiasco?

I find Irene quite likeable and the fact that both Henry and Irene were referred to as "The very amiables" tells me something!  .  By some accounts she was very good to Prince Phillip.

Irene was also very kind to Vicky.

Family affairs especially relating to money is always complicated and it's not fair to judge her on that Perhaps she felt any money or chattels would be wasted?

Apparently at the time of Irenes death Prince Phillip came under some criticism for not going to her funeral.

Anyway who knows, would be nice to have some more information on her!!

[grandduchessella]

She seems to be more complex then is usually shown but I still believe her basic nature was a good & gentle one. Of course, I'm a Vicky partisan, and as Eddieboy points out, she was very good to Vicky and helped soothe her relationship with Henry which was a great comfort to her. Also, both of them were very kind to poor Feo, Charly's daughter, and very angry at how her parents treated her. They even took her in for awhile.

[Keith]

I agree that you shouldn't cut someone out of your life because they won't do what you want them to, but again it sounds like we only have one side of the story from the son's perspective. Trust me, in my family, thank goodness not immediate, they cut people out of their lives right and left for foolish reasons IMO, and I usually take the side of the cuttee not cutter. But, I'm aware of the three sides of the situation.

I'll still go with holding off final judgement to see if future info on Irene comes out. A person lives 87 years, and I prefer to base my opinion on more than a few incidents in their life. For every down side presented of Irene, there seems to be a good side to match, just like the vast majority of us.  

[Keith]

It reminds me of a phras I heard once--'It's not your inheritance, it's my money.'

I like that!

[Eric_Lowe]

I agree that for every bad side, there is good one. However there is enough evidence to convince me (at least. You may all disagree) that Irene was not the legendary do-gooder, someone who was researching the lives of sisters told me that when Ella converted to Orthodoxy, Irene spent time crying as if her sister died. Guess living too long in Berlin do wonders to you ? VMH was more understanding and less judgemental (remember her lot was not a bed of roses too...).

[bell_the_cat]

I agree that for every bad side, there is good one. However there is enough evidence to convince me (at least. You may all disagree) that Irene was not the legendary do-gooder, someone who was researching the lives of sisters told me that when Ella converted to Orthodoxy, Irene spent time crying as if her sister died. Guess living too long in Berlin do wonders to you ? VMH was more understanding and less judgemental (remember her lot was not a bed of roses too...).

On the tv show I saw, there was an interview with the housekeeper who had started work at Hemmelsmarck in the 1950s - I'm sure she would be able to say whether Irene had been a busy body or not. However she was the soul of discretion and only revealed that though she herself spoke the local dialect, in the house only "hochdeutsch" was spoken (which answers a thread about what dialect the Hohenzollern spoke).

Irene was only mentioned by her g. granddaughter  (who was also interviewed) in passing, but I noticed she pronounced the name "Ee-rain" rather than "Ee-rain-er" as it is normally pronounced in German!

[Eric_Lowe]

I do hope the family can be reconciled (with Prince Alfred and his nieces). It was bad that that had to happen to Irene's family. She did nothing to heal the rift in her family...Sad.  

[Eddie_uk]

Do you have a reference to that please Eric?

[Eric_Lowe]

Prince Alfred himself. Good enough ? The tiff was well known.

[Eddie_uk]

No it's not good enough. I think it's only fair to know Irenes point of view, don't you?

[Eric_Lowe]

Too bad she's dead. The fact that she did not reach out to her grandson made her a mean spirited woman.   Irene may have her good points, but in this particular case she was not nice. period.   I cannot see what defense she had against a grandson who did not offend her personally, guilty by association with his father Sigismund ?

[Eddie_uk]

I don't think it's fair to call her mean spirited.

I think it would be more fair if we had more information on what occured. Besides, as some one pointed out, it was Irenes estate to do with as she wished.

As Eric pointed out, pity Irenes no longer alive.

[Keith]

Does anyone know what she died of? Old age, or something else. Also, her health after WWII?  Thanks.

[Eric_Lowe]

Not good...

I did not say she was evil, but she was hard (in the heart towards her son & grandson), so I couldn't see her as the gentle one anymore. VMH is much understanding and reasonable than her younger sister.