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

[Eric_Lowe]

I think one of the resasons is the personal unpopularity of Alicky (due to the Rasputin and her unwanted foray in the government) which is major point of rally against the monarchy. You also have to remember that while Alfonso XIII was unpopular, Ena was very popular among the population. It is something Alicky never had....As I said that is speculation only. However due to that fact, I think the family would probably have a better chance of survival into exile.

[lori_c]

Certainly the sisters were different in that respect.  They had different views because of their vastly different circumstances.
Irene seemed to possess a much different view of her life because her life WAS different. And sitting on any throne would probably affected her as well, in her own way. 

Though all the sisters were devout and pious women, It seems that Irene didn't go overboard as her sister did when it came to the hemophilia of her sons.  That is to say, it seemed to be a very personal situation for her and she dealt with it - once again - in her own way. 

Ella and AF dealt with their pain through thorough immersion Russian Orthodox Faith, whereas IMO, I don't find that with their Lutheran siblings. Though certainly religious.  Irene seemed to have the no-nonsense trait the VMH had as well.  Nothing dreamy, only stark reality.

[Eric_Lowe]

True...But Ella did not went overboard too though religious herself. I have to reconfirm that although their circumstances are different, Alicky and Irene are different people although grew up in the same envoirment in Darmstadt and visits to Windsor/Osborne. I have no doubt if we put Irene in Alicky's situation, she wouldn't have reacted as her sister did. Likewise if you put Alicky in Prussia, she would have problems with both Willy and Vicky...

[HerrKaiser]

the mixing and matching of spouses of heads of state is, perhaps, an interesting guessing game on their theoretical affects, but the affects would have very likely never changed the course of history in a large way, only some immediate family matters, perhaps. The only way, imo, that the Romanovs would have been in a position to avert disaster would be for Nicholas himself to have been a different person AND that person would have had to had a global, modern view of Russia juxtaposed on its neighbors to both the west and east; Alix (or any other wife) was not the pivotal one.

[imperial angel]

Some people think that Alexandra was the pivotal one though- certainly there were times when her actions, although not intentionally, did pave the way to the Revolution. Certainly, had not Nicholas had a hemophiliac son, things would have been different. But, Irene carried hemophilia too. I am not particularly interested in her, but she seems the quiet one out of the Hesse sisters ( or children) for that matter. All of her siblings stood out, and she doesn't seem to have as much.

[Eric_Lowe]

Irene would have handled the situation with less drama if she was in Alicky's shoes there is no doubt due to her personality. 

[HerrKaiser]

Some people think that Alexandra was the pivotal one though- certainly there were times when her actions, although not intentionally, did pave the way to the Revolution. Certainly, had not Nicholas had a hemophiliac son, things would have been different. But, Irene carried hemophilia too. I am not particularly interested in her, but she seems the quiet one out of the Hesse sisters ( or children) for that matter. All of her siblings stood out, and she doesn't seem to have as much.

Well, AF probably conducted much of her life differently given the hemophilia, but road to revolution was being paved way before Alexei was even born. Like many of the royals and affluent industrials in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, AF and NII were oblivious to the reality of the rise of peasantry striving to middle class status and the title wave overwhelmed them and everyone around them. Alexandra was like Sophie MacDonald in The Razor's Edge...top role but very unable to affect her own destiny.

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed...The revolution would come at any case with the weak Nicholas II on top. However the family's grissly destiny may have been avoided. 

[lori_c]

Some people think that Alexandra was the pivotal one though- certainly there were times when her actions, although not intentionally, did pave the way to the Revolution. Certainly, had not Nicholas had a hemophiliac son, things would have been different. But, Irene carried hemophilia too. I am not particularly interested in her, but she seems the quiet one out of the Hesse sisters ( or children) for that matter. All of her siblings stood out, and she doesn't seem to have as much.

She does seem to be the "quiet" one out of her siblings.  Was her husband regarded this way as well?

[HerrKaiser]

Yes, in fact, Vicky thought Henry was a bit deficient in the brains category and, I think, Henry seems to have been put down as a child (second son, not too bright, etc) and this resulted in a low-keyed demeanor as an adult. That said, he was very popular, somewhat witty, and made a great impression during his trip to the U.S. in early 1900s.

[Tdora1]

Irene and Henry were known to their families as "The Very Amiables" - certainly they received many visits over the years at Hemmelmark and it seems it was a pleasant and cosy domestic set-up they had. Vicky had pulled no punches in here descriptions of her children and their myriad faults in her eyes. Henry really seems to have copped it a lot in his childhood: he was described repeatedly as ugly and slow at his lessons, and later I think the partiality shown to Waldemar and Siegfried made comparisons in which the dissing just went on !  Irene too had a ready-made situation for self-esteem problems, with her beautiful sisters being lauded and courted from all quarters. Their marriage was planned almost a conspiracy between them and they proved that despite such unpromising beginnings, their qualities became all the more evident and even necessary to their more flamboyant but disaster-prone siblings over the years. Their marriage was solid and happy: Irene was quite perfect for Henry and he blossomed in marriage. She did much in their early years together to reconcile him with Vicky, who both liked and respected her daughter-in-law and was especially delighted that Irene thoughtfully made sure her children had the opportunity to get close to their grandmother when she was so tragically estranged from those of Wilhelm and the (in this situation) appalling-behaved Dona.

[grandduchessella]

Yes, in fact, Vicky thought Henry was a bit deficient in the brains category and, I think, Henry seems to have been put down as a child (second son, not too bright, etc) and this resulted in a low-keyed demeanor as an adult. That said, he was very popular, somewhat witty, and made a great impression during his trip to the U.S. in early 1900s.

Unlike his brother, Henry received almost consistently positive press (with a few exceptions) in the various international papers and magazines. Reading about him in these materials is much different from the image presented by the letters of his mother. He seems to have been friendly with his cousin, George V, visiting England up until practically the outbreak of the war (as shown during the infamous discussion between the two after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand) sharing similar temperaments, love of the navy and, like George and Nicholas, a rather distinct resemblance.

[Eric_Lowe]

I think had Henry been Kaiser, the war could have been avoided. Henry was not as ingrained in the doctrines of Bismark, and generally enjoyed good press in England. Siimilarly, Irene would have made a good Kaiserin. 

[grandduchessella]

According to some reports (and it's always hard to judge Fritz on his own since he's so often seen through Vicky's eyes or in her shadow) Henry was his favorite and the wedding to Irene was something that gave him great joy, and probably relief (seeing his son settled with someone more like to treat Vicky well when he was gone than Dona would) in his final days. He supposedly clasped Henry long and hard after the wedding ceremony and had made a point of decking himself out in full regalia, and walking into the chapel, despite his incredible weakness at this point. 

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed...the point that Henry is marrying Alice's daughter was a comfort to him (he was right and Irene did inherited some of her mother's calming qualities).