Pcss Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven

[Lisa]

Maybe I could post it in "The Windsors"...
By the way... Here is my question: Do you own photos of princess Victoria of Hesse, first  Marchioness of Milford Haven ? I have only 3-4... and I'd like to see some very beautiful of her!

Thanks!

[Ilana]

Princess Victoria (VMH) was many things, but a classic beauty was not one of them.  I have seen many pictures of her, and the prettiest was her wedding picture.  She looked quite beautiful.  You will also not find much of her in full regalia, though I did see a picture of her in coronation robes for George V's coronation.  Even then, she had the flat hair.

She was not one who cared for appearance.

[Angie_H]

Lisa here is a pic of Victoria at her wedding.


And a pic of her with her husband Ludwig of Battenberg


She wasn't as pretty as Alix & Ella, she looked more like her mother Princess Alice

Angie

[Lisa]

Thanks, Angie!

[Angie_H]

Here is another pic I found that I think really gives you an idea on how she looked

[Ilana]

Great pics, esp. Courtney's... I think she looks like Auntie Beatrice in the picture of her as a small child.

Kent House... I have a picture of it somewhere, I think it's gone to private use, owned by someone else, but it does exist.

[otmafan]

I agree that she definitely looked like Beatrice as a child. Here's a pic of Beatrice as a teen:

http://www.btinternet.com/~sbishop100/beat4.jpg

They are definitely similar.

[Martyn]

Victoria was not rated as a beauty amongst the Hessian sisters.  Her most beautiful feature apparently was her hair, which was a lovely reddish gold colour.
Certainly compared  to Ella and Alix, Victoria is superficially less attractive but I think that her personality more than made up for any deficiencies in the looks department.  
In her youth she was very much a tomboy, scaling the mast that had been erected for her cousin Henry of Prussia and instigating wild games with the Darmstadt girls, in which the latter inevitably went home crying, much to Victoria's disgust.
In her adolescence, she did go through a phase of caring about her appearance, remembering in later life with pleasure the white muslin dresses that had been gifts to Ella and herself from her soignee Aunt Alix of Wales.
Victoria is remembered to this day by her family for her intellect and kindness; her passion for reading and travelling, her chainsmoking (initiated by Cousin Willy)and garrulity (inherited from her mother and aunts) are all part of her complex and interesting personality.  She held quite radical views all her life and believed that the monarchical system was an anachronism, philosophising that while it was still in use, she was obliged to make the best of it and do her duty.

[grandduchessella]

VMH was definitely the toughest of the Hessian sisters. A relative described her as almost 'mannish' in demeanor but she would've had be tough to survive some of her losses and as a poor (by royal standards) naval wife. She just seemed to pick up and go on. I imagine that could be a double-edged sword for those around her--I don't think she had too much sympathy for self-pity or weakness. Her son Louis thought her treatment of his sister Alice pretty harsh both as a child re: her deafness and as an adult with her mental abilities. Too bad she couldn't have spent more time with Alix in Russia, I think she would've had a thing or 3 to say about stuff. She always struck me as the grandchild most like QV in that respect--nothing shrinking about her! She set her heart on Louis Battenberg and if other royals didn't like it--tough. Plus, a smoker *gasp* which she picked up from the Kaiser as a teen. Plus the story about how she had to limp down the aisle having twisted her ankle jumping a coal shoot or something the day before.  She just strikes a person as what one would describe as a 'hoot'.

[Martyn]

I agree entirely.  I think that she had zest for life in full measure and that she most resembles her mother and Queen Victoria (not quite as morbid and sentimantal though)
I have read elasewhere that Alix was used to her older sisters doling out advice to her and that her way of counteribng this was simply to ignore it.
Queen Victoria had appointed herself as surrogate mother to the Hessian children after Alice's death and no doubt Victoria acquired her Grandmother's habit of profferring advice (which can be construed as interference), always of course with the best possible motives.
Personally, I admire Victoria.  Do we know whether she ever met Louis's daughter Jeanne, Lady Malcolm?

[sandy]

  the one of her as a child in curls looks just like my neice!

[masha]

Physically, I think Victoria is a cross between her sister Elizabeth - chin, cheeks & nose - and her Uncle Bertie, with those eyes! BTW, it was said that her mother, Alice and uncle Bertie could pass for identical twins.

masha

[Martyn]

That's a good point Masha.  There is a very strong physical link between Bertie and Alice as well as the strong bonds of affection that they shared.
I personally think that Victoria improved with age.  having said that I don't feel that those photos from the 1880's that look slightly over-exposed do justice to her looks.  As I have said previously, her hair was considered to be her loveliest attribute and it is possible that the black and white photos fila to do justice to her colouring.
I love the portrait of Victoria in old age as it really gives us a sense of her character.

[Ilana]

From what I know, Prince Louis met with his daughter Jeanne-Marie just before he resigned as first sea lord in October of 1914.  I don't believe that VMH ever met this daughter, however, I do know that Lord Mountbatten corresponded with the Malcolms.

[Martyn]

The affair with Lillie Langtry seems to have been extraordianrily discreet, as few people knew that it was happening at the time.  Lillie was of course married to Edward Langtry and Louis would never have been permitted to marry her in any case, but I think that Louis and Lillie had very strong feelings for each other.
Lillie's pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her daughter were extarordinarily well stage managed; indeed for many years Jeanne was under the impression that Langtry was her father.  
She was finally enlightened by Mrs Asquith as to her true parentage some years later; when she complained bitterly of her illegitimacy, Mrs Asquith asked rather pointedly which she would prefer as a father - either a penniless ne'er do well or a handsome dashing prince with an impeccable reputation?
I have to say that I think that it was Lillie who was the loser in all of this, as Jeanne never really forgave her for the situation.  She did indeed meet her fatheras an adult.
Victoria's thoughts on the matter don't seem to be a matter of record.  She must have known but, true to type, never seems to have let it impinge upon the deep love that she had for her husband.