Princess Louise,Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife

[basilforever]

I think Louise was probably rather striking. In several photographs she looks quite attractive, espeacially just after her marriage but most do not do her justice. Perhaps she was not as photogenic as Toria or Maud.

Having such a beautiful mother as Alix can't have been easy either. Always compared to the eteranlly youthful and undeniable beauty of the family. Does any one have details/photographs of East Sheen Lodge. I wonder if still stands under a different name or was demolished. It hardly seems to appear in any memoirs/bios after George and May engagement by the pond!

I have read so often that Louise suffered from 'mental upset'. What does this really mean? Did she suffer from depression or was there something else that plagued her? The birth of a stillborn son must have been dreadful, but she went on to have the girls who turned out fine. Pope Hennessey described Louise as apathetic, a term that was frequently used to sum up Eddy too. But as we have seen, he is now being seen as anything but, through rational revisied assessments of his character. 

Does anyone know if her journals/diaries have ever been cited. I know she kept some as she lost the 1911 one during the sinking of the Delhi as well as a jewel case. 

Has anyone considered the possibility that she suffered from porphyria. I know it is a long shot and that it is a bit of an old hat subject, but it might explain her so called 'mental upset' as described by David Duff in his bio of Alexandra, and also her 'delicate health.'

I am convinced there is more to Louise!
 

I too am convinced there is more to Louise.

As for Porphyria, I think not. Isn't insanity a sympton of that? Maybe Louise had 'mental upset' in that she was very sensitive. I'm sure the death of her son, her brother, and her husband were VERY VERY trying for her to survive and cope with.

I think she was more striking than she is given credit for, and I think that perhaps she was not as photogenic as her sisters.

As for East Sheen lodge today, I don't know.

But check out this link to read something connected to it:

http://www.theduffhouseroyalgolfclub.co.uk/history.html

THE DUFF HOUSE ROYAL GOLF CLUB

Only 26 Golf Clubs have the Royal Title

And here's the Duke of Fife's signature, under the Duchess of Albany's.



Louise was not apathetic. Eddy was not apathetic. These are lies.

I don't know about her journals. I would be ecstatic to read them for the EDDY content, as well as other things.

I had no idea she lost a jewel case on the shipwreck! What was in it? That's shocking. Luckily the Fife Tiara still exists.

[basilforever]

Many of the pictures I have posted have been automatically downsized.

In order for you to see them in their full size - right click on the image, click properties, copy and paste the URL address into a new window and see the full picture unedited.

Here is a GIANT lovely picture of Louise at this link:

http://image30.webshots.com/31/2/34/77/229523477AsjLbP_fs.jpg

 

Okay, above link didn't work -

try this one then click on the pictures of Louise, then click on ''Full Size''

http://community.webshots.com/album/225398896DktBXC

[basilforever]

Some more pictures of Louise and family:



Louise's beautiful daughter Princess Alexandra Duchess of Fife wearing the Fife Tiara and her coronation robes

Prince Arthur of Connaught
(1883-1938)
This page is about the son of Prince Arthur, son of the Duke of Connaught.  See here for the Duke.

Prince Arthur married Alexandra, Duchess of Fife in 1913.  They had one son, Alistair Arthur, born the following year.

A correspondent has kindly sent me this picture of Princess Alexandra. The signed photo and a gift had been given to someone she had worked with in a hospital during the war.

Prince Arthur died four years before his father and so never inherited the title of Duke of Connaught, which passed to his son Alistair, who thus became the 2nd Duke of Connaught.   

One reader has enquired whether a biography of Prince Arthur was ever written, do you know?

A family tree is here.

http://www.bagshotvillage.org.uk/bpark/son.htm

[alixaannencova]

The Farquhar debts amounted £400,000 in 1923, and he had been an undeclared bankrupt. I think he lived way beyond his means and Macduff's finances were in some way tied up to liabilities.

Louise recieved a Parliamentary annuity of £6,000 a year from 1901 onwards, £3,000 before then, but I have no idea how much she recieved of her father's private fortune. I know that Macduff started selling considerable portions of his landholdings during the first decade of the 20th century, perhaps to invest the procceeds with Farquhar.

Porphyria can manifest in various ways, not just insanity. It can cause severe stomach pains and rashes. It was just a thought.

I often wonder that Louise and Eddy may have been quite close. Louise certainly did not seem close to parents or other siblings.But she and Eddy seem somehow quite alike in looks. Perhaps there is more to look in to there.

I sometimes ponder that Alexandra did not in some way transfer some blame for her lameness on Louise, due in part to complications that surrounded her birth. I'd love to psychoanalyse their relationship!

[alixaannencova]

Macduff did indeed dance a reel with QV! She really liked him, no doubt because he reminded her a little of no nonsense John Brown.

I know of no biographies of Prince Arthur of Connaught I am afraid, though I think Princess Arthur merits one herself! I wish I could get hold of her book about nursing though!

I think the tiara Louise is wearing in the 1907(?) photograph with Alexandra and Toria was amongst the pieces lost in the shipwreck.

I would love to know if any photos are around of Louise and Alastair or even the present Duke of Fife as a wee bairn! Never seen any at all which I think very strange and frustrating. Never seen any photos post War, except the Buckingham P. one on the steps to the gardens with all the family and the Times Obituary one, which is very murky and badly taken. 

[basilforever]

http://www.bagshotvillage.org.uk/bpark/tree.htm#chn

A good family tree



Louise's daughter Princess Alexandra Duchess of Fife



Louise's daughter Princess Alexandra with her son Prince Arthur of Connaught and their son Alistair

(had to remove picture, it didn't work)

Louise and husband are in this one



Princess Alexandra of Fife

H.R.H.
Princess Arthur
of Connaught

1891-1959

full name:   Alexandra Victoria Alberta Edwina Louise, née Duff  
 birth: 1891.05.17 at East Sheen Lodge, Richmond, Surrey
 father:   Alexander William George Duff, Duke of Fife
 mother:   Princess Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar (The Princess Royal)
 marriage: 1913.10.15  Prince Arthur Frederick Patrick Albert of Connaught
at St. James Palace, London
 children: 1914 Alastair Arthur (Windsor) (2nd Duke of Connaught & Strathearn)
 death: 1959.02.26 at her home in Avenue Road, St John's Wood, London
(buried: Mar Lodge Chapel, Braemar, Aberdeenshire).

Titles:
  1891.05.17 Lady Alexandra Duff
  1905.11.09 Princess, with the style of Her Highness (H.H. Princess Alexandra of Fife)
  1912.12.29 Duchess of Fife and Countess of Macduff, in the County of Banff , Peerage of the United Kingdom (H.H. The Duchess of Fife)
 1913.10.15  H.R.H. Princess Arthur of Connaught
    
British Empire/Commonwealth Orders and Awards:
   RRC
 1926.06.12 GCStJ
 1935.06.03 King George V Royal Family Order, 4th class

Honorary Military Appointments
 
1939.06.10  Colonel-in-Chief, Royal Army Pay Corps
 
Links
 
Prince Arthur of Connaught & The Duchess of Fife, by Scott Harewood (The Connaught's - Postcards of a Royal Family)
 
http://www.theconnaughts.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/Prince%20Arthur%20of%20Connaught%20&%20The%20Duchess%20of%20Fife/pages/2

and other pages

[grandduchessella]

Is this the George III Fringe Tiara around the neck of lovely Louise?

No, this was a wedding gift to Louise. It could be worn as a tiara or necklace.

The image of Louise, Toria and QA--with Louise wearing the floral tiara--was taken at Daisy Connaught's wedding in 1905.

The multiple ones of the entire family on the steps were taken to commemorate Bertie & Alexandra's 25th wedding anniversary in 1888.

[basilforever]

What then has happened to that Fringe tiara/necklace that Louise received as a wedding present?

It is very beautiful, it looks like the George III Fringe Tiara to me, but I believe you it isn't that one.

[alixaannencova]

Grandduchessella you are amazing!!

The Connaught/Sweden wedding photograph! Thank you for clarifying the date for me . Do you happen to know if indeed the Floral tiara was in fact lost in the shipwreck as I have never seen any other photographs of it at all. I think Louise tended to favour the 'Fife' more. Is there any history available about the 'Flora' ?l

Also, sorry I meant the family group photograph taken on the steps that I found in Jan van der Kiste's book 'Edward VII's children'. I haven't my copy to hand but I remember it was taken in about 1920 and is some sort of presentation. The extended family are all standing on the steps behing George V and Queen Mary, including Helen of Albany, Princesses Beatrice and Christian etc and at the end on the right Louise looking away as if distracted by someone or something out of view.

Also do you know if there are any photographs out there of Louise at her daughters' weddings and those of Mary/Harewood, George VI/ Queen Elizabeth, Louise/Gustaf, Edwina/Louis. I jope I am not being a nuisance but I find Louise so elusive!

 

[royal_netherlands]

And some more.

Mother and her two daughters and Princess Maud pictured allone.

And the Fife girls pictures with their famous grandparents King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra,

RN

[royal_netherlands]

A young Princess Louise of Wales and pictures with her two sisters Princess Victoria of Wales and Princess Maud (later Queen of Norway).
 
RN

[royal_netherlands]

  DUKE of FIFE with his wife Princess Louise Victoria, eldest daughter of Edward VII/
And their two daughters with their husbands.

The Duke of Connaught, with Princess Alexandra daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Fife.
Earl of Southesk and his wife, Princess Maud, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Fife.

RN   

[alixaannencova]

Thank you for sharing your photographs Royal Netherlands

I love the lithograph and the one taken on board the Dehli too. So sad to think that just weaks later Louise would be widowed.

I'm so glad all you kind contibutors share my feelings that Louise deserves her own thread. I know she made little public impact, but she was still a prominent member of the RF.

[PrinceEddy1864]

Great pic but this is Toria.
Here is Louise from that sitting and one of all of the Wales kids that I just love.

[grandduchessella]

Grandduchessella you are amazing!!

The Connaught/Sweden wedding photograph! Thank you for clarifying the date for me . Do you happen to know if indeed the Floral tiara was in fact lost in the shipwreck as I have never seen any other photographs of it at all. I think Louise tended to favour the 'Fife' more. Is there any history available about the 'Flora' ?l

Also, sorry I meant the family group photograph taken on the steps that I found in Jan van der Kiste's book 'Edward VII's children'. I haven't my copy to hand but I remember it was taken in about 1920 and is some sort of presentation. The extended family are all standing on the steps behing George V and Queen Mary, including Helen of Albany, Princesses Beatrice and Christian etc and at the end on the right Louise looking away as if distracted by someone or something out of view.

You're welcome. I didn't mean to seem I was correcting you about the group photo, I was just remarking on the occasion of the one set--as you can tell I like to note the occasion photos were taken.  I don't have my copy of EVII's Children but I think you might be referring to the Peace Day parade in 1919.

I don't know much about the floral tiara, sorry. The fringe tiara was later worn by her daughter Alexandra, as was the Fife (my favorite tiara).

It's weird but I have 2 separate magazines about the Connaught/Fife wedding and there's only a sketch of Louise in one and no photos of her--and there are a lot of photos.