Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland
Encyclopedia
Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland (German
: Alexandra Louise Marie Olga Elisabeth Therese Vera Prinzessin von Hannover und Cumberland), Princess of Great Britain and Ireland
, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
(29 September 1882, Schloss Ort
, Gmunden
, Upper Austria
, Austria-Hungary
– 30 August 1963, Glücksburg Castle, Glücksburg
, Schleswig-Holstein
, Germany
).
(1853–1933), the youngest daughter of Christian IX of Denmark
(1818–1906) and Louise of Hesse-Kassel
(1817–1898). Alexandra was a great-great-granddaughter of George III of the United Kingdom
(1738–1820) and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
(1744–1818).
. Alexandra and Frederick Francis had five children:
In 1913, a fire broke out at Schwerin Castle
while the Duke, Duchess, and guests were dining there. Everyone was able to make it out safely, although the Duke and Duchess had to apparently rush through flying sparks when making their escape. There were a reported $750,000 in damages, in which countless works of art, as well as important rooms were utterly destroyed. Certain reports blamed the fire on a vengeful servant, although an official court announcement stated it was merely an electrical issue.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Alexandra Louise Marie Olga Elisabeth Therese Vera Prinzessin von Hannover und Cumberland), Princess of Great Britain and Ireland
British princess
This is a list of British princesses from the accession of King George I in 1714. This article deals with both princesses of the blood royal and women who become princesses upon marriage....
, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
(29 September 1882, Schloss Ort
Schloss Ort
Schloss Ort is an Austrian castle situated in the Traunsee lake, in Gmunden, 19 km from Vöcklabruck, the gate to Salzkammergut.-Early history:...
, Gmunden
Gmunden
Gmunden is a town in Upper Austria, Austria in the district of Gmunden. It has 13,202 inhabitants . It is much frequented as a health and summer resort, and has a variety of goat, lake, brine, vegetable and pine-cone baths, a hydropathic establishment, inhalation chambers, whey cure, etc...
, Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
– 30 August 1963, Glücksburg Castle, Glücksburg
Glücksburg
Glücksburg is a small town in the district Schleswig-Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.It is situated on the south side of the Flensburg Fjord, an inlet of the Baltic Sea, approx. 10 km northeast of Flensburg...
, Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
).
Family
Alexandra was the second eldest daughter of Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover (1845–1923) and Princess Thyra of DenmarkPrincess Thyra of Denmark
Princess Thyra of Denmark was the youngest daughter of Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel.-Early life:Thyra was the sister of Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, George I of Greece and...
(1853–1933), the youngest daughter of Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX was King of Denmark from 16 November 1863 to 29 January 1906.Growing up as a prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448, Christian was originally not in the immediate line of succession to the Danish...
(1818–1906) and Louise of Hesse-Kassel
Louise of Hesse-Kassel
Louise of Hesse was a German Princess and the queen consort to King Christian IX of Denmark.-Early Life and Ancestry:...
(1817–1898). Alexandra was a great-great-granddaughter of George III of the United Kingdom
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
(1738–1820) and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
(1744–1818).
Marriage and issue
Alexandra married on 7 June 1904 in Gmunden, Austria-Hungary to Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1882–1945), son of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and his wife Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of RussiaGrand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia
Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia was a daughter of Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich of Russia; she married Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin...
. Alexandra and Frederick Francis had five children:
- Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-SchwerinFriedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-SchwerinFriedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the heir apparent to the throne of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and a member of the SS...
(22 April 1910 – 31 July 2001). Married Karin Elisabeth von Schaper, daughter of Walter von Schaper and his wife Baroness Louise von Münchhausen. The couple had no issue.
- Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (29 September 1912–1996). Married Princess Barbara of PrussiaPrincess Barbara of PrussiaPrincess Barbara of Prussia was the only daughter of Prince Sigismund of Prussia and Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg.She was a great-granddaughter of Frederick III, German Emperor and a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.-Marriage and family:...
, daughter of Prince Sigismund of PrussiaPrince Sigismund of Prussia (1896-1978)Prince Sigismund of Prussia , was the second son of Prince Heinrich of Prussia and his wife, Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine...
and Princess Charlotte of Saxe-AltenburgPrincess Charlotte of Saxe-AltenburgPrincess Charlotte Agnes of Saxe-Altenburg was the eldest child of Ernst II, the last reigning duke of Saxe-Altenburg.-Marriage and family:...
. The couple had issue.
- Duchess Olga of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1916–1917).
- Duchess Thyra of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (18 June 1919 – 27 September 1981).
- Duchess Anastasia of Mecklenburg-SchwerinDuchess Anastasia of Mecklenburg-SchwerinDuchess Anastasia Alexandrine Cecile Marie Luise Wilhelmine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin ,...
(11 November 1923 – 25 January 1979). Married Prince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-GlücksburgPrince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-GlücksburgPrince Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg ,...
, son of Prince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-GlücksburgPrince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-GlücksburgPrince Albrecht of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg was the fifth and youngest child of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his wife Princess Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe and was a nephew of Christian IX of Denmark...
and Countess Ortrud of Ysenburg and Büdingen. The couple had issue.
In 1913, a fire broke out at Schwerin Castle
Schwerin Castle
Schwerin Castle is a castle located in the city of Schwerin, the capital of the Bundesland of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. For centuries it was the home of the dukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg and later Mecklenburg-Schwerin. It currently serves as the seat of the state...
while the Duke, Duchess, and guests were dining there. Everyone was able to make it out safely, although the Duke and Duchess had to apparently rush through flying sparks when making their escape. There were a reported $750,000 in damages, in which countless works of art, as well as important rooms were utterly destroyed. Certain reports blamed the fire on a vengeful servant, although an official court announcement stated it was merely an electrical issue.
Titles and styles
- 29 September 1882 – 7 June 1904: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland
- 7 June 1904 – 17 November 1945: Her Royal Highness The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- 17 November 1945 – 30 August 1963: Her Royal Highness The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin