Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine
Encyclopedia
Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine (Prinzessin Marie Viktoria Feodore Leopoldine von Hessen und bei Rhein), (24 May 1874 – 16 November 1878), was the youngest daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
and Ludwig IV, the Grand Duke of Hesse. Her mother was the second daughter of Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. She died of diphtheria
at the age of four and was buried with her mother, who died a few weeks later of the same disease. She and her maternal grandmother, Queen Victoria, shared the same birthday.
, Irene, Ernest, Friedrich
(who died a year before her birth of complications of haemophilia
), and Alix
. She was known as May in the family. When she was a baby, her mother remarked in a letter that " little sister Maly" bore a strong resemblance to her dead brother Frittie at the same age "with such quick eyes and two deep dimples in her cheeks." A few weeks later, Alice wrote that baby "Maly" had fair skin, light brown hair and deep blue eyes. As she grew older, she smiled frequently and Alice thought she more strongly resembled her older sister Victoria, with "fair hair, marked eyebrows and speaking eyes." She and her sister Alix, two years older, "made a pretty contrast." Her mother thought her youngest child was "enchanting" and as a toddler the little girl called her mother "my 'weetheart." Alix was her constant companion. The two girls were dressed alike and shared the nursery. The family enjoyed a trip to the seaside in the summer of 1877 and the two youngest girls were a source of delight to their mother. Sending photos taken then to her mother, Queen Victoria, Alice wrote that "May has not such fat cheeks in reality; still it is very dear. The two little girlies are so sweet, so dear, merry, and nice. I don't know which is dearest, they are both so captivating."
and said it would be "comical" if they all caught it. Victoria felt well enough to read Alice in Wonderland to her younger siblings, while her mother sat nearby chatting with her friend Katie Macbean, who was filling in for an absent lady-in-waiting. Marie leaped up and begged her mother to let her have more cake. Her siblings asked Miss Macbean to play the piano so they could dance. They danced for half an hour and went to bed in high spirits.
The next morning Victoria was diagnosed with diphtheria; at three in the morning on November 12, six-year-old Alix was diagnosed with the disease. Princess Alice ordered a steam inhaler be brought to her room to prevent the seriously ill Alix from choking to death. Hours later, Princess Marie ran into her mother's room, crawled into bed with her and kissed her. By afternoon, Marie as well was displaying the symptoms of the disease, suffering from a high fever. White spots and a white membrane covered the back of her throat. The next day her sister Irene became ill and on the day of November 14 her brother Ernest and father Ludwig also became ill with diphtheria. Alice and the doctors nursed the family round the clock. On the morning of November 16, Marie choked to death from the membrane covering her throat. Her mother, awakened by the doctors, hurried to the nursery, only to find her daughter dead. Alice sat by her daughter's body, kissing Marie's face and hands, trying to work up the strength to tell her ill husband. She watched as Marie's coffin was wheeled off to the family mausoleum.
For weeks, Alice concealed Marie's death from the other sick children, who asked about her and tried to send their little sister toys. Elizabeth, who had been sent to stay with her paternal grandmother, was the only child who escaped infection. The sick children were finally told at the beginning of December that Marie had died. Ten-year-old Ernest at first refused to believe the news and then broke down in tears. His mother hugged and kissed him, despite the risk of infection. On December 7 Alice recognized the symptoms of diphtheria in herself. She died on the morning of December 14, murmuring "From Friday to Saturday -- four weeks -- May -- dear Papa." Alice was interred beside her daughter. A statue by Joseph Boehm
was placed on the tomb of Alice holding Marie in her arms.
Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
The Princess Alice was a member of the British royal family, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.Alice's education was devised by Albert's close friend and adviser, Baron Stockmar...
and Ludwig IV, the Grand Duke of Hesse. Her mother was the second daughter of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. She died of diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
at the age of four and was buried with her mother, who died a few weeks later of the same disease. She and her maternal grandmother, Queen Victoria, shared the same birthday.
Biography
She had six older siblings, Victoria, ElizabethGrand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna
Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia canonized as St. Elizabeth Romanova was a German princess of the House of Hesse, and the wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, fifth son of Emperor Alexander II of Russia and Princess Marie of Hesse and the Rhine...
, Irene, Ernest, Friedrich
Prince Friedrich of Hesse and by Rhine
Prince Friedrich of Hesse and by Rhine , , was the haemophiliac second son of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, thus he is a grandson of Queen Victoria...
(who died a year before her birth of complications of haemophilia
Haemophilia
Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. Haemophilia A is the most common form of the disorder, present in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births...
), and Alix
Alexandra Fyodorovna of Hesse
Alix of Hesse and by Rhine later Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova , was Empress consort of Russia as spouse of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of the Russian Empire...
. She was known as May in the family. When she was a baby, her mother remarked in a letter that " little sister Maly" bore a strong resemblance to her dead brother Frittie at the same age "with such quick eyes and two deep dimples in her cheeks." A few weeks later, Alice wrote that baby "Maly" had fair skin, light brown hair and deep blue eyes. As she grew older, she smiled frequently and Alice thought she more strongly resembled her older sister Victoria, with "fair hair, marked eyebrows and speaking eyes." She and her sister Alix, two years older, "made a pretty contrast." Her mother thought her youngest child was "enchanting" and as a toddler the little girl called her mother "my 'weetheart." Alix was her constant companion. The two girls were dressed alike and shared the nursery. The family enjoyed a trip to the seaside in the summer of 1877 and the two youngest girls were a source of delight to their mother. Sending photos taken then to her mother, Queen Victoria, Alice wrote that "May has not such fat cheeks in reality; still it is very dear. The two little girlies are so sweet, so dear, merry, and nice. I don't know which is dearest, they are both so captivating."
Family tragedy
Tragedy struck the Grand Ducal family in 1878. As her sister Victoria described the scene later, the family had been gathered together on the evening of November 5 when she developed a stiff neck. Victoria reported her symptoms to their mother, who thought it might be mumpsMumps
Mumps is a viral disease of the human species, caused by the mumps virus. Before the development of vaccination and the introduction of a vaccine, it was a common childhood disease worldwide...
and said it would be "comical" if they all caught it. Victoria felt well enough to read Alice in Wonderland to her younger siblings, while her mother sat nearby chatting with her friend Katie Macbean, who was filling in for an absent lady-in-waiting. Marie leaped up and begged her mother to let her have more cake. Her siblings asked Miss Macbean to play the piano so they could dance. They danced for half an hour and went to bed in high spirits.
The next morning Victoria was diagnosed with diphtheria; at three in the morning on November 12, six-year-old Alix was diagnosed with the disease. Princess Alice ordered a steam inhaler be brought to her room to prevent the seriously ill Alix from choking to death. Hours later, Princess Marie ran into her mother's room, crawled into bed with her and kissed her. By afternoon, Marie as well was displaying the symptoms of the disease, suffering from a high fever. White spots and a white membrane covered the back of her throat. The next day her sister Irene became ill and on the day of November 14 her brother Ernest and father Ludwig also became ill with diphtheria. Alice and the doctors nursed the family round the clock. On the morning of November 16, Marie choked to death from the membrane covering her throat. Her mother, awakened by the doctors, hurried to the nursery, only to find her daughter dead. Alice sat by her daughter's body, kissing Marie's face and hands, trying to work up the strength to tell her ill husband. She watched as Marie's coffin was wheeled off to the family mausoleum.
For weeks, Alice concealed Marie's death from the other sick children, who asked about her and tried to send their little sister toys. Elizabeth, who had been sent to stay with her paternal grandmother, was the only child who escaped infection. The sick children were finally told at the beginning of December that Marie had died. Ten-year-old Ernest at first refused to believe the news and then broke down in tears. His mother hugged and kissed him, despite the risk of infection. On December 7 Alice recognized the symptoms of diphtheria in herself. She died on the morning of December 14, murmuring "From Friday to Saturday -- four weeks -- May -- dear Papa." Alice was interred beside her daughter. A statue by Joseph Boehm
Joseph Boehm
Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, 1st Baronet, RA was a medallist and sculptor, best known for the Jubilee head of Queen Victoria on coinage, and the statue of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner.-Biography:...
was placed on the tomb of Alice holding Marie in her arms.