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Lot Essay
Princess May of Teck, later Queen Mary, was the daughter of Francis, Prince of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth, daughter of King George III's 7th son, Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge. It was originally intended that she marry Queen Victoria's eldest grandson, Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, known as Prince Eddy, but he died suddenly of influenza in 1892. Instead she married his younger brother, George, later King George V.
Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein was the eldest son of Princess Helena and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and brother of Princesses Helena Victoria and Marie Louise. He served in the British Army in the King's Royal Rifle Corps and fought in the Boer War. He died of enteric fever whilst serving in South Africa.
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein married Princess Helena, daughter of Queen Victoria, in 1866, on the condition set by the Queen that the couple live in England. They first lived at Frogmore House at Windsor and had six children, including Prince Christian Victor, and Princesses Helena Victoria and Marie Louise. Later they moved to Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Prince Christian was appointed aide-de-camp to the Queen and was a member of the Privy Council. In 1866 he became a major general in the British Army and was later promoted to the ranks of lieutenant general and general. He was honorary colonel of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment from 1869 until his death. During the First World War, anti-German feeling prompted King George V to discontinue the use of German names and styles. In accordance with this, Prince Christian, Princess Helena and their children dropped the 'Schleswig-Holstein' name and instead used the titles of His and Her Highness.
King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain met during a dinner party held by Eugenia's uncle, King Edward VII, in honour of King Alfonso's visit to Britain. There was some opposition to their proposed marriage, one reason was thought to be the presence of haemophilia in the descendents of Queen Victoria. Princess Eugenia's mother, Princess Beatrice, was a carrier and her brother, Leopold Henry, a sufferer of this blood disorder. In addition, Princess Eugenia was not a Catholic and her conversion was opposed by Edward VII. Despite the obstacles, the couple married a year later in Madrid, on 31 May 1906. After the wedding took place an assassination attempt was made on the King and Queen, during the procession back to the Royal Palace. They were unhurt by the attack, but this event was indicative of her lack of popularity as Queen of Spain by the Spanish. Republican power began to grow at the beginning of the 20th century and King Alfonso XIII and Queen Eugenia were forced into exile. They lived in France and Italy and, when they separated some years later, she returned to England. At the outbreak of World War II she was told to leave Britain as she was no longer a member of the British Royal Family, and she went to live in Switzerland where she died in 1969.
Princess Helena was the third daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She devoted much of her life to charitable causes, and her daughters, Princess Helena Victoria and Marie Louise, followed in her footsteps. She was a founder member of the Red Cross, set up a holiday house for disabled children, and supported the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She was president of the Royal British Nurses' Association and founding president of the School of Art Needlework, set up to provide women with employment. In 1923, nearly seven years after the death of her husband, Princess Helena died and was buried at Windsor.
Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein was the eldest son of Princess Helena and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and brother of Princesses Helena Victoria and Marie Louise. He served in the British Army in the King's Royal Rifle Corps and fought in the Boer War. He died of enteric fever whilst serving in South Africa.
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein married Princess Helena, daughter of Queen Victoria, in 1866, on the condition set by the Queen that the couple live in England. They first lived at Frogmore House at Windsor and had six children, including Prince Christian Victor, and Princesses Helena Victoria and Marie Louise. Later they moved to Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Prince Christian was appointed aide-de-camp to the Queen and was a member of the Privy Council. In 1866 he became a major general in the British Army and was later promoted to the ranks of lieutenant general and general. He was honorary colonel of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment from 1869 until his death. During the First World War, anti-German feeling prompted King George V to discontinue the use of German names and styles. In accordance with this, Prince Christian, Princess Helena and their children dropped the 'Schleswig-Holstein' name and instead used the titles of His and Her Highness.
King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain met during a dinner party held by Eugenia's uncle, King Edward VII, in honour of King Alfonso's visit to Britain. There was some opposition to their proposed marriage, one reason was thought to be the presence of haemophilia in the descendents of Queen Victoria. Princess Eugenia's mother, Princess Beatrice, was a carrier and her brother, Leopold Henry, a sufferer of this blood disorder. In addition, Princess Eugenia was not a Catholic and her conversion was opposed by Edward VII. Despite the obstacles, the couple married a year later in Madrid, on 31 May 1906. After the wedding took place an assassination attempt was made on the King and Queen, during the procession back to the Royal Palace. They were unhurt by the attack, but this event was indicative of her lack of popularity as Queen of Spain by the Spanish. Republican power began to grow at the beginning of the 20th century and King Alfonso XIII and Queen Eugenia were forced into exile. They lived in France and Italy and, when they separated some years later, she returned to England. At the outbreak of World War II she was told to leave Britain as she was no longer a member of the British Royal Family, and she went to live in Switzerland where she died in 1969.
Princess Helena was the third daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She devoted much of her life to charitable causes, and her daughters, Princess Helena Victoria and Marie Louise, followed in her footsteps. She was a founder member of the Red Cross, set up a holiday house for disabled children, and supported the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She was president of the Royal British Nurses' Association and founding president of the School of Art Needlework, set up to provide women with employment. In 1923, nearly seven years after the death of her husband, Princess Helena died and was buried at Windsor.