Figure 1.--Victoria Louise was the Kaiser's youngest child and only daughter. As a child she is seen in white dresses with her brothers--even when they are in their military school uniforms. As a young woman she was photographed in a unform herself. Perhaps always seeing her brothers in uniforms, she wanted to wear them herself.

Victoria Louise was the Kaiser's youngest child and only daughter. Wilhelm was apparently pleased to have a dauhter after six boys. He doughted on her and let her get away with behavior that his boys were never allowed. She also became very good at getting her way. Her oldest brother later wrote, that Vicoria Louise was the only one "... who suceeded in her childhood in winning a earm corner of his heart". As a child she is seen in white dresses with her brothers--even when they are in their military school uniforms. As a young woman she was photographed in a unform herself. Perhaps always seeing her brothers in uniforms, she wanted to wear them herself. She married Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1887-1953) in 1913.

Parents

Victoria Louise was the Kaiser's youngest child and only daughter.

Childhood

Princess Victoria Louise was born at the Marble Palace in Potsdam near Berlin in 1892, the youngest child of the German royal family.

Relation with Parents

Wilhelm was apparently pleased to have a daughter after six boys. He doted on her and let her get away with behavior that his boys were never allowed. She also became very good at getting her way. Her oldest brother later wrote, that Vicoria Louise was the only one "... who suceeded in her childhood in winning a earm corner of his heart".

Tricks

Victoria Louise like her father enjpyed tricks. One of her favorite tricks was to make the sound of a chapaign cork being pulled and the gurgle of the wine. Her governess objected to such "unlady-like accomplishments". She protested saying it was her pap that taught her, adding "he can do it splendidy". [Van der Kiste, 1999, p.85.]

Clothing

As a child she is seen in white dresses with her brothers--even when they are in their military school uniforms. As a young woman she was photographed in a unform herself. Perhaps always seeing her brothers in uniforms, she wanted to wear them herself.

Family Portrait

A HBC reader tells us, "My grandparents owned and operated an antique shop in Topeka, KS in the late 1960s. They acquired a painted portrait of Kaiser Wilhelm II along side his wife Augusta Victoria, daughter Victoria Louis, and a beautiful long haired, all white dog in the picture. The painting itself is 8" wide x 16" tall (13" x 21" with frame dimension included). The frame appears to be solid walnut with a gold in lay surrounding the painting, and has a gold metal family crest attached to the surface at the top of the frame. We estimate the date of the painting to be 1899 to 1901 based on the fact that Victoria appears to be between 9 to 11 years old. Kaiser is dressed in his full military decor, his wife is in an ivory dress covered in black lace and is wearing multiple strands of a large pearl necklace. The daughter is in a pink dress with black stockings and black shoes. The setting of the portrait is an outdoor scene along side a very large white column that appears to be on a porch or veranda. Kaiser and Augusta are standing and the daughter is sitting on a red velvet bench in front of them with the dog sitting beside her. The floor of the porch is also red velvet in color. We are curious to know the origin of this painting, how it made its way to Kansas, and what value it may have and to whom."

Education

The Princess had a English Governess, a Miss Topham. Once Miss Topham was invited to see some German vessels at Kiel. She stirred the officers there with her comments and when she returned the Princess asured her that Germany wo

Death Head Hussars

The Princess was made a colonel in the Death Head Hussars right after her confirmation. This had been a position held by her grandmoter. Wilhelm when he first saw her in the uniform is reported to have said that she would ride at the head of the first regiment to enter England.

Ernst August of Hanover (1887-1953)

Ernst August was born at Penzing Hall, Vienna, Austria. His father was Ernest Augustus of Hannover, Duke of Cumberland (1845- ) and Thyra Amelia Caroline of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess of Denmark (1853- ) Ernst August was the grandson of George V, the last king of Hanover. Hanover was of course the German principality from which the English king George I came in the 18th century. George V was deposed by Victoria's grandfather, Wilhelm I, and Count Bismarck. in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War. I am not sure just when Ernst August met Princess Victoria Louise. He was related to the British royal family. As a result of World War I, Ernst August was deprived of his British titles 1919 and abdicted his right to the throne 1918. Ernst August died at Marienburg Castle, Hanover in 1953.

Marriage

Princess Victoria Louise married Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg in 1913. The Princess' mother later told her former governess, that the Princess after her engagement cried all the time--fearfull that her husband would be killed in an upcoming war. The marriage in itself was an historic event. It was the last great gathering of the crowned heads of Europe, before the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Many would loose their crowns in the afternmath of World War I that began the following year.

Children

Victoria Louise and Ernst August had five children. They included: Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswig-Lüneburg (1914- ), George William Ernest (1915- ), Frederica Louise Thyra (1917- ), Christian Oscar Ernest (1919- ), and Guelph Henry Ernest (1923- ). Some of the boys would have been of the age to participate in the Hitler Youth. They all would have been of military age during World War II. We have no details about them at this time.

Later Years

We have little information on Princess Victoria Louise after World War I. She lived a long life, including through the NAZI era and World War II. We have no information aboutvher aditude toward the NAZIs. She died in 1980 in her husbands's native Hanover.

Sources

John Van der Kiste, Kaiser Wilhelm II: Germany's Last Emperor (Bodmin: Sutton Publishing, 1999), 244p.

Created: June 12, 1998
Last updated: March 20, 2003