#Grand Duke Frederick Francis III of Mecklenburg Schwerin

[loiladadiani]

Princess Victoria Louise was the only daughter of Wilhelm II, the last Keiser of Prussia (one of her children was Frederica of Hanover, Queen of the Hellenes); Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the daughter of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg -Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna Romanova. She became the last Crown Princess of Germany when she married the first son of Wilhelm II. Cecilie never reigned.

Sisters-in-law, Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia and German Crown Princess Cecilie, Crown Princess of Prussia

[loiladadiani]

Photographs: 1. Grand Duke Mikhail Nicholayevich and his wife, Grand Duchess Olga Fyodorovna, with their two eldest children, Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna; 2 and 3: Anastasia as a young girl; 4 and 5: Anastasia as a young woman. In one of the photos, she is wearing Russian court dress; 6. Anastasia with her brother Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich (Miche-Miche); 7. Anastasia with her brother Grand Duke Georgiy Mikhailovich; 8. Anastasia with her brother Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovichl 9. Anastasia with her youngest brother, who died at twenty, Grand Duke Alexis Mikhailovich; 10. Anastasia with her brother Grand Duke Alexander "Sandro" Mikhailovich; 11. Anastasia with her niece Princess Irina Alexandrovna; 12 and 13; Two photos of Anastasia with her fiancee/husband Grand Duke Frederick Francis III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; 14. Anastasia with her three children; 15 and 16: Two pictures of Anastasia; 17: Anastasia's three children and their spouses: From left to right: Her daughter Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin with the future King Christian X of Denmark, Her son, Frederick Francis IV with Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland, and her daughter Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin with Crown Prince Wilhelm; 18. Her illegitimate son Alexis Louis de Wenden; 19: Villa Wenden in Nice; 20. The formidable Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna.

The other Anastaisa

Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna was born in 1860, the second child and only daughter of Grand Duke Mikhail Nicholaevich and Grand Duchess Olga Feodorovna (nee Princess Cecilie of Baden.) Anastasia was a granddaughter of Nicholas I. The better-known Anastasia (the daughter of Nicholas II) would be born a little over a half-century later, promising to be just as indomitable as her predecessor (she did not have the chance to fulfill that promise.)

Stasi (as her brothers called Anastasia Mikhailovna) was her father's favorite child. Her brothers worshipped her. Her mother was the disciplinarian of the house. The boys were allowed to see their sister only on Sundays.

Anastasia married Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, at 19. Frederick Francis was Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the Elder's brother. He had very poor health throughout his life; he had asthma and multiple allergies and rashes, and he needed to live during extended periods in the warmer climate of the Mediterranean rather than in Northern Europe; this was just fine with Anastasia, who would never adjust to her adoptive country or gain the affection of the people there. The couple established Villa Wenden in the South of France, and she would live in that area of the world most of her life. Frederick's homosexuality was known throughout Europe, but the couple seemed to have gotten along well. Anastasia spent lavishly at the casinos, and Frederick Francis was glad to provide her with the funds. When the Grand Duke died, she said: "On this day, I have lost my best friend."

They had three children, and all married very well:

Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1879 –1952); married King Christian X of Denmark. They had two sons.

Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1882 –1945), married Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland. They had five children.

Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1886 –1954.) She married Wilhelm, the German Crown Prince. They had six children.

Up to the death of her husband, Anastasia's life had transcurred without scandal. However, a few years later, she began an affair with Vladimir Alexandrovitch Paltov, her secretary. She soon became pregnant by him and attempted to hide that fact by claiming she was suffering from a tumor. She claimed to have chickenpox when she delivered the child. Her son, Alexis Louis de Wenden, was born in Nice in 1902. She was able to bring him up herself and wrote to him daily when he was away at school. After the scandal became public, she was advised never to live near her daughter, now the Crown Princess of Germany (she was given special permission to visit her daughter for the birth of her first grandson.)

After her father had a stroke, he went to live with Stasi in Villa Wenden. As the senior member of the Romanov clan, "Uncle Misha" received many visitors, including the Tsar. At least one of her brothers was in residence at Villa Wenden at any given time. When her father died in 1909, Anastasia inherited an enormous fortune. She continued to live as she wished, gambling heavily, going to the theater, and dancing.

World War I split the family apart. Her son was the reigning Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, her daughter was the German Emperor's daughter-in-law, she was a Russian Grand Duchess, and her Russian family was fighting on the opposite side. She settled in neutral Switzerland. The war cost her son and daughter their (prospective) crowns. After the war, she returned to Nice. There she founded a charity to help Russian exiles. Vladimir Paltov was the charity's president, perhaps indicating that the relationship continued. She lived in Villa Fantasia in Eze, which is near Cannes.

Anastasia died suddenly after suffering a stroke in 1922. She rests in Ludwigslust next to her husband. All of her children have living descendants today, including her illegitimate son. She certainly lived as she wished. Which is something that the other Anastasia would have probably done should she have been given the chance.

[graceofromanovs]

GODPARENTS OF GRAND DUCHESS ELENA VLADIMIROVNA

Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna, the youngest child and only daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and his German-born wife Grand Duchess Maria Pavlova (née Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin), was born on 29 January (O.S. 17) 1882 in Saint Petersburg. She was christened on 12 March in the Grand Palace Church of Catherine Palace, Tsarskoe Selo. Her godparents were:

ALEXANDER III, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA - her paternal uncle, who had succeeded the Russian throne just a year prior, was named as one of her godparents. He was highly reactionary in domestic affairs and reversed some of the liberal reforms of his father, Alexander II. He was present at his niece's christening.

FREDERICK FRANCIS II, GRAND DUKE OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN - her maternal grandfather was another of her godparents. A Romanov by descent (being a great-grandson of Tsar Paul), he held the rank of Prussian general and was also a Russian General Field Marshal.

MARIE, GRAND DUCHESS CONSORT OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN - her step-grandmother was also named as her godparent. The third wife of Frederick Francis II, whose marriage produced four children, including Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and father of Queen Juliana.

GRAND DUCHESS CATHERINE MIKHAILOVNA OF RUSSIA - A first cousin of her grandfather, Catherine was one of the two godparents present at her christening. She was the wife of Duke Georg August of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and a great philanthropist and many of the organisations she supported and helped to create still operate today.

ALEXANDRINE, GRAND DUCHESS OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN - her maternal great-grandmother, a Prussian-born princess was also her godparent. She was a sister of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna-consort of Nicholas I-who was Elena's great-grandmother on her father’s side. In 1822, she married Paul Frederick, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (himself, a grandson of Russian Tsar Paul). Their marriage was generally considered unhappy, he was a military man who had little time for or interest in his wife and family. Alexandrine, by contrast, was a devoted mother who tenderly raised her children and actively cultivated their cultural pursuits. 

Source

[claudia1829things]

Queen Victoria's 1894 Christmas Feast

While exploring the website on old holiday dinners, I came across this MENU on the Royal Menu website for the Christmas feast hosted by Queen Victoria at Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight on Christmas Day 1894.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S 1894 CHRISTMAS FEAST

Dishes Served à la Russe

Potage a la Tête de Veau claire aka Mock Turtle Soup - Calf's head consommé garnished with truffle quenelles cock's combs and mushrooms.

Potage a la Cressy - Carrot soup flavored with celery and ham that was created by Charles Elmé Francatelli, Queen Victoria's former Royal Chef.

Les Tranches de Saumon, Sauce Hollandaise - Salmon steaks dressed with Hollandaise Sauce made from eggs, butter and lemon juice.

Les Soles à la Colbert - Crumbed fried fillets of sole stuffed with tarragon butter and served with fried parsley.

Les Pains de faisans à la Milanaise - Moulds of puréed pheasant meat flavored with truffles and dressed in thick a sauce made by blending a tomato sauce with macaroni, cheese, ham, pickled tongue, mushrooms and truffles.

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding - Roast round beef served with a baked pudding made from a batter of eggs, flour, and milk or water.

Le Dinde à la Chipolata - Roast turkey served with braised chestnuts, glazed pearl onions, mushrooms, bacon and Chipolata Sausage slices all bound in a reduced Madeira Sauce.

Chine of Pork - The cured neck chine cut of pork, slashed deeply and packed with parsley, simmered or steamed and served sliced once cold and set.

Les Asperges à la sauce - Asparagus spears dressed in a white sauce (probably Hollandaise Sauce).

Mince Pies - Small, sweet-savory pies filled with a mixture of dried fruits, spices and sometimes minced meat.

Plum Pudding aka Christmas Pudding - A boiled pudding made from flour, fruits, suet, sugar, eggs and spices.

La Geleè d’Oranges à l’Anglaise - Jellied orange flavored custard served with cream.

Dishes Served on the Sideboard

Baron of Beef - A pit roasted double sirloin of beef.

Wild Boar's Head - A gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II that consisted of a seasoned boar's head that is roasted.

Game Pie - A meat pie that consists of a variety of wild birds and animals.

Brawn - A cold cut terrine or meat jelly made with flesh from the head of a calf, pig, sheep or cow; and is typically set in aspic and usually eaten cold.

Woodcock Pie - A gift from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Cadogan that is a meat pie with a filling made from woodcock.

Terrine de Foies Gras - A gift from Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin that is a cold terrine made from the liver of a duck or goose.

[a-modernmajorgeneral]

Duchess Cecilie Auguste Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (20 September 1886 – 6 May 1954) was the last German Crown Princess and Crown Princess of Prussia as the wife of Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, the son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor.

Cecilie was a daughter of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia. She was brought up with simplicity, and her early life was peripatetic, spending summers in Mecklenburg and the rest of the year in Southern France. After the death of her father, she traveled every summer between 1898 and 1904 to her mother's native Russia. On 6 June 1905, she married German Crown Prince Wilhelm. The couple had four sons and two daughters. Cecilie, tall and statuesque, became popular in Germany for her sense of style. However, her husband was a womanizer and the marriage was unhappy.

After the fall of the German monarchy, at the end of World War I, Cecilie and her husband lived mostly apart. During the Weimar Republic and the Nazi period, Cecilie lived a private life mainly at Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam. With the advance of the Soviet troops, she left the Cecilienhof in February 1945, never to return. She settled in Bad Kissingen until 1952 when she moved to an apartment in the Frauenkopf district of Stuttgart. In 1952, she published a book of memoirs. She died two years later.

Crown Princess Cecilie of Prussia, 1908 by Caspar Ritter (German-born Swiss, 1861–1923)

[venicepearl]

Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (24 December 1879 – 28 December 1952) was Queen of Denmark from 1912 to 1947, as well as Queen of Iceland from 1918 to 1944 as the spouse of King Christian X.

Alexandrine was a daughter of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia. She was brought up with simplicity, and her early life was peripatetic, spending summers in Mecklenburg and the rest of the year in the south of France. She married Prince Christian of Denmark in 1898.

Alexandrine became crown princess in 1906 and queen consort of Denmark in 1912. She is not considered to have played any political role, but is described as being intelligent and a loyal support to her spouse. In spite of her German background, she was loyal to her new country and stood by her husband during the German occupation of Denmark during World War II.

[die-greifen]

when: royally fun facts

They may not be fun, but some of them are made-up. Made up facts are in italics.

Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia

(Karolina Augusta's great-great-grandmother)

Is the granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia

Is the mother of Alexandrine, Queen Consort of Denmark

Is the mother of Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Is the mother of Cecilie, Crown Princess of Germany

Following the death of her husband, had a illegitimate son with her personal secretary

Three of her brothers were murdered by the Bolsheviks during the Russian revolution

Princess Karola of Urach

(Karolina Augusta's great-grandmother)

Karola’s father, Wilhelm Karl, 2nd Duke of Urach, was briefly elected as the King of Lithuania in 1918.

Princess Karola of Urach was the first queen consort of Mecklenburg, and also the last Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Karola was the grand-niece of Empress Elisabeth ‘Sisi’ of Austria.

Karola was the half-niece of Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians.

Karola half-first cousins include Leopold III of Belgium, and Marie José, the last Queen Consort of Italy.

Karola and Mary of Teck, Queen of the United Kingdom, both descend from morganatic branches of the House of Württemberg. Karola and Mary were third cousins as great-great-granddaughters of Friedrich II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg.

Karola was a Roman Catholic and retained her faith following her marriage to Heinrich Ludwig, though their children were brought up in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg.

Duchess Thyra of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

(Karolina Augusta's grandmother)

Thyra’s father, Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was overthrown by her father-in-law, King Heinrich Ludwig of Mecklenburg

Thyra was the first Crown Princess of Mecklenburg (1939 - 1954)

Thyra was the second Queen of Mecklenburg (1954 - 1980)

Thyra was the niece of Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark (1912 - 1947)

Thyra was the first cousin of Frederik IX of Denmark (1947 - 1972)

Thyra was the niece of Cecilie, Crown Princess of Germany (1905 - 1951)

Thyra was the first cousin of Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia (1951 - 1994)

Thyra was the niece of Marie Louise, Margravine of Baden (1928 - 1929)

Thyra was the first cousin of Berthold, Margrave of Baden (1929 - 1963), who married Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (the older sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh)

Thyra was the niece of Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick (1913 - 1918) and head of the House of Hannover (1923 - 1953)

Thyra was the first cousin of Ernst August, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick, Prince of Hanover (1953 - 1987)

Thyra was the first cousin of Frederica, Queen of Greece (1947 - 1964) (the mother of King Constantine II of Greece and Queen Sofia of Spain)

Princess Eleonora of Leiningen

(Karolina Augusta's mother)

Descends from all three children of Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld: Carl, 3rd Prince of Leiningen; Princess Feodora of Leiningen; and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Queen Karolina Augusta I of Mecklenburg

Is the first female ruler in Mecklenburg’s 900 year history.

Will be the final ruler from the House of Mecklenburg which will eventually bring an end to the House’s status as the longest still reigning house in European history.

Is descended from both Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and of King Christian IX of Denmark.

Has been the youngest monarch in the world since 1992.

Has 15 godparents:

HRH Princess Cecilie Auguste, Duchess of Ludwigslust (paternal aunt)

HRH Princess Marie Anastasia, Duchess of Grevesmühlen (paternal aunt)

HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark (paternal second cousin once removed)

HRH Princess Alexandra of Hanover, Princess of Leiningen (maternal aunt-by-marriage)

HSH Princess Margarita of Hohenlohe-Oehringen, Princess of Leiningen (maternal aunt-by-marriage)

HM Silvia, Queen of Sweden (family friend)

HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (paternal and maternal second cousin twice removed)

HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (paternal third cousin once removed)

HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (paternal third cousin once removed and family friend)

HRH Prince Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark (paternal third cousin)

HH Prince Harald of Denmark (paternal first cousin once removed)

HSH Prince Hermann Friedrich of Leiningen (maternal first cousin once removed)

HRH Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias (paternal third cousin)

HH Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (distant cousin and family friend)

HSH Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein (distant cousin and family friend)

[princessvictoriamelita]

Mecklenburg-Schwerin Royal siblings in 1857.

Duke Paul Frederick, Duchess Marie (Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna "The Elder") and Hereditary Grand Duke Frederick Francis (Frederick Francis III).

[yourdailyqueer]

Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (deceased)

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Gay

DOB: 19 March 1851  

RIP: 10 April 1897

Ethnicity: White - German

Occupation: Nobility

[annalaurendet70]

* Extended Family to the Romanovs *

Crown Princess Cecilie of Prussia.

Born Duchess Cecilie Auguste Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin on 20 September 1886 as the third child and second daughter to Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna Romanova of Russia and Frederick Francis IlI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Cecilie was the last German Crown Princess and Crown Princess of Prussia as the wife of German Crown Prince Wilhelm, the son of German Emperor Wilhelm I who she married on 6 June 1905.Before that, after the death of her father, she traveled every summer between 1898 and 1904 to her mother's native Russia. For Cecilie, with strong family links to the Russian court through her mother, the Russian Revolution of March 1917 greatly affected her. Her uncles, Grand Dukes Nikolai, Georgij and Sergei Michailovich Romanov of Russia were all murdered.

📌 Tsar Nicholas Il's father, Tsar Alexander III and her mother were cousins.

📌 Empress Alexandra Feodorovna were cousins ​​with her father-in-law.

📌 Her paternal aunt is the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna Romanova of Russia (the Elder)

📌 One of her paternal half-uncles is the husband of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

📌 One of her daughter-in-law was Princess Kira Kirillovna Romanova of Russia

📌 Her sister-in-law was Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland, niece of Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom.Maternal first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.

[goodqueenaly]

Were there any queens/princess/ladies particularly known for their great height? I know Mary Queen of Scots was about 6ft along with her mother and some of her Stuart female descendants were around that height too, but I don't know much about other royal families.

Huh, good question. Obviously these are just a few examples.

Mary Queen of Scots, whom you mentioned, is the most obvious example of a tall royal woman. At her wedding to the Dauphin of France in 1558, Mary, who was not quite fifteen at the time, was noted to stand shoulder to shoulder with her uncles, the brothers of her mother Mary of Guise. It was certainly from Mary of Guise that her Scottish daughter inherited her famous height: the French-born second wife of James V of Scotland was nearly six feet tall herself, and had indeed attracted no less than Henry VIII as a suitor because of her robust physical appearance (though, when Henry said that he was “big in person and in want of a big wife”, Mary shrewdly replied that “I may be a big person, but my neck is small”). Mary Queen of Scots eventually stood around five feet eleven inches - tall for a woman even by modern standards - and it was said that when she fled to England in 1568, she was recognized by strangers by her height alone.

Mary II - the great-great granddaughter of Mary, Queen of Scots - inherited her predecessor’s height as well as her name. The elder daughter of James II and VII (he who began the claims of the Jacobite pretenders), Mary stood at around five foot eleven as well. Her height made for a dramatic contrast between herself and her husband, the eventual William III, who was just five foot six - average height for a man of his day, but unfortunately noticeably shorter than his wife. (This difference was masked in the display of their wax effigies after their death, with William’s placed on a small stool so that he would stand equal to his wife.)

Another tall royal was Duchess Cecile of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, a German princess who married Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia in 1905. When her brother, Grand Duke Frederick Francis IV, married Princess Alexandra of Hanover in 1904, Crown Prince Wilhelm attended on behalf of his father, Wilhelm II. Though the Crown Prince was no slouch in the heigh department. and was certainly taller than his father, Cecile stood at nearly six feet tall, and was just about equal in height with the Crown Prince. (They were the parents of that Prince Wilhelm who had been forbidden from marrying Dorothea von Salvati, though he did anyway.)

More distant in the past was Margaret of York, the youngest daughter of Richard, Duke of York and sister to Edward IV and Richard III of England. (This was the same Margaret, incidentally, who had backed the false pretender Lambert Simnel.) The Duchess of Burgundy stood at around six feet tall - perhaps unsurprising, genetically speaking, since her brother Edward was famed for being around 6'4", and indeed at her wedding a contemporary remarked that she resembled her brother in height. (Unfortunately, her husband, Charles, was below average height.)

Not European royals, but royals nonetheless, there were also several Hawaiian royal women noted for above-average height. Queen Kamāmalu, the daughter of Kamehameha I and wife of Kamehameha II, stood over six feet tall, and caused quite a sensation from her height when she and her spouse traveled to Great Britain for a state visit in 1824; her British escort wrote to a friend of his that “Her Majesty is a whacker [slang for a very tall individual] nearly six feet high”, while the Times reported that she was “certainly a fine full grown lady”. Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani, another member of the Kamehameha dynasty, stood over six feet tall as well (if you ever visit the Big Island of Hawaii, you can visit Hulihe’e Palace; Princess Ruth inherited the palace after the untimely death of her son, and although she preferred living in a large hut on the palace grounds, there are a number of artifacts there that give a real sense of the princess’ size.)

There are also a number of royal women I know who were reported as “tall”, though I cannot find specific measurements of height.Sophia Dorothea of Wurttemberg, for example, who married the future Emperor Paul of Russia, was noted for her great height: Catherine the Great, said that she was “tall, shapely, intelligent, quick-witted, and not at all shy”, while a contemporary noted that she was “tall, fair, [and] inclined to embonpoint [a typical eighteenth century description for ���healthy” stoutness on a woman]“, and indeed it may be that the famously tall Russian grand dukes took their height from her. Both of Peter the Great’s surviving daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, were described as tall (again unsurprising, given that Peter himself was over six and a half feet tall), and Elizabeth in particular grew fond of metamorfozy balls, in which the members of each sex dressed in the other’s clothing, knowing how well male military attire suited her tall frame.

[european-royalties]

#OnThisDay 1st 📸 - Year 1835, Birth of Leopold II of Belgium. the second King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909 and, through his own efforts, the owner and absolute ruler of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908. Born in Brussels as the second but eldest surviving son of Leopold I and Louise of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the Belgian throne in 1865 and reigned for 44 years until his death—the longest reign of any Belgian monarch. He died without surviving legitimate sons. The current Belgian king descends from his nephew and successor, Albert I. 2nd 📸 - Year 1882, Birth of Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin the last Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and regent of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He inherited the throne when he was fifteen years old in 1897 and was forced to renounce it in 1918. Duke Frederick Francis IV was the son of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, then hereditary Grand duke, and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia. He was born in Palermo, Sicily at Villa Belmonte where his parents were staying to alleviate the faltering health of the hereditary Grand duke. #RoyalHistory #HistoryofRoyals #LeopoldIIofBelgium #KingLeopoldII #FrederickFrancisIV #GrandDukeofMeckleburgSchwerin #Monarchy #EuropeanRoyalties https://www.instagram.com/p/CNcEv3Ln3DJ/?igshid=1eggytd12f3fo

[loiladadiani]

Photographs: 1 and 2: Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; 3. Alexandrine and Christian X; 4: From left to right, Alexandrine with her son Frederick on her lap, Christian X, Alexandrine's mother Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna (Grand Duchess Anastasia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin), Princess Alexandra of Hanover (wife of Alexandrine's brother, sitting next to her: Frederick Francis IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; 5: The Danish Royal Family: Queen Alexandrine, King Christian X and their 2 children: Prince Frederick and Prince Knud; 6. From left to right: Prince Knud, Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, Cecilie, Crown Princess of Germany, Christian X with his son Frederick standing in front of him, Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Grand Duke Frederick Francis IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1879 – 1952) was the elder child and first daughter of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and of Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, a grandchild of Nicholas I (and hence the Romanov connection, which will appear at other junctions). Alexandrine was Queen of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and Queen of Iceland from 1918 to 1944 as the spouse of King Christian X.

Alexandrine younger siblings were: Her only brother, Duke Frederick Francis, who in 1897 succeeded their father as Fredrick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and her only sister Duchess Cecilie, who married the German Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, eldest son of German Emperor William II (but never got to reign.) So both Alexandrine and Cecilie's ancestry was mostly German but being great-granddaughters of Nicholas I (through their mother), there were certainly Romanovs (we all know that by the twentieth century the Romanovs were mostly of German descent.) Queen Alexandrine and King Christian X had two children, Prince Frederik (IX) and Prince Knud (later hereditary prince).

Queen Alexandrine played the piano to an almost professional standard. She was of a shy disposition and had difficulty getting used to public attention during her first years as queen. She preferred to avoid the media limelight but performed her functions in an exemplary manner. In the home, she was responsible for her two boys' education. Queen Alexandrine undertook extensive charity work until her death and was an avid golf player and photographer who also produced needlework to a high standard.

[graceofromanovs]

GODPARENTS OF GRAND DUKE KIRILL VLADIMIROVICH

Born on 12 October (O.S. 20 September) 1876 at his parent's country residence Vladimir Villa in Tsarskoe Selo, Saint Petersburg, Russia. He was the eldest son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna). He was christened a month later on 19 November at the Grand Palace Church, Tsarskoye Selo, by the Confessor of Their Imperial Majesties. His godparents were:

ALEXANDER II, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA - the Russian Emperor, his grandfather, was one of his godparents. Alexander’s most significant reform as emperor was the emancipation of Russia’s serfs in 1861, for which he is known as Alexander the Liberator. Grand Duke Kirill was five years-old when his grandfather was assassinated.

EMPRESS MARIA FEODOROVNA OF RUSSIA - his aunt-by-marriage, born as Princess Dagmar of Denmark, was listed as one of his godparents. She married his uncle the Tsesarevich Alexander of Russia (later Alexander III) in 1866. She was known to be social, intelligent, and very fashionable. When she became the Empress consort upon the death of her father-in-law in 1881, her popularity soared. And would remain to be one the most likeable members of the Romanov family.

MARIE, GRAND DUCHESS OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN - his step-grandmother was also named as his godparent. She was the third wife of Kirill's grandfather Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and the mother of Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlandsand father of Queen Juliana.

FREDERICK FRANCIS III, GRAND DUKE OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN - his maternal uncle, then the heir to the grand duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was another of his godparents. He would be the penultimate Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Like his sister, he also married another Romanov, Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, with whom he had three children including Queen Alexandrine of Denmark.

Source

[heavyarethecrowns]

LGTBQA Royals

Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Friedrich Franz married Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia in Saint Petersburg on 24 January 1879. They had three children

However his homosexuality was an open secret

*Some of these are more rumour that fact so please take with a grain of salt and with the story given.*

[princessvictoriamelita]

Grand Duke Frederick Francis III and Grand Duchess Anastasia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin with their children, Duchess Alexandrine and Hereditary Grand Duke Frederick Francis, c. 1885.

Grand Duchess Anastasia and her children. Cecilie wasn't born yet.

Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin