#Margaret of Connaught

[duchesssoflennox]

"The Monarchs of Queen Victoria’s Legacy"

Wilhelm II was the first of Queen Victoria's grandchildren to ascend to a throne, becoming German Emperor in 1888. His reign initiated the lineage of monarchs descended from Victoria. The last to be crowned was Marie of Romania in 1914, marking the end of an era for Victoria's royal progeny.

Queen Maud of Norway holds the distinction of having the longest tenure as Queen Consort among Queen Victoria's grandchildren, with a reign that spanned 33 years. Her time on the throne was characterized by a harmonious blend of British heritage and Norwegian culture, leaving a legacy of benevolence and cultural patronage. Conversely, Queen Sophia's role as Queen Consort of the Hellenes was the briefest, lasting just about 4 years due to the political upheavals of World War I and Greece's National Schism, which led to her husband's abdication. Despite the short span, her resilience and dedication to her royal duties remained unwavering.

The execution of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was a deeply tragic event, reflecting the brutal reality of the Russian Revolution. On the night of 16-17 July 1918, she and her family were executed by Bolshevik revolutionaries in Yekaterinburg. Alexandra witnessed the murder of her husband, Tsar Nicholas II, before she herself was killed with a gunshot to the head. The violence of that night brought an abrupt and grim end to the Romanov dynasty, extinguishing the lives of the last imperial family of Russia in a stark and merciless manner. Her death marked the first among Queen Victoria’s crowned grandchildren. In contrast, Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain lived through the upheavals of the 20th century, witnessing the restoration of the Spanish monarchy. She passed away in 1969, the last of Victoria’s crowned grandchildren, her life reflecting the dramatic changes of her time.

George V’s United Kingdom, a realm where tradition blends with modernity, continues to stand firm. The monarchy, a symbol of continuity, has weathered the storms of change, its crown passed down through generations, still reigning with a sense of duty and connection to the people.

Maud of Norway’s legacy endures in the serene beauty of Norway, where the monarchy remains a cherished institution. Her reign, characterized by a quiet strength and a nurturing presence, is remembered fondly, and the royal house she helped establish continues to flourish.

Margaret of Connaught’s Swedish monarchy, into which she married, stands resilient. Though she never became queen, her descendants uphold the traditions and values she embodied, maintaining the monarchy as a pillar of Swedish national identity.

Victoria Eugenie of Spain saw the Spanish monarchy navigate the tumultuous waters of the 20th century, enduring a republic and a dictatorship before being restored. Today, it stands as a testament to resilience, with her bloodline still on the throne, embodying the spirit of reconciliation and progress.

In stark contrast, the fates of other monarchies were marked by tragedy:

Wilhelm II witnessed the fall of his German Empire in the aftermath of World War I. His abdication marked the end of an era, and he spent his remaining years in exile, a once-mighty emperor without a throne, reflecting on the lost glory of his realm.

Sophia of Hellenes experienced the disintegration of the Kingdom of Greece amidst political upheaval. The monarchy, once a symbol of national unity, was abolished, leaving her and her family to face the harsh reality of a world that had moved beyond the age of empires.

Alexandra Feodorovna’s Russian Empire crumbled during the Bolshevik Revolution. The tragic end of the Romanov dynasty saw her and her family executed, their fates sealed by the tides of revolution that swept away centuries of monarchical rule.

Marie of Romania’s kingdom, once a beacon of hope in the aftermath of World War I, eventually succumbed to the forces of history. The monarchy was abolished after World War II, and the royal family faced the stark reality of a republic.

[la-belle-histoire]

Princesses Margaret and Patricia of Connaught, 1908.

[romanovsonelastdance]

Gathering of Danish and Swedish Royal Families.

At center you can see King Frederick VIII of Denmark, his sister Queen Alexandra, brother King George I of the Hellenes (with his granddaughter Maria Pavlovna the Younger), and sister Maria Feodorovna. Frederick married Louise of Sweden (behind him), and one of their daughters, Ingeborg, married back into the Swedish family herself. Two of her daughters, Margaretha and Martha, are seen here, but her most famous, Astrid, is not.

[andiatas]

Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden by Oscar Björck (oil on canvas, 1909)

Elegance is the keyword to describe Oscar Björck's colourful portrait of the young Princess Margareta. The crown princess is painted in her apartment on the lower floor of the northwest wing of the Royal Palace of Stockholm. She stands in the Green Room, in front of a large 18th-century tapestry. Next to her is Sergel's bust of Queen Sofia Magdalena.

The portrait was painted by Oscar Björck, one of Prince Eugen's best and oldest friends. The painting was exhibited at the Baltic Exhibition in Malmö in 1914.

The portrait can be seen in the East Guard's Hall of the Bernadotte Apartments at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

Photo: royalpalaces.se

[foreverinthepagesofhistoryy]

Cute candid of Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden (née Princess of Connaught) with her 5 children, 1917 🤍

From left to right: Prince Sigvard, Prince Bertil, CP Margaret holding Prince Carl Johann, Princess Ingrid, Prince Gustaf Adolf 🖤

[loiladadiani]

Queen Victoria, surrounded by some of her family members

This photograph dates from 1882. In it, we see Queen Victoria surrounded by (from left to right) her son in law Grand Duke Ludwig of Hesse, her daughter, Princess Beatrice, her two Hessian grandchildren, Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine and Hereditary Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, the Duchess of Connaught and little Margaret Connaught in her lap.

[foreverinthepagesofhistory]

Princess Margaret of Connaught, late 1880s

[krasivaa]

ᴀ ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏ sʜᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴄʜʀɪsᴛɪᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴏғ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇss ɪɴɢʀɪᴅ ᴏғ sᴡᴇᴅᴇɴ, 𝟻ᴛʜ ᴍᴀʏ 𝟷𝟿𝟷𝟶. ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇss ᴍᴀʀɢᴀʀᴇᴛ ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴɴᴀᴜɢʜᴛ, ʜᴏʟᴅs ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɪɴɢʀɪᴅ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ʜᴇʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀs, ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ɢᴜsᴛᴀғ ᴀᴅᴏʟғ, ᴅᴜᴋᴇ ᴏғ ᴠäsᴛᴇʀʙᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ sɪɢᴠᴀʀᴅ ᴀʀᴇ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sɪᴅᴇ.

𝙶𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚏 𝙰𝚍𝚘𝚕𝚏 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚕 𝚇𝚅𝙸 𝙶𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚏, 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝙸𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚒𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚗 (𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝟷𝟺𝚝𝚑 𝙹𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢) 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙸𝙸 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙰𝚗𝚗𝚎-𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎, 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚌𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚂𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝟷𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚜!

~~~˚ʚ♡ɞ˚~~~

~~~𓆩♡𓆪~~~

[postcard-from-the-past]

Princess Margaret Victoria Charlotte Augusta Norah of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden

Swedish vintage postcard

[queenalexandraofdenmark]

🤍🩶 ~ Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, with his wife, Princess Louise Margaret, Duchess of Connaught, 1878. ~ 🩶🤍

(X, X)

[thepastisalreadywritten]

General elections are hardly famous for diplomatic exchanges.

But Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are sure to learn some lessons in pragmatism when Emperor Naruhito officially begins his state visit on 25 June.

What will they talk about if they attend the formal banquet at Buckingham Palace, as they are both expected to do, and at which they will perhaps be just a few seats apart?

Naruhito’s unexpected love of the Thames Barrier – he studied the history of cargo-carrying on the river during his spell at Oxford University – will surely appeal.

But the manner in which the British and Japanese royal families have rebuilt bridges after the deep scars of the Second World War might be a more illuminating place to start.

Those scars – the result of Japan’s crimes across the Asia-Pacific and the cruel treatment of British prisoners of war – had left a legacy of resentment that lasted long after the hostilities officially ceased in 1945.

The pressure was on the young Queen Elizabeth II to restore good relations.

Though she rose to the occasion, making huge progress during her reign, the reconciliation was gradual to say the least.

In fact, when official diplomatic relations were restored in 1952, proceedings nearly fell at the first hurdle – over the Emperor’s Garter star.

When the new British Ambassador, Sir Esler Dening, presented his credentials to Emperor Hirohito, the Emperor’s household asked the British Foreign Office if he should wear what they called his “Garter rosette” when he received the ambassador.

The BFO said they preferred that this question had not been asked in the first place, given that Hirohito had of course picked the wrong side to align with during the war.

The exchange also highlighted what a delicate issue Garter honours had become.

To rewind: It’s a tradition for Japanese Emperors to be made British Knights of the Garter.

By 1952, three had had the honour:

Emperor Mutsuhito, who was appointed in 1906 in recognition of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902; Emperor Yoshihito in 1912, and his son, Emperor Hirohito in 1928.

Emperor Mutsuhito, who was lucky to be appointed in the first place, had never actually left Japan, and Edward VII did not want him to have it because Mutsuhito was a non-Christian monarch.

But Edward changed his mind after Japan’s 1905 victory over Russia and sent Prince Arthur of Connaught to Tokyo on a Garter mission to present the Emperor with the insignia.

Back then this journey was no trifle:

It took Arthur a month to sail from Marseilles to Yokohama to ask Mutsuhito to accept “the highest mark of friendship and esteem which it is in His Majesty’s power to bestow."

The Emperor was so delighted by the honour that he broke tradition and personally received him at the Imperial Palace.

Yoshihito made it out as far as Korea, but his disabilities and sickly disposition prevented him from much else.

His son Hirohito, meanwhile, was much more used to overseas visits.

He’d already visited Britain as part of a European tour in 1921, when he was a rather shy Crown Prince (the Duke of Windsor, as the Prince of Wales, visited Japan the following year).

After Hirohito succeeded as Emperor in 1926 he was appointed to the Garter, which was the cue for another long trip from England to Japan (this time by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester) to invest him.

But during the Second World War, Hirohito was regarded as an enemy alien, and his Garter banner was removed from St George’s Chapel and “placed in the vaults.”

Did he know of his demotion? Surely Dening would have maintained a dignified silence when he was pitching his ambassadorial services in 1952.

But the missing banner did cause minor concern ahead of Crown Prince Akihito’s visit to represent his father at the 1953 Coronation.

Luckily, when he laid a wreath in St George’s Chapel in honour of Queen Mary, who had lately died, he did not notice the absence of the Imperial banner.

Instead, his mind was on more youthful pursuits: during his visit, he was keen to go racing and attend Wimbledon.

Ever the astute hostess, the Queen duly invited him to the Derby.

In those early post-war days, the bridge of cordiality that was slowly being built between Japan and Britain was as fragile as kintsugi porcelain.

A more important step towards reconciliation was needed and that came in 1961 when Elizabeth II’s cousin, Princess Alexandra, visited Japan.

She was accompanied by her mother’s private secretary, Sir Philip Hay, who had been a prisoner of war in the Far East, as a result of which he suffered recurring malaria.

Princess Alexandra found the Japanese very friendly but received letters asking why she had gone, since their families had suffered so gravely.

She told me that she gave him a “bottom scraper,” an unfortunately named device used for trawling the sea bed.

He was a marine biologist, having written several books on the subject and collected these objects.

Perhaps this inspired his grandson’s interest.

Whatever the Emperor made of his aquatic gift, he was undoubtedly more pleased by the fact that, during her visit, he was allowed to wear his Garter star.

During these and subsequent years, Princess Chichibu, the Emperor’s sister-in-law, worked tirelessly to improve Anglo-Japanese relations.

Her father had been Japanese Ambassador to Britain and she had been born in Walton on Thames.

With her husband, Prince Chichibu, she had attended the 1937 Coronation.

She became Patron of the Japan-British Society in Tokyo and had a prominent role during Princess Margaret’s visit for British Week in 1969.

At the time, Prince William of Gloucester even served at the British Embassy.

In 1970, King Charles III (as Prince of Wales) visited Japan, and the following year marked the first ever state visit by a Japanese Emperor to Britain when Hirohito landed on our shores once more.

When he accepted Queen Elizabeth II’s invitation, he addressed her as “Madam My Sister” and signed it “Your Majesty’s Good Brother.”

He added in his letter:

“I once visited your country when I was the Crown Prince and have always cherished the pleasant memories of it.”

It was enough to restore his full diplomatic standing: he was quietly reinstated into the Order of the Garter, and a new banner raised over his stall.

The British newspapers were less forgiving:

Private Eye produced a particularly disparaging front cover, and David Walker, at the Foreign Office, wrote that his impression was “that the press became more hostile as the visit wore on.”

The public made their feelings known too: though the Emperor’s arrival at Victoria passed off smoothly, a man was arrested in the Mall for a mild incident, and a protester dug up the tree the Emperor planted at Kew.

Many more favourable column inches were devoted to the visit in the Japanese press, but the British Ambassador conceded: “the misdeeds of the past still remain alive.”

The return state visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1975 was a game-changer, however.

As part of it, the Queen wanted to drive through Tokyo in an open convertible Cadillac.

But Sir Fred Warner, the British Ambassador, was aware that there was “a tradition in Japan of political assassination” and that the Japanese police had a “proper fear” for the Queen’s safety.

President Gerald Ford had visited shortly before and had been guarded by an astonishing 160,000 Japanese police.

As Warner put it, “might as well have been wearing a cloak of invisibility.”

The original plan for the Queen was that everywhere she went, she should be driven at 50mph in a car with dark bullet-proof glass.

Unsurprisingly, this held no appeal for her: the Queen got her way and what became known as “the Open Car Drive” passed into Japanese history.

Since it passed off well, the Japanese police emerged as heroes of the plan.

The effect was that the Emperor, who led a somewhat cloistered existence, was impressed by the openness of the British Royal family.

The members of the Imperial family “felt that a window had been thrown open and a gust of fresh air let into their lives.”

On both sides, the overwhelming view was that the Queen’s visit, with its innovative approach to visibility, had “marked a significant step towards reconciliation and renewal of old friendships.”

Prince Philip played his part too, making a virtue of lying by omission.

During the state visit he was frequently asked: “Your first visit to Japan?”

“Yes”, he said.

In truth, he had been in Japan in 1945 at the time of the Japanese surrender.

When Emperor Hirohito died in 1989, Prince Philip volunteered to represent the Queen, feeling he was the right person to do so, since he had served in the war and did not mind any criticism that might come.

A decade later, in 1998, it was Hirohito’s son Akihito’s turn to pay a state visit to Britain.

But this time, the press were more pro-actively hostile: one TV station sent a car down to the house of a former POW to film him looking at his photos from the war.

They also took him by car to the Mall to film him setting fire to a Japanese flag – directing the cameras so that the state procession could be seen passing behind him.

This was despite the fact that Emperor Akihito, unlike his father, had played no part in the Second World War.

Akihito was given the Garter on his visit. Naruhito will also receive it on his.

He’s an Anglophile, having attended Oxford’s Merton College between 1983 and 1985.

During that time, while studying the waterways of Britain, he wrote:

“The name of the Thames conjures up in me feelings of affection and nostalgia transcending distance and time.”

In 2006, King Charles wrote of “the close friendship between the United Kingdom and Japan, which is reflected in the solid bond between the Imperial and Royal Families.”

This visit will further cement that bond – something that the Emperor will reflect on when he privately visits St George’s Chapel at Windsor on June 27 to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II.

There, the Garter banner of his father will be above his stall, and the stallplates of his predecessors in their stalls – a permanent record of years of growing friendship.

[duchesssoflennox]

Who do you think are the 3 most beautiful granddaughters of Queen Victoria?

Beauty is a subjective matter, and different people may have different preferences and tastes.

I'm sure that all the granddaughters of Queen Victoria are beautiful and unique in their own way... 💓🫶🥺 However, in my opinion, 3 of the most beautiful granddaughters of Queen Victoria are included:

- Princess Margaret of Connaught (1882–1920) was the daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, the third son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She married Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf, in 1905 and became the Crown Princess of Sweden. She was known for her beauty, intelligence, and charm, and was popular among the Swedish people. She died in 1920, at the age of 38.

- Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh (1876–1936) was the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She married twice: first to her cousin Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse; and second to another cousin Kirill Vladimirovich, Grand Duke of Russia. She was considered a beauty in her youth, with dark hair and blue eyes. She was also interested in music and art, and supported her husband's claim to the Russian throne after the revolution.

- Princess Marie of Edinburgh (1875–1938) was the daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She married King Ferdinand I of Romania in 1893. She was admired for her beauty, elegance, and style, and was nicknamed "the pearl of the crown" by the Romanian people. She was also a patron of arts and culture, and a humanitarian who helped refugees.

[royal-confessions]

“Princess Margaret of Connaught stroking the face of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, it was such a lovely gesture. It is a pity that the two departed early in life.” - Submitted by cenacevedo15

[tiaramania]

* Coronation Tiaras *

Princess Louise Margaret, Duchess of Connaught & Strathearn, wore the Connaught Fringe Tiara for the coronation of King Edward VII at Westminster Abbey on 9 August 1902.

[epoque-victorienne]

[foreverinthepagesofhistoryy]

@princesscatherinemiddleton’s Royal Fandom Summer 2024 Photo Challenge

Day 27: Favourite summer-themed photos of royals at Balmoral Castle

This is a series of footage clips containing several members of the British Royal Family including Queen Victoria, Prince Arthur of Connaught and his children, Princess Helena Duchess of Albany and her children, and also Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. This is sole of the first footage taken of most of these royals (except the Russian couple whose 1894 coronation was filmed) and is a perfect example of how the BRF vacationed at Balmoral (the location of the footage).

Source: National Library of Scotland