User:PeterSymonds/Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom
Princess Henry of Battenberg / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Princess Beatrice (Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore; April 14, 1857 – October 26, 1944) was a member of the British Royal Family, the fifth daughter and youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Princess Beatrice | |||||
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Princess Henry of Battenberg | |||||
File:Pss Beatrice.png | |||||
Burial | 3 November 1944 | ||||
Spouse | Prince Henry of Battenberg | ||||
Issue | Alexander Mountbatten, Marquess of Carisbrooke Victoria Eugenie, Queen of Spain Lord Leopold Mountbatten Prince Maurice of Battenberg | ||||
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House | House of Hesse House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha | ||||
Father | Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | ||||
Mother | Victoria |
Princess Beatrice's childhood coincided with Victoria's profound grief following the death of her husband, Prince Albert, on 14 December 1861. As Beatrice's elder sisters married and left their royal mother, Victoria came to rely heavily on the company of her youngest daughter, whom she called Baby for most of her childhood. Beatrice, who was brought up always to stay with her mother, soon resigned herself to her fate. Victoria was set against her youngest Baby marrying, and refused to discuss the possibility. However, numerous suitors were put forward, including Napoleon Eugene, Prince Imperial, the son of the exiled Emperor Napoleon III of France; and Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse, the widow of Beatrice's older sister Alice. Although she was attracted to the Prince Imperial, and there was some talk of a possible marriage, he was killed in the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, much to Beatrice's sadness. Happiness finally came when Beatrice fell in love with Prince Henry of Battenberg, the son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine and Julia von Hauke, a commoner. After a year of persuasion, Victoria finally consented to the marriage, which took place at Whippingham on the Isle of Wight, on 23 July 1885. Victoria only consented on the condition that Beatrice and Henry make their home permanently with her, and that Beatrice continue her duties as the queen's unofficial secretary. However, tragedy struck Beatrice once again. On 20 January 1896, after just ten years of marriage, Prince Henry (called Liko by the royal family) died of malaria while fighting at war. Beatrice continued her full time role at her mother's side until Victoria died on 22 January 1901, after which Beatrice devoted the next thirty years to editing Victoria's journals. Rarely seen in public after her mother's death, Beatrice died at the age of eighty-seven on 6 November 1944, outliving all of her siblings and several of her children.