Württemberg

[CyrilSebastian]

On January 2, 1895 the Court Circular announced the engagement of Hereditary Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Duchess Elsa of Wurttemberg. Elsa was the elder twin daughter of the late Duke William Eugene of Wurttemberg.

[Gemsheal]

On January 2, 1895 the Court Circular announced the engagement of Hereditary Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Duchess Elsa of Wurttemberg. Elsa was the elder twin daughter of the late Duke William Eugene of Wurttemberg.

Sadly for young Alfred, that wedding never took place as he was suffering from venereal disease.  I don't know if it was left untreated, or it was simply incurable.   He ended by committing suicide in 1899. 

[Principessa]

On January 2, 1895 the Court Circular announced the engagement of Hereditary Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Duchess Elsa of Wurttemberg. Elsa was the elder twin daughter of the late Duke William Eugene of Wurttemberg.

Sadly for young Alfred, that wedding never took place as he was suffering from venereal disease.  I don't know if it was left untreated, or it was simply incurable.   He ended by committing suicide in 1899. 

According to his wiki:

Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Alfred Alexander William Ernest Albert; 15 October 1874 – 6 February 1899), was the son and heir apparent of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He died aged 24 under circumstances still not entirely clear.

Prince Alfred of Edinburgh was born on 15 October 1874 at Buckingham Palace, London. His father was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. His mother, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, was a daughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia and Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.

In 1893, his granduncle, Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the elder brother of his paternal grandfather, died without legitimate heirs. Being ineligible under Saxe-Coburg-Gotha house law to succeed to the duchy due to his status as the heir apparent to an existing throne, the Prince of Wales had previously renounced his claim to the ducal throne. Thus, the succession devolved to Alfred's father, who was at that time the Duke of Edinburgh. Alfred thus became the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Prince Alfred had lived in Clarence House in the early years of his life with his parents and sisters; after his father's accession to the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, he moved to Schloss Rosenau, near Coburg.


On 23 January 1899 Maria Alexandrovna and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at Schloss Friedestein, the Duke's official residence in Gotha. Absent from the festivities was their only son, who was gravely ill.

The exact circumstances of Alfred's death are not known, and varying accounts have been published. His sister Marie's memoirs simply say his health "broke down", and other writers have said that he had "consumption". The Times published an account stating he had died of a tumor, while the Complete Peerage gives the generally accepted account that he "shot himself".

Various authors have speculated on reasons why he might have killed himself. One author, Frank Bush, claimed to have been a descendant of a secret marriage between Alfred and Mabel Fitzgerald, granddaughter of the 4th Duke of Leinster, and claimed that friction between Alfred and his family over the "secret marriage" was the cause of the suicide. Despite the lack of documentary evidence, and the lack of contemporary reference, other authors have repeated Bush's assertion that Alfred and Mabel married, including John van der Kiste and Bee Jordaan in Dearest Affie, and the assertion is repeated as fact in the official family history (Das Haus von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha).

According to rumors, Alfred shot himself with a revolver while the rest of the family was gathered for the anniversary celebration. He survived and was looked after at Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha (Thuringia) for three days before being sent to the Martinnsbrunn Sanatorium in Gratsch near Meran in the County of Tyrol (Austria-Hungary, now Italy). Alfred died there at 4:15 pm on 6 February 1899, aged 24 years. He was buried in the ducal mausoleum of the Friedhof am Glockenberg, Coburg, Bavaria (southern Germany).

Post his death, Alfred's uncle the Duke of Connaught and his son Prince Arthur of Connaught renounced their succession rights to the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in July 1899. As a result, his first cousin Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany, became heir presumptive.

[Principessa]

With regard to Elsa, her English wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/..._Elsa_of_W%C3%BCrttemberg

[Gemsheal]

In "The Empress Frederick Writes to Sophie" (one of my favorite Royal collections of letters!) one of her letters to Sophie indicates that young Alfred had run with a fast crowd of Prussian officers in Potsdam; contracted a disease which she (Empress Frederick) "did not like to think or write about," but that "this was neglected" and his health continuously suffered. 

I have read other bits & pieces about his life and, all added up, I don't think it's inconceivable that the poor Alfred either died of syphilis, or shot himself and then died (while suffering therefrom).   I think the non-equal marriage was a made-up rumor to cover other rumors. 

All in all, young Alfred had a pretty awful life.  His tutor was abusive; his mother too controlling, his father was an alcoholic and mostly MIA due to his Naval service and the breakdown of the marriage, and then he caught a venereal disease that was either untreated or was untreatable (maybe progressed too far by the time he sought help).         

[Principessa]

In "The Empress Frederick Writes to Sophie" (one of my favorite Royal collections of letters!) one of her letters to Sophie indicates that young Alfred had run with a fast crowd of Prussian officers in Potsdam; contracted a disease which she (Empress Frederick) "did not like to think or write about," but that "this was neglected" and his health continuously suffered. 

I have read other bits & pieces about his life and, all added up, I don't think it's inconceivable that the poor Alfred either died of syphilis, or shot himself and then died (while suffering therefrom).   I think the non-equal marriage was a made-up rumor to cover other rumors. 

All in all, young Alfred had a pretty awful life.  His tutor was abusive; his mother too controlling, his father was an alcoholic and mostly MIA due to his Naval service and the breakdown of the marriage, and then he caught a venereal disease that was either untreated or was untreatable (maybe progressed too far by the time he sought help).         

I guess several of the noble and royals lads in the time were in secret sufferes of a venereal disease. But that it was often hushed op.

[Gemsheal]

In "The Empress Frederick Writes to Sophie" (one of my favorite Royal collections of letters!) one of her letters to Sophie indicates that young Alfred had run with a fast crowd of Prussian officers in Potsdam; contracted a disease which she (Empress Frederick) "did not like to think or write about," but that "this was neglected" and his health continuously suffered. 

I have read other bits & pieces about his life and, all added up, I don't think it's inconceivable that the poor Alfred either died of syphilis, or shot himself and then died (while suffering therefrom).   I think the non-equal marriage was a made-up rumor to cover other rumors. 

All in all, young Alfred had a pretty awful life.  His tutor was abusive; his mother too controlling, his father was an alcoholic and mostly MIA due to his Naval service and the breakdown of the marriage, and then he caught a venereal disease that was either untreated or was untreatable (maybe progressed too far by the time he sought help).         

I guess several of the noble and royals lads in the time were in secret sufferes of a venereal disease. But that it was often hushed op.

Ernst Gunther of Schleswig-Holstein (Augusta Victoria's brother) comes to my mind.   Also Prince Albert's brother Ernst - both rendered sterile thanks to VD.   (As per my royal-gossip-type reading  )   

[CyrilSebastian]

Duchess Amelia of Wurttemberg (1799-1848) married Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (1789-1868) in 1817. She died on November 28, 1848. Joseph decided two days later to abdicate in favor of his brother George.

[CyrilSebastian]

Originally a county, Wurttemburg became a duchy in 1495 under Eberhard I.   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCbsfbv6NcQ

[Curtains]

Duchess Amelia of Wurttemberg (1799-1848) married Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (1789-1868) in 1817. She died on November 28, 1848. Joseph decided two days later to abdicate in favor of his brother George.

This sounds a bit sad. Do you think he loved Duchess Amelia so much that he couldn’t go on in the role as Duke?

[fairy]

Nope. He was forced to abdicate due to his unpopular and very strict and conservative rule. 1848 was marked by social  turmoil all over Europe and esp. Germany. It was the pinnacle of civil revolution.

[Cordelia Fitzgerald]

Nope. He was forced to abdicate due to his unpopular and very strict and conservative rule. 1848 was marked by social  turmoil all over Europe and esp. Germany. It was the pinnacle of civil revolution.

In my European History class's curriculum, 1848 is referred to as "a turning point at which Europe failed to turn" 

This will be a good new tidbit to add when talking about the turmoil of the time!

[Curtains]

Nope. He was forced to abdicate due to his unpopular and very strict and conservative rule. 1848 was marked by social  turmoil all over Europe and esp. Germany. It was the pinnacle of civil revolution.

I love the board. Thank you fairy & Cordelia! !    

[CyrilSebastian]

Grand Duchess Vera of Wurttemberg and her daughters Princess Elsa and Princess Olga attended the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.

[PeDe]

June 7
New Württemberg Head of House
27-year-old Duke Wilhelm of Württemberg is now the head of the Royal Family of Württemberg as his father Hereditary Duke Friedrich died in a car crash in 2018.



Altshausen - Great sadness in the house of Württemberg. Carl Duke of Württemberg is dead. He died at the age of 85 in the Ravensburg clinic.
The duke had been ill for a long time. His condition is said to have deteriorated in the past 5 days, the newpaper learned from his family.

After his studies, Württemberg joined the family business Hofkammer of the Württemberg family and in 1995 became head of the company, which owns 5,500 hectares of forest and 50 hectares of vineyards.

Duke of Württemberg leaves behind his wife Diane and five children. His eldest son and successor Friedrich (56†) died in a tragic car accident in his Upper Swabian homeland in 2018.