Princess Elisabeth of Prussia

Princess Elisabeth
Princess Charles of Hesse and by Rhine
Born	18 June 1815 Berlin Palace, Kingdom of Prussia
Died	21 March 1885(1885-03-21) (aged 69) Bessungen, Grand Duchy of Hesse, German Empire
Spouse	Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine ​ ​ (m. 1836; died 1877)​
Issue	Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine Prince Henry Anna, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Prince William
Names German: Marie Elisabeth Karoline Viktoria
House	Hohenzollern
Father	Prince Wilhelm of Prussia
Mother	Princess Maria Anna of Hesse-Homburg

Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (18 June 1815 – 21 March 1885) was the second daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Hesse-Homburg and a granddaughter of Frederick William II of Prussia. Through her eldest son Louis IV, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was her great-great-grandson, and she is consequently an ancestor of Charles III.

Biography

Elisabeth was born in Berlin to Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Princess Maria Anna of Hesse-Homburg. Through her father, she was a granddaughter of Frederick William II of Prussia. Through her mother, she was a granddaughter of Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg. She was the fifth of seven surviving children. One of her sisters, Marie, became Queen of Bavaria.

Elisabeth had good relationship with her daughter-in-law, Alice. She lived to see her son ascend the throne as Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine on 13 June 1877 and to see Louis and Alice's two eldest daughters marry. Elisabeth and Charles' first great-grandchild, Princess Alice of Battenberg, was also born during her lifetime. In her later years, Elisabeth gained more weight and became obese. She died in Bessungen at the age of 69, outliving her husband by eight years.

Issue

Elisabeth married Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine, second son of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse, on 22 October 1836 in Berlin. She had four children:

• Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (12 September 1837 – 13 March 1892); reigned from 13 June 1877 until his death; married, firstly, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and had issue. Married, secondly, Alexandrina Hutten-Czapska; annulled.
• Prince Henry of Hesse and by Rhine (28 November 1838 – 16 September 1900); married, firstly, Baroness Karoline of Nidda; had one son. Married, secondly, Baroness Emily of Dornberg; had one son.
• Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine (25 May 1843 – 16 April 1865); married Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and had one daughter, Duchess Anna.
• Prince William of Hesse and by Rhine (16 November 1845 – 24 May 1900); married Baroness Josephine von Lichtenberg.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Elisabeth of Prussia

8. Prince Augustus William of Prussia 4. Frederick William II of Prussia 9. Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 2. Prince Wilhelm of Prussia 10. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt 5. Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt 11. Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken 1. Princess Elisabeth of Prussia 12. Frederick IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 6. Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 13. Princess Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels 3. Princess Maria Anna of Hesse-Homburg 14. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (= 10) 7. Princess Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt 15. Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken (= 11)