#Grand Duke Ernest Ludwig of Hesse

[empress-alexandra]

Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse with his surviving children: Princess Victoria of Battenberg, Marchioness of Milford-Haven, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia, Princess Irene of Prussia, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia and Grand Duke Ernest Louis of Hesse, 1884.

[thepaleys]

The Funeral of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich

My uncle was buried on the morning of the twenty-third of February. My uncle’s brothers, as well as his sister-in-law, the Dowager Empress, expressed a desire to attend but found at the last moment that they could not do so. Disorders were feared; strikes were breaking out one after another in all the great industrial centers. Any gathering of royal persons would only invite new catastrophes. A cousin of my uncle, the Grand Duke Constantine, took the risk, and so did the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg, her daughter Beatrice, and the Grand Duke of Hesse and his wife. Finally, my father, in his banishment now installed in Paris, asked the Emperor’s permission to come. It was granted.

Dmitri and I went to see him at the railway station and received him with sobs, which could not lessen the joy we had at seeing him again. We took him back to the house. The meeting between him and his sister-in-law was painful.

My aunt had conceived the idea of building a chapel in the crypt of the Miracle Monastery to shelter the remains of my uncle. While waiting for the chapel to be built, she obtained permission to place the coffin in one of the convent churches.

The funeral service was celebrated with great solemnity. Officers with drawn swords and sentinels were stationed around the bier. The Archbishop and the high clergy of Moscow celebrated the mass, a service so long and tiring that I almost fainted, and my father had to take me out. The church was full of people; wreaths and flowers were heaped around the coffin and on the steps of the catafalque. By this time, I had reached such a degree of physical lassitude that I could hardly think or feel anything. We had lived for six days in a state of nervous tension that never relaxed. At the end of the service, the coffin was carried to one of the little churches of the monastery, and here, for forty days and nights, prayers were said. We attended them every evening.

Some days later, my father and other members of the family departed. Little by little, life took up its normal course. "Normal" is an expression only relatively exact, for my aunt never left off her mourning and rarely went out.

"Education of a Princess" - Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna Jr.

[ykzzr]

Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine with his two sons, Hereditary Grand Duke Georg Donatus (left) and Prince Ludwig (right), in Rosenhöhe Park, summer 1916

[ginandoldlace]

Queen Victoria with Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Maria Alexandrovna, Duchess of Edinburgh; and Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha at Coburg for the wedding of Grand Duke Ernest Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, 1894.

[romanovsonelastdance]

The Family of Grand Duke Ernest Louis of Hesse and by Rhine.

From left: Georg Donatus, Ludwig (Louis), Eleonor, and Ernest Louis.

[theromanovsistersnew]

Sisters Marie and Alix of Hesse

Princess Alix (later Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia) and her sister Princess Marie had a very close and affectionate relationship. Marie, known as ”May” within the family, was said to be particularly kind and loving, and she had a nurturing influence on Alix,

Growing up, Marie shared a close relationship with her older sister, Alix, who was just two years older. The two spent much of their time in the nursery together and often dressed alike. However, all this changed in November 1878, when diphtheria swept through the Hessian household.

Princess Marie (May) of Hesse and by Rhine and her sister Princess Alix (Alexandra Feodorovna) were known to be close, described as "inseparable". Alix was two years older than Marie. 

Princess Marie and Princess Alix of Hesse were sisters, daughters of Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and were noted for their close bond. Marie died of diphtheria in 1878, while Alix later became Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress of Russia, as the wife of Tsar Nicholas II. 

In November 1878, diphtheria swept through the House of Hesse; Alix, her three sisters, her brother Ernst ("Ernie"), and their father fell ill. Elisabeth ("Ella"), Alix's older sister, was visiting their paternal grandmother, and escaped the outbreak. Alix's mother Alice tended to the children herself, rather than abandon them to nurses and doctors. Alice fell ill and died on 14 December 1878, when Alix was six years old. This was the 17th anniversary of Alice's own father's death. Marie also died, but the rest of the siblings survived. She described her childhood before the deaths of her mother and sister as "unclouded, happy babyhood, of perpetual sunshine, then of a great cloud".

Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine( Marie Viktoria Feodore Leopoldine)was born on May 24, 1874 in Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, German Empire [now Hesse, Germany].

She had six older siblings, Victoria, Elizabeth, Irene, Ernest Louis, Frederick, and Alix.

Marie was known as "May" in the family. When she was a baby, her mother remarked in a letter that "little sister Maly" bore a strong resemblance to her dead brother Friedrich ("Frittie") at the same age "with such quick eyes and two deep dimples in her cheeks." A few weeks later, Alice wrote that baby "Maly" had fair skin, light brown hair and deep blue eyes. As she grew older, she smiled frequently and Alice thought that she more strongly resembled her older sister Victoria, with "fair hair, marked eyebrows and speaking eyes". She and her sister Alix, two years older, "made a pretty contrast". Her mother thought her youngest child was "enchanting" and as a toddler the little girl called her mother "my 'weetheart".Alix was her constant companion. The two girls were dressed alike and shared the nursery. The family enjoyed a trip to the seaside in the summer of 1877 and the two youngest girls were a source of delight to their mother. Sending photos taken then to her mother, Queen Victoria, Alice wrote that "May has not such fat cheeks in reality; still it is very dear. The two little girlies are so sweet, so dear, merry, and nice. I don't know which is dearest, they are both so captivating"

Alix Viktoria Helene Luise Beatrix was born in the New Palace, Darmstadt, on 6 June 1872 and was the fourth daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse, and Alice of the United Kingdom. Alix was described as being beautiful with a rosy complexion and golden hair but she was painfully shy and had a melancholic disposition which made her look perpetually sad. As a child, Alix had been nicknamed Sunny as she had a cheerful nature but that seemed to disappear after the death of her mother and she was often gloomy. Queen Victoria took an interest in the motherless Hesse children but Alix was her favourite and the Queen referred to her as her own child. Alix reciprocated the affection that was lavished upon her and signed her letters as “your loving and grateful child.”..

[imperial-russia]

Hello, do you know if there are any surviving notes, letters, whatever, from GD Elizabeth Feodorovna, with her siblings, or Grandmother? Assuming she might had a diary, it was problably burnt after she assumed religious vows

Yes, there most definitely are letters from Ella to various people. In fact, if you are interested, there is a recent new publication with letters written to Grand Duke Ernest of Hesse by his sisters - including Ella! It is called Darling Ernie; Letters to Prince Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine.

Bits of Ella´s correspondence are also included in her various biographies. I myself have included a few in my bachelor thesis, most notably the one in which Ella defends her choice to marry Sergei to her grandmother.

[drosera-nepenthes]

The Grand Duke of Hesse and his children, 1880s

[thepompandcircumstance]

The Hesse siblings, children of Princess Alice of the UK who was the daughter of Queen Victoria. From left to right, Princess Irene, Grand Duke Ernest Louis, Grand Duchess Elisabeth, Princess Victoria, and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna.

[princessvictoriamelita]

Group photograph taken at Coburg. The portrait was taken to mark the coming of age of the Hereditary Prince of Saxe Coburg and Gotha when Prince Alfred of Edinburgh who was aged 16 when the photograph was taken.  1890.

Front row: Princess Beatrice.

Middle row: Princess Alexandra, Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna (Duchess of Edinburgh), Hereditary Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess Marie.

Back row: Hereditary Grand Duke Ernest Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt, Princess Victoria Melita, Prince George of Wales and Duke Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Princess Victoria Melita and Grand Duke Ernest Louis would marry four years later at the instigation of their mutual grandmother, Queen Victoria. Their marriage proved to be unhappy and ended in divorce in 1901.

[empress-alexandra]

Balmoral, 1882.

Queen Victoria with Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and two of his children: Princess Alix of Hesse (later Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia) and Grand Duke Ernest Louis of Hesse, Princess Beatrice (Princess Henry of Battenberg), and Princess Louise Margaret, Duchess of Connaught with her baby daughter Princess Margaret (later Crown Princess of Sweden).

Original picture

[loiladadiani]

Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and By Rhine, surrounded by his sisters

Ernest was always given a lot of support by his sisters, probably because of the trauma he underwent when his little brother Frittie died while playing with him and because of the death of his mother, who, as per the sources, caught diphtheria after giving him a kiss to console him for the death of his sister May of the same disease. Later on, he lost his little daughter Elizabeth which must have been devastating for him. But he had the love and support of his sisters, and Nicholas II seems to have also been very fond of him. As we know, there were further losses down the road. His beautiful sisters Grand Duchess Elizabeth (wearing her nun's habit in the photo) and Empress Alexandra, were murdered by the Bolsheviks.

Ernie might have been born into a life of privilege and riches, but the extent of the tragedy he experienced in his life is unimaginable.

In addition to Elizabeth and Alexandra, his sisters Irene (Princess Heinrich) and Victoria appear in the photograph.

And since all Romanov roads lead to Prince Phillip, please note that Victoria Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven, born Victoria of Hesse, and By Rhine (older sister of Empress Alexandra) was Prince Phillip's maternal grandmother. So he had Hessian blood as well.

[ykzzr]

Grand Duke of Hesse Ernest Louis and his family 1920s

Grand Duchess of Hesse Eleonore, Georg Donatus Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse, Grand Duke of Hesse Ernst Louis , Prince Louis (Ludwig) of Hesse.

[angelkarafilli]

Left to right

1.Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (1837-92) 2.Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg & Gotha (1844-1900)3.Princess Helena (1846-1923)4.Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom (1844-1925)5.Princess Alexandrine, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, consort of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1820-1904)6.King Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom (1841-1910)7.Princess Beatrice, wife of Prince Henry of Battenberg (1857-1944)8.Frederick III, German Emperor (1831-88)9.Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (1848-1939)10.Prince Leopold (1853-84)11.Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1818-93)12.Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse & by Rhine, consort of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse & by Rhine (1843-78)13.Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught (1850-1942)14.Empress Friedrich, German Empress and Queen of Prussia (1840-1901)

Photographer:Robert Jefferson Bingham (1825-70)

August 1865

[greekroyalfamilyelvaoikogenia]

Cecilie was the third child and daughter of HRH 👑🤴👑 Prince Andreas of Hellenes 🇬🇷and Denmark 🇩🇰and HRH Princess Alice of Batenberg later HRH 👑👸👑Princess Aliki of Hellenes 🇬🇷and Denmark 🇩🇰She was born on 22 June 1911 at the summer estate of the Greek Royal Family at Tatoi fifteen kilometres north of Athens. Although her given name was Cecilie, she was known to her family as Cécile.

Cecilie was baptised at Tatoi on 2 July 1911.

Through her father, Cecilie was a grandchild of HM King Georgios I of Hellenes Prince of Denmark and his wife, HIH Grand Duchess Olga Kostandinovna of Russia (a granddaughter of Tsar Nickolas I of Russia ) through her mother, she was a great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria Cecilie had three sisters and a brother :

a)Margarita (wife of Prince Gottfried of Hohelhohen -Langenburg b)Theodora (wife of Berthold Magrave of Baden ) and c)Sophia (wife firstly of Prince Christoph of Hesse and secondly of Prince George William of Hannover )

Her brother, was Prince Philip, late Duke of Edinburgh, and the husband of Queen Elisabeth II of GB

On 2 February 1931 at Darmstadt Cecilie married George Horatius Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine who was her maternal first cousin once removed.

They had four children.

In October 1937, Cecilie's father-in-law Grand Duke Ernest Ludwig of Hesse died. A few weeks after the funeral, her brother-in-law Prince Ludwig was due to be married to Margaret Campbell Geddes in London.

On 15 November 1937, Georg Donatus, Cecilie, their two young sons and Georg's mother Grand Duchess Eleonore left Darmstadt for London, where they planned to attend the wedding. The aircraft in which they were travelling crashed in flames after hitting a factory chimney near Ostend in Belgium killing all on board. At the time, Cecilie was eight months pregnant with her fourth child, and the remains of the baby, a boy, were found in the wreckage.

Cecilie was buried with her husband and three sons in Darmstadt at the Rosenhöhe, the traditional burial place of the Hesse family. Cecilie's daughter Johanna was adopted by Prince Ludwig and Princess Margaret, but she died two years later from meningitis and is buried with her parents and brothers. Cecilie was the first of Prince Andrew and Princess Alice's children to die. Her last surviving sibling, Prince Philip, died on 9 April 2021. He survived her by more than 83 years.

Η ΑΒΥ Πριγκίπισσα Κεκιλια της Ελλαδος 🇬🇷και Δανίας 🇩🇰ήταν το τρίτο παιδί και κόρη της ΑΒΥ 👑🤴👑 Πρίγκιπα Αντρέα της Ελλάδας 🇬🇷και της Δανιας 🇩🇰 και της ΑΒΥ πριγκίπισσας Αλίκης του Μπάτενμπεργκ αργότερα ΑΒΥ 👑👸👑 πριγκίπισσα Αλικη της Ελλάδας 🇬🇷και της Δανιας 🇩🇰.Η ΑΒΥ Πριγκίπισσα Κεκιλια γεννήθηκε στις 22 Ιουνίου 1911 στο θερινό Ανακτορο της Ελληνικής Βασιλικής Οικογένειας στο Τατόι δεκαπέντε χιλιόμετρα βόρεια της Αθήνας.

Η ΑΒΥ Πριγκίπισσα Κεκιλια βαφτίστηκε στο Τατόι στις 2 Ιουλίου 1911.

Μέσω του πατέρα της, η Κεκιλια ήταν εγγόνι της ΑΜ Βασιλέα της Ελλαδος 🇬🇷Πρίγκιπας της Δανίας 🇩🇰και της σύζυγου του, της ΑΑΥ Μεγάλης Δούκισσας Ολγας Κονσταντινοβας της Ρωσίας (εγγονή του Τσάρου Νικολάου Α’ της Ρωσίας) μέσω της μητέρας της, η Κεκιλια ήταν εγγονή της βασίλισσας Βικτώριας .

Η Πριγκίπισσα Κεκιλια είχε τρεις αδελφές και έναν αδελφό:

α) Πριγκίπισσα Μαργαρίτα (σύζυγος του πρίγκιπα Γκότφριντ του Χόχελχεν-Λάντενμπουργκ β) Η Πριγκίπισσα Θεοδώρα (σύζυγος του Μπέρτολντ Μαγκράβε του Μπάντεν) και

γ) Πριγκίπισσα Σοφία (σύζυγος πρώτα του πρίγκιπα Χριστόφου της Έσσης και δεύτερον του πρίγκιπα Τζορτζ Γουίλιαμ του Αννόβερου)

Ο αδερφός της, ήταν ο πρίγκιπας Φίλιππος, αείμνηστος Δούκας του Εδιμβούργου, και σύζυγος της Βασίλισσας Ελισάβετ Β της ΜΒ

Στις 2 Φεβρουαρίου 1931 στο Ντάρμσταντ, η Κεκιλια παντρεύτηκε τον Μεγάλο Δούκα της Έσσης και Ρήνου, ο οποίος ήταν πρώτος ξάδελφος απο την πλευρά της μητέρας της καιαπέκτησαν τέσσερα παιδιά.

Τον Οκτώβριο του 1937, πέθανε ο πεθερός της Πριγκιπισσας Κεκίλιας Μεγάλος Δούκας Eρνεστος Λουδοβίκος της Έσσης. Λίγες εβδομάδες μετά την κηδεία, ο κουνιαδος της Πρίγκιπας Λουδοβικος επρόκειτο να παντρευτεί με τη Μαργαρίτα Κάμπελ Γκάντες στο Λονδίνο.

Στις 15 Νοεμβρίου 1937, ο Γεωργιος Δονατιος η Πριγκίπισσα Κεκίλια οι δύο νεαροί γιοι τους και η μητέρα του Γεωργίου Μεγάλη Δούκισσα Ελεωνόρα έφυγαν από το Νταρμσταντ για το Λονδίνο, όπου σχεδίαζαν να παρευρεθούν στους γάμους . Το αεροσκάφος στο οποίο ταξίδευαν συντρίβεται αφού χτύπησε μια καμινάδα εργοστασίου κοντά στην Οστάνδη στο Βέλγιο σκοτώνοντας όλους τους επιβάτες. Εκείνη την εποχή, η Κεκίλια ήταν οκτώ μηνών έγκυος με το τέταρτο παιδί της .

Το πτώμα του μωρού, ενός αγοριού, βρέθηκε στα συντρίμμια.

Η Κεκίλια θάφτηκε με τον σύζυγό της και τους τρεις γιους τους στο Ντάρμσταντ στο Ροσενχολε, τον παραδοσιακό τόπο ταφής της οικογένειας Χεσσης Η κόρη της Κεκιλιας που δεν ήταν μαζί στο αεροπλάνο Ιωάννα υιοθετήθηκε από τον πρίγκιπα Λουδοβίκο και την πριγκίπισσα Μαργαρίτα, αλλά πέθανε δύο χρόνια αργότερα από μηνιγγίτιδα και είναι θαμμένη με τους γονείς και τους αδελφούς της. Η Κεκίλια ήταν το πρώτο από τα παιδια του Πρίγκιπα Ανδρέα και της Πριγκίπισσας Αλίκης που πέθανε . Ο τελευταίος αδελφός της, ο πρίγκιπας Φίλιππος, πέθανε στις 9 Απριλίου 2021. Την επέζησε για περισσότερα από 83 χρόνια.

[historywithlaura]

MARIYA & ALFRED

The Royal Wedding of a Grand Duchess of Russia and the Duke of Edinburgh

(married 1874)

pictured above is a portrait of the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess of Russia, printed in 1874

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MARIYA was the only surviving daughter of Alyeksandr II, Emperor of all Russia and his first wife Mariya Alyeksandrovna. She was born into the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov, a branch of the HOUSE OF ROMANOV. Following Russian tradition, she was named MARIYA ALYEKSANDROVNA, meaning Mariya daughter of Alyeksandr. And, as a granddaughter in the male line of Nikolay I, Emperor of all Russia, on her birth in 1853, she received the courtesy title of GRAND DUCHESS OF RUSSIA.

Check my post on HER LIFE!

ALFRED ERNEST ALBERT was one of the sons of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom, and thus he was a member of the British branch of the HOUSE OF SAXE-COBURG AND GOTHA. In 1866, he was created DUKE OF EDINBURGH, EARL OF ULSTER, and EARL OF KENT by his mother.

Check my post on HIS LIFE!

Both of them frequently visited the Grand Duchy Hesse to spend time with their relatives. Her mother was of Hessian descent, and his older sister, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, was married to one of her distant cousins, Prince Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine.

So, they first met in the Grand Duchy of Hesse in 1868. Falling in love in another of those encounters in the Grand Duchy.

But as there was a strong anti-British feeling in the Russian Empire, because of the Crimean War, a union between a Russian Grand Duchess and a British Prince was not well seen.

For a while, their parents refused to agree to the match and tried to find other suitors for both of them. Only in 1873 did her parents agree to the marriage.

He was invited by her parents to meet them in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, and in July 1873, he asked for her hand. She was 19 years old while he was 28.

But the negotiations that followed were not easy. Their families argued over the religious ceremony, her order of precedence in the United Kingdom, and even where and when she should meet his mother for the first time.

Their wedding finally took place on 23 January 1874, at the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire. They had an Orthodox ceremony followed by an Anglican that were not att by his mother, who decided not to travel to Russia. At the time of their wedding, she was already 20 years old, and he was 29.

pictured above is the wedding ceremony of the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess of Russia, painted by Nicholas Chevalier circa 1874-75

She then took on his titles, as DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH, COUNTESS OF ULSTER, and COUNTESS OF KENT.

They spent their honeymoon in Russia and then moved to England, where she finally met his mother at Windsor Castle.

Although they initially settled in England, they were constantly on the move because of his Navy career. So of their six children, three were born in England, one in Malta, one in Coburg, and one was a stillborn.

Check a list of their children at the end of this post!

While living in England, she had many disagreements with his mother because she wanted to be treated as an Imperial Grand Duchess, not just a Princess or simply a Duchess.

As she disliked the United Kingdom, she tried to travel and live abroad as much as possible, taking advantage of his Naval career and of their family relations.

In the 1880s, it was decided that he was to inherit the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from his uncle Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. So they bought a residence in Coburg, the capital of the Duchy, which they named Edinburgh Palace.

When his uncle died in 1893, they became the new DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SAXE-COBURG AND GOTHA. He then left the Navy for good, and they moved permanently to Coburg with their family. At that time, he was already 49, and she was almost 40.

Eventually, they grew apart but tried to keep the appearances for the sake of their children. But after the tragic death of their only son Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1899, their relationship was never the same.

Sadly, only 17 months later, in 1900, the Duke also died. He was 55 years old, and she became a widow at 46.

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Because they did not have any other surviving sons, he was succeeded by his nephew Charles Edward, Duke of Albany, who took the name of Karl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

His nephew allowed her to continue to live in Coburg as DOWAGER DUCHESS OF SAXE-COBURG AND GOTHA. She lived there until World War I, when she had to relocate to Bavaria.

The Dowager Duchess survived her husband for 20 years, having died after the end of the War in 1920 at the age of 67. She never remarried.

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MARIYA and ALFRED had six children.

Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - unmarried;

Princess Marie of Edinburgh - married to Ferdinand I, King of Romania;

Viktoriya Fyodorovna - married first to Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse, and second to Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia;

Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - married to Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg;

a stillborn son; and

Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - married to Alfonso, 5th Duke of Galliera.

pictured above is a family portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their two eldest children (Prince Alfred and Princess Marie), painted by Karl Rudolf Sohn in 1884

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COLLECTION: Royal Facts & Events - #RF&E

The royal wedding of Mariya & Alfred was mentioned in my post on the life of the Grand Duchess of Russia.

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COLLECTION: Royal Weddings - #royalwedding

Grand Duchess Mariya Alyeksandrovna of Russia & Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh were married on 23 January 1874 in the Russian Empire.