Princess Elisabeth of Prussia

Princess Elizabeth of Prussia
Princess Charles of Hesse and by Rhine
Spouse	Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine
Issue
Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse Prince Henry Anna, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Prince William
Full name
German: Marie Elisabeth Karoline Viktoria
House	House of Hohenzollern House of Hesse-Darmstadt
Father	Prince Wilhelm of Prussia
Mother	Landgravine Marie Anna of Hesse-Homburg
Born	18 June 1815 Berlin, Prussia
Died	21 March 1885 (aged 69) Darmstadt-Bessungen, Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse

Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (18 June 1815 – 21 March 1885) was the second daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Landgravine Marie Anna of Hesse-Homburg and a granddaughter of Frederick William II of Prussia. She was the mother-in-law of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, second daughter of Queen Victoria. Prince Phillip is her great-grandson (son of her granddaughter Alice).

Biography

Elisabeth was born in Berlin to Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Landgravine Marie 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.

Elisabeth married Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine, second son of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse, on 22 October 1836 in Berlin. Their marriage was reportedly stormy; he denounced her as ugly and dull while she found him cold and unloving.

Elisabeth had good relationship with her daughter-in-law, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom. In her later years, Elisabeth gained more weight and became obese. 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. She died in the borough of Darmstadt-Bessungen at the age of 69, outliving her husband by eight years.

Issue

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Louis IV	12 September 1837	13 March 1892	Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (r. 13 June 1877 – 13 March 1892); married (1) Princess Alice of the United Kingdom; had issue (2) Alexandrina Hutten-Czapska; annulled
Prince Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Adalbert Waldemar Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine	28 November 1838	16 September 1900	married (1) Baroness Karoline of Nidda; had one son (2) 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; had one daughter, Duchess Anne
Prince Wilhelm Ludwig Friedrich Georg Emil Philipp of Hesse and by Rhine	16 November 1845	24 May 1900	married Baroness Josephine of Lichtenberg

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 18 June 1815 – 22 October 1836: Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth of Prussia
• 22 October 1836 – 21 March 1885: Her Royal Highness Princess Charles of Hesse and by Rhine

Honours

• Dame of the Order of Louise