The times., 1898-09-30


The daughter of the comparatively un-
important Landgrave Wilhelm, of Hesse-
Cassel. she was regarded simply as
handsome woman who was chiefly con-
cerned about her looks. Her features
were reproduced in her eldest daughter,
the Princess of Wales, and in photo
graph of the two some years ago they
looked more like sisters than mother
and daughter Al the age of twenty
five she was married to the present
King Christian of Denmark, who was
one year her junior He was the fourth
son of the Duke Wilhelm of Schieswig-
Holstein- -Sonderburg Glucksburg, and
in 1852, ten years after the marriage, he
had been appointed to the succession
of the Danish crown by the treaty of
London, but did not ascend the throne
until the death of King Frederick in
1868. In the interval the income of
the royal couple was very small and
the children were numerous. All were
taught the most rigid economy, and the
daughters were compelled to make their
own dresses and attend to the work of
the household. No pains were spared,
however, TO inform their minds and to
make of them accomplished and at
tractive young women.
Her eldest child. Prince Frederick, the
heir-apparent of Denmark, she married
to Princess Louisa, daughter of King
Carl XIV, of Sweden and Norway. Her
second, Princess Alexandra, she married
TO Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales.
Her third, Prince Wilhelm largely
through her influence, was elected king
of the Hellenes by the Greek National
Assembly. Him she married to the
Grand Duchess Olga Constantinowna,
of Russia. Her fourth, Princess Maria
Dagmar. she married to Alexander III,
emperor of Russia, who died in 1894.
Her fifth, Princess Thyra, who is said
to have become insane, she married to
the richest landed proprietor in Europe,
Prince Ernest August, Duke of Cumber
land. son of the king of Hanover, and
cousin of Queen Victoria, who is in eX-
lie as a claimant of the throne of Han
over. Her sixth and last, Prince Wal
demar she married to the eldest
daughter of the Duke de Chartres.
Thus she was the mother of King
George, of Greece. of Prince Frederick,
the future king of Denmark, and of
the former empress of Russia. She was
the mother-in-law of the future king
of England, the former emperor of
Russia and the claimant of the throne
of Hanover and the grandmother of
the Car Of Russia, of the Duke of
York. who is heir presumptive to Vic
torias throne, and of the heir apparent
of the Greek crown.
II is noteworthy that her eldest
daughter, the Princess of Wales, has
not inherited her mothers great diplo-
matte qualities, or else the positive
character and determined rule of Queen
Victoria have allowed her no opportu-
nifty for their exercise. The marriage
of the Duke of York to the daughter
Of the Duke of Teck was not brilliant
match, and is said to have been due
to Victoria's fondness for the mother
of the princess. The dukes sister,
Louise, was married TO the Duke of
Fife, which would not have satisfied
the ambition of her maternal grand
mother; and another sister, Maud, was
married to the second son of the heir
apparent of the Danish throne, ia
vorite grandson of the late Queen
Louise The cid lady was not pleased
with the marriage. which was a love
match, because the Princess Maud was
too unalterably English for her taste.
1t can be said that only a woman of
very rare tact and determination, queen
in a comparatively Insignificant state,
could have achieved what Queen Louise
did, and gained such control over the
present Car as she has exercised. 1t
has been observed that all of his i'm
portant acts have followed visit to
her.