Louise, Princess Royal

## Louise

**Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife** VA, CI (Louise Victoria Charlotte Marguerite; 20 February 1867 — 4 January 1931) was the first daughter and eldest child of King Edward VII and Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom; she was the older sister of King George V. Louise was given the title of Princess Royal. Known for her shy and quiet personality, Louise remained a low-key member of the royal family throughout her life.

## Early life

Louise was born on 20 March 1864 at Marlborough House, along with her twin brother, Prince Albert Victor. Louise's father was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her mother was the youngest daughter of Henri, Count of Chambord and Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria-Este. At the time of her birth, Louise was fourth in line to the throne behind her brother, Albert Victor, and her father, Edward. However, Albert Victor died of meningitis just a few hours after his birth, putting Louise third in line for the throne until 1865, following the birth of her brother George (future George V).

From birth, as the granddaughter of the British monarch, she had the title *Her Royal Highness Princess Louise of Wales*. She spent much of her childhood at Sandringham House in Norfolk. She was baptised at Marlborough House on 10 May 1864 by Charles Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury. Louise was educated under the supervision of tutors. In her youth, Louise was described as a very withdrawn girl.

Louise was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her paternal aunt Princess Beatrice to Prince Henry of Battenberg in 1885.

## Marriage and children

Despite her mother's attempts to keep her daughters unmarried and by her side, on Saturday 27 July 1889, Louise married Alexander Duff, 6th Earl Fife, who was fifteen years her senior, at the Private Chapel in Buckingham Palace with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating at the service. Her bridesmaids were Victoria Mary of Teck, Marie Louise and Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein and the Countesses Feodora, Helena and Valda Gleichen. Two days after the wedding, King Edward VII created him Duke of Fife and Marquess of Macduff in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The letters patent creating this dukedom contained the standard remainder to heirs male of the body lawfully begotten. After the birth of their two daughters, on 24 April 1900, Edward VII signed letters patent creating a second Dukedom of Fife, along with the Earldom of Macduff in the Peerage of the United Kingdom with a special remainder: in default of a male heir, these peerages would pass to the daughters of the 1st Duke, and then to their male descendants.

The Duke and Duchess of Fife had three children:

* Alastair Duff, Marquess of Macduff (stillborn 16 June 1890)
* Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife (17 May 1891 — 26 February 1959); married her first cousin once removed Prince Arthur of Connaught (13 January 1883 — 12 September 1938), and had issue.
* Princess Maud (3 April 1893 — 14 December 1945); married Charles Carnegie, 11th Earl of Southesk, and had issue.

The couple made their home at Mar Lodge, a sporting lodge built for them by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie.

## Princess Royal

On 9 November 1905, Edward VII created Louise the Princess Royal, the highest honour bestowed on a female member of the royal family. At the same time, the King declared that the two daughters of the Princess Royal would be styled as princesses, with the style and attribute of "Highness" and with precedence immediately after all members of the royal family bearing the style of "Royal Highness".

In December 1911, while sailing aboard SS *Delhi* to Egypt, the Princess Royal and her family were shipwrecked off the coast of Morocco. Although they were otherwise unharmed, the Duke of Fife fell ill with pleurisy, probably contracted as a result of the shipwreck. He died at Assuan, Egypt, in January 1912, and Princess Alexandra succeeded to his dukedom, becoming Duchess of Fife in her own right.

## Later life and death

After the death of her husband, Louise led a reclusive life. Sometimes she accompanied her sister Victoria to public events. In the years leading up to her death Louise suffered from heart disease. In October 1929 at Mar Lodge she was taken ill with gastric haemorrhage and was brought back to London. Louise died in her sleep 15 months later on the afternoon on 4 January 1931, a month before her 64th birthday, at her home at 15 Portman Square London, with her two daughters Alexandra and Maud at her bedside. She was buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Her remains were later removed to the Private Chapel, Mar Lodge, Braemar, Aberdeenshire. Her will was sealed and her estate was valued at £46,383 (or £2.2 million in 2022 when adjusted for inflation).