Frida of the Velkanias

**Frida of the Velkanias** (Full name: *Hjörfrídur Anna María Hvönn Ragnhildur*; 14 March 1872 – 8 December 1978) was the wife of Frédéric-Philippe IV. As her husband's wife, Frida reigned as Queen consort of Gorgium from 1895 until his death in 1943.

The middle child and elder daughter of Bjárni I and his wife Hansína Freyjdís, Duchess of the Velkanias, Frida was born into the House of Oskársdætr, the royal house that has ruled the Velkanian Isles since the 8th-century. Frida began a relationship with Frédéric-Philippe of Gorgium in 1894, and they married the following year. Following the marriage, Frida became a member of the Gorgian royal family. They had three daughters together: Anne-Marie II, Princess Hélène, and Princess Théodore.

Always a boundary-pushing and progressive figure in Gorgium throughout her life, Frida died in her sleep on 8 December 1978, at the age of 106; she had outlived two of her three children and one of her grandchildren.

## Early life and education

Frida was born on 14 March 1872 at Krúningárathjálla Palace in Naríthjábæk as the second child of Bjárni I and Hansína Freyjdís, Duchess of the Velkanias. Her father was the second son of Thórlaugur VI, while her mother was of the Velkanian nobility. At the time of her birth, the Velkanian Isles was a constituent country of Forsland, operating under the name of the Velkanian Duchy. Her father was reigning as the Duke of the Velkanias. While in the Velkanian Isles, Frida was referred to by her birth name *Hjörfrídur*.

Frida had an elder brother Bjárni, born one-and-a-half years prior, while her younger sister Ísbjört was later born in 1880, when Frida was eight years old. Frida spent a brief portion of her early life residing in Ísafdur House on the grounds of Krúningárathjálla Palace, but later moved into the main residence of Krúningárathjálla Palace when her father took the throne as Duke of the Velkanias in 1872.

### Education

Frida began her education in 1878, attending Naríthjábæk Primary School for Girls, a private primary school for girls. While in primary school, Frida was both sociable and academically talented; she additionally was active in her school's theatre department, at one point wishing to pursue a career as a musical theatre performer. She ultimately graduated from primary school in 1888.

After finishing primary school, Frida enrolled in Naríthjábæk Junior College, where she studied a social sciences program. Frida was a very popular student in high school as well, being elected both a student senator and her school's *tími* queen in her final year. After graduating from high school in 1891, Frida enrolled in Velkanian Women's University, and graduated with a degree in fine arts in 1894.

## Relationship with Frédéric-Philippe IV

Frida became introduced to Frédéric-Philippe IV in 1894, at a state dinner in Earl that the Velkanian royal family had been invited to. Following the death of his first wife Elisabeth, Duchess of Hèbert in 1889, Frédéric-Philippe was left unmarried and without an heir to the throne, so he was looking for a second wife to bear his children. For centuries, Velkanian women were seen as unideal wives, due to the belief that they bore more female children than male children. Because of this superstition, most Velkanian royal women were left to marry members of the Velkanian nobility, very rarely being married off to foreign royals.

Nevertheless, Frédéric-Philippe became smitten with Frida upon first meeting her. Being unable to pronounce her birth name *Hjörfrídur*, he donned her the nickname Frida. They soon began a romantic relationship; while Frédéric-Philippe's family were unhappy he was courting a Velkanian woman, Bjárni I and Hansína Freyjdís were ecstatic that their daughter could potentially become a future Queen consort of a foreign nation, and fervently supported the union.

### Marriage and children

In January 1895, Frida and Frédéric-Philippe became engaged, on the one-year anniversary of beginning their courtship. News of the King's engagement swept through Gorgium, with public opinion being divided on Frida; supporters found her to be personable, charismatic, and progressive, while critics accused her of being unladylike, uncouth, and breaking tradition. They later wed on 29 June 1895 in Earl. Following their marriage, Frida moved into Rüffelheim Palace and received the royal title *Her Majesty* Queen consort Frida of Gorgium.

Frida gave birth to their first child Anne-Marie on 6 June 1897; Anne-Marie went on to become the first queen regnant of Gorgium in two centuries. Their second child Hélène was later born on 22 December 1900. Following the birth of Hélène, Frida faced waves of criticism in Gorgium for being unable to produce a male heir, with critics claiming it was due to Frédéric-Philippe choosing to marry a Velkanian woman; Frédéric-Philippe fervently defended Frida, stating that their lack of a son was more his fault than hers, and that they would love their children regardless of their gender, adding that should Anne-Marie become his heir, he knows she would be a "marvelous" queen. Their third and final child Théodore was born on 24 September 1902.

## Personal life

After spending only a few months of her infancy in Ísafdur House, Frida was raised for the rest of her life in the main residence of Krúningárathjálla Palace. After her marriage in 1895, Frida moved from Naríthjábæk to Earl and settled in Rüffelheim Palace; she also received Gorgian citizenship following her marriage. In addition to her native Velkanian, Frida also was fluent in Dartwallian, Fargonian, Forsish, Helvarian, and English; she learned Forsish and English while in the Velkanian Isles, while she learned the other three following her marriage.

A gifted artist, Frida began painting while a teenager. She studied fine arts in university with an emphasis on painting, and continued painting in her later life. After her husband's death in 1943, Frida began painting more frequently, and also began selling her paintings for a profit. Throughout her life, Frida earned more than $900,000 by selling paintings.

## Death

Throughout her later life, Frida was well-known throughout Gorgium for her longevity and perceived great health. She did several televised interviews throughout the 1970s on her secrets to longevity, which she attributed to regular exercise and a vegetarian diet.

Frida died in the night of 8 December 1978, after her heart failed during her sleep. She was discovered by royal assistant when she did not awaken for breakfast that morning. Her funeral was later held in Earl Cathedral on 11 December, while a second funeral was held in Naríthjábæk on 14 December.

## Family

The Queen consort had three children, seven grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. at the time of her death in 1978.

* Anne-Marie II (born 6 June 1897). Anne-Marie married Losacan prince Henri of Losaco in 1922. They had three children together. Anne-Marie died in child birth of a brain aneurism on 5 November 1945.
	+ Frédéric-Philippe V (born 13 February 1925). Frédéric-Philippe married Forsish princess Sofia of Forsland in 1950. They had three children together. Frédéric-Philippe died of Alzheimer's disease-related complications on 11 April 2014.
	+ Princess Françoise (born 30 August 1927). Françoise married Gorgian nobleman and advertising executive Jérôme de Witt in 1952. They had two children together. Françoise died of stroke-related complications on 22 March 2018.
	+ Princess Anne (born 5 November 1945). Anne married Gorgian commoner and lawyer Daniël van der Leickx in 1972; van der Leickx became the first member of the Dartwallian community in Gorgium and first commoner to marry into the Gorgian royal family. They have two children together.
* Princess Hélène (born 22 December 1900). Hélène married Gorgian nobleman and lawyer Guillaume Lebeure in 1920. They had two children together. Hélène died of ovarian cancer on 16 July 1974.
	+ Prince Édouard (born 14 October 1922). Édouard married Protonian noblewoman and socialite Valentina del Buonascotti in 1947. They had three children together. Édouard died of tuberculosis on 5 September 1976.
	+ Prince Julien (born 5 December 1924). Julien married Karsylvanian noblewoman and socialite Elena Todorescu in 1951. They had four children together. Julien died of a heart attack on 17 May 2015.
* Princess Théodore (born 24 September 1902). Théodore married Dartwallian heir apparent Florian IX in 1925. They had two children together. Théodore died of diabetes-related complications on 6 January 1992.
	+ Claudia II (born 10 July 1928). Claudia married Dartwallian nobleman and lawyer Johannes, Prince Consort in 1953. They have two children together.
	+ Princess Nathalie (born 13 August 1931). Nathalie married Gregorian heir apparent Miklós VII in 1954. They have four children together.

## Titles

* **14 March 1872 – 1 January 1966**: *Her Highness* Princess Hjörfrídur of the Velkanias
* **29 June 1895 – 8 December 1978**: *Her Majesty* Queen consort Frida of Gorgium
* **1 January 1966 – 8 December 1978**: *Her Royal Highness* Princess Hjörfrídur of the Velkanian Isles