The life of Princess Viktoria of Prussia

At 6am on 12th April 1866, Princess Viktoria of Prussia, fifth child of Princess Victoria and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, was born at New Palace, Potsdam, Prussia. Although known by family as Moretta, she was baptised Friederike Amalia Wilhelmine Viktoria, on 24th May. 

Two months after Viktoria was born, her two year old brother, Sigismund, died of meningitis. As a result, their mother decided to bring up her three youngest children herself, rather than using tutors and governesses. This closer and more intimate relationship created a bond that continued throughout their lives. 

Despite living between New Palace, Potsdam and Kronprizenpalais, Berlin, Viktoria and her siblings were brought up away from Berlin Court and instead learnt British values, with British nannies. They would also frequently travel to Britain to visit family. 

When it came to her education, Viktoria’s mother modelled it on her own, which had been set up by Prince Albert. She had weekly dance lessons and enjoyed gardening and cooking, encouraged by her mother, who suggested she take lessons in the palace kitchens. 

Although she was brought up in a close environment, her childhood was much less strict than that of her older siblings. She was active and enthusiastic about almost everything she did, including riding her Shetland pony, which had been a gift from Queen Victoria. 

In 1881, on request of Viktoria’s mother, Prince Alexander of Battenberg – reigning Prince of Bulgaria – visited Prussian court to meet the fifteen year old princess. Viktoria welcomed the prospective match with much enthusiasm and had fallen in love with Sandro (Alexander) by the time he visited the following year. 

However, despite the match being suggested by Queen Victoria and Viktoria’s parents, her grandfather, Emperor Wilhelm I and German chancellor Otto von Bismarck were very much against it, believing it would offend Tsar Alexander III of Russia. Sandro’s position as Prince of Bulgaria was also thought to be unstable, making marriage to Viktoria much more of an advantage to him than it was to her. 

After years of pushing back the prospect of marriage, Wilhelm I passed away in March 1888, making Viktoria’s father, Friedrich, the new German Emperor. Although he wanted his daughter to marry Sandro, Friedrich was suffering from terminal throat cancer and died before the marriage could be arranged. Heavily influenced by Otto von Bismarck, the new Emperor Wilhelm II (Viktoria’s brother) immediately put a stop to the match.

With all hope gone, Sandro returned all of Viktoria’s letters and gifts, along with a farewell note. Now 22 and considered unattractive, Viktoria’s feared she’d end up a spinster. Her mood dropped and soon she was dieting in order to improve her appearance. 

In a letter to Queen Victoria in 1889, Viktoria’s mother wrote that “her one craze is to be thin. She starved completely […] she will ruin her health”.  Looking back, it’s now clear she suffered from some kind of eating disorder, most likely anorexia, along with depression. 

After being pushed out of court by Wilhelm II, Viktoria moved into Schloss Friedrichshof, with her mother, who was now known as the Dowager Empress, and sister, Margaret. A few months later, her mother sent her to Britain to recover amongst relatives. 

With the help of Queen Victoria, Maria, Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Marie of Baden, the Dowager began looking for other suitors. One of the first people suggested was Prince Carl of Sweden, however he “refused to consider marrying her”, despite being known for her “immense charm”. This news worsened her eating disorder, making the hunt even more important. 

Other names suggest were: Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, his cousin Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich and Ernst, Hereditary Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Otto von Bismarck also suggested Crown Prince Carlos of Portugal but Viktoria refused to convert to Catholicism. 

Another suggestion was the Honorary Maurice Bourke, who had been put forward by Queen Victoria. However, Viktoria’s eldest sister, Princess Charlotte, began spreading gossip about her love life at court; causing Viktoria to tell her grandmother that she was no longer interested in finding a husband. 

In June 1880, Viktoria visited her cousin Princess Marie of Wied, along with her mother and sister Margaret. While there, she met Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe. After spending a lot of time together, Adolf proposed that same trip on 11th June. 

In her memories, Viktoria writes that it was love at first sight, but wrote in a letter to her mother that she only agreed out of “desperation from fear of withering at the vine”. 

Both her mother and Queen Victoria approved of the match as Adolf had already been a suggestion. However, neither believed Viktoria was happy and continued suggesting other options. This was quickly put to a halt by Wilhelm II, who was adamant they the match should go ahead. 

The two got married on 19th November 1890 at Alte Schloss, Berlin. Their honeymoon was intended to be long. They travelled through Europe and the Mediterranean, stopping off in Greece to see her sister, Sophia. Their trip got cut short when Viktoria suffered an early miscarriage and they returned to Germany for medical treatment. Sadly this would be her only pregnancy. 

They purchased Palais Schaumburg, in Bonn, where they settled for the majority of their marriage. As Adolf was often busy with military duties, Viktoria spent most of her time alone. She would visit family and partake in hobbies, such as: gardening, decorating and playing tennis. The isolation was the last thing Viktoria needed, she herself admitted that she was bored and unhappy. Her depression got worse and her eating disorder returned. Family was worried about her and in 1893 she was treated in Hesse for anemia. 

Between 4th May 1895- 1897, the couple lived in Detmold, while Adolf was regent of the Principality of Lippe. During this time, Viktoria enjoyed her new public responsibilities as wife of the principality’s regent, and her mental health improved.

Although their marriage was peaceful and built on mutual respect, Viktoria didn’t love Adolf and often considered divorcing him. Adolf died in July 1916, at their home in Bonn. Soon after, Viktoria asked her brother for permission to marry one of Adolfs nephews but Wilhelm once again refused. 

After the first world war, Victoria was lucky not to lose her home. During the 1920s, she was offered a paid opportunity to write her memoirs, which were released in 1929. 

In 1927, Viktoria held a party at Palais Schaumburg for university students. One student that attended was Russian immigrant, Alexander Anatolievitch Zoubkoff, who told Viktoria that he had been a baron before fleeing Russia during the revolution.

Viktoria, fascinated by his personality and past, showered him with gifts. In return, Alexander proposed marriage. She was 61 and he was just 27. 

Without asking permission from Wilhelm and having only known Alexander for two months, Viktoria renounced her titles and the got married on 19th November 1927, the date that would have been her 37th wedding anniversary with Adolf. 

The scandalous wedding took place over two ceremonies, the first was at the town hall in Bonn, and the second was a Greek Orthodox ceremony. Unlike her first wedding, none of Viktoria’s family attended.

Soon after the wedding, Alexander began spending large amounts of Viktoria’s dwindling fortune. Due to his financial troubles and public misconduct, Alexander was deported from Germany. He then went to work as a waiter in Luxembourg. Viktoria, who had once supported her husband, had enough and in 1928 separated from him. 

Viktoria’s debts continued to grow and eventually she was forced to auction off most of her belongings, as well as selling her luxurious home and moving into a single rented bedroom. That same year, she filed for divorce from Alexander on the grounds that his behaviour had resulted in his expulsion from Germany, he was unable to maintain her, and that “conjugal relations did not exist”.

Before they could file for divorce, Viktoria came down with a fever and was taken to the St Francis hospital in Bonn, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia. In the hours before her death, Wilhelm and sister her Margaret attempted to contact her, but were not allowed. Viktoria died on 13th November 1929, “penniless, lonely, loveless, and without her family’s forgiveness”.

She was buried three days later at Schloss Friedrichshof, Kronberg im Taunus, Hesse

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