The life of Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein

On 3rd May 1870, Princess Helena Victoria was born at Frogmore House, Windsor. She was the third child and eldest daughter of Princess Helena and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. Queen Victoria described the day in her journal:

‘A fine sunny morning. – Walked & drove with Louise in the small pony carriage. – Greatly surprised, on coming home to get a telegram from Dr Fairbank saying Lenchen had been taken ill, & Christian, who was absent for a couple of days had been sent for. Luckily Mary Biddulph happened to be staying there, during his absence. – Drove in the afternoon with Louise & Lilah C. to Ryde. – Sat a little with Leopold, who has still much pain. Have decided not to leave before the 6th an account of him. – Lilah C., Caroline C., Eva M° D., the Protheros & Sir J. Cowell dined. At dinner heard that dear Lenchen had got a daughter & was doing quite well, but had had a severe time. Good Mary Biddulph telegraphed, also Christian’(1)

Just over a month later, on 20th June, the baby was baptised in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle, where she received the names Victoria Louise Sophia Augusta Amelia Helena; although she was officially known as Helena Victoria. Her godparents included: Queen Victoria; Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Louise; Prince Arthur; Prince Leopold; Prince Vlademar of Denmark; Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; Princess Louise Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein; and Princess Caroline Amelie of Schleswig-Holstein.

Known as ‘Thora’ by her close family, the princess grew up at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, where she received a relatively modest upbringing. Although she was privately tutored at home, her father encouraged his children to spend their time gardening and studying horticulture, while her mother regularly took Thora and her sister, Princess Marie Louise, to visit hospitals and charitable events. The Schleswig-Holstein children regularly played with local children and also wore hand-me-down clothing in order to prevent waste.

In 1898 Thora was suggested as a potential suitor for Prince Ernst of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. However nothing came of this as he went on to marry her cousin, Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, while Thora never married. Instead, she spent her time assisting her mother and aunt, Princess Beatrice, as Queen Victoria’s private secretary. Through doing this she gained a close relationship with her grandmother, who went on to dedicate her final journals to Thora.

Through the First World War the Princess and her mother continued to live at Cumberland Lodge. During the war years, Helena Victoria continued her charitable work and set up the YWCA Women’s Auxiliary Force and also regularly visited British troops in France.

In 1917, Thoras close cousin – King George V – relinquished all German titles used by members of the British royal Family. Many members were either given existing titles or new British titles were created; for example, the title of Battenberg became known as Mountbatten. However, this wasn’t the case for Helena Victoria, her mother and sister, who all simply dropped ‘Schleswig-Holstein’ from their names. Now known simply as ‘Princess Helena Victoria’, her and her sister – Princess Marie Louise, who was divorced – gained the nicknames of ‘Princess of nowhere’ by both their relatives and the public.

In 1923 Princess Helena passed away, leaving Thora understandably distraught. The two sisters moved out of their family home and moved into Schomberg House in London. Here they enjoyed hosting shows and music performances. They dicided their mother’s charities and patronages. As a result, Thora continued to support The Princess Christian Nursing Home in Windsor and also became President of Princess Helena College. By the following year she was reportedly ‘one of the hardest working of all our princesses’.

Upon the outbreak of World War Two, the government deemed Schomberg House as unsafe due to its close proximity to parliament. Although reluctant to leave, Thora and Marie Louise moved into an apartment near Ascot, which they rented off their friend – Lady Grace Weigall. However, they still refused to use a bomb shelter! Thora spent the first few years living in the apartment before moving into Brantridge Park with her elderly aunt Beatrice. As feared, Schomberg House was badly damaged in 1940, causing the sisters to never return. Instead, they moved into 10 Firzmaurice Place in Berkeley Square, where they spent the remainder of their lives.

The war had taken its toll on Thora health and she was now limited to a wheelchair. Unlike before, she rarely made public appearances. One of the final events she attended was the wedding of Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Phillip on 20th November 1947. Princess Helena Victoria sadly died just four months later on 13th March 1948, aged 77. Her funeral was held on 17th March at St George’s Chapel and three months later she was reburied in the Royal Burial Ground.

©️ Queen.Victoria.Roses / Shannon McInulty

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Citations:

1. RA VIC/MAIN/QV] (W) 3 May 1870 (PRINCESS BEATRICE’S COPIES) retrieved 2 May 2024

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