Viktoria Luise Adelheid Mathilde Charlotte was born in Potsdam on September 13, 1892, as the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein.
Her arrival brought joy to her parents, who had already welcomed six sons. The family cherished her deeply from birth, naming her after her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, and her great-great-grandmother, Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
However, Wilhelm II would later claim the name choice had no connection to Queen Victoria, reflecting the strained relations between their families.
Victoria Louise c. 1908.
Described as intelligent and graceful, Viktoria Luise also inherited her father’s strong-willed and commanding nature.
She grew up at Homburg Castle and developed a close bond with her brothers Joachim and Adalbert, the latter of whom played a role in arranging her future marriage.
A postcard showing Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia in the uniform of the II Life Hussars regiment, 10 October 1909.
In 1910, Viktoria Luise met Ernst Augustus of Hanover during a visit he made to her parents’ court. Their mutual affection was evident, but political challenges surrounded the prospect of their marriage.
Ernst Augustus was heir to the dukedom of Cumberland and the Hanoverian throne, which had been annexed by Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
Crown Prince Wilhelm opposed the union, demanding Ernst Augustus formally renounce his claim to the Hanoverian throne. A compromise was eventually reached when Ernst Augustus accepted the smaller Duchy of Brunswick.
Princess Victoria-Louise and Crown Princess Cecille in uniform, circa 1900s.
Their engagement was announced on February 11, 1913, heralded as a reconciliation between the House of Hanover and the House of Hohenzollern.
The wedding on May 24, 1913, became a landmark event—the final grand gathering of European royalty before the outbreak of World War I reshaped the continent.
Over 1,200 guests, including King George V of England and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, attended the extravagant celebration orchestrated by Wilhelm II for his beloved daughter.
The couple settled in Brunswick, where their first child, Ernst Augustus, was born on March 18, 1914, followed by three more sons and a daughter, Friederike, who later became Queen of the Hellenes.
Ernst Augustus swore an oath of loyalty to Wilhelm II and served as a cavalry captain and company commander in the Prussian Army’s Zieten-Hussars—a regiment with historic ties to his family.
German Crown Princess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Duchess Victoria Louise of Prussia in uniforms of their personal regiments, c. 1910.
The Duke and Duchess of Brunswick faced a brief tenure in power, as Ernst Augustus was compelled to abdicate his throne on November 8, 1918, alongside the other German monarchs in the aftermath of World War I.
Adding to their losses, the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917 stripped Ernst Augustus of his British titles due to his service in the German army during the conflict.
Despite these setbacks, he remained the head of the House of Hanover, dividing his time between his various estates.
During the 1930s, as the Nazi party gained influence in Germany, several of Viktoria Luise’s brothers joined the movement, hoping it might lead to the monarchy’s restoration.
However, this hope proved futile, as Adolf Hitler had no intention of reinstating royal power.
While Ernst Augustus never officially joined the Nazi party, he made financial contributions and maintained connections with high-ranking officials.
Hitler, recognizing Ernst Augustus’ ties to the British Royal Family, attempted to propose a marriage between Viktoria Luise’s daughter, Friederike, and Edward, Prince of Wales. However, Viktoria Luise and her husband declined the idea, citing Friederike’s young age.
In May 1941, Viktoria Luise visited her exiled father, Wilhelm II, in Doorn, Netherlands, after learning of his declining health.
She was present at his bedside when he passed away from a pulmonary embolism on June 4, 1941. As World War II drew to a close, Viktoria Luise and her family resided at Blankenburg Castle.
They narrowly escaped before the castle became part of East Germany, relocating to Marienburg Castle in Hanover. Their possessions were transported by British army trucks, a gesture facilitated by King George VI.
Victoria Louise in 1902, aged 10.
Following the war, Viktoria Luise dedicated her efforts to restoring palaces and engaging in philanthropic endeavors, while continuing to participate in high society. A
fter Ernst Augustus passed away in January 1953, their eldest son, also named Ernst Augustus, transformed Marienburg Castle into a museum and assumed leadership of the House of Hanover.
Viktoria Luise lived until December 11, 1980, when she passed away and was laid to rest beside her husband in front of the Royal Mausoleum at Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover.
Princess Victoria Louise and Prince Ernest Augustus, 1913.
Crown prince Wilhelm and princess Victoria Louise, both children of Kaiser Wilhelm II, posing in hussar uniforms. 1910s.
Victoria Louise, c. 1918.
Victoria Louise and Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick (before 1918).
Victoria Louise with her daughter Frederica and granddaughter Sofia, the future Queen of Spain, 1939.
The Duchess signing her autobiography, 1970.
(Photo credit: Bundesarchiv / Wikimedia Commons / Upscaled and enhanced by RHP).