Monday, November 7, 2011

Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg to be Queen of Spain

November 7, 1905


Duchess Marie Antoinette of Mecklenburg-Schwerin arrived today in Berlin.   According to a dispatch from the New York Times, the Duchess's "engagement to King Alfonso will soon be announced."

Duchess Marie, a Roman Catholic, was born in Venice, in 1884, and is "nearly two years older than the Spanish king."  She is the only daughter of Duke Paul of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, uncle of the reigning duke, and Princess Marie of Windisch-Graetz.

Two of her cousins are married to heirs to the throne  Duchess Cecilie recently married Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, and her sister, Alexandrine, is the wife of Prince Christian of Denmark, the eldest son of the Crown Prince.

King Alfonso "desired to marry an English princess," and there were rumors that he was engaged to marry one of the daughters of the Duke of Connaught.  But apparently "some obstacle, State or personal, interfered" with Alfonso's plan.   If he succeeds in marrying Duchess Marie "the political results to the union will be almost as satisfactory to Spain" as if he married a member of the British royal family.   Duchess Marie is "closely related" to half of Europe's ruling families.

1 comment:

Bearn Bilker said...

She alwasy came too late on every meeting or official event. She was a little odd, specially in her way of dressing.