Princess Elisabeth of Hesse (1895-1903)

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princesselisabethofhesse

1895

princesselisabethofhesse

CHRISTENING

Baby Elisabeth, with enormous violet-blue eyes and lush chestnut hair, was baptized at 4 p.m., on March 24th, in the Green Hall of the Neues Palais, Darmstadt, by the first court Chaplain, Dr. Bender, with water from the Jordan River. 

She received the names of Elisabeth Marie Alice Victoria. The first name was in honor of Ernst Ludwig’s grandmother, Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (although some sources recall she was named Elisabeth after her father’s favourite sister, Grand Duchess Elisabeth of Russia). Marie was a tribute to both Victoria Melita’s mother, Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna, and her favorite sister, Queen Marie of Romania. Alice honored to Ernst Ludwig’s mother and Victoria honored both parents’ grandmother: Queen Victoria.

However, the little one was nicknamed “Ella” within the family. The Godparents of Baby Ella were her grandfather Duke Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, her great-grandmother Queen Victoria and her aunts: Empress Alexandra of Russia, Queen Marie of Romania and Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorvna, who gave her niece as a Christening-present a wooden box containing a little set of tiny dishes made of silver, bearing the Art Noveau “E”. 

Among those present at her christening, were Duke Alfred of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna with their children, Prince Alfred, Princess Alexandra and Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse and his wife, Princess Margaret of Prussia; Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Julia of Battenberg, and Count and Countess Erbach, besides the Hessian Ministers and the highest Civil, Military and Court officials.

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sources:

Princess Victoria Melita

Ernst Ludwig, Großherzog von Hessen und bei Rhein. Sein Leben und seine Zeit

A Fatal Passion: The Story of the Uncrowned Last Empress of Russia

Alexander palace forum: Elizabeth (daughter of Ernie)

British Newspaper Archive

Image: my collection

princesselisabethofhesse

I recently updated this post, since I have been reading different online newspaper articles related to her Christening + changed the photograph, adding one of a cabinet card from my collection.

princesselisabethofhesse

1895

princesselisabethofhesse

Letter excerpt from Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna to Princess Marie of Romania

Darmstadt, Neues Palais, 14 March

Ducky has accomplished the great task and is as proud as possible of her really very fine baby. (…)

But now about Ducky. She had a very long time of it, poor thing. It began on the night of the Sunday to the Monday (…) Günst came to tell me at 8 o’clock she had been suffering during the night, but she thought it would last a long time yet. I dressed quickly and went to Ducky and found her walking about in a dressing gown, looking very miserable and crying a little and shaking. But she had still breakfast with us. It was going very slowly, she had occasionally bad pains, then they stopped again. I told her to walk about, but she preferred laying down to rest. She was very impatient during those first pains, which were the worse with her: she screamed and got even angry and slapped at Günst and at old Playfair and called them names.He gave her a little chloroform, but she said she could not stand it and it really seemed to excite her so, that I was thankful when when she absolutely refused to take any more till the very end. One time I thought she would get very troublesome but when the real good pains began, she did not make… [end of letter missing].


source: Dearest Missy by Diana Mandache

1896

THE GENTLEWOMAN. October 3 & 17

Darmstadt, October 3

The Grand Duke and Duchess of Hesse intend to move with their Court from the Jagdschloss Wolfsgarten to the New Palace at Darmstadt, on Tuesday, the 6th int., in order to be there at the arrival of the Tsar and Tsaretsa.

The Grand Duke and Duchess Serge of Russia arrived at Darmstadt from Venice last Wednesday, and went immediately to Wolfsgarten.

The Princess Louis of Battenberg is now at Heiligenberg with their children, and pays frequent visits to the Grand Duke and Duchess.

Little Princess Elizabeth is already talking about her cousin, Grand Duchess Olga, and is delighted that she is soon to have a little companion to play with. Her Grand Ducal Highness is a very pretty, clever child, and remarkably lively.

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Darmstadt, October 17

The little Princess Elizabeth of Hesse is delighted with her still smaller cousin, Grand Duchess Olga, and to see the babies playing together is an unfailing source of delight to the two young mothers. Both are very pretty children, and are extremely forward for their age.

(…)

On Tuesday last the Grand Duke and Duchess drove with their Imperial guests to Heiligenberg, where they had tea with the Princess Louis of Battenberg; and the next afternoon was spent at Jagdschloss Wolfsgarten, where they also had tea, and returned in the evening to Darmstadt.

source: the British Newspaper Archive

image: Hessian State Archives, Elisabeth and Olga sit on their mothers’ laps and pose in a group picture taken in June 1896.

princess Elisabeth of Hesse 1896 1896 Ephemera