Virtual Ministry Archive

out of all the marriages of Queen Victoria’s grandchildren, the match between Princess Marie Louise and Prince Aribert of Anhalt was by far one of the unhappiest. The two first met in November 1890 at the wedding of Louise’s cousin, Princess Victoria of Prussia. Ariberts flirted with the princess through the celebrations, causing her to soon fall in love with him. As a result, they became engaged within just four weeks of meeting! Their wedding took place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, on 6th July the following year. Continuing the tradition set by her grandmother, Queen Victoria, Louise wore a “creamy white satin gown”, with a long train and decorated with orange blossom and myrtle from Osborne House. on her head she wore matching flowers, which helped secure her mothers veil. Despite seeming happy on their wedding day, things drastically changed when they arrived at their new home in Dessau. Constricted by protocols, Louise had lost any sense of freedom. She couldn’t go out alone but to arrange going out with someone meant passing the message through a maid and footman first. On top of this, Aribert showed little interest in his new wife, instead leaving her alone for weeks at a time in a country she didn’t know. In her memories - ‘My memories of six reigns’ - the Princess described how she ‘wasn’t wanted’, adding that they ‘were two complete strangers living under the same roof’. Thankfully for Louise, whose health was declining as a result of her unhappiness, it all came to an end in December 1900 when Aribert requested to annul the marriage. While he blamed Marie for making his life ‘intolerable’, he failed to mention that he had neglected his wife, while spending (quite literally) all of her money. Before long, rumours began spreading about the Princes countless affairs with male servants. Wanting to avoid scandal, Queen Victoria agreed to complete the annulment as quickly as possible. From then on, Louise was finally free to live as she pleased and returned to live with her mother and sister, Princess Helena Victoria.