Princess Anna of Hesse and by Rhine (german: Prinzessin Anna von Hessen und bei Rhein; 25 May 1843 – 16 April 1865) was the consort and second wife of

Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis II (German: ''Friedrich Franz II;'' 28 February 1823 – 15 April 1883) was a Prussian officer and Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 7 March 1842 until 15 April 1883. Biography He was born in Schloss Ludwigslust, the e ...

Early life

Anna, third child and only daughter of

Prince Karl of Hesse and by Rhine Prince Charles of Hesse and by Rhine (23 April 1809 - 20 March 1877) was a German prince, officer and politician. He was the second surviving son of Louis II, Grand Duke of Hesse and Wilhelmine of Baden. The prince had a military career and became ...

, and his wife,

Princess Elisabeth of Prussia , spouse = , issue = Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine Prince Henry Anna, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-SchwerinPrince William , house = Hohenzollern , father = Prince Wilhelm of Prussia , mother = ...

, was born at Bessungen, Grand Duchy of Hesse.C. Arnold McNaughton, The Book of Kings, volume 1, page 416 Her paternal grandfather was

Ludwig II, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine Louis II (26 December 1777 – 16 June 1848) was Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine from 6 April 1830 until 5 March 1848, resigning during the German Revolution of 1848. He was the son of Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse, and Princess Louise of ...

. Her mother was a granddaughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. Her eldest brother, Ludwig, married in 1862 to

Princess Alice of the United Kingdom Princess Alice (Alice Maud Mary; 25 April 1843 – 14 December 1878) was Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine from 13 June 1877 until her death in 1878 as the wife of Grand Duke Louis IV. She was the third child and second daughter of Queen ...

, third child and second daughter of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

Marriage

As a young girl, Anna was considered as a possible bride for the future

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

(known as 'Bertie' to his family).Pakula, p. 143. While his mother,

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, was in favor of Anna, Bertie's elder sister was opposed to the match, as she believed Anna had a "disturbing twitch". As time went by however, Victoria grew increasingly impatient, and tried to ignore her daughter's hints that Anna was not suitable, declaring, "I am much pleased with the account of Princess Anna, (minus the twitching)". In the end,

Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of ...

was chosen instead. On 4 July 1864 in Darmstadt, Anna married

son of

Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Paul Friedrich (15 September 1800 – 7 March 1842) ruled as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1837 to 1842. Biography He was born in Ludwigslust the son of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duch ...

. (Friedrich Franz's first wife,

Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz Princess Augusta Reuss, Junior Line (Auguste Mathilde Wilhelmine Reuß; 26 May 1822 – 3 March 1862) was Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin as the first spouse of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Early life Princess ...

, had died in 1862.) Together they had one daughter: * HH Duchess ''Anna'' Elisabeth Auguste Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (7 April 1865 – 8 February 1882)C. Arnold McNaughton, The Book of Kings, volume 1, page 417.

Death

Anna died of puerperal fever a week later after giving birth to her only daughter. She was buried at the

Schwerin Cathedral Schwerin Cathedral (german: Schweriner Dom) is an Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral located in the town of Schwerin, Germany. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint John. Along with St. Mary's Church, Lübeck and St. Nicholas' Church, Stra ...

. Her husband remarried to

Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Princess Marie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (german: Prinzessin Marie von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; 29 January 1850 – 22 April 1922) was the consort and third wife of Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She was mother of Pr ...

, and fathered by her

Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (german: Heinrich Wladimir Albrecht Ernst; nl, Hendrik Vladimir Albrecht Ernst; 19 April 1876 – 3 July 1934) was Prince consort of the Netherlands from 7 February 1901 until his death in 1934 as the husband o ...

, consort of

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands Wilhelmina (; Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria; 31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World Wa ...

Ancestry

References

Sources

*
thePeerage.com Anne Prinzessin von Hessen und bei Rhein
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Anna Of Hesse And By Rhine, Princess House of Hesse-Darmstadt 1843 births 1865 deaths House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin People from the Grand Duchy of Hesse Duchesses of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Grand Duchesses of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Deaths in childbirth Burials at Schwerin Cathedral