Princess Claudine of Teck (''Claudine Henriette'', 11 February 1836 – 18 November 1894), known as Countess Claudine von Hohenstein until 1863, was a 19th-century Austrian noblewoman directly related to German and English royalty.

Family

She was the first-born of the children of the morganatic marriage formed by Duke Alexander of Württemberg and Countess Claudine von Hohenstein (born Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde). This marriage had a morganatic character, so that neither the wife nor the children would be considered members of the Royal House of Württemberg. She had two younger siblings, a brother and a sister: *

Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural M ...

, later

Duke of Teck Duke of Teck is a title which was created twice in Germanic lands. It was first borne from 1187 to 1439 by the head of a cadet line of the German ducal House of Zähringen, known as the "first House of Teck". The ''caput'' of his territory was T ...

(1837–1900), married to Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge * Countess Amalie of Hohenstein (1838–1893), married to Count Paul von Hügel Her father was an officer in the army of the Austrian Empire and her mother belonged to the Hungarian nobility. For this reason the marriage was established in Vienna. Her mother was awarded the title of Countess of Hohenstein by Ferdinand I of Austria on May 16, 1835, fourteen days after their wedding.

Biography

Her childhood and early youth were spent in Vienna with her parents and siblings. Her mother died in 1841, as a result of an accident in which she was run over by horses. Her sister Amelia's marriage to Baron (later Count) Paul von Hügel and their transfer to Reinthal Castle near

Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...

, led her to take up residence in a Swiss-style chalet a short distance from her sister. On 1 December 1863, her father’s cousin King William I of Württemberg granted Claudine and her brother

the title and rank of princes (

fürst ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German word for a ruler and is also a princely title. ' were, since the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of ...

) of Teck, with the style of Serene Highness. Claudine had a great fondness for gardening and farming. In her residence she had a farm. Her life was spent with her sister's family (her husband and their only child, Paul Julius (1872–1912) known as ''Bubi''). They alternated local life with occasional family visits such as those of the family of her brother Francis and his wife Mary Adelaide and their children, among whom was Princess Mary, future queen consort of the United Kingdom. In the fall of 1869 she visited the United Kingdom invited by her brother Francis and sister-in-law. The visit lasted until the new year (1870) and included a short stay in Windsor Castle summoned by Queen Victoria. She died of diphtheria on 18 November 1894, fourteen months after the death of her sister Amelia in 1893. Previously, on 10 November 1893, she had made a will.

Titles and styles

* 28 August 1837 – 1 December 1863: Countess Claudine of Hohenstein. * 1 December 1863 – 18 November 1894: ''Her Serene Highness'' Princess Claudine of Teck.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Claudine of Teck Teck-Cambridge family Austrian countesses 1836 births 1894 deaths Counts of Hohenstein