Prince Willem of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
William Nicholas Alexander Frederick Charles Henry, Prince of Orange, Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau ' onMouseout='HidePop("89897")' href="/topics/The_Hague">The Hague
, 4 September 1840 – Paris
, 11 June 1879), was heir apparent
to his father King William III of the Netherlands
from 17 March 1849 until his death.
and the seventeenth position in the line of succession to the British throne
. A month afterwards on 7 October 1840, his great-grandfather, the reigning King William I of the Netherlands, abdicated the throne due to the disappointment over the recent Treaty of London, which recognised the independence of Belgium
(previously provinces of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands
), and the intention of marrying a Roman Catholic
and Belgian noblewoman, Henrietta d'Oultremont. In 1849, after the death of his grandfather King William II of the Netherlands, he became the heir apparent
. His Victorian
upbringing turned out to be a disaster.
In 1857, he was appointed the 87th Grand Cross
of the Order of the Tower and Sword
.
After the failed plans for a marriage between Prince William and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
, the second daughter of Queen Victoria, the prince fell in love with the 19-year-old Countess Mathilde van Limburg-Stirum in 1873. The relationship between the prince and his parents became very problematic, as his parents refused William's wish to accept Mathilde as his bride in 1874. By the standards of the Dutch royal family, a marriage between a member of the royal family and a member of the nobility was considered unequal
and therefore unacceptable. The 33-year-old William wanted to marry, if necessary, without the consent of his parents. However, Mathilda was not yet twenty and therefore permission was needed from her parents too. Unfortunately, they denied permission and the prince's attempt to marry Mathilda failed.
Heavily disillusioned, Prince William then went into exile in Paris
, where he threw himself into a life of sex, drinking and gambling. Henriette Hauser, his Paris
ian mistress
, gave the Prince of Orange the pet name "Lemon", something that led to him being known in the Parisian boulevard papers as the "Prince of Lemon" when they reported about his debauched and scandalous lifestyle. Prince William died at the age of 38 in his apartment in the Rue Auber, near the Paris Opera
from a combination of typhus
, liver complaints and total exhaustion. On 26 June 1879 his body was entombed in the royal crypt
at the New Church of Delft. On his coffin there was a wreath from French Empress Eugénie and one from the British Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII).
After his death, his brother Prince Alexander
became heir and Prince of Orange. However he also died before their father, who was now without direct male heirs. Neither his uncle, Prince Henry
nor his great-uncle, Prince Frederick
, had any male issue as well. The States-General
adopted agnatic-cognatic primogeniture
making his half sister, Princess Wilhelmina, heiress presumptive. Up until 1884, the Dutch throne used Salic Law
. Princess Wilhelmina
succeeded upon their father's death in 1890.
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The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 4 September 1840 – Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 11 June 1879), was heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to his father King William III of the Netherlands
William III of the Netherlands
William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
from 17 March 1849 until his death.
Biography
Prince William was the eldest son of King William III of the Netherlands and his first wife, Princess Sophie of Württemberg. His nickname was Wiwill. At his birth, he held the third position in the line of succession to the Dutch throneLine of succession to the Dutch Throne
The 1814 constitution stated that the oldest son of the monarch would succeed him , followed by the monarch's brother or his son. Only when there would be a complete lack of males in his near family, would the oldest daughter of the monarch succeed him...
and the seventeenth position in the line of succession to the British throne
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
. A month afterwards on 7 October 1840, his great-grandfather, the reigning King William I of the Netherlands, abdicated the throne due to the disappointment over the recent Treaty of London, which recognised the independence of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(previously provinces of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name used to refer to Kingdom of the Netherlands during the period after it was first created from part of the First French Empire and before the new kingdom of Belgium split out in 1830...
), and the intention of marrying a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and Belgian noblewoman, Henrietta d'Oultremont. In 1849, after the death of his grandfather King William II of the Netherlands, he became the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
. His Victorian
Victorianism
Victorianism is the name given to the attitudes, art, and culture of the later two-thirds of the 19th century. This usage is strong within social history and the study of literature, less so in philosophy. Many disciplines do not use the term, but instead prefer Victorian Era, or simply "Late 19th...
upbringing turned out to be a disaster.
In 1857, he was appointed the 87th Grand Cross
Grand Cross
The phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
of the Order of the Tower and Sword
Order of the Tower and Sword
The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
.
Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
The Princess Alice was a member of the British royal family, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.Alice's education was devised by Albert's close friend and adviser, Baron Stockmar...
, the second daughter of Queen Victoria, the prince fell in love with the 19-year-old Countess Mathilde van Limburg-Stirum in 1873. The relationship between the prince and his parents became very problematic, as his parents refused William's wish to accept Mathilde as his bride in 1874. By the standards of the Dutch royal family, a marriage between a member of the royal family and a member of the nobility was considered unequal
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
and therefore unacceptable. The 33-year-old William wanted to marry, if necessary, without the consent of his parents. However, Mathilda was not yet twenty and therefore permission was needed from her parents too. Unfortunately, they denied permission and the prince's attempt to marry Mathilda failed.
Heavily disillusioned, Prince William then went into exile in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he threw himself into a life of sex, drinking and gambling. Henriette Hauser, his Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
, gave the Prince of Orange the pet name "Lemon", something that led to him being known in the Parisian boulevard papers as the "Prince of Lemon" when they reported about his debauched and scandalous lifestyle. Prince William died at the age of 38 in his apartment in the Rue Auber, near the Paris Opera
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
from a combination of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
, liver complaints and total exhaustion. On 26 June 1879 his body was entombed in the royal crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
at the New Church of Delft. On his coffin there was a wreath from French Empress Eugénie and one from the British Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII).
After his death, his brother Prince Alexander
Alexander, Prince of Orange
Willem Alexander Charles Henry Frederick, Prince of Orange , , was heir apparent to his father King William III of the Netherlands from 11 June 1879 until his death.-Life:...
became heir and Prince of Orange. However he also died before their father, who was now without direct male heirs. Neither his uncle, Prince Henry
Prince Henry of the Netherlands
Prince William Frederick Henry of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau was the third son of King William II of the Netherlands and his wife, Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
nor his great-uncle, Prince Frederick
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau , was the second son of king William I of the Netherlands and his wife, Wilhelmine of Prussia....
, had any male issue as well. The States-General
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
adopted agnatic-cognatic primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
making his half sister, Princess Wilhelmina, heiress presumptive. Up until 1884, the Dutch throne used Salic Law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
. Princess Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
succeeded upon their father's death in 1890.
Titles
- His Royal Highness Prince Willem of the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Prince of Orange-Nassau (1840–1849) - His Royal Highness The Prince of Orange (1849–1879)
Ancestry
| Prince William of Orange | Father: King William III of The Netherlands William III of the Netherlands William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and... (1817–1890) |
Paternal Grandfather: King William II of The Netherlands William II of the Netherlands William II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :... (1792–1849) |
Paternal Great-grandfather: King William I of The Netherlands William I of the Netherlands William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg.... (1772–1843) |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia (1774–1837) |
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| Paternal Grandmother: Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia Anna Pavlovna of Russia Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia was a queen consort of the Netherlands.-Background:She was born as the eighth child and sixth daughter of Paul I of Russia and Empress Maria Feodorovna , and thus was Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia... (1795–1865) |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Emperor Paul I of Russia Paul I of Russia Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:... (1754–1801) |
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| Paternal Great-grandmother: Princess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg (1759–1828) |
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| Mother: Princess Sophie of Württemberg Sophie of Württemberg Princess Sophia Frederika Mathilde of Württemberg was Queen of the Netherlands as the first wife of King William III of the Netherlands.-Biography:... (1818–1877) |
Maternal Grandfather: King William I of Württemberg William I of Württemberg William I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:... (1781–1864) |
Maternal Great-grandfather: King Frederick I of Württemberg Frederick I of Württemberg Frederick I William Charles of Württemberg was the first King of Württemberg. He was known for his size: at and about , he was in contrast to Napoleon, who recognized him as King of Württemberg.-Biography:... (1754–1816) |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a German princess, and first wife of Frederick of Württemberg... (1764–1788) |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Grand Duchess Catherina Pavlovna of Russia (1788–1819) |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Emperor Paul I of Russia Paul I of Russia Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:... (1754–1801) |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Princess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg (1759–1828) |
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