Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark
Encyclopedia
Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark (26 June 1914 – 3 November 2001) was the fourth child and youngest daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark
and Princess Alice of Battenberg
, making her the elder sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
. Sophie was born at Villa Mon Repos on the island of Corfu
in Greece
.
and Olga Konstantinova of Russia. Through Queen Olga of Greece, she was a great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia
. Through her mother she was a great-great-granddaughter of Victoria of the United Kingdom
and Albert, Prince Consort. Her mother was a granddaughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
, second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Sophie was the sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
, the husband and consort of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
. She also had three sisters, Princess Theodora
, Princess Cecilie, and Princess Margarita.
, Germany
; she was 16. The son of Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse
and Princess Margaret of Prussia
, Christoph was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha through their eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal
, wife of Frederick III, German Emperor
. On 7 October 1943 Prince Christoph died in an airplane accident in the Apennine
hills near Forlì
, in Italy
. His body was found two days later. The Almanach de Gotha
, however, states that he was killed in action
during the German Invasion of Italy.
They had five children:
and his wife Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia
, the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Princess Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein
.
Together they had three children:
, Germany
. She was survived by her husband, seven of her eight children and her younger brother, Prince Philip.
Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark
Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, was the seventh child and fourth son of King George I of Greece and Olga Constantinovna of Russia. He was a grandson of Christian IX of Denmark.He began military training at an early age, and was...
and Princess Alice of Battenberg
Princess Alice of Battenberg
Princess Alice of Battenberg, later Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark was the mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and mother-in-law of Elizabeth II....
, making her the elder sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
. Sophie was born at Villa Mon Repos on the island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Ancestry and family
Through her father, Sophie was a grandchild of George I of GreeceGeorge I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
and Olga Konstantinova of Russia. Through Queen Olga of Greece, she was a great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
. Through her mother she was a great-great-granddaughter of Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Albert, Prince Consort. Her mother was a granddaughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom
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...
, second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Sophie was the sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, the husband and consort of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. She also had three sisters, Princess Theodora
Princess Theodora of Greece and Demark (1906-1969)
Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark was the second child and daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. She was born on the Greek island of Corfu.-Family:...
, Princess Cecilie, and Princess Margarita.
First marriage
Sophie was first married to Prince Christoph of Hesse (1901–1943) on 15 December 1930 in Kronberg, BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
; she was 16. The son of Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse
Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse
Frederick Charles Louis Constantine, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse , Friedrich Karl Ludwig Konstantin Prinz und Landgraf von Hessen-Kassel in German, was the brother-in-law of the German Emperor William II and the elected King of Finland from 9 October to 14 December 1918.-Early life:Frederick was...
and Princess Margaret of Prussia
Princess Margaret of Prussia
Princess Margaret of Prussia was a daughter of Frederick III, German Emperor and Victoria, Princess Royal. She married Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse. In 1926 they became Landgrave and Landgravine of Hesse...
, Christoph was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha through their eldest daughter Victoria, Princess Royal
Victoria, Princess Royal
The Princess Victoria, Princess Royal was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert. She was created Princess Royal of the United Kingdom in 1841. She became German Empress and Queen of Prussia by marriage to German Emperor Frederick III...
, wife of Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III, German Emperor
Frederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service...
. On 7 October 1943 Prince Christoph died in an airplane accident in the Apennine
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
hills near Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
, in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. His body was found two days later. The Almanach de Gotha
Almanach de Gotha
The Almanach de Gotha was a respected directory of Europe's highest nobility and royalty. First published in 1763 by C.W. Ettinger in Gotha at the ducal court of Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, it was regarded as an authority in the classification of monarchies, princely and ducal...
, however, states that he was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
during the German Invasion of Italy.
They had five children:
- HH Princess Christina Margarethe of Hesse (b. Kronberg im TaunusKronberg im TaunusKronberg im Taunus is a town in the Hochtaunuskreis district, Hesse, Germany. Before 1866, it was in the Duchy of Nassau; in that year the whole Duchy was absorbed into Prussia. Kronberg lies at the foot of the Taunus, flanked in the north and southwest by forests...
, Hesse, 10 January 1933), married first in Kronberg im Taunus on 2 August 1956 Prince Andrew of Yugoslavia (1929–1990), and had issue, divorcing in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1962; and married secondly in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 3 December 1962 Robert Floris van EyckRobert Floris van EyckRobert Floris van Eyck or van Eijk , was a London poet, artist and art restorer.-Family:He was a son of poet, critic, essayist and philosopher Pieter Nicolaas van Eyck and wife Nelly Estelle Benjamins, a woman of Jewish and Latin origin born and raised in Suriname.His brother was Architect Aldo...
(1916–1991, a London poet, artist and art restorer), the son of Pieter Nicolaas van EyckPieter Nicolaas van EyckPieter Nicolaas/Nicolaus van Eyck or van Eijk was a poet, critic, essayist and philosopher from the Netherlands.-Family:...
(a poet, essayist, critic and philosopher) and Nelly Estelle Benjamins, and had issue.- Princess Maria Tatiana, (b. 1957)
- Prince Christopher, (1960–1994)
- Helene Sophia van Eyck (LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
b. 25 October 1963), married 24 January 1986 (civilly) to Roderick Alan Harman, and had issue; {divorced in 1986}- Sascha Alexandra Sophia Harman (b. Buchanan Hospital, St Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
, East SussexEast SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, 26 July 1986) - Pascale Olivia Harman (b. Buchanan Hospital, (St Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-SeaSt Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
, East SussexEast SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, 19 March 1989)
- Sascha Alexandra Sophia Harman (b. Buchanan Hospital, St Leonards-on-Sea
- Marc Nicholas Van Eyck, b. 1966, married (civilly) on 12 June 1992 in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Joanne Marea Green (b. TimaruTimaruTimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
, New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
11 October 1961. They have since separated.
- HH Princess Dorothea Charlotte Karin of Hesse (b. Schloss Panker, 24 July 1934), married civilly at SchlierseeSchlierseeSchliersee is a small town and a municipality in the district of Miesbach in Bavaria in Germany. It is named after the nearby Lake Schliersee....
, Upper BavariaUpper BavariaUpper Bavaria is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany.- Geography :Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered around the city of Munich. It is subdivided into four regions : Ingolstadt, Munich, Bayerisches Oberland , and Südostoberbayern...
, on 31 March 1959 and religiously in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
on 1 April 1959 to HSH Friedrich Karl, Prince zu Windisch-Grätz (HeiligenbergHeiligenbergHeiligenberg is a municipality and a village in the Bodensee district in Baden-Württemberg, about seven kilometres north of Salem, in Germany.-Location and climate:...
, BadenBadenBaden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, 7 July 1917 – GersauGersauGersau is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, sitting on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Gersau was for many centuries an independent micro-state in permanent alliance with the Swiss Confederation.-History:...
, 29 May 2002), and had issue. - HH Prince Karl Adolf Andreas of Hesse (b. BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, 26 March 1937), married at The HagueThe HagueThe 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...
civilly on 26 March 1966 and religiously on 18 April 1966 to Yvonne Margit Valerie, Countess Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár (b. BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, 4 April 1944), and had issue, two children:- Prince Christoph of Hesse (b. MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 18 June 1969), unmarried and without issue. - Princess Irina of HesseIrina, Countess of Schönburg-GlauchauIrina, Countess of Schönburg-Glauchau , is a Hessian princess by birth and the wife of Alexander, Count of Schönburg-Glauchau, the bestselling writer and journalist...
(b. MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 1 April 1971), married civilly in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on 30 April 1999 and religiously at HeusenstammHeusenstammHeusenstamm is a town of over 18,000 in the Offenbach district in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Geography :- Location :The town lies on the river Bieber. Heusenstamm is one of 13 towns and communities in the Offenbach district...
on 29 May 1999 to H Ill H Alexander, Count von Schönburg-GlauchauAlexander, Count von Schönburg-GlauchauAlexander Count of Schönburg-Glauchau is a German journalist and writer.- Life :Alexander of House of Schönburg is the son of Joachim, Count von Schönburg-Glauchau, and Beatrix, Countess Széchenyi de Sárvár-Felsővidék. His siblings are Gloria, Princess of Thurn and Taxis, also known as Princess...
(b. MogadishuMogadishuMogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, SomaliaSomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, 15 August 1969), and had issue.
- Prince Christoph of Hesse (b. Munich
- HH Prince Rainer Christoph Friedrich of Hesse (b. Kronberg im TaunusKronberg im TaunusKronberg im Taunus is a town in the Hochtaunuskreis district, Hesse, Germany. Before 1866, it was in the Duchy of Nassau; in that year the whole Duchy was absorbed into Prussia. Kronberg lies at the foot of the Taunus, flanked in the north and southwest by forests...
, 18 November 1939), unmarried and without issue. - HH Princess Clarissa Alice of Hesse (b. Kronberg im TaunusKronberg im TaunusKronberg im Taunus is a town in the Hochtaunuskreis district, Hesse, Germany. Before 1866, it was in the Duchy of Nassau; in that year the whole Duchy was absorbed into Prussia. Kronberg lies at the foot of the Taunus, flanked in the north and southwest by forests...
, 6 February 1944), married in ParisParisParis 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...
on 20 July 1971 and divorced in 1976 to Claude Jean Derrien (b. Boulogne-BillancourtBoulogne-BillancourtBoulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
, Hauts-de-SeineHauts-de-SeineHauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
, 12 March 1948), son of Jean Guillaume Derrien and wife Jacqueline Laine, without issue; she went on to have a daughter by an unknown father:- Johanna Sophia/Sophie von Hessen (b. MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 25 August 1980)
- Johanna Sophia/Sophie von Hessen (b. Munich
Second marriage
Sophie then married Prince George William of Hanover on 23 April 1946 in Salem, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. George was the son of Ernest Augustus III, Duke of BrunswickErnest Augustus III, Duke of Brunswick
Ernest Augustus III , reigning Duke of Brunswick , was a grandson of George V of Hanover, whom the Prussians deposed in 1866...
and his wife Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia
Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia
Victoria Louise of Prussia was the only daughter and the seventh child of William II, German Emperor and Empress Augusta Victoria. She was their last surviving child. Princess Victoria Louise is the maternal grandmother of Queen Sophie of Spain and the former King Constantine II of the Hellenes...
, the only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Princess Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein
Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein
Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein was the last German Empress and Queen of Prussia. Her full German name was Auguste Victoria Friederike Luise Feodora Jenny von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg.She was the eldest daughter of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess...
.
Together they had three children:
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Welf Ernst of Hanover Prince Welf Ernst of Hanover Prince Welf Ernst of Hanover , Prince of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the eldest son of Prince George William of Hanover and his wife Princess... |
25 January 1947 | 10 January 1981 | Married on 23 May 1969, to Wibke van Gunsteren (born: 26 November 1948). One daughter:
|
| Prince Georg of Hanover Prince Georg of Hanover Prince Georg of Hanover , Prince of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg . Georg is the second eldest son of Prince George William of Hanover and his wife Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, an elder sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
9 December 1949 | Married on 15 September 1973, to Victoria Anne Bee (born: 6 March 1951). Two daughters:
Princess Vera of Hanover Princess Vera of Hanover , Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg is the eldest daughter of Prince Georg of Hanover and his wife Victoria Anne Bee... (born: 5 November 1976) married to Manuel Dmoch, with issue (Celina Sophie Dmoch b.2007 and Elena Luisa Dmoch b.2009) |
|
| Princess Friederike of Hanover Princess Friederike of Hanover Princess Friederike of Hanover , Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg is the youngest child and only daughter of... |
15 October 1954 | Married on 17 August 1979, to Jerry William Cyr (born: 16 January 1951). They had two children:
|
|
Death
Sophie died on 3 November 2001 in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She was survived by her husband, seven of her eight children and her younger brother, Prince Philip.
Titles and styles
- 26 June 1914 – 15 December 1930: Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark
- 15 December 1930 – 23 April 1946: Her Royal Highness Princess Christoph of Hesse
- 23 April 1946 – 3 November 2001: Her Royal Highness Princess George William of Hanover