Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton
Monegasque princess
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The basics
Quick Facts
| Intro | Monegasque princess | ||||||||
| Places | Monaco | ||||||||
| was | Princess Noble | ||||||||
| Work field | Royals | ||||||||
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| Birth | 11 December 1850, Hamilton Palace | ||||||||
| Death | 14 May 1922Budapest, Central Hungary, Hungary (aged 71 years) | ||||||||
| Star sign | Sagittarius | ||||||||
| Family |
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The details
Biography
Lady Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton, also known as the Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton (11 December 1850 – 14 May 1922) was the Lanarkshire-born, Scottish great-grandmother of Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the fashion designer Prince Egon von Fürstenberg, the socialite and actress Princess Ira von Fürstenberg and the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Karel Schwarzenberg. She was the daughter of William Alexander Anthony Archibald Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton and of his wife, Princess Marie Amelie Elizabeth Caroline of Baden. Through her maternal grandmother, she was a third cousin of Emperor Napoléon III of France. She was a first cousin of Queen Carola of Saxony, Queen Stephanie of Portugal, King Carol I of Romania, and Princess Marie, Countess of Flanders (mother of King Albert I of the Belgians).
Marriages
Her first marriage, on 21 September 1869 at Château de Marchais, was to Prince Albert, only child and heir of Charles III, Prince of Monaco. Mary Victoria bore Prince Albert a single son, Louis, who would take the throne of Monaco upon his father's death. Their marriage was annulled by the Church on 3 January 1880 (although civilly it was dissolved only on 28 July 1880 by the Order of Prince Charles III).
Her second marriage, on 2 June 1880, was to Count Tassilo Festetics de Tolna. The couple had four children:
- Countess Mária Matild Georgina Festetics de Tolna (24 May 1881, Baden-Baden – 2 March 1953, Strobl am Wolfgangsee), who married Prince Karl Emil von Fürstenberg (Grandfather of Princess Ira von Fürstenberg, Prince Egon von Fürstenberg and Prince Karel Schwarzenberg)
- Prince György Tasziló József Festetics de Tolna (4 September 1882, Baden-Baden – 4 August 1941, Keszthely); who married to Countess Marie Franziska von Haugwitz.
- Countess Alexandra Olga Eugénia Festetics de Tolna (1 March 1884, Baden-Baden – 23 April 1963, Vienna); who was married first to Prince Karl von Windisch-Grätz (brother-in-law of Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria) and later to Prince Erwin zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst,
- Countess Karola Friderika Mária Festetics de Tolna (17 January 1888, Vienna – 21 January 1951, Strobl); who was married to Baron Oskar Gautsch von Frankenthurn.
During her 40-year marriage to Graf, and later Prince Festetics, Lady Mary oversaw enlargement and improvement of the Festetics' main seat, Festetics Palace, and its gardens, in Keszthely, western Hungary. On numerous occasions, she and her husband would entertain her brother the Duke of Hamilton, and his great friend, Prince of Wales. There are still portraits extant in the Palace of numerous members of her family, including one of her father in full Highland dress. Outside the palace, on either side of the main entrance there are the Armorial bearings of both the Lady Mary and her husband.
Further, the Helikon Library at the Palace contains many works that were brought to Keszthely by the Lady Mary from her father and brother's collections at Hamilton Palace.
The Palace grounds, on the shores of Lake Balaton, contains a Mausoleum to the Festetics and is the final resting place of the Lady Mary and her husband.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
- 11 December 1850 – 21 September 1869: Lady Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton
- 21 September 1869 – 3 January 1880: Her Serene Highness The Hereditary Princess of Monaco
- 3 January 1880 – 2 June 1880: Lady Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton
- 2 June 1880 – 21 June 1911: Countess Mary Victoria Festetics de Tolna
- 21 June 1911 – 14 May 1922: Her Serene Highness Princess Mary Victoria Festetics de Tolna
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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