Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
German Crown Princess, Crown Princess of Prussia
Spouse	Wilhelm, German Crown Prince
Issue
Prince Wilhelm Prince Louis Ferdinand Prince Hubertus Prince Friedrich Princess Alexandrine Princess Cecilie
Full name
Cecilie Auguste Marie
House	House of Hohenzollern House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Father	Frederick Francis III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mother	Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia
Born	20 September 1886(1886-09-20) Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Died	6 May 1954(1954-05-06) (aged 67) Bad Kissingen, West Germany

Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Cecilie Auguste Marie; 20 September 1886 – 6 May 1954) was a Crown Princess of Germany and Prussia as the wife of German Crown Prince William, the son of German Emperor William II. Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam as well as the sailing ship Herzogin Cecilie were named after her, as was the SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie.

Family

She was the daughter of Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia.^[1]

Duchess Cecilie married William on 6 June 1905 in Berlin.^[1] Once she was married she was styled Her Imperial and Royal Highness The German Crown Princess and was also Crown Princess of Prussia. Her husband died in 1951, making her Dowager Princess.^[2] Cecilie died on 6 May 1954 of a stroke and had been ill for some time leading up to this. She and her husband are buried in the grounds of Hohenzollern Castle.

Their children were:

• Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1906–1940); married Dorothea von Salviati, had issue.
• Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, Head of the House of Hohenzollern (1907–1994); married Kira Kirillovna of Russia, had issue.
• Prince Hubertus of Prussia (1909–1950); married Baroness Maria von Humboldt-Dachroeden, no issue; married Magdalena of Reuss, had issue.
• Prince Friedrich of Prussia (1911–1966); married Lady Brigid Guinness, had issue.
• Princess Alexandrine of Prussia (1915–1980)
• Princess Cecilie of Prussia (1917–1975)

Biography

Cecilie had a happy childhood. She was selected as a the bride for the Crown prince, and the wedding in 1905 was reported as a spectacular public event, with an artistically decorated procession through Brandenburger Tor in Berlin. Cecilie quickly adapted to the role of Crown Princess and became popular both by the public and within the court. She is described as quiet but friendly, a natural beauty with an interest in fashion. She became a role model for German women within fashion, and was also interested in social issues, especially women's education. Several schools and roads were named after her. Cecilie and William drifted apart because of William's adultery, and after the abolition of the monarchy, they separated. When her spouse and parents-in-law left Germany in 1919, she preferred to stay in Berlin with her children. William was allowed to return in 1923 but their relationship was finished and they only met for official occasions such as family weddings and similar events. Cecilie was active within several charity and royalist organisations until all private organisations were taken over by the Nazi party in 1933. During 1933-1945, she lived a private life on Cecilienhof in Potsdam, where she hosted concerts, several of them conducted by famous musicians. In February 1945, she left Potsdam to escape the Soviet army and moved to Bavaria. She lived in Bad Kissingen and 1952-54 in Stuttgart before her death.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 20 September 1886 – 6 June 1905 Her Highness Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• 6 June 1905 - 20 July 1951 Her Imperial & Royal Highness The German Crown Princess, Crown Princess of Prussia
• 20 July 1951 - 6 May 1954 Her Imperial & Royal Highness The Dowager German Crown Princess, Dowager Crown Princess of Prussia

Honours

• Dame of the Order of Louise
• Dame of the Royal Order of Queen Maria Luisa (Spain)

Ancestry

See also

Media related to Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin at Wikimedia Commons

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Online Gotha
2. ^ "Princess Cecilie of Prussia Dead; Widow of Heir to the German Throne Before World War; Succumbs at Age of 67", The New York Times (Bonn), 7 May 1954 

Sources

• This page is a translation of its German equivalent.

Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin House of Mecklenburg Born: 20 September 1886 Died: 6 May 1954
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Princess Hermine Reuss	— TITULAR — German Empress Queen of Prussia 4 June 1941 – 20 July 1951 Reason for succession failure: German monarchies abolished in 1918	Succeeded by Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia

Persondata
Name	Cecilie Of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	20 September 1886
Place of birth	Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Date of death	6 May 1954
Place of death	Bad Kissingen, West Germany