| Monika | |
|---|---|
| Princess of Hanover Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg | |
 | |
| Born | (1929-08-08)8 August 1929 Schloss Laubach,Laubach,People's State of Hesse,Weimar Republic |
| Died | 4 June 2015(2015-06-04) (aged 85) |
| Spouse | |
| House | Solms-Laubach (by birth) Hanover (by marriage) |
| Father | Georg, 9th Count ofSolms-Laubach |
| Mother | Princess Johanna ofSolms-Hohensolms-Lich |
| Occupation | Philanthropist |
Monika, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg (bornCountess Monika zu Solms-Laubach; 8 August 1929 – 4 June 2015) was a German noblewoman and philanthropist. She was the second wife ofErnest Augustus, Prince of Hanover. A member of theHouse of Solms-Laubach by birth, she became the Princess Consort ofHanover and Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg through her marriage. She was the founder of the Dollhouse Museum in Laubach.
Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach was born on 8 August 1929 atLaubach Castle inLaubach,Hesse, Germany. She was the fourth child of Georg, 9th Count ofSolms-Laubach (1899-1969) and his wife, Princess Johanna Marie ofSolms-Hohensolms-Lich (1905-1982). Her father was the grandson ofBruno, 3rd Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen and her mother was the daughter ofPrince Charles of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. Her family had been the sovereign house of the County of Solms-Laubach but weremediatized into theGrand Duchy of Hesse in 1806.[1]
On 16 July 1981 she marriedErnest Augustus, Prince of Hanover in a civil ceremony. A religious ceremony was held on 17 July 1981 in Laubach.[2] She was Ernest Augustus's second wife. He had previously been married to herfirst cousin once removed, Princess Ortrud ofSchleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who died in 1980.[3] According to theRoyal Marriages Act 1772, their marriage required approval from the British monarch in order for Ernest Augustus to stay in theBritish line of succession.Elizabeth II consented to the marriage on 10 June 1981.[4]
In November 2008, Princess Monika auctioned off a collection of jewelry that had previously belonged toPrincess Thyra of Denmark. The collection, which included pieces originally belonging toAlexander III of Russia,Maria Feodorovna of Russia,Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia,George I of Greece, andAlexandra of Denmark, was the largest grouping of Imperial presents auctioned since theForbes Collection of Fabergé in 2004.[5][6]
Princess Monika founded thePrincess Monika of Hanover Foundation. Through her foundation she created Dollhouse Museum Laubach in 2011; a museum which exhibits a collection of her childhood dollhouses to the public.[7][8] The collection features dollhouses made between 1820 and 1930.[9] It opened in October 2011.[10]
She died on 4 June 2015, three days after the death of her sister-in-lawPrincess Alexandra of Hanover.[7][6] ALutheran funeral service was held at the Evangelische Stadtkirche Laubach on 13 June 2015.[11]
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach Born: 8 August 1929 Died: 4 June 2015 | ||
| Titles in pretence | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vacant Title last held by Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg | — TITULAR — Queen Consort of Hanover Duchess Consort of Brunswick 1981 – 1987 | Succeeded by Chantal Hochuli |
