| Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel | |||||
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| Grand Duchess consort of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | |||||
| Tenure | 12 August 1817 – 6 September 1860 | ||||
| Born | (1796-01-21)21 January 1796 Hanau, Hesse-Kassel | ||||
| Died | 30 December 1880(1880-12-30) (aged 84) Neustrelitz, Mecklenburg-Strelitz | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Duchess Luise Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Caroline Mariane, Crown Princess of Denmark Duke Georg August | ||||
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| House | Mecklenburg-Strelitz Hesse-Kassel | ||||
| Father | Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel | ||||
| Mother | Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen | ||||
Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel (German:Marie Wilhelmine Friederike von Hessen-Kassel; 21 January 1796 – 30 December 1880) was the consort ofGeorge, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Princess Marie was born on 21 January 1796 as the second daughter ofPrince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel andPrincess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen, she was born atHanau,Hesse-Kassel. Through her father, she was a great-granddaughter ofGeorge II of Great Britain. Her father's older brother was theLandgrave of Hesse-Kassel. In 1803, heruncle's title was raised to Elector of Hesse — whereby the entire Kassel branch of the Hesse dynasty gained an upward notch in hierarchy.
Her sisterAugusta marriedPrince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, the seventh son ofGeorge III of the United Kingdom.
On 12 August 1817 inKassel, Marie marriedGeorge, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, son ofCharles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg. Together, they had four children:[1]
She became widowed when her husband,Georg, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz died on 6 September 1860. In preparation for life as a widow, she had earlier arranged the construction of the Marienpalais residence inNeustrelitz.
During her widowhood, Marie remained socially and culturally active. She kept supporting charity projects and the arts. In 1861, she organized a gold laurel wreath in honour ofQueen Maria Sophie of the Two Sicilies, asking over thirty German princesses to donate inscribed gold leaves. During theAustro-Prussian War, although her native Hesse allied withAustria, she issued appeals and backed relief efforts for wounded soldiers inMecklenburg-Strelitz.
In June 1876, Marie’s two youngest children,Duchess Caroline andDuke Georg, died within a few weeks of each other. Following their deaths, she assumed the patronage of the Carolinestift hospital, which had previously been under her daughter’s oversight. In 1878 she commissioned the construction of a memorial church atRemplin, dedicated to her children.
Marie died on 30 December 1880 at 6:15 am inNeustrelitz, at age 84. Her funeral was held on 7 January 1881 inMirow. She was buried beside her husband in the family crypt of the Johanniterkirche (St. John's Church),Mirow.[2][3]
| Ancestors of Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel |
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Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel Cadet branch of theHouse of Hesse Born: 21 January 1796 Died: 30 December 1880 | ||
| German royalty | ||
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| Vacant Title last held by Princess Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plönas Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1817–1860 | Succeeded by |
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| People | |
