Dutch royalty. Queen consort of King William III of the Netherlands. Born in Stuttgart, she was the youngest daughter of King William I of Wurttemberg and his second wife, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna of Russia. Sophie married her cousin William, Prince of Orange, in Stuttgart on 18 June 1839. Two sons, William Nicholas and William Frederik (called Maurice) were born in the first five years. William became King William III in 1849, and their third son, William Alexander, was born in 1851. The marriage of Sophie and William was a disaster. William's beloved mother and Sophie's aunt, Queen Anna Paulowna, was against the marriage and treated her with disdain. William was an inveterate womanizer (called the "greatest debauchee of the age") with a mercurial temper and Sophie's intellectual inferior as well as political opposite. Sophie made it publicly known that she found her husband unsuitable to be king and the nation would be better off with her as regent. The couple fought frequently about their children. She tried to get an official separation from William, but was refused. Following the birth of their third son, the couple lived separate lives, with Sophie spending much of her time in Stuttgart with her family. During her tenure as queen, she was a protector of the arts as well as a supporter of many charities, such as building public parks and animal protection. She corresponded with many of the great European scholars of the day and maintained a warm friendship with Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Sophie died at Huis ten Bosch Palace in the Hague at the age of 58. As per her wishes, she was buried in her wedding gown, because she felt her life had ended the day she married.
Dutch royalty. Queen consort of King William III of the Netherlands. Born in Stuttgart, she was the youngest daughter of King William I of Wurttemberg and his second wife, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna of Russia. Sophie married her cousin William, Prince of Orange, in Stuttgart on 18 June 1839. Two sons, William Nicholas and William Frederik (called Maurice) were born in the first five years. William became King William III in 1849, and their third son, William Alexander, was born in 1851. The marriage of Sophie and William was a disaster. William's beloved mother and Sophie's aunt, Queen Anna Paulowna, was against the marriage and treated her with disdain. William was an inveterate womanizer (called the "greatest debauchee of the age") with a mercurial temper and Sophie's intellectual inferior as well as political opposite. Sophie made it publicly known that she found her husband unsuitable to be king and the nation would be better off with her as regent. The couple fought frequently about their children. She tried to get an official separation from William, but was refused. Following the birth of their third son, the couple lived separate lives, with Sophie spending much of her time in Stuttgart with her family. During her tenure as queen, she was a protector of the arts as well as a supporter of many charities, such as building public parks and animal protection. She corresponded with many of the great European scholars of the day and maintained a warm friendship with Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Sophie died at Huis ten Bosch Palace in the Hague at the age of 58. As per her wishes, she was buried in her wedding gown, because she felt her life had ended the day she married.
Bio by: Kristen Conrad
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