German Nobility. As the Countess von Polzig, ex-Duchess of of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, she was notably the mother-in-law of Queen Victoria of England and a principal in a scandalous relationship during her lifetime. Born Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg, she was a beautiful and vivacious girl of 17 when she married Duke Ernst of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a man nearly twice her age who soon proved incaple of fidelity. Neglected by the Duke after the birth of their two sons Ernst and Albert, and devasted by his philandering, she fell in love with an army officer, Lieutenant von Hanstein. In 1824 the Duke officially separated from her, and she left Coburg, never again to see their sons, then aged five and seven. Two years later she was divorced on grounds of adultery with von Hanstein, a charge which she neither admitted nor denied. The couple were married several months later, and von Hanstein was created Count von Polzig. Louise died of cancer at the age of 31 in Wendel, Switzerland, but her remains were returned to Coburg during the reign of her son Ernst and entombed in the family mausoleum. Despite their mother's fall from grace and the short time they actually spent in her company, Ernst and Albert loved her dearly. Prince Albert, in particular, was so profoundly affected by his parents' infidelity and the failure of their marriage that he strove to be a model of sexual morality. He and his like-minded wife Queen Victoria consequently took great pains to reinforce "family values" in their children as a dynastic virtue, but the effort met with limited success.
German Nobility. As the Countess von Polzig, ex-Duchess of of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, she was notably the mother-in-law of Queen Victoria of England and a principal in a scandalous relationship during her lifetime. Born Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg, she was a beautiful and vivacious girl of 17 when she married Duke Ernst of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a man nearly twice her age who soon proved incaple of fidelity. Neglected by the Duke after the birth of their two sons Ernst and Albert, and devasted by his philandering, she fell in love with an army officer, Lieutenant von Hanstein. In 1824 the Duke officially separated from her, and she left Coburg, never again to see their sons, then aged five and seven. Two years later she was divorced on grounds of adultery with von Hanstein, a charge which she neither admitted nor denied. The couple were married several months later, and von Hanstein was created Count von Polzig. Louise died of cancer at the age of 31 in Wendel, Switzerland, but her remains were returned to Coburg during the reign of her son Ernst and entombed in the family mausoleum. Despite their mother's fall from grace and the short time they actually spent in her company, Ernst and Albert loved her dearly. Prince Albert, in particular, was so profoundly affected by his parents' infidelity and the failure of their marriage that he strove to be a model of sexual morality. He and his like-minded wife Queen Victoria consequently took great pains to reinforce "family values" in their children as a dynastic virtue, but the effort met with limited success.
Bio by: Nikita Barlow
Family Members
Advertisement
See more of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg memorials in:
Advertisement
