Planning stages - the British Royal House of Orange-Nassau

Very much in the planning stages - but thought I'd put up some ideas for early thoughts and comments.
POD - Princess Elizabeth of Clarence is born healthy in 1820 and survives to succeed her father King William IV as Queen in 1837.

Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Ireland (dau of William IV and Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen)
b1820 r1837 d1903
m 1840
HRH Prince William Alexander Frederick Constantine Nicolas Michael of The Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Prince of Great Britain and Ireland (cr 1840) - second son of William II of The Netherlands.
B1818 d1856
(although his health was poor different treatment in this TL will extend his life slightly)

The marriage of Elizabeth II to Sascha of The Netherlands was a popular one. It had been the wish of her father that she consider one of the Dutch Prince's and she found Sascha to be the most pleasant of the sons of William II. Other suitors had included the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's sons, her cousins George of Hanover and George of Cambridge. The British largely admired the Prince for his modest lifestyle and his lack of political involvement (at least in public). The Queen tended to ask his opinions and advice, but he was careful to keep his thoughts and views private. He was a democrat and encouraged his wife in the views of the superiority of the British system of government, which he greatly admired. The Prince did not have the best of health and sadly he died before his 40th birthday shortly after the birth of his youngest daughter. The Queen was devastated by his death, but took great comfort in her children and grandchildren and her royal duties.

Issue:

1) HRH Prince William Alexander George of Great Britain and Ireland, Prince of Wales, Prince of The Netherlands and Prince of Orange-Nassau (later William V of Great Britain and Ireland)
b 1841 r 1903 d 1913
m 1866
Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar of Denmark (later Queen Mary of Great Britain and Ireland)
b 1847 d 1928
issue
a) Prince George William of Wales b 1868
b) Princess Elizabeth Anne of Wales b 1872
c) Princess Alexandra Sophia of Wales b 1873
d) Prince William Alexander of Wales b 1876
e) Prince Edward Christian of Wales b 1880
f) Princess Louise of Wales b 1882

Note:

The Prince, known as Willy within the family, had great personal style and took an eager interest in things about him but as his sister fondly said of him "there's not much going on within."
It was generally accepted that the Prince was delightful company but not an intellectual. He also had an eye for an attractive lady. The truth was the Prince had been rather spoiled in his youth by both his devoted grandmothers in particular. His family thought his wife would need to be attractive to hold his attention and one courtier said she'd also need to be bright enough for the two of them.
A list was compiled by the Queen with the aid of her elder daughter and her cousins the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Alexandrina Victoria of Kent who had married her cousin Ernst II in 1843) and the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Augusta of Cambridge).
Naturally her German connections favoured a German match - the list was a who's who of the German Courts - other candidate's included the daughter's of the heir to the Danish throne.
The preferred choice on the German side was Princess Victoria Marie Elizabeth, the Queen's goddaughter, and eldest daughter of the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
By 1860 it was regarded as a done deal in many of the German courts. The King of The Belgians wrote the was delighted that finally a member of "our family" will sit on the British Throne, however the problem was the party's involved had no desire for the match at all. Victoria is reputed to have burst into tears at the news, the Prince of Wales wrote to his uncle the Dutch King "All favour her, but for myself I would prefer to make the choice and not be forced into an unhappy match. She is pretty and jolly enough, but I have never been fond of Aunt Drina which gives me some concerns. Anyway I have told Mama she won't do and I want to wait. What do you think?"
The Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha was furious as she thought the match agreed - "Eliza gives in to the boy, he is of course thoroughly indulged in all things and must have his own way. I thank the Lord none of my children are so disobedient," she wrote.
The Prince of Wales would be introduced to the daughter's of Prince Christian of Denmark in 1862 while on a trip to Germany.
His sister the Crown Princess of Prussia wrote to her mother that her brother seemed "quite attached" and that the girls were both "attractive, though the younger is the brighter I believe," but warned any match might be problematic in Germany due to the political situation.
In the end the Prince made no firm overtures and the girls' mother Princess Louise returned to Copenhagen with little hope of a firm offer.
In 1863 the girls father became King of Denmark and among those who now came courting his daughters was the Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovitch the heir to the Russian Imperial Throne - he was soon taken with the Princess Alix and with his father's approval made a formal offer the couple were formally engaged just months before the Second Schleswig war broke out in 1864.
The marriage would take place in St Petersburg in April 1864, though there was no Russian support for Denmark militarily and it would go on to lose the war. The British Ambassador's wife having a loose connection with the Queen's Mistress of The Robes - wrote - "The Queen is in her element amid the preparations for the marriage and is overjoyed that she has pulled it off, If there is a royal interest in the younger daughter it needs to come sooner rather than later I think - there is talk of a double match as the sister's are close and there are lots of Grand Duke's. Because of the war all is desperate here."
The British Queen was reluctant though due to her numerous connections with Germany - Writing to her cousin Augusta, "I know that Willy had a tenderness for both girls, but a match at the present time would put darling Addie (the Crown Princess of Prussia) in a most difficult position, her brother marrying 'the enemy' so to speak."
Denmark's defeat though brought matter's to the fore again and tentative proposals were made to the Danish King and the Prince of Wales and his brother the Duke of York were formally invited to visit the Danish Court . The Crown Princess of Prussia was furious "Can you not imagine Mama the position this puts me in here?"
The Queen immediately wrote to her daughter "I am in despair dearest girl but Willy shows no interest in anyone we have suggested but the Danish girls and you know this yourself. What am I to do?"
The visit was a great success and with his mother's consent a formal offer to the Princess Dagmar was made - the Prince's left Denmark and to the fury of both sides visited their sister in Berlin - the Prince of Wales wrote to his mother of a "very cool reception from all though Addie was glad to see us."
The marriage would take place in May 1866. The Prussian Crown Prince and Princess did not attend though sent gifts as to avoid embarrassment.
 
Second child of Elizabeth II

2) Anne Adelaide, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, Princess of The Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau created Princess Royal in 1844 (later Queen of Prussia and German Empress)
b 1843 d 1911
m 1861

Prince Frederick William of Prussia (later King of Prussia and German Emperor)
B 1831 r 1888 D 1888
Issue:
a) Wilhelm Georg of Prussia (later King of Prussia and German Emperor)
b 1863
b) Charlotte Elizabeth of Prussia
b 1866
c) Augusta Louise of Prussia
b 1868
d) Albert Wilhelm of Prussia
b 1872
e) Franz Friedrich of Prussia
b 1875
f) Margaret Sophia of Prussia
b 1878

Note:
In the 1860s The Queen naturally turned to the marriages of her eldest children after her widowhood and her eldest daughter the Princess Royal traveled frequently in the late 1850s as a guest at a number of weddings in Germany and the Netherlands. It was there while staying as a guest of her mother's cousin Alexandrina Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha she met Prince Frederick of Prussia, nephew of the King and son of the Regent, the couple were taken with each other - and began a correspondence - in 1860 the Prussian Court made a formal inquiry as the willingness of the Queen and the British Government to a possible match between the Prince and the Princess Royal. The Queen was delighted that her daughter, known in the family as Addie, would be happy in her choice as she had been in her own, the groom's mother Princess Augusta was of a liberal-bent and went out of her way to encourage the match. The couple would marry in 1861 and were said to be devoted to her, though there was some suspicion in Berlin at the British Liberalism of the Princess.
 
The Queen's third child:

3) George Frederick Prince of Great Britain and Ireland, Prince of The Netherlands and Prince of Orange-Nassau
Created Duke of York 1860
b 1847 d 1901
m 1875
Marie Elisabeth Louise Frederika of Prussia
b 1855
issue
a) Prince William Charles of York b and d 1876
b) Princess Elizabeth Marie of York b 1881
c) Princess Anne Frederica of York b 1885

Note:
The Duke of York was close to his sister and brother in law the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia and a frequent guest of the couple - he became attracted to his brother in law's cousin Princess Marie Louise of Prussia and the couple were married in 1875. The Princess of Wales was polite but distant to the new Duchess of York whose father had served with Prussian Troops in the war against Denmark.
 
The Queen's fourth child:

4) Sophia Charlotte Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, Princess of The Netherlands and Princess of Orange-Nassau (took the name Sophia Alexandrovna on her marriage)
b 1849
m 1873
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia
b 1847
a) Grand Duke Alexander Vladimirovich of Russia b 1875
b) Grand Duchess Anna Vladimirovna of Russia b 1877
c) Grand Duke Paul Vladimirovich of Russia b 1880
d) Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia b 1882
e) Grand Duchess Elizaveta Vladimirovna of Russia b 1886

Note:
The marriage of the Princess Sophia to the Russian Grand Duke was engineered by the Princess of Wales and her sister Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna - the woman were keen to encourage links between their families. The Emperor Alexander II had also been fond of the British Queen's late husband who was his cousin- it was thought the match would help heal the poor state of relations between Britain and Russia. The British Government was less keen on the marriage and a number of MPs spoke out against the match in Parliament - however Sophia herself was devoted to her husband - she would enjoy an excellent relationship with her sister-in-law the Grand Duchess Alexandra.
 
Fifth child:
5) Henry Paul Prince of Great Britain and Ireland, Prince of The Netherlands and Prince of Orange-Nassau
Duke of Clarence 1870 Regent of Luxembourg in 1888, Grand Duke Henri I of Luxembourg 1890.
b 1852
m 1890
Princess Helene of Orleans
b 1871

a) Prince William Alexander The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg b1893
b) Prince Philippe Paul b 1898
c) Princess Elisabeth Helene b 1900

Notes:

The Dutch Succession - by 1880 the succession to the Dutch throne was Willem (d1884) Prince of Orange, The Prince of Wales and his sons, The Duke of York, The Duke of Clarence.
Following the death of the Prince of Orange in 1884 there was much discussion over whether the Duke of York or the Duke of Clarence should be selected as the heir to the Dutch throne.
In the end with the agreement of all concerned the succession was amended to male-preference cognatic primogeniture enabling the King's daughter Wilhelmina to succeed him. It was suggested that Wilhelmina could in time marry one of the Prince of Wales' younger sons.
The same issue applied to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg which was held in personal union by the King of The Netherlands.
However under the family pact of the House of Nassau and its various branches as a former German province it could not pass to the Dutch King's daughter while male agnates survived.
In the 1880s these were the Prince of Wales and his sons, the Duke's of York and Clarence and the Duke of Nassau. In general it was considered that the Prince of Wales would renounce his claims in Luxembourg and that the Duke of York would succeed as Grand Duke - this was favoured by both the British Government and the German Emperor as the Duke was married to a Prussian Princess.
However, the Duke of York was extremely reluctant - His only son had died within weeks of his birth and his wife's most recent pregnancy had been difficult which meant it likely he would eventually be succeeded by his younger brother or the Duke of Nassau's line, he was also reluctant to give up his military command in Britain and move. The Queen informed the Foreign Office that the Duke wished to renounce his claims. This left Prince Henry Paul Duke of Clarence - the Prince was willing to succeed and was named Regent of Luxembourg by his uncle in 1887 and succeeded as Grand Duke in 1890. In the event of the Duke having no male issue the Grand Duchy would then pass to the Duke of Nassau.
The Prince was still unmarried having had little interest in the young women thrust in front of him by his mother, sister's and sister in laws over the last decade.
He had become acquainted with Princess Helene of Orleans when she was living in exile in England with her family and a match with the much younger woman was suggested by the Queen, who was fond of the Count of Paris' children, despite the age difference. Her Catholic faith would it was thought also appeal to the people of Luxembourg. The couple were married shortly after Henri's accession in 1891 - the Grand Duke decided to allow his children to be raised in the Catholic faith. (the only way the Count of Paris and the Pope would consent to his marriage - a decision which effectively meant their claims to the British throne would be extinguished under the terms of the Act of Settlement).
 
Sixth Child:

6) Louise Ida Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, Princess of The Netherlands and Princess of Orange-Nassau
b 1855
m 1878
Bernhard Friedrich Wilhelm Albrecht Georg, His Highness The Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen, later Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
b 1851 r 1914 d 1928
a) HH Prince Georg Bernhard Wilhelm of Saxe-Meiningen b 1881
b) HH Princess Elisabeth Anna of Saxe-Meiningen b 1884

Notes:
Princess Louise Ida was her mother final child born just months before her father's death - she was doted on and courtiers referred to the Princess as rather spoiled and used to getting her own way. She was widely regarded as the least attractive of the Queen's daughter's. A number of marriages were proposed for her but she wasn't particularly keen on any of the suitors which included both her Dutch cousins (the Prince of Orange and his brother both of whom died unmarried) and her mother seemed unwilling to search for a spouse. Both her sisters tried to find a suitable match for her particularly as she reached her early twenties - The German Crown Princess suggested a range including her husband's nephew the Grand Duke of Baden, the Landgrave of Hesse Kassel among them, while her sister Sophia suggested her brother in law Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovitch - however in 1878 she was staying with her sister and brother in law in Germany where she met her cousin Prince Bernhard of Saxe Meiningen - the couple found a mutual attraction and were soon engaged with the encouragement of the German Crown Princess. The Queen was less happy with the match despite her daughter's apparent happiness - Bernhard was a German military officer and was only a Highness - she considered creating Bernhard a Royal Highness in Great Britain but was persuaded that the suggestion would be unpopular. The Princess of Wales writing to her sister the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna wrote "Willy and I tried in vain to persuade Louise against the match but she is determined. This is all Addie's work you know."
 
Note on above:

By the 1841 decree of William II of The Netherlands all the children of his second son were entitled to the style of Prince or Princess of The Netherlands and Prince or Princess of Orange-Nassau - all the male line grandchildren were entitled to the style Prince or Princess of Orange-Nassau.

In 1868 The Queen issued letters patent confirming that the children of the sovereign and the male-line grandchildren of the sovereign were entitled to the style and title of Royal Highness and Prince or Princess of Great Britain.
 
their claims to the British throne would be extinguished under the terms of the Act of Settlement).

I'm curious as to this. I was under the impression that the Act of Settlement bars someone who marries a Catholic, but their issue is still in the line of succession. So is the fact that Clarence's kids are raised Catholics what disqualifies them? And also, were one of them to decide to become Anglican later in life, would they be re-inserted into the succession?
 
I'm curious as to this. I was under the impression that the Act of Settlement bars someone who marries a Catholic, but their issue is still in the line of succession. So is the fact that Clarence's kids are raised Catholics what disqualifies them? And also, were one of them to decide to become Anglican later in life, would they be re-inserted into the succession?

Act of Settlement barred anyone who is a Roman Catholic or is married to a Roman Catholic - in this case the Grand Duke's children will be raised as Roman Catholics and are therefore going to be ineligible to succeed to the British Throne.
There is no provision in the act for later conversion and it was framed to imply that the rights were lost forever. In modern terms when Prince Michael married he was assumed to have lost his rights however his children were raised as Anglicans (unthinkable at the time of the Act) and it was generally assumed they retained their rights. Likewise when the Duke of Kent's wife converted it was assumed he retained his rights as he had "not married a Catholic".
The last change removed the bar on marrying Catholic's, however the Monarch is still required to be a Protestant - so at the point of accession a Roman Catholic would be passed over as if they were dead to the next in line and so on.
 
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