Princess Alexandrine of Prussia

For the daughter of Prince Albert of Prussia, see Princess Alexandrine of Prussia (1842-1906).

Alexandrine of Prussia Princess Alexandrine painted by Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Tenure 1 February 1837 – 7 March 1842 Spouse Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Issue Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Duchess Louise Duke Wilhelm Full name Friederike Wilhelmine Alexandrine Marie Helene House House of Hohenzollern House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Father Frederick William III of Prussia Mother Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Born 23 February 1803(1803-02-23) Berlin, Prussia Died 21 April 1892(1892-04-21) (aged 89) Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Prussian Royalty House of Hohenzollern Frederick William III Children    Frederick William IV    William I    Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress of Russia    Princess Frederica    Prince Charles of Prussia    Alexandrine, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg    Prince Ferdinand    Princess Louise    Prince Albert of Prussia

Alexandrine, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (born Princess Alexandrine of Prussia; 23 February 1803 – 21 April 1892) was the wife and consort to Paul Frederick, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin as well as the daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Family

Alexandrine was the seventh child and fourth daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia and his wife Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She was a younger sister of Frederick William IV of Prussia, Wilhelm I of Prussia, and Charlotte, Empress of Russia.

Her mother was a niece of Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom and a sister of Queen Frederica of Hanover.

Marriage

In 25 May 1822, she married Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He succeeded his grandfather as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1837.

They had six children:

• Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg (1823–1883)
• Luise (1824–1859) married Hugo, Prince of Windisch-Grätz
• Wilhelm (1827–1879) married Princess Alexandrine of Prussia, daughter of Prince Albert of Prussia
• Helene (1829–1836)
• Marie Alexandrine (1831–1836)
• Pauline (1833–1894) died unmarried

Her marriage was generally considered unhappy; Paul Frederick was a military man who had little time or interest in his wife and family. Alexandrine, by contrast, was a devoted mother who tenderly raised her children and actively cultivated their cultural pursuits. Alexandrine herself was very cultured but was also described as a stereotypically-remote German princess. She was not considered an intellectual but attended scholarly lectures and read many books.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles

Monument in Schwerin, by Hugo Berwald

• Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandrine of Prussia (1803–1822)
• Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1822–1837)
• Her Royal Highness The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1837–1842)
• Her Royal Highness The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1842–1892)

Honours

• Dame of the Order of Louise

Ancestry

Alexandrine's ancestors in three generations

16. Frederick William I of Prussia

8. Prince Augustus William of Prussia

17. Sophia Dorothea of Hanover

4. Frederick William II of Prussia

18. Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

9. Duchess Louise Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

19. Duchess Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

2. Frederick William III of Prussia

20. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

10. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

21. Countess Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg

5. Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt

22. Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken

11. Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken

23. Countess Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken

1. Princess Alexandrine of Prussia

24. Adolf Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

12. Charles Louis Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Mirow

25. Princess Christiane Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

6. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

26. Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen

13. Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen

27. Countess Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach

3. Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

28. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (= 20)

14. Landgrave George William of Hesse-Darmstadt

29. Countess Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg (= 21)

7. Landgravine Friederike Caroline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt

30. Count Christian Karl Reinhard of Leiningen-Dachsburg-Falkenburg-Heidesheim

15. Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Falkenburg-Dagsburg

31. Countess Katharina Polyxena of Solms-Rödelheim

Princess Alexandrine of Prussia House of Hohenzollern Born: 23 February 1803 Died: 21 April 1892
German royalty
Vacant Title last held by Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg as Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin	Grand Duchess consort of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1 February 1837 – 7 March 1842	Vacant Title next held by Princess Augusta Reuss of Köstritz