Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar

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Portrait of HH Price Edward of Saxe-Weimar, Commander-in-Chief of Ireland

Prince William Augustus Edward of Saxe-Weimar, KP, GCB, GCH, GCVO, PC (October 11, 1823 - November 16, 1902) was a British military officer of German parents.

Prince Edward was born to Prince Charles Bernard of Saxe-Weimar and Princess Ida of Saxe-Meiningen (whose sister Adelaide was King William IV's wife). His military career began in 1841, when he joined the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot as an ensign. His royal connections ensured that he proceeded quickly through the ranks, attaining major in the Grenadier Guards on June 20, 1854. He held that brevet rank when he entered the Crimean War, in which he received many battle honours.

Edward received his colonelcy in the Grenadier Guards on October 5, 1855, then proceeded through the general ranks, until he became a full general in 1879. On November 27, 1851 he married, morganatically, Lady Augusta Katherine Gordon-Lennox, (a daughter of Charles Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond), who was created Countess of Dornburg by the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar the day before the wedding. The Court Circular shows that she was usually known by that title until early 1886, when the Circular began to consistently refer to her by her husband's title, i.e. "HSH Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar" (Laura Seymour, sister of the 5th Marquess of Hertford and morganatic wife of Queen Victoria's nephew, HSH Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, was also belatedly accorded her husband's princely style by an announcement in the Court Circular dated December 15, 1885. Both wives remained morganatic countesses in Germany, however). His military career reached a pinnacle in 1897, when he was promoted to field marshal, the highest military rank in the British Army. Throughout his military and political career, he received many honours (including the Legion d'Honneur) and served in many positions (including as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland, thereby becoming a member of the Irish Privy Council).

[edit] References

• H.H.Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar website www.regiments.org a timeline of his military service.