| Louise of the Netherlands | |
|---|---|
| Queen consort of Sweden and Norway | |
| Tenure | 8 July 1859 – 30 March 1871 |
| Spouse | Charles XV of Sweden |
| Issue | |
| Louise, Queen of Denmark Prince Carl Oscar, Duke of Södermanland |
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| House | House of Orange-Nassau |
| Father | Prince Frederick of the Netherlands |
| Mother | Princess Louise of Prussia |
| Born | 5 August 1828 The Hague, United Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Died | 30 March 1871 (aged 42) Stockholm, Sweden |
| Burial | Riddarholmen Church |
| Religion | Dutch Reformed Church |
Louise of the Netherlands (Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrine Anna Louisa) (5 August 1828 – 30 March 1871) was the Queen of Sweden and Norway as spouse of King Charles XV of Sweden and IV of Norway.
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Princess Louise was born on 5 August 1828 in The Hague. Her father was Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, the second child of King William I of the Netherlands and Wilhelmina of Prussia. Her mother Louise was the eighth child of King Frederick William III of Prussia and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Princess Louise married in Stockholm on 19 June 1850 Crown Prince Charles of Sweden and Norway, the son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway and Josephine of Leuchtenberg.
The marriage was arranged to provide the new Bernadotte dynasty with heirs and for the enormous dowry expected; although in reality, the dowry was very small. It was an unhappy union, since the Crown Prince found Louise unattractive and was unfaithful, although she quickly fell in love with him. The first decade of their marriage (1852–60) her husband had a relationship with her lady-in-waiting Josephine Sparre: Sparre made a scandal by following Charles around openly at court "like a patch". Among her husband's many mistresses were the actresses Hanna Styrell (1860–69) and Elise Hwasser (1858), the latter being the most celebrated Swedish actress of the era. From 1869, he had a relationship with the independent telegraphist Wilhelmine Schröder, who was interested in spiritism and with whom he discussed existential issues.
During her husband's reign as a prince regent (1857–59), she was described: A more loveable and talented woman would have entirely recreated the atmophere in this circle and also exerted a good influence upon the Prince, who, of a good nature, easily let himself be led by those he likes, especially women. Although good, dutiful and not one to plot, the crown princess lacks higher qualities. She is a good housewife but thinks only of her husband, herself and those closest to her and she has not the good influence on him which her good character gives her the right to have. Because of her inborn shyness, she lacks the courage to meddle in his affairs, and her only wish is to gain his love. With one word; she seems not mature enough for her great task.
She became Queen of Sweden at her father-in-law's death on 8 July 1859.
She was crowned both in Sweden and Norway; Norway had refused to crown the two previous queens because they were Roman Catholics, and Louise became the first queen to be crowned in Norway since the Middle Ages. She was very popular during her visit to Norway.
Louise was not a successful crown-princess and was not to be a successful queen, having a shy and quiet personality, the complete opposite of the king's. It was said that she lacked the ability to converse. However, the fact that she never had anything whatsoever to do with politics was considered to be a good contrast compared to the previous queens consort, such as her predecessor Josephine. She was expected to do charity and founded several institutions, such as Kronprinsessan Lovisas vårdanstalt för sjuka barn (Crown Princess Louise's asylum for sick children), Drottning Lovisas understödsförening (Queen Louise's support organisation) and Dronning Lovisas asylum (Queen Louise's asylum) in Norway, she translated religious works and gave the income to charity.
She spent her life attending to domestic duties and the family's finances, trying to please her husband by becoming the ideal woman of the time and wearing the "Ornament of Silence". Her personality did represent this ideal, but it did not improve her relationship with the king, who treated her with condescending kindness and largely neglected her. Eventually, her health deteriorated. In 1854, her son died; the birth had made her infertile, and she offered her husband a divorce, but he declined.
On at least one occasion, during a picnic, she suffered some kind of a fit (possibly an epileptic seizure from contemporary descriptions), which was thought to have been a hysterical reaction to her husband's neglect. The court struggled to conceal her from the public until the fit was over. In this issue, it was noted that: Lovisa could at any time faint and in connection to this, she could have what is called nerv- or cramp-attacks. At one occasion, she had an attack during a boat trip on Mälaren; the king was present, and quickly took her below deck.
Louise did not care for ceremonial duties and preferred a quiet family life, although she was interested in fashion and often dressed very elegantly. She often avoided ceremonial duties by claiming to be sick, but was occasionally forced by her husband. He did not like to show himself without her at formal occasions, and once said that she would have to attend: The old women might think there is something wrong with you! In 1866, the king forced her to open the Stockholm exhibition in his place. Her husband was very fond of their daughter, so they did share some of the family life Louisa longed for. However, she was worried by his treatment of their daughter "as a son", which allowed her a very "unrestrained" childhood.
Together with her daughter, she was a student of Nancy Edberg, the pioneer of swimming for women (1862); the art of swimming was initially not regarded as being entirely proper for women, but when the Queen and her daughter Princess Louise supported it by attending the lessons, swimming was quickly made fashionable and became accepted for women.[1] Louise employed Sweden's first female dentist, Rosalie Fougelberg, as her personal dentist in 1867.
In 1870, she visited her mother in Holland, who died the same year. On her return, her husband was sick, and she nursed him. She liked to take "walks by carriage", and on one of these, she caught pneumonia. Queen Louise died on 30 March 1871 in Stockholm. Her husband and his mother were unable to attend the funeral in the church because of their illnesses. Her father, Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, survived her by ten years.
Louisa and Charles had two children together:
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Louise of the Netherlands
Born: 5 August 1828 Died: 30 March 1871 |
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| Royal titles | ||
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| Preceded by Josephine of Leuchtenberg |
Queen consort of Sweden and Norway 1859–1871 |
Vacant
Title next held by
Sophia of Nassau |
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