Princess Helena of Nassau
Princess Helena of Nassau was the daughter of William, Duke of Nassau, and the wife of George Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont.
Early life
Helena was born at Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau. She was the ninth child of William, Duke of Nassau, by his second wife Princess Pauline of Württemberg, daughter of Prince Paul of Württemberg. She was the half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. She was related to the Dutch royal family and also, distantly, to the British royal family through her father and mother, both were descendants of King George II of Great Britain.Marriage and family
Princess Helena married on 26 September 1853 in Wiesbaden to George Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, son of George II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont.Children
Helena and George Victor had seven children:- Princess Sophie Nikoline ; died of tuberculosis at 15.
- Princess Pauline who married Alexis, Prince of Bentheim and Steinfurt, on 7 May 1881. They had eight children.
- Princess Marie who married Prince William, later King William II of Württemberg, on 15 February 1877. They had three children.
- Princess Emma who married King William III of the Netherlands on 7 January 1879. They had one daughter, Wilhelmina. Via this marriage, Emma is an ancestress of the Dutch royal family.
- Princess Helen who married Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, on 27 April 1882. Via this marriage, Helen is an ancestress of the Swedish royal family.
- Prince Friedrich, last reigning prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, married Princess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe on 9 August 1895. They had four children.
- Princess Elisabeth married Alexander, Prince of Erbach-Schönberg, on 3 May 1900. They had four children.
Grandchildren
Among her grandchildren were:- Pauline, Princess of Wied, the last senior member of the House of Württemberg.
- Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, queen regnant of the Netherlands.
- Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, vice-regal consort of Canada.
- Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
- Josias, Hereditary Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
- George Louis, Prince of Erbach-Schönberg