The Princess Tried Trivia Quiz

Answer: Childbirth

Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796-1817) was the only child of George IV (who was Prince of Wales at the time of her birth). She refused to marry the Prince of Orange, and ultimately wed Prince Leopold (later King of Belgium). The couple were very happy for the eighteen months of their marriage, and Britain eagerly awaited their first child to secure the succession. Tragically, Princess Charlotte died at age 21, shortly after giving birth to a stillborn son.

The crown ultimately passed to Victoria, the only child of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who was the fourth son of George III.

Answer: Friedrich died weeks after becoming Kaiser

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert hoped that a marriage uniting the English and Prussian royal houses would lead to democratic reforms. The liberal Anglophile Friedrich was the ideal candidate. However, Friedrich's father Wilhelm lived to the age of 90. Friedrich became German Emperor on March 9, 1888, when he was terminally ill; he died on June 15th.

Some Germans blamed an English physician for misdiagnosing his condition. Victoria and Friedrich wanted to raise their eldest son to be a monarch in the mold of Victoria, but the Prussian establishment insisted on a military upbringing. On Friedrich's death, their son ascended the throne as Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Answer: Grace Kelly (Princess Consort of Monaco)

Princess Grace of Monaco (1929-1982) was born in Philadelphia to a wealthy family. Her father, Jack Kelly, won three Olympic gold mdeals in sculling before achieving success in the construction industry. Denied entry into Bennington College, she pursued a successful acting career - first on the Broadway stage and later in Hollywood.

She met Prince Rainier III of Monaco during a photo session at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. Her marriage (happy, by most accounts) saved Monaco from French rule with the birth of heirs to the throne.

She tried to resume her film career, but was dissuaded by conservative Monagasques. In 1982, Princess Grace succumbed to injuries sustained in a car accident.

Answer: Princess Viktoria Alix of Hesse

Princess Alix of Hesse (1872-1918) - she didn't go by "Victoria" - was one of the many grandchildren of England's Queen Victoria. She refused to marry Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, who at the time was second in line to the English throne after his father (later King Edward VII).

She had fallen in love with the then Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia. They married in 1894, shortly after he became Tsar. She tried to sustain the role of Tsarina, converting to the Russian Orthodox Church, becoming deeply religious, and devoting her time to the couple's haemophiliac son Alexei.

She was largely rejected by the Russian court and Nicholas's family, and was widely unpopular among the Russian people. After war and complications and trials too long to list here, she was murdered in 1918 along with Nicholas and their children.

Answer: Catherine of Aragon

Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) became Princess of Wales when she married Prince Arthur, the Prince of Wales and eldest son of Henry VII, in 1501. Arthur died about five months later, leaving younger brother Henry as the heir apparent. During her widowhood, Catherine was English ambassador to Spain, becoming the first woman to hold such a post.

She married Henry in 1509, shortly after he became King. Thus, she had been Princess of Wales via Arthur, but became Queen via Henry. A resourceful woman, Catherine effectively ruled England while Henry fought in France.

The annulment of her marriage to Henry, his marriage to Anne Boleyn, and the establishment of the Church of England remain controversial to this day, but Catherine bore herself with dignity throughout.

After the annulment, Catherine was "officially" known as the Dowager Princess of Wales, because she had been married to the late Prince Arthur.

Answer: None

King Ludwig II of Bavaria built several castles and palaces including Neuschwanstein. The castle was inspired by the operas of Richard Wagner. Ludwig was engaged briefly, but never married. He spent little time at Neuschwannstein before his untimely (and suspicious) death.

The Wittelsbachs, the Bavarian royal family, did produce some remarkable Princesses, including Princess Theresa of Bavaria (1850-1925). Princess Theresa published several books on botany and zoology, and received an honorary doctorate for her work.

Her anthropological collection is on display at the State Museum of Ethnology in Munich. This redoubtable Princess didn't care for castles, and probably saw swans as scientific specimens.

Answer: Princess (Victoria) Mary of Teck

Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (1867-1953) is better known as Queen Mary, wife of George V of the United Kingdom. Her father was Francis, Duke of Teck (in the then kingdom of Wurttemberg, Germany), but she was raised in England. As Princess and Queen, she persevered through joy and sorrow.

In 1891, Mary engaged to marry George's elder brother Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. Albert Victor died unexpectedly about six weeks later. Mary and George found mutual affection in their shared grief, and married in 1893.

When she became Queen Consort in 1910, she chose to retain "Mary" rather than being called "Queen Victoria," thinking the latter too presumptuous. During a long and harmonious life together, the royal couple had six children, including the hapless Edward VIII and George VI. Claire Bloom's portrayal in the "The King's Speech" (2010) is largely unsympathetic.

The 2003 television drama, "The Lost Prince," shows Queen Mary in a far better light, caring for her youngest child, Prince John, who suffered from neurological disorders and passed away at the age of thirteen. Queen Mary was portrayed by Miranda Richardson.

Answer: Louise Francoise de Bourbon

Louise Francoise de Bourbon (1673-1743) was the legitimized daughter of Louis XIV and his mistress, the Madame de Montespan. She was married at the age of eleven to Louis de Bourbon, a distant kinsman of her royal father, becoming Princess of Condé when her father-in-law died.

She seldom used that title Princess, preferring to be called Madame la Duchesse. She had nine children. Her eldest son Louis Henri de Bourbon served as Prime Minister during the reign of Louis XV - but was later forced into exile. Wealthy and politically active for a woman in 17th century France, she built what is now called the Palais Bourbon.

After the French Revolution and the Bourbon Restoration, the then Prince de Condé sold the building to the nation in 1827; it now houses the National Assembly.

Answer: Princess Mary of Orange

Mary (1662-1694) was the eldest daughter of the future James II. She was raised in the Anglican faith, and married the Protestant Prince William of Orange in 1677. Her father converted to Roman Catholicism in or about 1669, ultimately leading to his deposition in 1688. Mary's claim to the throne was stronger than William's, but he had the troops, so Parliament named them joint monarchs. Mary ran the country with firm confidence while William was on campaign, but never sought to displace her husband.

She died childless in 1694. William reigned alone until his death in 1702. The crown then passed to Mary's younger sister Anne.

Answer: True

In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the word "princess" appears just four times. Psalms 45.13 and Lamentations 1.1 use the word metaphorically. Jeremiah 43.6 refers to unnamed "princesses" as being among the "remnant of Judah." 1 Kings 11.3 records that among King Solomon's wives were "seven hundred princesses." Chapter 11 states that many of them were "foreign" and influenced Solomon to worship false gods. Perhaps it's just as well that none of them are identified by name.