Sophie of Württemberg

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Sophie of Württemberg
File:Koningin Sophie Württemberg.jpg
Portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1861)
Queen consort of the Netherlands
Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Duchess of Limburg
Tenure 7 March 1849 – 3 June 1877
Born (1818-06-17)17 June 1818
Ludwigsburg Palace, Stuttgart, Württemberg
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Huis ten Bosch, The Hague, Netherlands
Burial Nieuwe Kerk, Delft, Netherlands
Spouse William III
Issue William, Prince of Orange
Prince Maurice
Alexander, Prince of Orange
Full name
Sophie Frederika Mathilde
House Württemberg
Father William I of Württemberg
Mother Catherine Pavlovna of Russia

Sophie of Württemberg (Sophia Frederika Mathilde; 17 June 1818 – 3 June 1877) was Queen of the Netherlands as the first wife of King William III.

Biography

She was born in Stuttgart; her parents were King William I of Württemberg and Grand Duchess Catherine Pavlovna of Russia, the fourth eldest daughter of Tsar Paul I. Sophie and William were first cousins as their mothers were sisters. Shortly after Sophie’s birth, her mother died, and she was cared for by her aunt, Catharina of Württemberg. She was niece of tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I of Russia and a cousin of Tsar Alexander II, George V of Hanover and England's Queen Victoria.

File:Koningin Sophie te paard.jpg
The Queen riding a horse
Monogram os Queen of the Netherlands

Prior to her marriage, King Otto of Greece and Duke William of Brunswick were possible suitors for Princess Sophie. The engagement with the first came to nothing because Princess Sophie's ambitious father had no confidence in the newly established Greek monarchy of Otto. Chance prevented a proposal by the second candidate because her father let it be known that Princess Sophie was already betrothed.

She married the Prince of Orange (later King William III) in Stuttgart on 18 June 1839 with the idea that she would in the end succeed in dominating him.[citation needed] The couple returned to the Netherlands and established themselves at the Plein Palace and -after they became king and queen- at the Noordeinde Palace. They had three children. The marriage was not a success. King William's mother, whom he completely relied on, was totally against the marriage to a daughter of the sister she loathed and treated her daughter-in-law and niece with disdain. Intellectually, Queen Sophie was superior to her husband. She, on the other hand didn't fit his sensual character. While he loved contemporary painting, music and theatre, she was a lady of letters with a specific interest in history. William III had several extramarital relations. She let it be publicly known that she found him inferior and unsuitable to be king and that she would do better as a regent for her son.

Queen Sophie tried to separate from him, but this was refused; the state interest had to prevail. From 1855 the couple lived separately during the summer season, he at Het Loo Palace and she at Huis ten Bosch Palace. She also spent time in Stuttgart, with her own family. Queen Sophie died at Huis ten Bosch Palace in the Hague. She was buried in her wedding dress, because, in her own view, her life had ended on the day she married.

Queen Sophie corresponded with several European scholars and maintained warm ties with Emperor Napoleon III and Queen Victoria. She protected and stimulated the arts, supported several charities, including animal protection and construction of public parks. She was the 540th Dame of the Royal Order of Queen Maria Luisa.

Issue

  1. Prince William (1840–1879), Prince of Orange from 1849 until 1879.
  2. Prince Maurice (1843–1850) died in childhood.
  3. Prince Alexander (1851–1884), Prince of Orange from 1879 until 1884.

Ancestry

Family of Sophie of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Frederick I of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Margrave Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. William I of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Princess Philippine Charlotte of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Frederick, Prince of Wales
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Princess Augusta of Great Britain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Sophie of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Peter III of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Paul I of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Catherine II of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Catherine Pavlovna of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg =16
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg (= #8)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis =17
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Margrave Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt =18
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt (= #9)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia =19
 
 
 
 
 
 
File:Coat of Arms of Sophie of Württemberg, Queen of the Netherlands.svg
Coat of arms of Queen Sophie of the Netherlands

Titles and styles

  • 17 June 1818 - 18 June 1839 Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of Württemberg
  • 18 June 1839 - 7 October 1840 Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of The Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Württemberg
  • 7 October 1840 - 7 March 1849 Her Royal Highness The Princess of Orange, Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Württemberg
  • 7 March 1849 – 3 June 1877 Her Majesty The Queen of the Netherlands

Honours

External links

Sophie of Württemberg
Born: 17 June 1818 Died: 3 June 1877
Royal titles
Preceded by Queen consort of the Netherlands
Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg

1849–1877
Vacant
Title next held by
Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont

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