Princess Helena of Nassau

Princess Helena
Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont
200px Helena, Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont
Born	(1831-08-18)18 August 1831 Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau, German Confederation
Died	28 October 1888(1888-10-28) (aged 57) Pyrmont, Waldeck and Pyrmont, German Empire
Burial	Fuerstliches Erbbegraebnis, Rhoden
Spouse	George Victor, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont
Issue	Sophie Nikoline Pauline, Princess of Bentheim and Steinfurt Marie, Princess William of Württemberg Emma, Queen of the Netherlands Helena, Duchess of Albany Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont Elisabeth, Princess of Erbach-Schönberg
Full name Helena Wilhelmina Henriette Pauline Marianne
House	House of Nassau-Weilburg (by birth) House of Waldeck and Pyrmont (by marriage)
Father	William, Duke of Nassau
Mother	Princess Pauline of Württemberg

Princess Helena of Nassau (German: Prinzessin Helene Wilhelmine Henriette Pauline Marianne von Nassau-Weilburg; 18 August 1831 – 27 October 1888) was a daughter of William, Duke of Nassau (that is, the German state or region referred to as Nassau), and consort 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 (1792–1839), by his second wife Princess Pauline of Württemberg (1810–1856), daughter of Prince Paul of Württemberg. She was the half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (then Hereditary Prince of Nassau). She was related with 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

They had seven children:

• Princess Sophie Nikoline (27 July 1854 – 5 August 1869); died of tuberculosis at fifteen.
• Princess Pauline (19 October 1855 – 3 July 1925) married Alexis, Prince of Bentheim and Steinfurt.
• Princess Marie (23 May 1857 – 30 April 1882) who married Prince William, later King William II of Württemberg.
• Princess Emma (2 August 1858 – 20 March 1934) who married King William III of the Netherlands. The Dutch royal family exist of descendants from this marriage.
• Princess Helena (17 February 1861 – 1 September 1922) who married Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.
• Prince Friedrich (20 January 1865 – 26 May 1946), last reigning prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, married Princess Bathildis of Schaumburg-Lippe
• Princess Elisabeth (6 September 1873 – 23 November 1961) married Alexander, Prince of Erbach-Schönberg.

Grandchildren

Among her grandchildren were:

• Pauline, Princess of Wied (1877–1965), last senior member of the House of Württemberg.
• Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (1880–1962), queen regnant of the Netherlands.
• Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (1883–1981)
• Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1884–1954), last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
• Josias, Hereditary Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1896–1967)
• George Louis, Prince of Erbach-Schönberg (1903–1971)

Titles and styles

• 18 August 1831 – 26 September 1853: Her Ducal Serene Highness Princess Helena of Nassau
• 26 September 1853 – 28 October 1888: Her Ducal Serene Highness The Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Helena of Nassau

16. Charles August, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg               8. Charles Christian, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg                       17. Princess Augusta of Nassau-Idstein               4. Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg                             18. William IV, Prince of Orange               9. Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau                       19. Anne, Princess Royal               2. William, Duke of Nassau                                   20. Burgrave William Louis of Kirchberg, Count of Sayn-Hachenburg               10. Burgrave William George of Kirchberg, Count of Sayn-Hachenburg                       21. Countess Louise of Salm-Dhaun               5. Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg                             22. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz               11. Princess Isabella Auguste Reuss of Greiz                       23. Countess Conradine Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz               1. Princess Helena of Nassau                                         24. Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg               12. Frederick of Württemberg                       25. Margravine Friederike Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt               6. Prince Paul of Württemberg                             26. Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick               13. Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel                       27. Princess Augusta of Great Britain               3. Princess Pauline of Württemberg                                   28. Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen               14. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg                       29. Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar               7. Princess Katharina Charlotte of Saxe-Hildburghausen                             30. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz               15. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz                       31. Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt

Notes and sources

• thePeerage.com - Helene Wilhelmine Henriette Pauline Marianne Prinzessin von Nassau-Weilburg
• Genealogics - Leo van de Pas - Princess Helene von Nassau
• The Royal House of Stuart, London, 1969, 1971, 1976, Addington, A. C., Reference: vol II page 337/347
• For My Grandchildren London, 1966, Athlone, HRH Princess Alice, Countess of, Reference: Page 41 part of biographical notes

Princess Helena of Nassau House of Nassau-Weilburg Cadet branch of the House of Nassau Born: 18 August 1831 Died: 28 October 1862
German royalty
Vacant Title last held by Princess Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym	Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont 26 September 1853 – 28 October 1888	Vacant Title next held by Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg