European Royalty during World War II:
Royal Houses

Living Members of
The Former Ruling House of Hesse and the Rhine, 1939-1945

Head of House

Ludwig, Prince of Hesse and the Rhine (1908-     ).  Succeeded as head of the dynasty in 1937 on the death of his elder brother, Hereditary Grand Duke Georg Donatus (below).
Wife:  Margaret, née Campbell Geddes (1913-     )

Brother
Son of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and the Rhine (1868-1937)

Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine (1906-1937)
Issue:  3 children, including
  1. Johanna, Princess of Hesse and the Rhine (1936-1939).  Died of tubercular meningitis on June 14, 1939, at Wolfsgarten Castle.

Sisters of Father
Daughters of Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and the Rhine (1837-1892)

Victoria, Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (1863-     ).  See below.

Irene, Princess Heinrich of Prussia (1866-     )

Brother of Grandfather
Son of Prince Karl of Hesse and the Rhine (1809-1877)

Wilhelm, Prince of Hesse and the Rhine (1845-1900)
Wife:  Josephine, Frau von Lichtenberg, née Bender (1857-     )
Issue:
  1. Gottfried von Lichtenberg (1877-1914)
    Wife:  Elisabeth, née Muller (1880-     )
    Issue:
    1. Gottfried Wilhelm von Lichtenberg (1902-     ).  Married in Berlin on May 4, 1942.
      Wife:        Traute Sylva, née Knipsel (1921-     )

Brother of Great-Grandfather
Son of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and the Rhine (1777-1848)

Alexander, Prince of Hesse and the Rhine (1823-1888)
Issue of his unequal marriage:  5 children, including
  1. Louis Mountbatten, Marquess of Milford Haven, né Prince of Battenberg (1854-1921).  Created Marquess of Milford Haven and took the name Mountbatten in 1917.
    Wife:  Victoria, née Princess of Hesse and the Rhine (1863-     ).  See above.
    Issue:
    1. Alice, Princess Andreas of Greece and Denmark (1885-     )
    2. Louise, Crown Princess of Sweden (1889-     )
    3. George Mountbatten, Marquess of Milford Haven (1892-1938)
      Wife:  Nadajda Mikhailovna, née Countess de Torby (1896-     )
      Issue:
      1. Tatiana, Lady Mountbatten (1917-     )
      2. David Mountbatten, Marquess of Milford Haven (1919-     )
    4. Louis, Lord Mountbatten (1900-     )
      Wife:  Edwina, née Ashley (1901-     )
      Issue:
      1. Patricia, Lady Mountbatten (1924-     )
      2. Pamela, Lady Mountbatten (1929-     )
  2. Alexander, Count von Hartenau, né Prince of Battenberg (1857-1893).  Elected Prince of Bulgaria in 1879 and abdicated in 1886.  Took the title Count von Hartenau upon his unequal marriage in 1889.
    Wife:      Johanna, née Loisinger (1865-     )
    Issue:  2 children, including
    1. Assene, Count von Hartenau (1890-     )
      Wife:  Bertha, née Hussa (1892-     )
  3. Henry Maurice, Prince of Battenberg (1858-1896)
    Wife:  Beatrice, née Princess of Great Britain and Ireland (1857-1944).  She died on October 26, 1944, at Balcombe, Brantridge Park, England.
    Issue:  4 children, including
    1. Alexander Mountbatten, Marquess of Carisbrooke, né Prince of Battenberg (1886-     ).  Created Marquess of Carisbrooke and took the name Mountbatten in 1917.
      Wife:  Irene, née Lady Denison (1890-     )
      Issue:
      1. Iris, Mrs Hamilton Keyes O'Malley (1920-     ).  Married on February 15, 1941, at Haywards Heath, Sussex.
    2. Victoria Eugenie, Queen of Spain (1887-     )
  4. Franz Joseph, Prince of Battenberg (1861-1924)
    Wife:  Anna, née Princess Petrovich-Niegosh of     Montenegro (1874-     )

Surviving Senior Hessian Line
Descendants of Landgrave Wilhelm IV of Hesse-Cassel (1532-1592), recognized by a family compact of 1902 as possessing rights of succession to the Grand Duchy of Hesse and the Rhine upon the extinction of the junior line (above).

House of Hesse-Cassel

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Last updated on 12/05/03 .