Remembering Princess Helena, Queen Victoria’s most dutiful daughter

 

Helena Augusta Victoria was born on May 25, 1846 at  Buckingham Palace in London, the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.  Lenchen, as she was dearly called within the family circle, was often overshadowed by her siblings, despite her being an accomplished pianist and artist at a young age.

  She had a brief affair with her father’s librarian, Carl Ruland, who was dispatched back to his homeland, Germany, by Queen Victoria upon learning of the said romance. Princess Helena first met her future husband, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, who 15 years her senior, while visiting Coburg.  In spite of the many controversies and misgivings, Helena and Christian tied the knot on July 5, 1866 at the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle. Frail in health, she got addicted to laudanum and opium, which was initially dismissed by Queen Victoria to be merely just hypochondria induced by her tolerant husband. Princess Helena was among the most civic-minded of the queen’s children. She lived her genuine interest in nursing and was an ardent supporter of nurse registration.  Between 1890 and 1914, Princess Helena worked tirelessly to raise the country's nursing care in work-house infirmaries. She also worked towards the building of a children's home and infant nursery at Windsor. Her help was a huge boost to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Young Women's Christian Association.  Princess Helena was also active advocate of needlework. She became the first president of the School of Art Needlework in 1872 (renamed Royal School of Needlework four years later). Always ready to help the children and the needy, she hosted free dinners for children and the unemployed, that author C. W.  Cooper said "the poor of Windsor worshipped her". Her kindness was well-known during her lifetime and she was in fact called "the good fairy of Windsor" for her selfless deeds. Princess Helena passed away on June 9, 1923 at the Schomberg House in London. She was 77 years old. You can read more about Princess Helena here.


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