Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Princess Mary Adelaide |
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| Duchess of Teck | |||||
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The Duchess of Teck c. 1885
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| Born | 27 November 1833 Hanover, German Confederation |
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| Died | 27 October 1897 (aged 63) White Lodge, Richmond Park, Surrey, England |
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| Burial | 3 November 1897 Royal Vault, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
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| Spouse |
Francis, Duke of Teck
(m. 1866) |
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| House | Hanover | ||||
| Father | Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge | ||||
| Mother | Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel | ||||
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (born Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth; 27 November 1833 – 27 October 1897) was a member of the British royal family. She later became known as the Duchess of Teck. She was one of the first royals to support many different charities.
Mary Adelaide was the daughter of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, and Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. Her father was the seventh son of King George III and Queen Charlotte. Mary Adelaide married Francis, Duke of Teck. They had four children together. Their daughter, "May", married George V and became Queen Mary. This made Mary Adelaide the grandmother of British kings Edward VIII and George VI.
Contents
Mary Adelaide's Early Life
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Mary Adelaide was born on 27 November 1833 in the Kingdom of Hanover, which is now part of Germany. Her father was Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge. He was the youngest son of King George III. Her mother was Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel. Because her grandfather was a British king, Mary Adelaide was called a British princess with the title Royal Highness.
The young princess was baptised on 9 January 1834 in Hanover. She was named Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth after her aunts and uncle. Mary Adelaide spent her early years in Hanover. Her father was a viceroy there, meaning he ruled in place of her uncles, George IV and William IV.
In 1837, her first cousin, Princess Victoria of Kent, became Queen of Britain. However, a law called Salic law meant Victoria could not also rule Hanover. So, Hanover went to Prince Ernest Augustus. This meant the two countries were no longer ruled by the same person. Mary Adelaide's father moved back to London with his family. They lived in Kensington Palace.
Finding a Husband and Marriage
By the time Mary Adelaide was 30, she was still not married. She did not want to leave Britain. She also would not marry someone who would make her live in another country. Some people thought her weight and lack of money made it hard for her to find a husband. Her royal status meant she could only marry someone of royal blood. Mary Adelaide had almost given up on finding a husband.
Her cousin, Queen Victoria, and Victoria's son, the Prince of Wales, felt sorry for her. They tried to help her find a match. In 1865, the Prince of Wales and his wife, Princess Alexandra, found a good candidate. They met Prince Francis of Teck in Austria. He was a minor member of the royal family of Württemberg. Francis was not as high-ranking as Mary Adelaide. He was also known as "the most handsome man at the Austrian court."
The Prince of Wales invited Prince Francis to Britain. They met on 7 March 1866. A month later, they were engaged. Mary Adelaide's family was very happy. They married on 12 June 1866 at St Anne's Church in Kew, Surrey. Even though they had money problems, their marriage was a happy one.
The Duke and Duchess of Teck decided to live in London. Mary Adelaide received £5,000 each year from the government. She also carried out royal duties. Her mother gave her extra money. Queen Victoria usually said no when they asked for more funds. However, the Queen did give them apartments at Kensington Palace. She also gave them White Lodge in Richmond Park as a country home.
Mary Adelaide asked Queen Victoria to give her husband the title Royal Highness. The Queen said no. But in 1887, the Queen did promote Francis to the rank of Highness. This was to celebrate her Golden Jubilee.
Mary Adelaide's Children
Mary Adelaide and Francis had one daughter and three sons:
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
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| Princess Victoria Mary of Teck | 26 May 1867 | 24 March 1953 | married 1893, Prince George, Duke of York (later George V); had children, including Edward VIII and George VI. |
| Prince Adolphus of Teck | 13 August 1868 | 23 October 1927 | later Duke of Teck and Marquess of Cambridge
married 1894, Lady Margaret Evelyn Grosvenor; had children |
| Prince Francis of Teck | 9 January 1870 | 22 October 1910 | No children. |
| Prince Alexander of Teck | 14 April 1874 | 16 January 1957 | later Earl of Athlone
married 1904, Princess Alice of Albany; had children |
Life and Travels Abroad
Even though they did not have a lot of money, Mary Adelaide loved expensive things. She enjoyed parties, fancy food, nice clothes, and holidays abroad. By 1883, they had to live more cheaply in other countries to pay off their debts. They traveled to Florence, Italy. They also stayed with family in Germany and Austria. At first, they used different names to travel quietly. But Mary Adelaide wanted to travel in more style. So, she started using her real title again. This brought them more attention and better service.
Later Life and Death
The Tecks returned from living abroad in 1885. They continued to live at Kensington Palace and White Lodge. Mary Adelaide then started to focus on charity work. She supported Barnardo's and other charities that helped children.
In 1891, Mary Adelaide hoped her daughter, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (known as "May"), would marry one of the sons of the Prince of Wales. Queen Victoria also wanted a British-born bride for the future king. May was a good match. With Queen Victoria's approval, May became engaged to Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. He was second in line to the British throne. Sadly, he died suddenly six weeks later.
Queen Victoria liked Princess Mary very much. She convinced Prince Albert Victor's brother, Prince George, Duke of York, to marry May instead. Prince George was next in line to the throne. They married on 6 July 1893.
Mary Adelaide did not live to see her daughter become Princess of Wales or Queen. She died on 27 October 1897 at White Lodge. She had an emergency operation. She was buried on 3 November 1897 in the Royal Vault at St George's Chapel in Windsor.
A street called Mary Adelaide Close in Kingston Vale, near Richmond Park, is named after her.
Images for kids
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Coat of arms of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
See also
In Spanish: María Adelaida de Cambridge para niños
