Saddest Royals

[Troy Thompson]

I'm fairly sure it doesn't qualify him as one of the saddest royals per se, but the conversations that George III of the United Kingdom was said to have had with his long-dead children while he was suffering from the effects of dementia are certainly heartbreaking to think about. He was said also to have also had conversations with other dead relatives, but the adult fear aspect of a parent outliving their children compounds the heartbreaking nature of his conversations with his children a bit more.

 

[Curryong]

I still think one of the saddest royals I've ever heard of is Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven, Prince Philip's grandmother.

Victoria's mother Alice of Hesse, a younger brother and sister were dead before she was sixteen, two of her sisters, Grand Duchess Ella and Tsaritsa Alex and Alex's entire family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in horrific fashion, and Victoria spent years wondering what had happened to them.

Her son George, Marquess of Milford Haven died prematurely, her daughter Alice (who was profoundly deaf) had to be confined for years to a mental institution, and one granddaughter (Philip's sister Cecilie) was killed with her husband and young sons in a terrible plane crash in Belgium. She was expecting another baby at the time. And George's only daughter Tatiana was born mentally disabled.

 

[theroyalfly]

Princess Deokhye of Korea, the last princess of the Korean Empire led a very tragic life too. Her father, Emperor Gojong died suddenly on 21 January 1919. In 1925, she was taken to Japan in the pretense that she would finish her education there. 4 years later, she heard the news of her mother's death. Finally, she was given permission to temporarily go back to Korea to attend her mother's funeral however, she not allowed to wear the proper clothing.

In 1931, she was decided to marry a Japanese Aristocrat Count Sō Takeyuki, by Empress Teimei. The marriage was postponed because of her condition (her physician diagnosed her illness as precocious dementia.)

She gave birth to Countess Sō Masae in 1932 and just a year after she was again afflicted with mental illness.

After the defeat of Japan in the World War II, the peerage system was abolished and her marriage no longer made sense. So, she and her husband divorced in 1953. Her daughter was so affected with the divorce and disappeared in 1956 and reportedly committed suicide. This yet again took a toll on the Princess' health and her condition deteriorated.

In 1962 at the invitation of the South Korean government, she cried while approaching her motherland and despite her being mentally ill, she accurately remembered court manners.

She died in 21 April 1989.

 

[lashinka2002]

I don't think Prince William is particularly happy. I mean I think he is happy in his marriage and with his children but I never really see a true smile reach his eyes. There is a sadness about him and it always looks like he'd rather be elsewhere.

 

[Prinsara]

I don't think Prince William is particularly happy. I mean I think he is happy in his marriage and with his children but I never really see a true smile reach his eyes. There is a sadness about him and it always looks like he'd rather be elsewhere.

He lost his mother brutally at a young age and was her confidant over some very difficult things before that. Diana herself said he was naturally a serious and reflective person. William has a beautiful family, an extra one with the Middletons, and they seem to have been both pretty fortunate and making the effort so far. That's a lot better off than some others in this thread.

Harry can smile more easily, but we've all seen that doesn't necessarily mean too much.

 

[Rayal]

To be honest I'm quite ignorant of the other monarchies in Europe and else where, however I feel Diana, Princess of Wales, though happy at times, also let a sad and lonely life in Kensington Palace after her separation from Prince Charles. In her mind she tried ways to win him back from Camilla and nothing worked of course. I know of her immature ways and many of the questionable actions she took against Charles and the Royal family, but I really don't care about that. She reached out to people who were hurting, or dying, or suffering and she made a difference that most of us could never do in our life time. Her boys were in school and she sat in that palace alone. In the end after her divorce she seemed to bloom and her self esteem gained new life, only to find tragedy a year later in the fatal and horrific car crash in Paris. She did so good bringing up her two boys to men and that shows today her influence. I remember the clip of her standing at the airport as Prince Charles was leaving and she was crying...was it because he was leaving? No, she said herself it was because she knew for a fact his real lover was Camilla. She looked so sad...I'll never forget it. The fairy tale that the ladies of the world cherished so much began to die then and the real tragedy was just beginning for her. I do however appreciate the stories told by the other posters and to be born or married into the monarchy of any country simply is not to be envied. My hope is in Prince William and I think he will succeed.

 

[lashinka2002]

He lost his mother brutally at a young age and was her confidant over some very difficult things before that. Diana herself said he was naturally a serious and reflective person. William has a beautiful family, an extra one with the Middletons, and they seem to have been both pretty fortunate and making the effort so far. That's a lot better off than some others in this thread.

Harry can smile more easily, but we've all seen that doesn't necessarily mean too much.

Very true indeed, you could always see there was a deep sadness from the loss of his mother but I also thought some of the sadness he carries could be attributed to his pre-ordained destiny. There is not much choice in his life and the reality is that seriousness comes with the responsibility he carries which I imagine he was made well aware of at a young age. Harry on the other hand has always had more flexibility.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think Prince William is very happy with his beautiful family. What is sad: speculation about which royal is "saddest".