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Considering Wilhelmina's character I doubt that any other marriage would have been less unhappy. Heinrich had the advantage that -while being a dullard- he at least never meddled in politics. I am not sure if a Hohenzollern prince would could have resisted to do so, esp. considering the emperor's expectations. Negociating with the Prussiian court about the prince's appanage, nationality, succession rights and name of the dynasty would have been more difficult than with the relatively unimportant court in Schwerin as well.
Note that the Prussian court did not give up easily.On June 20th 1900 the German consul still said to have hopes. Grovestins told him that Emma actually preferred the Hohenzollern candidate (which was not true). The Emperor then wrote a personal letter to Queen Emma where he spoke warmly about his cousin. More letters followed. In the end Emma appealed to the emperor's 'high views on a christian family' and said that she was sure that he shared the view that Wilhelmina -who was madly in love- should be free in the most important choice of her life. She added that she regretted that the choice was not the same as the one of the emperor. Wilhelm II was a good sport -perhaps he thought that a German duke was better than no German at all. But in a congratulations telegram after the engagement he predicted to Emma and WIlhelmina that Heinrich's job next to Wilhelmina would be a difficult one.
Both for the inauguration as for the wedding Queen Emma tried succesfully to keep the emperor away without giving offence. In this case Queen Emma let it be known that the wedding was purely a family event. The emperor protested that prince Albrecht jr (father of the unsuccesfull Hohenzollern candidate) was close family, while he was not invited. Queen Emma did not want the prince at the wedding either, but consulted various people. The German consul referred to the 'great personal affection and friendship' that the emperor felt for the last member of the house of Orange and referred to the emperor's 'Orange-blood that flows through his veins'. Queen Emma duly invited Prince Albrecht jr.
The whole episode shows that the 'warm feelings' between Wilhelmina (& Emma) and Wilhelm certainly had its limits. Mutual warm feelings may have been personal but were certainly also an expression of various reasons of state: the emperor tried to increase German influence while Queen Emma knew that a close association with the Hohenzollerns would be perceived as something that was in conflict with the country's neutrality.
BTW it always surprised me that Prince Harald of Denmark was never considered. it seemed a perfect candidate on paper: a younger son in a small neutral country with great family connections to boot and a descendant of king Willem I but not too closely related.
Note that the Prussian court did not give up easily.On June 20th 1900 the German consul still said to have hopes. Grovestins told him that Emma actually preferred the Hohenzollern candidate (which was not true). The Emperor then wrote a personal letter to Queen Emma where he spoke warmly about his cousin. More letters followed. In the end Emma appealed to the emperor's 'high views on a christian family' and said that she was sure that he shared the view that Wilhelmina -who was madly in love- should be free in the most important choice of her life. She added that she regretted that the choice was not the same as the one of the emperor. Wilhelm II was a good sport -perhaps he thought that a German duke was better than no German at all. But in a congratulations telegram after the engagement he predicted to Emma and WIlhelmina that Heinrich's job next to Wilhelmina would be a difficult one.
Both for the inauguration as for the wedding Queen Emma tried succesfully to keep the emperor away without giving offence. In this case Queen Emma let it be known that the wedding was purely a family event. The emperor protested that prince Albrecht jr (father of the unsuccesfull Hohenzollern candidate) was close family, while he was not invited. Queen Emma did not want the prince at the wedding either, but consulted various people. The German consul referred to the 'great personal affection and friendship' that the emperor felt for the last member of the house of Orange and referred to the emperor's 'Orange-blood that flows through his veins'. Queen Emma duly invited Prince Albrecht jr.
The whole episode shows that the 'warm feelings' between Wilhelmina (& Emma) and Wilhelm certainly had its limits. Mutual warm feelings may have been personal but were certainly also an expression of various reasons of state: the emperor tried to increase German influence while Queen Emma knew that a close association with the Hohenzollerns would be perceived as something that was in conflict with the country's neutrality.
BTW it always surprised me that Prince Harald of Denmark was never considered. it seemed a perfect candidate on paper: a younger son in a small neutral country with great family connections to boot and a descendant of king Willem I but not too closely related.
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