October 11, 1905
Princess Victoria Adelheid, eldest daughter of Duke Friedrich of Schleswig-Holstein, and niece of Empress Auguste Vikoria, was married earlier today to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The ceremony took place at mid-day at the "beautiful little castle" in Glücksburg. The New York Times reports that fifty members of European royal houses were present for the ceremony, including the German Emperor and Empress and all their children, except for Crown Prince Wilhelm.
The castle was too small to "accommodate half the number of guests," so they arrived by automobiles or carriages for "country places in the neighborhood." Kaiser Wilhelm II and his family stayed over last night on the royal yacht Hohenzollern, "which was brought to Kiel for the purpose."
The civil ceremony took place in the castle's wide hall. Then "as many of the royal guests and their suites as could be accommodated" walked to the palace's chapel, where the religious wedding, according to the rites of the Lutheran church, took place.
Today was a public holiday in Holstein. Large crowds cheered the newlyweds as they "appeared together on the balcony of the castle."
The Chicago Daily Tribune reports that the bride "looked very sweet and timid." She had a "lovely toilette of white chiffon lace with a train, the same used by the Duchess of Albany at her marriage."
In the procession to the chapel. the bride walked between her father, Duke Friedrich, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. Her train was carried by "six maids of honor." The bridegroom came between the Empress and his mother, the Duchess of Albany, who wore the Order of the Black Eagle, which she received today from Wilhelm II.
The Duke's first cousin, Prince Arthur of Connaught, represented King Edward VII. He escorted the Duchess of Oldenburg to the church.
At 4 p.m., the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his new Duchess left by automobile for Louisenlund, "where they will pass to their honeymoon." They will stay at Louisenlund for several days before traveling to Greinburg in Lower Austria, where most of their honeymoon will be spent. Their state entrance into Coburg will take place in November.
The British-born duke has been educated in Germany in preparation for his succession to the throne. He reached his majority earlier this year. During his minority, the Duchy was governed by Prince Ernst of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, whose wife, Alexandra, is one of four daughters of the late Duke Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Princess Alexandra and Duke Carl Eduard are first cousins, and both are grandchildren of Queen Victoria.
King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra have given the newlyweds "costly furniture and a parure of diamonds for the bride." The Prince and Princess of Wales' gift is a silver cup, and the Duchess of Albany has given her new daughter-in-law a diamond parure.
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