The marriage of Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia and Hereditary Prince Karl of Leiningen

 

Both photos, Marlene A. Eilers-Koenig Collection

Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna (1907-1951) was the elder daughter of Grand Duke Kirill of Russia and Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.  Her engagement to the Hereditary Prince of Leiningen (1898-1946) took place at Coburg on October 14, 1925.

The newly engaged couple first met at a house party at Schloss Langenburg hosted by the bride's maternal aunt, Alexandra, the Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

HSH Hereditary Prince Friedrich Karl Eduard Erwin of Leiningen was the second son of HSH Emich, Prince of Leiningen, and HSH Princess Feodore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. In 1939, he succeeded his father as the Prince of Leiningen.

The couple was married five weeks after their engagement was announced.  As Masha was the daughter of the heir to the defunct Russian throne, her wedding would be celebrated in accordance with "Russian court tradition." Her gown had a "long train of cloth of silver, heavily embroidered," and her tulle veil was held in place by a "shower diadem," which was worn by her paternal grandmother, HIH Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, when she married Queen Victoria's second son, HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.  

In 1893, Alfred succeeded his uncle, Ernst II, as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

A civil ceremony preceded the two religious services.  The Russian Orthodox service took place in the private chapel at Edinburgh Palace.  This was followed by a Lutheran service at the Morizkirche.

The guest list included  Czar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Infante Alfonso and Infanta Beatriz of Spain, the Princess of Hohenlohen-Langenburg, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg, Princess Nicholas of Greece with her two younger daughters, Princess Elisabeth and Princess Maria, Grand Duke Dimitri of Russia, and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. 

Grand Duchess Maria's attendants were her younger sister, Grand Duchess Kira; Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Princess Alexandra; and Princess Irma of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.  

The bride's younger brother, Grand Duke Wladimir, 8, and 6-year-old Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha carried her train.

A reception was held at Grand Duke Kirill and Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna's home.   The bride's parents put on a brave face, wanting everyone to believe "they were very pleased with the match."

The reality was their disappointment in Masha's "humble choice and the poor future that awaited her."

The couple spent their honeymoon in Italy.

Karl and Marie were descendants of  Princess Victoire of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld.     Karl descended from Victoire's first marriage to Emich Karl, Prince of Leiningen.  Marie's descent was from Victoire's second marriage to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn.

Victoire - Karl - Ernst - Emich - Karl

Victoire - Feodora - Hermann - Feodora - Karl

Victoire - Victoria - Alfred - Victoria Melta - Maria

The present Prince of Leiningen,  Prince Andreas, is Marie and Karl's grandson.