Queen
Louise rescinded her succession rights to her spouse in 1851. She became Crown Princess in 1853 and Queen consort in 1863. Louise had a tense relationship with King Frederick VII, whose marriage to the low-born and disreputable Louise Rasmussen she did not approve of. Her own marriage is believed to have been happy, and the couple became strongly attached to each other during the years of succession struggle. Louise was devoutedly loyal to her spouse, and he is said to have relied on her intelligence, judgment and psychological strength, all of which were considered to be superior to his own.
The couple continued the simple and intimate family life they had grown accustomed to after they became king and queen. When Louise's daughter Thyra gave birth to an illegitimate child after her relationship with a military officer in 1871, Queen Louise arranged for the whole affair to be kept a secret from the public. Queen Louise lived a life isolated from the people and did not seek recognition from, or a relationship with, the public, but rather focused on energetic family politics, and made much effort in arranging dynastic marriages for her children. The brilliant matches arranged for her children gave the Danish dynasty international status. Her annual family gatherings at Bernstorff or Fredensborg drew more attention every year and made her a popular symbol of family life.
Louise was active as a patronnes of a large number of charitable organisations already as a crown princess: in 1862, she founded Louisestiftelsen, where orphan girls were brought up to a life as servants, something which illustrated her conservative ideas. She was interested in music and painting and financed many artists. Some of her own paintings were exhibited and given as gifts to members of other dynasties. During her last years she became deaf, and two nurses from a nursing school she had founded saw to her needs. Louise was Queen of Denmark for 35 years, longer than any other Danish queen consort before her.
Read more about this topic: Louise Of Hesse-Kassel
Famous quotes containing the word queen:
“Just pierce my right side open
And save my baby.””
—Unknown. The Death of Queen Jane (l. 7–8)
“We are no more free agents than the queen of clubs when she victoriously takes prisoner the knave of hearts.”
—Mary Wortley, Lady Montagu (1689–1762)
““The horror of that moment,” the King went on, “I shall never, never forget!”
“You will, though,” the Queen said, “if you don’t make a memorandum of it.””
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)