Princess Elisabeth, nicknamed Ella, was the second daughter and child of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom (second daughter of Queen Victoria, who died in December 1878).
(Princess Elisabeth of Hesse, May 1875
Source：Royal Collection Trust)
(Princess Elisabeth of Hesse, ca. 1879
Source：Royal Collection Trust)
Considered as one of the most beautiful Princess in Europe, Ella had many possible suitors and admirers, including Wilhelm II, German Emperor, who was still Prince of Prussia, Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden, and more.
(Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, the future Kaiser
Wilhlem II, early 1880s
Source：Pinterest)
(Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden, ca 1900
Source：Wikipedia)
However, at last, it was a Russian Grand Duke, Sergei Alexandrovich, the second youngest son of Tsar Alexander II and Empress Maria Alexandrovna (née Marie of Hesse) who stole Ella's heart.
(Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia
Source：Tumblr)
At first, Sergei was only deeply impressed by Ella's beauty however, after the death of both of his parents within a year of each other, Elisabeth sympathized with Sergei because she had felt this same grief after her mother's death. Both being artistic and religious, they were drawn closer together. It was said that Sergei was especially attached to Elisabeth because she had the same character as his beloved mother. Therefore, when Sergei proposed to her for the second time, she accepted. Alexander III supported the marriage, as he wanted his brother to marry a Hessian princess. For Ella's maternal grandmother, Queen Victoria however, showed opposition to it.
Sergei and Ella were married on 15th June 1884, and their wedding was held at Winter Palace, Russian Empire. and she took the name Elizabeth Feodorovna thereupon, as well as converting to Russian Orthodoxy in 1891.
(The Wedding Ceremony. Source：Wikipedia)
(Sergei and Ella on their wedding day
Source：Facebook)
(Sergei and Ella, 1884)
(Sergei and Ella, 1880s. Source：Wikipedia)
The new Grand Duchess made a good first impression on her husband's family and the Russian people. "Everyone fell in love with her from the moment she came to Russia from her beloved Darmstadt", wrote one of Sergei's cousins.
The couple never had children, but became the foster parents of the two children (Maria and Dmitri) of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, youngest brother of Sergei.
(More interesting historical posts on @victorianroyals, Instagram)
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