Prince George, Duke of Southampton: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(69 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
| name          = Prince George
| name          = Prince George
| title          = Duke of Southampton  
| title          = Duke of Southampton  
| image          = George Southampton.jpg
| image          = Naval George.jpg


| image_size    = Medium
| image_size    = Medium
Line 56: Line 56:
| suc-type3    =  
| suc-type3    =  


| birth_name    = George Nicholas Frederick William
| birth_name    =  
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1871|5|22|df=yes}}
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1869|5|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, {{wp|London}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, {{wp|London}}
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1970|4|4|1871|5|22|df=yes}}
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1962|12|30|1869|5|7|df=yes}}
| death_place  = {{wp|Southampton}}, {{wp|England}}
| death_place  = {{wp|Montpelier, Vermont}}, {{wp|United States}}
| burial_date  = 10 April 1970
| burial_date  = 22 January 1963
| burial_place = {{wp|Westminster Abbey}}, {{wp|London}}
| burial_place = {{wp|Westminster Abbey}}, {{wp|London}}
| spouse      = {{marriage|{{wp|Princess Viktoria of Prussia}}|22 August 1887|13 November 1929|end=died}}<br/>{{marriage|{{wp|Rita Hayworth}}|12 August 1946}}
| spouse      = {{marriage|{{wp|Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia}}|11 January 1889|24 October 1920|end=d}}<br/>{{marriage|{{wp|Abby Rockefeller Mauzé|Abby Rockefeller}}|23 March 1922}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|* [[Frederick William, Duke of Southampton]]
| issue        = {{plainlist|* [[Prince Nicholas, Duke of Southampton]]
* [[Henry, Duke of Gloucester]]
* [[Prince George of Southampton|Prince George]]
* [[Victoria, Duchess of Södermanland]]
* [[Prince Peter of Southampton|Prince Peter]]
* [[Princess Madeline]]
* [[Jane Rockefeller]]
* [[Princess Anne]]}}
* [[George Rockefeller]]
| issue-link  = #Issue
* [[Frederick Rockefeller]]
| full name      = George Nicholas Frederick William
* [[Arthur Rockefeller]]
* [[Martha Rockefeller]]
* [[Elizabeth Rockefeller]]}}
| issue-link  =  
| full name      = George William Leopold
| house          = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}}  
| house          = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}}  
| father        = [[William V of the United Kingdom|William V]]
| father        = [[William V and II of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|William V and II]]
| mother        = {{wp|Charlotte of Belgium}}
| mother        = {{wp|Princess Louise of Prussia}}


| religion      = {{wp|Protestantism|Protestant}}
| religion      = {{wp|Protestantism|Protestant}}
| module      = {{Infobox officeholder | embed=yes
  | branch        = {{plainlist|
*{{navy|United Kingdom}}}}
  | serviceyears  = 1887-1921
  | servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
  | unit          =
  | commands      =
  | rank          = {{wp|Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|Rear admiral}}
  | battles_label =
  | battles      = {{wp|Anglo-Zanzibar War}}<br/>{{wp|Cretan Revolt}}<br/>{{wp|Boxer Rebellion}}<br/>{{wp|First World War}}}}
}}
}}


'''Prince George, Duke of Southampton ''' (George Nicholas Frederick William; 22 May 1871 - 4 April 1970) was a {{wp|British}} prince and explorer. He is the youngest out of four children of [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]] and {{wp|Carlota of Mexico|Queen Charlotte}} and is also the longest living, having outlived both his parents and siblings until his death in 1970.  
'''Prince George, Duke of Southampton''' (George William Leopold; 7 May 1869 - 30 December 1962) was a {{wp|British}} prince, shipping magnate, and a noted {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer. A lifelong enthusiast in exploration, George was well known for having taken part in a large number of expeditions to multiple places around the world, ranging from the islands of the {{wp|Caribbean}} to the islands far east in the {{wp|Pacific}}. Since then, the duke's own recollections of his international travels have been compiled together from his personal memoirs into an official publication, titled ''The Travels of the Duke of Southampton'', which later became an instant best-seller and was also well-acclaimed for its intrinsic and accurate details of the locations the prince had personally visited during his travels. Meanwhile, later in his life, George would also come to be known for having founded the {{wp|American}}-{{wp|British}} shipping company, {{wp|R&S Line}}, which subsequently went on to become a multi-billion-dollar shipping company under a hugely successful financial partnership between the Duke of Southampton and {{wp|John D. Rockefeller Jr.}}, which was later popularly nicknamed "The Billion-Dollar {{wp|Anglo}}-{{wp|American}} Alliance" by the press due to its massive success. Following the end of the {{wp|Second World War}}, in 1957, revenues from the company were subsequently used to establish {{wp|R&S Estate}}, a similarly multi-billion dollar company specialising in real estate in the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, {{wp|United States}}, and a number of {{wp|European}} countries. Then, in 1961, {{wp|R&S Hotels}} was founded under the same partnership as a direct rival to the expanding {{wp|Hilton Hotels}}, and has also similarly seen much success in the decades since its establishment. The following year, upon the duke's death, all the companies were consolidated under {{wp|The R&S Organisation}}, which has since been jointly owned and controlled by the {{wp|British royal family}} and the {{wp|Rockefeller family}}.  


==Early Life==
From 1889 to 1920, George was first married to {{wp|Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia}}, with whom he had three children. Then, following his {{wp|Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia|wife}}'s passing in 1920, George subsequently moved abroad to the {{wp|United States}}, where after a couple of years there, he wedded {{wp|Abby Rockefeller Mauzé|Abby Rockefeller}}, granddaughter of {{wp|Standard Oil}} co-founder, {{wp|John D. Rockefeller}}. The couple, despite their thirty-four-year age difference, went on to have six children in total, including the well-known {{wp|American}} politician, [[Jane Rockefeller]]. Through his marriage with {{wp|Abby Rockefeller Mauzé|Abby Rockefeller}}, the former {{wp|New York (state)|New York}} governor and former {{wp|Vice President of the United States}}, {{wp|Nelson Rockefeller}} is his brother-in-law.
George was born on the 22nd of May 1871 as the fourth and youngest child of [[William V of the United Kingdom|King William V]]. In contrast to his siblings, George's birth proved a difficult affair for his {{wp|Carlota of Mexico|mother}}, though this would immediately bring him into the "spotlight" of his mother's affections. Noted for his striking similarities to the {{wp|Frederick III, German Emperor|German Crown Prince Frederick}}, George's given name was also a subject of debate between his parents, for his father had insisted on a different name, while George's mother opted to name her newborn son in honour of her eldest living [[George V of the United Kingdom|son]] and prematurely deceased [[George, Prince of Wales|son]] of the same name.  


Like his siblings, George underwent a fairly stable and harmonious upbringing. As he was the youngest of his siblings and was deemed unlikely to ever succeed to the throne, the younger George's upbringing was left entirely in the hands of his mother, who avidly professed a liberal-minded upbringing.  Regardless, George found solace in the activities of horse riding and archery, where his prowess in those activities were reportedly unmatched. At the same time, George was quick to embrace his exposure to the liberal arts.  
As a result of his unprecedented financial success abroad, the Duke of Southampton is generally considered to be the richest member of the {{wp|British royal family}} of his time, with estimates placing his total net worth at roughly $3.48 billion.


==Adulthood==
==Early Life==
As the youngest of his siblings, the younger George was allowed free rein in determining his own fate, unlike his brothers who were used by their [William V of the United Kingdom|father]] as diplomatic tools through the form of arranged marriages. For the young prince, he came to inhibit a deep sense of passion for exploration, much to the chagrin of his parents. However, this was initially cut short by a hasty marriage to the {{wp|German}} princess {{wp|Princess Viktoria of Prussia|Viktoria}}. Regardless, in 1888, George personally underwent a private trip to the northernmost part of {{wp|Iceland}}, where his findings were extensively documented in his writings. Consequently, the prince further went on several conversative trips to the northern areas of {{wp|Canada}}, {{wp|Norway}} and {{wp|Greenland}}. In 1900, an expedition consisting of the prince and a group of specialists to {{wp|Antarctica}} was unexpectedly thwarted when the group were forced to return to {{wp|Britain}} after nearly being shipwrecked while journeying through the {{wp|Atlantic Sea}}.
 
==Marriage==
===First Marriage===
As the younger George was deemed unlikely to ever succeed to the throne, he was also consequently deemed as being less of importance by his [[William V of the United Kingdom|father]]. As a result, George was theoretically allowed to choose his spouse, opposed to that of his siblings. However, as a result of unexpected complications, the young George was hastily married to the {{wp|German}} princess {{wp|Princess Viktoria of Prussia|Viktoria}}, who is five years his senior as a compromise while his [[George V of the United Kingdom|brother]], who was previously engaged to {{wp|Princess Viktoria of Prussia|Viktoria}} married the princess's {{wp|Sophia of Prussia|younger sister}} instead in a dual marriage ceremony. Almost expectedly, the newlyweds initially found no sense of attraction towards the other, exemplified by their respective refusals to reside in the same bedroom.
 
For the next seven years, the couple, with the encouragement of both of their parents began undergoing a lengthy process of reconciliation. However, at the same time this was complicated by a blooming liaison between George and {{wp|Alice Keppel}}, a young {{wp|British}} {{wp|hostess}}. As it was generally accepted that Keppel proved to be far more attractive compared to {{wp|Princess Viktoria of Prussia|Viktoria}} herself, this led the {{wp|German}} princess to a considerable degree of mental instability, which ultimately led to a timely intervention that annulled George's two years long affair, which purportedly resulted in a child claimed to be that of George and Keppel's. Luckily, the intervention proved a fruitful decision when the two agreed to reconcile once more.
 
Within a month into the process, signs of success was first shown when Viktoria gave birth to their first born child. This further drew the two closer into a lifelong harmonious marriage, a stark opposite compared to their first few years together, followed by a couple of pregnancies which resulted in the birth of an another son and the couple's only daughter. Subsequently, Victoria began to indulge herself in her husband's explorations and numerous other activities, to which she would then often writs in passion and excitement in her recounts. However, Viktoria's death from pneumonia in 1929 proved a difficult blow to the prince who was then already in his 60's. Almost immediately, the prince drastically limited himself to only his close circles, though this did not prevent him from entering into a liaison with prominent {{wp|British}} socialite, {{wp|Freda Dudley Ward|Freda Dudley Ward}} who is almost twice his junior.
 
The couple's affair quickly became an interest of the public, and even in the aristocratic circle, with George's nephew [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward]] remarking that ''"it is not a surprise should they decide to marry"''. Amidst much public speculation and rumours of an awaited marriage, neither did George nor Freda ever formalised their affair, with the former instead moving to the {{wp|United States}} on the onset of the {{wp|Second World War}}. Despite the separation, the two briefly exchanged letters with each other for a short period and was said to had remained cordial friends until their respective deaths.


===Second Marriage===
==Death==
Following likely rumours of an impending {{wp|German}} attack on {{wp|Britain}}, the prince and a select number of his close contacts decided to move to the {{wp|United States}} where they were warmly received by {{wp|Franklin D. Roosevelt|President Roosevelt}}, while his [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|nephew]] and his immediate family chose to remain in {{wp|Britain}}. Regardless, throughout the duration of the war, George was an avid supporter of the {{wp|Allied}} war effort. At the same time, George came into contact with his grandnephew [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles]], the future Charles III.


In 1944, the prince who had been residing in the {{wp|United States}} first came into contact with {{wp|Rita Hayworth}}, an up-and-coming {{wp|American}} actress who had prior starred in numbers of films, largely of moderate success. Hayworth's unpleasant marriage, coupled with the prince's own sense of attraction immediately led the two into a private relationship, though it was quickly deduced by the public. Following an imminent divorce between Hayworth and her {{wp|Orson Welles|husband}} in 1945, the 74 year old prince then subsequently wed the 27 year old actress. Almost immediately, as Hayworth herself was a {{wp|Roman Catholic}}, George found himself disqualified from the line of succession, though this did not affected the standing of his children shared with his {{wp|Princess Viktoria of Prussia|first wife}}. Regardless, with the intervention of his grandnephew who was coincidentally married to the upcoming {{wp|Jewish}} {{wp|American}} actress {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}, Hayworth was permitted to style herself as ''Duchess of Southampton''.


==Personal Information==


==Titles & Honours==
==Titles & Honours==
*'''22 May 1871 - 22 August 1887''' ''His Royal Highness'' Prince George of Wales
*'''7 May 1869 - 11 January 1889''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Prince George
*'''22 August 1887 - 4 April 1970''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Duke of Southampton
*'''11 January 1889 - 30 December 1962''' ''His Royal Highness'' The Duke of Southampton, Prince of the Netherlands and Luxembourg


==Honours==
==Honours==
Line 119: Line 118:
| boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc;
| boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc;
| 1 = 1. '''Prince George of the United Kingdom'''
| 1 = 1. '''Prince George of the United Kingdom'''
| 2 = 2. [[William V of the United Kingdom]]
| 2 = 2. [[Willliam VI and III of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]]
| 3 = 3. {{wp|Charlotte of Belgium}}
| 3 = 3. {{wp|Princess Louise of Prussia}}
| 4 = 4. {{wp|William IV of the United Kingdom}}
| 4 = 4. {{wp|William IV of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands}}
| 5 = 5. {{wp|Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen}}
| 5 = 5. {{wp|Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen}}
| 6 = 6. {{wp|Leopold I of Belgium}}
| 6 = 6. {{wp|William I, German Emperor}}
| 7 = 7. {{wp|Louise of Orléans}}
| 7 = 7. {{wp|Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach}}
| 8 = 8. {{wp|George III of the United Kingdom}}
| 8 = 8. {{wp|George II and III of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands}}
| 9 = 9. {{wp|Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz}}
| 9 = 9. {{wp|Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz}}
| 10 = 10. {{wp|George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen}}
| 10 = 10. {{wp|George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen}}
| 11 = 11. {{wp|Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg}}
| 11 = 11. {{wp|Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg}}
| 12 = 12. {{wp|Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld}}
| 12 = 12. {{wp|Frederick William III of Prussia}}
| 13 = 13. {{wp|Countess Augusta Reuss-Ebersdorf}}
| 13 = 13. {{wp|Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz}}
| 14 = 14. {{wp|Louis Philippe I of France}}
| 14 = 14. {{wp|Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach}}
| 15 = 15. {{wp|Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily}}
| 15 = 15. {{wp|Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (1786–1859)|Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia}}
}}
}}

Latest revision as of 12:55, 5 February 2023

Prince George
Duke of Southampton
Medium
Born(1869-05-07)7 May 1869
Buckingham Palace, London
Died30 December 1962(1962-12-30) (aged 93)
Montpelier, Vermont, United States
Burial22 January 1963
Westminster Abbey, London
Spouse
Abby Rockefeller (m. 1922)
Issue
Full name
George William Leopold
HouseHanover
FatherWilliam V and II
MotherPrincess Louise of Prussia
ReligionProtestant
Military service
Branch/service
Years of service1887-1921
RankRear admiral
Battles/warsAnglo-Zanzibar War
Cretan Revolt
Boxer Rebellion
First World War

Prince George, Duke of Southampton (George William Leopold; 7 May 1869 - 30 December 1962) was a British prince, shipping magnate, and a noted Royal Navy officer. A lifelong enthusiast in exploration, George was well known for having taken part in a large number of expeditions to multiple places around the world, ranging from the islands of the Caribbean to the islands far east in the Pacific. Since then, the duke's own recollections of his international travels have been compiled together from his personal memoirs into an official publication, titled The Travels of the Duke of Southampton, which later became an instant best-seller and was also well-acclaimed for its intrinsic and accurate details of the locations the prince had personally visited during his travels. Meanwhile, later in his life, George would also come to be known for having founded the American-British shipping company, R&S Line, which subsequently went on to become a multi-billion-dollar shipping company under a hugely successful financial partnership between the Duke of Southampton and John D. Rockefeller Jr., which was later popularly nicknamed "The Billion-Dollar Anglo-American Alliance" by the press due to its massive success. Following the end of the Second World War, in 1957, revenues from the company were subsequently used to establish R&S Estate, a similarly multi-billion dollar company specialising in real estate in the United Kingdom, United States, and a number of European countries. Then, in 1961, R&S Hotels was founded under the same partnership as a direct rival to the expanding Hilton Hotels, and has also similarly seen much success in the decades since its establishment. The following year, upon the duke's death, all the companies were consolidated under The R&S Organisation, which has since been jointly owned and controlled by the British royal family and the Rockefeller family.

From 1889 to 1920, George was first married to Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, with whom he had three children. Then, following his wife's passing in 1920, George subsequently moved abroad to the United States, where after a couple of years there, he wedded Abby Rockefeller, granddaughter of Standard Oil co-founder, John D. Rockefeller. The couple, despite their thirty-four-year age difference, went on to have six children in total, including the well-known American politician, Jane Rockefeller. Through his marriage with Abby Rockefeller, the former New York governor and former Vice President of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller is his brother-in-law.

As a result of his unprecedented financial success abroad, the Duke of Southampton is generally considered to be the richest member of the British royal family of his time, with estimates placing his total net worth at roughly $3.48 billion.

Early Life

Death

Titles & Honours

  • 7 May 1869 - 11 January 1889 His Royal Highness The Prince George
  • 11 January 1889 - 30 December 1962 His Royal Highness The Duke of Southampton, Prince of the Netherlands and Luxembourg

Honours

Ancestry

Retrieved from "https://iiwiki.us/mediawiki/index.php?title=Prince_George,_Duke_of_Southampton&oldid=613314"