PRESENTATION COPY FROM PRINCESS BEATRICE OF THE BIOGRAPHY OF HER HUSBAND BEATRICE (Mary Victoria Feodore, 1857-1944, Princess, Daughter & Companion of Queen Victoria)

Superb copy of the "H.R.H Prince Henry Maurice of Battenberg, A Memoir" by Rowland E. Prothero, signed and inscribed on the front blank endpaper "For Morgan in remembrance of old days from Beatrice", the volume documents his early life, his marriage and finally his death on the Ashanti Expedition, 4to., printed for private circulation by John Murray, original white cloth binding with his crested monogram in red on the cover, Albemarle Street, London, some soiling on the cover, contents fine

Prince Henry of BATTENBERG (1858-1896) was a morganatic descendant of the Grand Ducal House of Hesse. He became a member of the British Royal Family by marriage to Queen Victoria's youngest child, Princess Beatrice. In 1884 Queen Victoria agreed to the marriage on the condition that the couple should make their home with her. In 1885 the Queen made Prince Henry a Knight of the Garter, and granted him the style Royal Highness to give him equal rank with his wife. In November 1895, Prince Henry persuaded Queen Victoria to allow him to go to West Africa to fight in the Ashanti War. He served as the military secretary to the commander-in-chief of British forces, General Sir Francis Scott. He contracted malaria when the expedition reached Prahsu and subsequently died aboard the cruiser HMS Blonde stationed off the coast of Sierra Leone. His body was repatriated by the cruiser HMS Blenheim from the Canary Islands and his funeral service took place on 5th February 1896, at the same St. Mildred's Church, Whippingham on the Isle of Wight where he had been married.

Item Date:  1897

Stock No:  40344