Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach

Monika, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg (born Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach; 8 August 1929 – 4 June 2015) was a German noblewoman and philanthropist. She was the second wife of Ernest Augustus, Prince of Hanover. A member of the House of Solms-Laubach by birth, she became the Princess Consort of Hanover and Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg through her marriage. She was the founder of the Dollhouse Museum in Laubach.

Monika
Princess of Hanover
Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Born(1929-08-08)8 August 1929
Schloss Laubach, Laubach, People's State of Hesse, Weimar Republic
Died4 June 2015(2015-06-04) (aged 85)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1981; died 1987)​
HouseSolms-Laubach (by birth)
Hanover (by marriage)
FatherGeorg, 9th Count of Solms-Laubach
MotherPrincess Johanna of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich
OccupationPhilanthropist

Early life

Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach was born on 8 August 1929 at Laubach Castle in Laubach, Hesse, Germany.[1] She was the fourth child of Georg, 9th Count of Solms-Laubach and Princess Johanna of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich.[2] Her father was the grandson of Bruno, 3rd Prince of Ysenburg and Büdingen and her mother was the daughter of Prince Charles of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. Her family had been the sovereign house of the County of Solms-Laubach but were mediatized into the Grand Duchy of Hesse in 1806.

Countess Monika zu Solms-Laubach's birthplace, Laubach Castle.

Marriage

On 16 July 1981 she married Ernest Agustus, Prince of Hanover in a civil ceremony. A religious ceremony was held on 17 July 1981 in Laubach.[3] She was Ernest Augustus's second wife. He had previously been married to her first cousin once removed, Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who died in 1980.[4] According to the Royal Marriages Act 1772, their marriage required approval from the British monarch in order for Ernest Augustus to stay in the British line of succession. Elizabeth II consented to the marriage on 10 June 1981.[5]

Later life and death

In November 2008, Princess Monika auctioned off a collection of jewelry that had previously belonged to Princess Thyra of Denmark. The collection, which included pieces originally belonging to Alexander III of Russia, Maria Feodorovna of Russia, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia, George I of Greece, and Alexandra of Denmark, was the largest grouping of Imperial presents auctioned since the Forbes Collection of Fabergé in 2004.[6][7]

The Evangelische Stadtkirche Laubach

Princess Monika founded the Princess Monika of Hanover Foundation. Through her foundation she created Dollhouse Museum Laubach in 2011; a museum which exhibits a collection of her childhood dollhouses to the public.[8][9] The collection features dollhouses made between 1820 and 1930.[10] It opened in October 2011.[11]

She died on 4 June 2015, three days after the death of her sister-in-law Princess Alexandra of Hanover.[8][7] A Lutheran funeral service was held at the Evangelische Stadtkirche Laubach on 13 June 2015.[12]

References
  1. "Monika VON SOLMS-LAUBACH". The Royals. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  2. Salens, Régine (7 June 2015). "Décès de la princesse Monika de Hanovre". Noblesse & Royautés. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  3. Opfell, Olga S. (15 April 2001). Royalty Who Wait: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 0786409010.
  4. de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Le Petit Gotha. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, pp. 58–62, 66. (French) ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
  5. Leigh, N.E. (12 June 1981). "Privy Council Office". The London Gazette. The Stationery Office. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  6. Warren, Simon; Weigman, Matthew (13 October 2008). "Sotheby's Announces the Sale of Imperial and Royal Presents". Sotheby's. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  7. Meise, Rüdiger (12 June 2015). "Monika von Hannover ist tot". Göttinger Tageblatt. Madsack. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  8. "Laubacher trauern um "ihre Monika"". Gießener Anzeiger. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  9. "Laubach: Das Tor zum Vogelsberg". Reiseziele Deutschland. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  10. "Puppenstubenmuseum Laubach: Eröffnung mit Prinz von Preußen". Gießener Allgemeine. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  11. "Faszinierende Puppenstuben: "Die Große Welt im Kleinen"". Puppenstuben Museum. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  12. "Monika von Hannover: Obituary Notice". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
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