The Princesses of Hesse were Queen Victorias grandchildren. After the death of their mother, Queen Victoria stepped in, taking an interest in the girls marriage prospects. Little went according to plan. Fortunately, Queen Victoria did not live to see her fears for the girls spouses being realised. She died just before her beloved Hesse granddaughters became caught up in the maelstrom of early 20th century Europe. The youngest sister, Alix, married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia; she was assassinated. The second, Ella, married the Russian Grand Duke Serge. After he was assassinated, she became a nun, only to be assassinated 24 hours after Alix in 1918.

The third, Irene, married the Kaisers brother, Prince Henry, & was entangled in the 1918 German uprisings. The eldest sister, Princess Victoria, married Prince Louis Battenberg, & became the mother of Lord Louis Mountbatten & grandmother of Prince Philip.