The Shocking Case of the Princess in the Asylum

In the year 1875, a story began that would weave through the intricate tapestry of European royalty, filled with love, betrayal, and scandal. It was the year when Princess Louise of Belgium, at just 17 years old, married Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a man 14 years her senior. What was initially seen as a union of political convenience quickly devolved into a nightmare, marked by bitterness and abuse, leading Louise on a tumultuous journey that would forever alter her fate.

Louise Marie Amelie was born on February 18, 1858, in the opulent Belgian Royal Palace in Brussels. She was the first child of King Leopold II and Queen Marie Henriette of Austria. Her father, Leopold, would later become known for his controversial reign, particularly regarding his exploitation of the Congo. However, at the time of Louise’s birth, Belgium was a relatively young nation, having gained independence only a few decades earlier. The royal family was expected to play a significant role in solidifying the country’s position in a Europe rife with power struggles.

Growing up in the royal household was not the fairy tale one might imagine. Louise’s early life was fraught with tragedy and tension. Her younger brother, Leopold, died at the tender age of nine from pneumonia, leaving a profound impact on the family. The loss created an atmosphere of grief that permeated their lives, leaving Louise and her sisters to navigate a fractured household. Her parents’ marriage was strained; they shared little affection, and their relationship was more a matter of duty than love. This lack of warmth would deeply influence Louise’s understanding of marital expectations.

As the eldest daughter, Louise was groomed for a life of royalty, which included the expectation that she would marry strategically to strengthen Belgium’s political alliances. The search for a suitable husband began early, and Louise was acutely aware of the pressure she faced. The political landscape of Europe was volatile, with the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 highlighting the need for smaller nations like Belgium to form strong alliances.

After the war, negotiations for Louise’s marriage turned to Ferdinand Philipp, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Philipp was born into a prestigious aristocratic family with connections to various royal houses across Europe. Although he was not the heir to a major throne, his lineage was still considered advantageous. After lengthy discussions, the couple was wed on February 4, 1875, at the Royal Palace of Brussels. Louise entered the marriage with hope, having met Philipp several times before their wedding and believing he could be a kind and supportive partner.

However, the reality of her marriage was far from what she had envisioned. Philipp’s personality clashed with Louise’s youthful spirit, and their differences soon became apparent. On her wedding night, Louise experienced a profound sense of dread; she later recounted fleeing the palace in her nightgown the following morning, seeking refuge in a greenhouse. This act of desperation was just the beginning of a tumultuous relationship that would leave her feeling trapped and isolated.

The weeks that followed were marked by unsettling routines. Philipp, a man with peculiar tastes, had Louise pour him wine while he read from erotic literature before bed. This bizarre dynamic only served to deepen her sense of entrapment. The couple eventually settled in the Palais Coburg in Vienna, a grand residence that soon became a prison for Louise. Living with Philipp’s domineering mother added another layer of stress, as Louise struggled to find her place in a household that felt increasingly oppressive.

Despite the challenges, Louise gave birth to two children: Leopold Clement in 1878 and Dorothea Maria Henriette in 1881. Motherhood, however, did not bring her the joy she had hoped for. After suffering two miscarriages, her restlessness grew, and she found herself increasingly drawn to the vibrant social scene of Vienna. As she sought solace outside the confines of her home, she became an extravagant socialite, indulging in the luxuries that her royal status afforded her.

It was during this time that Louise embarked on a series of affairs, the first of which was with Philipp’s military attaché. This relationship ignited a scandal that rippled through the Habsburg court, drawing the ire of her husband and the disapproval of her family. When her lover died in 1888, Louise quickly transferred her affections to Baron Nicolas Döry, another military figure. Their affair continued unabated until Döry’s marriage in 1893 abruptly ended their liaison. The whispers of Louise’s behavior spread like wildfire, causing embarrassment for her family and deepening the rift between her and her father, King Leopold II.

As her affairs became public knowledge, Louise’s relationship with her father deteriorated further. Leopold, already a controversial figure due to his brutal rule over the Congo, was furious at his daughter’s indiscretions. His anger was compounded by the fact that he had hoped Louise would secure a beneficial marriage that would enhance the family’s standing. Instead, her actions threatened to tarnish the royal name.

In 1895, Louise began a passionate affair with Count Géza Mattachich, a young Croatian officer who captivated her with his charm and daring spirit. Their romance was intense, but it did not remain a secret for long. When rumors of their affair reached Philipp, he felt compelled to act. On February 18, 1898, in a desperate attempt to reclaim his honor, he challenged Géza to a duel. The outcome was disastrous for Philipp, who was swiftly defeated. The scandal erupted, and Louise fled to France, seeking refuge from the fallout.

However, her return to Vienna would prove to be even more catastrophic. In a cruel twist of fate, Philipp had Louise declared insane, convincing Emperor Franz Joseph I to confine her to a mental institution. This shocking turn of events left Louise with a harrowing choice: return to the Palais Coburg or spend the rest of her life in an asylum. Choosing the latter, she was sent to an institution in Döbling, where her existence became one of isolation and despair.

In the asylum, Louise experienced a profound sense of loss. The only contact she had with the outside world came from a single, heartbreaking visit from her daughter, Dorothea, in February 1903. Meanwhile, Géza faced his own struggles, having been imprisoned on charges of forgery. Despite the distance and adversity, their love endured, and Géza began to rally support for Louise’s release.

In a remarkable turn of events, Louise was transferred to a facility in Saxony in 1899, where she vanished from public view. The details of her confinement were largely unknown, but whispers of her plight reached the press, sparking sympathy for the fallen princess. As the years passed, Louise’s story faded into obscurity, but fate intervened once more when she was sent to Bad Elster for a health cure in 1904. The surveillance at the facility was lax, and Géza seized the opportunity to orchestrate her escape.

With the help of Maria Stöger, a woman who had become infatuated with Géza, the three of them fled across the border into France. After more than six years of confinement, Louise was finally free. In 1906, her long-delayed divorce from Philipp was finalized, but the financial support she received was far from sufficient. Louise, having grown accustomed to a life of luxury, found herself struggling to make ends meet.

The death of her father, King Leopold II, on December 17, 1909, marked another turning point in Louise’s life. His passing ignited a bitter inheritance dispute that would shape her future. Despite the vast wealth he had amassed from his rule over the Congo, he left behind a complicated estate that favored his long-time mistress over his daughters. The legal battles that ensued were arduous, and Louise found herself embroiled in a fight for her rightful share.

By 1914, after years of bitter legal disputes, Louise and her sisters were granted a small victory, receiving just over five million francs each from their father’s estate. However, compared to the vast wealth he had hidden away, this amount felt like a betrayal. The sisters were effectively cut out of their father’s inheritance, leaving them to grapple with financial instability.

As World War I erupted, Louise and Géza found themselves displaced once again. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, allied with Germany, did not want the daughter of the former King of the Belgians in Vienna, especially after the Germans invaded neutral Belgium. They relocated to Munich, where Louise learned of her son Leopold Clement’s tragic fate. In October 1915, he was involved in a violent incident with his mistress, resulting in severe injuries. He survived but succumbed to his wounds in April 1916, leaving Louise devastated.

As the war dragged on, Géza was arrested and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Budapest. Louise, now increasingly impoverished, returned to the Austro-Hungarian Empire to plead for his release. With Belgium under occupation, her financial support was abruptly cut off, and her debts skyrocketed to an astonishing 30 million marks. Declared insolvent, she watched helplessly as her remaining possessions were sold at auction, leaving her with nothing.

The end of the war brought a glimmer of hope. Géza was eventually released, and the couple fled to France as the old Habsburg Empire crumbled. With no money to speak of, Louise turned to writing, hoping to share her extraordinary story with the world. In 1921, she published her memoirs, titled “Around the Thrones That I Saw Fall,” providing an engaging insight into the scandals of Europe’s courts during the twilight of the imperial era. However, neither she nor Géza lived long enough to enjoy any significant royalties from the book.

Géza’s health deteriorated, and he died in the autumn of 1923, leaving Louise once again alone. She relocated to Germany, but her health began to decline as well. On March 1, 1924, Louise passed away in Wiesbaden, leaving behind a legacy marked by scandal and heartbreak. Her sole surviving child, Dorothea, married Ernst Gunther, the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, but their lineage would eventually die out, marking the end of Louise’s direct line.

The life of Princess Louise of Belgium is a poignant reminder of the struggles faced by women in the shadows of power, love, and societal expectations. Her journey from a hopeful young bride to a woman fighting for her freedom and identity in a world that sought to confine her is a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. Though her story may have ended in tragedy, it remains a powerful narrative of defiance, love, and the pursuit of autonomy in a turbulent world.