Princess Louise of Belgium

Princess Louise of Belgium, born on February 18, 1858, was the eldest child and daughter of King Leopold II and Queen Marie Henriette. A member of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, she retained her titles of Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duchess in Saxony through her marriage to her first cousin once removed, Prince Philipp, on February 4, 1875, in Brussels.

Louise's life took a tumultuous turn as her marriage quickly deteriorated. Known for her strong personality, she refused to conform to the expectations of her husband, leading to a lavish lifestyle filled with scandal in the court of Vienna. Her reputation was further marred by several affairs, culminating in a passionate relationship with Geza Mattachich, a Croatian nobleman. This affair led to a dramatic turn of events when her husband had her declared insane, resulting in her internment in a psychiatric hospital.

After four years, Louise was released with the help of Mattachich, and the couple traveled across Europe. In 1906, she amicably divorced Prince Philipp, embarking on a new chapter as a stateless person. Despite her struggles, including unsuccessful lawsuits against the Belgian State for her father's inheritance, she managed to secure a portion of King Leopold II's fortune in 1914.

As World War I ravaged Europe, Louise faced further financial hardships, prompting her to publish her memoirs titled Autour des trônes que j'ai vu tomber, which offered insights into the lives of European courts. Following the death of her ex-husband in 1921 and her lover in 1923, Louise passed away in poverty in 1924 at the age of sixty-six. Her legacy in Belgium endures through the Avenue Louise in Brussels, named in her honor.