Alexander, Prince of Orange

Prince Wilhelm Karl Heinrich Friedrich Alexander of Orange- Nassau (Dutch Prins Willem Alexander Karel Hendrik Frederik van Oranje -Nassau, born August 25, 1851 in The Hague, † June 21, 1884 ibid ) was from 11 June 1879 to his death in the fourth Crown Prince of the Netherlands and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Life

Alexander was the youngest son of King William III. of the Netherlands and of its cousin Sophie of Württemberg, which led an increasingly broken marriage.

Unlike his older brother William, Alexander was seen as disciplined, intellectual and well-read. He never married and suffered after the death of his mother in 1877 to melancholy.

After the death of his brother William on June 11, 1879 Alexander succeeded him as Prince of Orange, the Crown Prince of the Netherlands, after. Linked to this, since he was also Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Alexander was the fourth and last Prince of Orange as Crown Prince of the Netherlands from the direct male line of the House of Nassau and last crown prince of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from the line of Orange- Nassau. Since he indeed after his older brother, but before his father, the king, died, he never attained the constitutionally provided for him kingship, followed thus never as regent after Luxembourg.

After his father had aged 62 married in January 1879 with the young Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, he avoided dealing with his father and was always depressed. His half-sister, born in 1880 and later Queen Wilhelmina, he never got to face.

In 1882 he was succeeded his great-uncle Frederick of Orange-Nassau, Grand Master of the Dutch Freemasons.

Since 1883 it was becoming clear that he was suffering except to his mental illness also of typhus, which he eventually age of 32, died on June 21 1884 while his father was the cure.

He was buried in the family tomb in Delft.