Daisy, Princess of Pless
Daisy, Princess of
Pless (Mary Theresa Olivia; née Cornwallis-West; 28 June 1873 – 29
June 1943), was a noted society beauty in the Edwardian period, and a
member of one of the wealthiest European noble families. Daisy and
her husband Hans Heinrich XV were the owners of large estates and
coal mines in Silesia (now in Poland) which brought the Hochbergs
enormous fortune. Her extravagant lifestyle coupled with disastrous
events and political and family scandals were tasty morsels for the
international press.
Born Mary Theresa
Olivia Cornwallis-West at Ruthin Castle in Denbighshire, Wales, she
was the daughter of Col. William Cornwallis-West (1835–1917) and
his wife, Mary "Patsy" FitzPatrick (1856–1920).[1] Her
father, born William West, was a great-grandson of John West, 2nd
Earl De La Warr. Her mother was a daughter of Reverend Frederick
FitzPatrick and Lady Olivia Taylour, herself daughter of the 2nd
Marquess of Headfort.
Memorial to Daisy in
Pszczyna, Poland
During her marriage,
Daisy, known in German as the Fürstin von Pless, became a social
reformer and militated for peace with her friends William II, German
Emperor and King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. During World War I
she served as a nurse.
After her divorce at
Berlin on 12 December 1922 she published a series of memoirs that
were widely read in the United Kingdom, the United States, and, in
the German language, on Continental Europe.
Hans Heinrich
married as his second wife, at London on 25 January 1925, Clotilde de
Silva y González de Candamo (1898–1978). This marriage produced
two children, and was annulled in 1934. Subsequently Clotilde married
her stepson, Bolko, and was the mother of Daisy's and Hans Heinrich's
only grandchildren.
Daisy's brother
George in 1900 married Jennie Churchill, the mother of Winston
Churchill, as his first wife, and after their divorce married in 1914
Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the actress, as his second. Her sister,
Constance, married in 1901 Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster,
and after their divorce she married in 1920 James FitzPatrick Lewes.
On 8 December 1891,
in London, she married Hans Heinrich XV, Prince of Pless, Count of
Hochberg, Baron of Fürstenstein (1861–1938), one of the wealthiest
heirs in the German Empire, becoming châtelaine of Fürstenstein
Castle and Pless Castle in Silesia.
The couple had four
children:
-Daughter (25
February 1893 – 11 March 1893).
-Hans Heinrich XVII
William Albert Edward (2 February 1900 – 26 January 1984), Prince
of Pless, Count von Hochberg and Baron of Fürstenstein. Married
twice but had no issue.
-Alexander Frederick
William George Conrad Ernest Maximilian (1 February 1905 – 22
February 1984), Prince of Pless, Count von Hochberg and Baron of
Fürstenstein. Unmarried and childless.
-Bolko Conrad
Frederick (23 September 1910 – 22 June 1936), who later caused an
scandal by marrying his stepmother Clotilde de Silva y Gonzáles de
Candamo (Hans Heinrich XV's second wife).
The Princess
maintained her links with English society, appearing with her
children in Country Life magazine.
The Princess of
Pless was a Dame of the Order of Theresa of Bavaria and of the Order
of Isabella the Catholic of Spain, and was awarded the German Red
Cross Decoration.
Daisy, Princess of
Pless, died in 1943 in relative poverty at Waldenburg, today
Wałbrzych, Poland.
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The Secret of the
Necklace
The married couple's
residency was a Książ Castle in Silesia. However, Daisy didn't like
this place, she preferred another castle which belonged to them –
Pszczyna.
She received a pearl
necklace from her husband who knew of her weakness for beautiful
jewelry. It was 6.7 meters (22 feet) long and one of the most
expensive necklaces in the world. Legend says however, that the
pearls were cursed by the pearl diver who died while collecting them.
Daisy wore this
elaborate necklace during official meetings. When she appeared with
this overwhelming piece of jewelry in London, she became a sensation.
Daisy liked the life of a public person and she maintained her links
with English society, appearing with her children in Country Life
magazine.
The pearls became a
symbol of the best period in her life. Nevertheless, after her death,
people started to believe that they were the reason for many troubles
in her life.
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