... was a strong proponent of the arts, higher education, and the feminist cause. She was an able sculptor and artist, and several of her sculptures survive to this day.
Fearing adverse public reaction to the royal family being joined by yet another foreign prince, Victoria was keen for Louise to marry a high–ranking member of the British aristocracy. Louise fell in love with John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, the heir to the Duke of Argyll, and despite opposition from other members of the royal family (including Edward, the Prince of Wales) the couple were married in 1871. This was the first time since 1515 that a daughter of the sovereign had married a commoner.
In 1878, Lorne was appointed Governor General of Canada; he held the post for six years. For Louise this began a lasting interest in Canada. Many features in the Dominion were named after her, including Lake Louise and Mount Alberta as well as the province of Alberta.
Meanwhile Louise and her husband had begun to drift apart; but conversely the long periods of separation helped the marriage to survive. The couple reconciled in 1911, and Louise was devastated by her husband's death in 1914. By the end of the First World War she was 70 years of age, and began to retire from public life. She died in December 1939 at Kensington Palace, aged 91.
© Haydn Thompson 2021