Daisy, Princess of Pless
Overview
 
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
Edwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...

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Born Mary Theresa Olivia Cornwallis-West at Ruthin Castle
Ruthin Castle
Ruthin Castle is a medieval castle fortification in Wales, near the town of Ruthin in the Vale of Clwyd. It was constructed during the late 13th century by Dafydd, the brother of Prince Llywelyn II, on a red sandstone ridge overlooking the valley....

 in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...

, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

, she was the daughter of Col. William Cornwallis-West
William Cornwallis-West
William Cornwallis Cornwallis-West VD JP , was a British politician.Born William Cornwallis West, he was the son of Frederick Richard West, son of the Hon. Frederick West, younger son of John West, 2nd Earl De La Warr. His mother was Theresa, daughter of John Whitby...

 (1835-1917) and his wife Mary "Patsy" FitzPatrick (1856-1920). Her father, born William West, was a great-grandson of John West, 2nd Earl De La Warr
John West, 2nd Earl De La Warr
John West, 2nd Earl De La Warr was a British peer, politician and army officer.Born The Honourable John West, he was the son of John West, 6th Baron De La Warr and his first wife, the former Lady Charlotte McCarthy...

. Her mother was a daughter of Reverend Frederick FitzPatrick and Lady Olivia Taylour, herself daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Headfort
Thomas Taylour, 2nd Marquess of Headfort
Thomas Taylour, 2nd Marquess of Headfort KP PC , styled Viscount Headfort from 1795 to 1800 and Earl of Bective from 1800 to 1829, was an Anglo-Irish Whig politician...

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On 8 December 1891, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, 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
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...

, becoming hostess of Fürstenstein Castle
Ksiaz
Książ is a castle in Silesia, Poland near the town of Wałbrzych. It was built in 1288-1292 under Bolko I the Strict. It lies within a protected area called Książ Landscape Park.- History :...

 and Pless Castle in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...

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They had three children:
  • Hans Heinrich XVII, 4th Prince of Pless (1900 - 1984)
  • Alexander, 5th Prince of Pless (1905 - 1984)
  • Count Bolko Konrad Friedrich of Hochberg (1910 - 1936)

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
William II, German Emperor
Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...

 and King Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...

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