Odette, Princess Royal, Queen Consort of Tartosa (1821-1898) Part 2 - Motherhood and Family Life
Motherhood was the central interest of Odette's life, with the nursery being her favorite place. Odette's first two children, Amadeus and Charles Albert, were born in quick succession, but there were larger gaps between her subsequent pregnancies, thus prolonging her time in the nursery. During the 1860s, following their accession to the throne, Odette and Amadeus’s marriage steadily deteriorated. Although they had once shared mutual respect and a sense of duty, Amadeus’s increasingly public affairs created repeated humiliations for the queen. The couple gradually withdrew into separate lives, occupying separate apartments within Palazzo Monreale and appearing together primarily for official engagements. Odette coped by devoting herself to her children, charitable work, and correspondance.
The Royal Villa of San Lorenzo was the center of Odette's family life. A neoclassical palace, nestled in the countryside a few miles from Bellacorde, it was a wedding gift bestowed by her father-in-law. Odette had the palace furnished in the Windenburg Style, with wooden furniture, floral fabrics, books, watercolors, family photographs, and softer decorative schemes, strongly contrasting the grand marble exterior of the palace. She had Windenburg-style gardens planted, replacing the manicured, symmetrical gardens that once decorated the landscape. While at the Royal Villa, the family would often spend time outdoors, horseback riding, hiking, and swimming. Odette typically rode in her landau every day, accompanied by her children. She taught her children household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and needlework. The quiet life at San Lorenzo provided an escape from the hectic court life at Monreale. Odette and her family typically used the villa during the summer and fall, returning to Monreale in the winter. The family also made use of the Castello Valdiano, another countryside residence in Northern Tartosa, outside of Aosta, and the Palazzo Renario, near Port Luminoso. The family would typically spend six weeks outside of Tartosa, usually in Windenburg with her mother, Queen Mary II, at Glencraig Castle, where her large family would reunite. There would be periodic visits to Brindleton, visiting her sister, Queen Ophelia, at her seaside retreat, the Frise Palace. Some visits were occasionally made to the Germanic States, visiting Amadeus's cousins in Norden or Odette's sister, Mary, in Wardenburg.
Her eldest son, Amadeus Joseph "Deo" (b. 1841), named after her husband, was described as a "jolly and docile" child who was spoiled rotten. As the long-awaited heir and eldest son, he was spoiled "by high and low, and all the good things of this world were cast at his feet." The young prince had inherited his mother's intellectual curiosity and his uncle's physical fragility. Odette worried constantly about his health, fearing that her husband regarded him as weak. Odette's father-in-law and husband both valued displays of militarism and were impatient with Deo's shyness and scholarly inclinations. Deo was desperate to please his father and grandfather in any way possible and would later adopt their political views. Odette, therefore, became fiercely protective of her son, overseeing his education personally and encouraging his intellectual interests. Their relationship remained close throughout her life, though not without strain. Odette would later clash with his wife, the glamorous Archduchess Elisabeth of Augustinia. Deo would later become a staunch supporter of absolutism, opposing his mother's own liberal beliefs. He found Odette to be a political nuisance. He later idolized his father and greatly resented his mother, becoming the King Odette had feared the most.
Odette's second son, Carlo Alberto "Charlie" (b. 1842), was named after her beloved father, yet shared none of his positive traits. Charlie was known to be a troublesome child, often throwing tantrums and having fits of rage. Although a difficult child, he always showed kindness to his mother, whom he deeply loved. Charlie was known to be intelligent, yet he often ignored his studies in his adolescence. Like his older brother, he joined the military, but much preferred partying and the company of women. Charlie would later become a drunk and an embarrassment to Odette and the Tartosan Royal Family. Marrying the Infanta Josefina of Almeria, he had a terrible marriage, often flaunting his mistresses at court and gambling their money away. He had many illegitimate children, whom Odette provided money for.
Odette's third child, Princess Francesca "Fran" (b. 1844), was the light of Odette's life. She was a beautiful and bright child, closely resembling her mother. She was intelligent and emotionally sensitive, a reflection of Odette. Francesca was strangely silent as a child, although filled with ardor, imagination, and fantasy. She outgrew her shy nature, especially after the birth of Maria Anna, her younger sister and best friend. The two sisters were close confidantes. Francesca was sweet and patient with her younger siblings, often acting as a mother figure toward them. She often wrangled her older brothers when they were mischievous. Francesca was a great beauty and would later marry Crown Prince Fernando of Porto. Francesca's departure from Tartosa was extremely hard for Odette, who clung to her younger daughters for emotional support. Odette frequently visited Francesca in Porto during her marriage, and was at her bedside when she died giving birth to her third child in 1874. The death of Francesca, her third child to die during her lifetime, was extremely difficult. She could barely get out of bed for months. Odette's husband, Amadeus, who often had trouble displaying his emotions, was heartbroken by her death, with the estranged couple finding unlikely solace in one another during mourning.
Odette's second daughter, Maria Anna "Annie" (b.1846), greatly contrasted the quiet and sensitive nature of her older sister. She was a loud and opinionated child, and the favorite of her father, the Crown Prince. While she wasn't nearly as naughty as her older brother Charlie, she often distracted her siblings during their studies by playing games and making japes. Annie was especially fond of animals, particularly her dog Frufru, gifted to her by her grandmother, Queen Mary. As Annie grew older, she greatly enjoyed the intrigue of court life. She became a huge gossip, obsessed with fashion and her own vanity, something that greatly worried Odette. Annie had a long string of engagements with many princes and aristocrats before finally marrying the newly crowned King Felipe III of Almeria in 1870. Maria Anna was a glamorous queen-consort, possessing great charm and the love of her new subjects, which her own mother had lacked. Following the death of Francesca, Annie became deeply devoted to her mother, often spending the summers with her in Tartosa and Windenburg.
Prince Emmanuel "Manny" (b. 1848) was one of Odette's favorite sons. Born in Windenburg, a month after the Prince Consort's death, Manny became especially attached to Odette and to the Windenburg Royal Family. He was a very playful child whom his uncles, the Prince of the Isle, and the Duke of Clivendale doted on. He was energetic, often running through the halls of the Palazzo Monreale with his brother, Umberto. Even when mischievous, Odette could hardly reprimand him, finding him to be comic and charming. Manny joined the military at a young age, much to the dismay of Odette, having a long and successful career. His marriage to Princess Françoise of Magnolia was exceptionally happy, producing two daughters, Giovanna and Teresa, with whom Odette was particularly close.
Prince Umberto "Bertie" (b. 1850) was the youngest son and favorite child of Odette and her husband, Amadeus. Umberto clung to his mother more than her other sons and was unusually more affectionate toward his mother than most Tartosan Princes, reminding her of her family in Windenburg. Umberto was sweet and kind, and a gifted pianist like her. He suffered from periodic respiratory illnesses his entire childhood, and often spent long periods of time in Salerno, where the warmer climate was meant to help his lungs. Amadeus had summoned seven-year-old Umberto from his villa in Salerno, where he usually spent the winters, for their coronation. Umberto fell ill from tuberculosis shortly after arriving in Monreale, and died within a week. Odette blamed Amadeus for the death of their son, something that their marriage would never recover from.
Princess Elisabetta "Eliza" (b. 1855) had an earnestness that the older children did not possess. Odette felt as if she could understand every one of her emotions without even speaking. She was naturally well-behaved and the perfect child, seldom having to be disciplined. She was a gay, happy child and high-spirited. Eliza was doted upon by her older siblings, particularly Francesca, who was fiercely protective of her. Following the deaths of Umberto and her younger sister, Luisa, Elisabetta became an emotional crutch for Odette, who always remained attached to her mother. Eliza was destined to remain an unmarried lifelong companion of her mother until she fell madly in love with Heinrich, Hereditary Grand Duke of Wurzburg. Wurzburg was relatively unstable due to the Wardenburg Wars, causing Eliza and her family to rely heavily on Odette.
Odette was eight months pregnant with their last child when Umberto died, Princess Luisa, who was born in May 1857. From infancy she was regarded as an unusually delicate child, possessing fair coloring, large solemn eyes, and a quiet temperament that deeply endeared her to her mother. Odette became intensely attached to the little princess, often keeping her close beside her rather than leaving her entirely in the care of nurses and governesses, something still somewhat unusual in royal households at the time. Contemporary courtiers later recalled Luisa as gentle and affectionate, particularly attached to music and flowers, and already displaying a shy sensitivity very similar to Odette’s own personality. In the winter of 1861, shortly before her fourth birthday, Luisa fell gravely ill following a severe respiratory infection that quickly developed into pneumonia. Despite the efforts of physicians summoned from Bellacorde and Aosta, the child weakened rapidly over several days while Odette remained almost constantly at her bedside. Luisa died in her mother’s arms in February 1861, a loss that devastated Odette profoundly and reminded her of the turmoil she faced with Umberto’s death. The little princess was buried quietly in Aosta, and Odette continued mourning her privately for the remainder of her life, preserving Luisa’s nursery belongings, portraits, and toys long into old age. Odette gained immense public sympathy following the deaths of Luisa and Umberto, with the nation seeing her in a more positive light.
Odette and Amadeus had eight children together:
King Amedeo IV Joseph Ferdinando Vittorio Gennaro of Tartosa (1841-1911), married to Archduchess Elisabeth of Augustinia, had two sons and three daughters.
Prince Carlo Alberto Tommaso Filberto Maria of Tartosa, Duke of Pietro (1842-1892), married to Infanta Josefina of Almeria, had two sons and one daughter together, three illegitimate sons.
Princess Francesca Maria Ophelia Carla Immaculata of Tartosa, Crown Princess of Porto (1844-1874), married to Fernando IV, King of Porto, had two sons and one daughter.
Princess Maria Anna Annunciata Romana Odette of Tartosa, Queen Consort of Almeria (1846-1918), married to King Felipe III of Almeria, had four daughters and one son.
Prince Emanuele Teodoro Luis Bonifacio Maria of Tartosa, Count of Padua (1848-1913), married to Princess Françoise of Magnolia, had two daughters.
Prince Umberto Amedeo Damiano Bernardino Leopoldo of Tartosa, Duke of Capua (1850-1857), died young.
Princess Elisabeth Maria Mafalda Ramona Alessandra of Tartosa, Grand Duchess Consort of Wurzburg (1855-1938), married to Heinrich II, Grand Duke of Wurzburg, had four sons and one daughter.
Princess Luisa Maria Gabriella Giuseppa Felicità of Tartosa (1857-1861), died young.
