Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

‘The much to be regretted death of His Highness occurred before I had forwarded the recommendation for reward, which he had so well deserved. His sterling qualities as a soldier, his unfailing courtesy and attention to his duties had endeared him to all with whom he came into contact, and his early death is a real loss to the army.’

Lord Roberts reporting on the death of Prince Christian Victor in his despatch dated 16 April 1901.

A collection of Boer War period ephemera appertaining to Major H.R.H. Prince Christian Victor Albert Ludwig Ernst Anton of Schleswig-Holstein, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., who died of enteric fever at Pretoria on 29 October 1900, including receipts from the Stoom Mineral Water Company, Pretoria, for daily supply of ice (2), an invoice from Watson, Wine & Spirit Merchant, Capetown, for a selection of port and spirits, and extensive manuscript schedule of a wide range of household furnishings supplied and on hire to the Prince, by Beckett & Co., Pretoria, including tables, beds, mattresses, chests of drawers, wash stands, etc., the latter invoice totalling £197, the documents variously dated between August and October 1900, wear and tear overall (Lot) £150-200

Prince Christian Victor Albert Ludwig Ernst Anton of Schleswig-Holstein was born at Windsor Castle in April 1867, a grandson of Queen Victoria, his mother being Princess Helena, the fifth child and third daughter of the Queen, who married Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. Prince Christian Victor was the first member of the royal family to attend school - at Wellington College - instead of being educated by a tutor at home, which apparently pleased Queen Victoria, because her husband Prince Albert had been instrumental in establishing the college.

At Wellington the Prince played for the Cricket First XI in 1883 and was captain in 1885. He was also captain of the cricket team at Magdalen College and at Sandhurst, and made one 1st Class appearance, playing for I Zingari (The Gypsies) against the Gentlemen of England in 1887. He remains, to this day, the only member of the royal family to have played cricket at 1st Class level.

Prince Christian Victor was commissioned into the 60th King’s Royal Rifle Corps in 1888 and saw active service during the Hazara Expedition of 1891 (mentioned in despatches; Medal & clasp); the Miranzi Expedition, 1891 (clasp); the Isazai Expedition, 1892; the Ashanti Expedition, 1895-96 (mentioned in despatches and promoted Brevet Major; Ashanti Star), and the Nile Expedition of 1898, in which, on one occasion, he had to jump and swim ashore from a sinking gunboat, with the loss of practically all of his belongings (mentioned in despatches; 4th Class of the Turkish Order of Osmanieh; Queen’s and Khedive’s Sudan Medals).

In 1899, the Prince was selected for the Staff College but on the advent of the Boer War, he volunteered for active service and went out to South Africa as a Staff Officer to the 2nd Infantry Brigade. He was subsequently present at all the fighting in the lead up to the relief of Ladysmith - at Colenso a bullet passed through his wallet. Following the capture of Pretoria, Prince Christian established a base for himself in the city but he died there of enteric fever on 29 October 1900, age 33.