He was the younger brother of the German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and married to Princess Irene: herself the sister of the last Tsarina.

 

In 1888 the Princely couple made their royal home at Kiel Palace with its sweeping views of the Baltic Sea. The palace was burnt to a cinder following an air-raid in World War II. But at the zenith of imperial Germany’s power and grandeur, it played host to some of the most polished and sort-after royal dinners and balls including visits from Kings Edward VII and George V.

 

“For dinner with Prince Henry”, recounted Commander Georg von Hase, it was “full mess dress, i.e., mess jacket with white waistcoat and gold braid on the trousers, was the prescribed rig”.

 

As guests arrived on this December night in 1905, they were treated to a delicate chicken and white truffle consommé as part of a nine-course dinner that included roast goose; lobster medallions with egg and tarragon set in an aspic mayonnaise;  and finishing with jellied apricots served with almond cream.

 

Of a dinner at the palace in 1914 in honour of visiting British naval officers, Commander von Hass recalled:

 

“Just before eight we all went to the Royal Castle in the splendid "barge" in which we were to make many a trip in the next week. Dinner was a very jolly affair. We dined at eight small tables in the "White Room."  In addition to the senior English officers, the admirals present in Kiel were invited with their wives, as well as a few members of the Holstein nobility.  While the sumptuous banquet was in progress, a splendid orchestra played alternate English and German selections”.