Ludwig Hiding His Real Emotions
Few people knew about the King’s genuine feelings, and he was trying to keep them that way. You see, his love urges contradicted all his Catholic faith taught him. He was already having trouble reconciling the two when he got sad news. During this time, people put a high value on marriage and having an heir. This pressure increased tenfold if you were a member of the royal family. So, when Paul succumbed to this pressure in 1866, Ludwig was devastated. He had lost his first genuine love, and now he had to confront the harsh reality.
Ludwig Hiding His Real Emotions
The Weight of Expectation Grows Heavy
Ludwig had just lost two of his greatest loves, but he still had more pressing concerns. Prince Paul had succumbed to societal pressures, and Ludwig realized he would have to do the same. The King needed to have an heir sooner than later. Not only would marrying reduce stress, but it would also protect the confidentiality of his secret. So in 1867, the King announced his engagement to his cousin, Duchess Sophie of Bavaria. Ludwig hoped that because they both enjoyed Richard Wagner’s work, they would eventually fall in love. We’re sure we don’t need to tell you that they didn’t live happily ever after.
The Weight Of Expectation Grows Heavy
