King Phillip’s Mother Suffered from Schizophrenia

A horrible shadow hovered over British royals. The monarchy wasn’t always given as fair treatment as it would seem.

King Philip’s mother shocked others: Brits constantly gossiped about her madness. At 18, Queen Victoria’s great-granddaughter thundered into a Swiss “sanatorium” — a psychiatric clinic by her husband’s will. According to The Voice, doctors diagnosed her with schizophrenia.

And later, Battenberg became an interesting patient for Freud. He is said to have healed her with unorthodox methods, such as ovaries X-ray irradiation.

Elizabeth II’s mother-in-law eventually moved to Buckingham and led a closed lifestyle until the end of her days: she did not go out, refused expensive outfits and jewelry, wore monastic vestments, and smoked so much the smell of cigarettes remained in the castle even after her death.