Prince Maurice of the Netherlands

Prince Maurice of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau (Willem Frederik Maurits Alexander Hendrik Karel; 15 September 1843 – 4 June 1850), was the second son of King William III of the Netherlands and his first spouse, Sophie of Württemberg.

When Prince Maurice suffered from meningitis, Queen Sophie wanted to consult another physician for a second opinion, but King William III refused and the child died. Their already strained relationship fell apart almost completely, as Sophie blamed William for Maurice's death.

The embittered queen wrote to one of her friends:

My child is dead. I've closed my eyes myself. All that was left of hope and joy on this earth is gone forever... I hope I can die soon. Every day my misery increases. Every face I have to see is torture; I continuously envision the pointed face of my dying child, how he begged me to help him, when no help was possible...

Nevertheless, the couple had one more son, Prince Alexander, born a year after Maurice's death.