Born as Caroline von Spiering (1815 – 1859), she was a German noblewoman, the fifth child of a baron. After her father’s death in 1829, Caroline began looking for a suitable husband eventually marrying Count von Holnstein in 1831. She was only 16 while her husband – 34. It was no love-match, but it allowed Caroline to move into the Palais Holnstein in Munich, where her husband’s position opened many doors for her at court, though life among the nobility bored her. On 8 December 1833 Ludwig I of Bavaria first saw her at a court academy. Impressed by her beauty, he order a portrait of Caroline painted by Joseph Stieler which was completed in 1934.
Caroline’s first two children died at birth, but the third one Maximilian had a long and exciting life. He was a playmate of princes Ludwig and Otto (both later kings of Bavaria); he brought Ludwig’s “Kaiserbrief” to Otto von Bismarck…
While married to the Count von Holnstein, Caroline met and fell in love with the married nobleman Baron Wilhelm von Künsberg, who returned her affections in secret. When Wilhelm’s wife died she lived with him at Schloss Fronberg, her Spiering residence. Reportedly, Count von Holnstein tolerated the relationship but refused her an official separation, even going so far as to have their legitimate son and her 4 illegitimate children educated together. Only the Count’s death cleared Caroline’s way to marry Wilhelm. she married Baron von Künsberg on 21 September 1857. Her illegitimate children were legitimized during her lifetime.