Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark | |||||
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Empress consort of India | |||||
Tenure | 22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910 | ||||
Coronation | 9 August 1902 | ||||
Imperial Durbar | 1 January 1903 | ||||
Born | Yellow Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark | 1 December 1844||||
Died | 20 November 1925 Sandringham House, Norfolk, England | (aged 80)||||
Burial | 28 November 1925 | ||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue |
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House | Glücksburg | ||||
Father | Christian IX of Denmark | ||||
Mother | Louise of Hesse-Kassel | ||||
Signature |
Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was
Alexandra's family had been relatively obscure until 1852, when her father,
On the
Early life
Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia, or "Alix", as her immediate family knew her, was born at the
Her father's family was a distant cadet branch of the Danish royal House of Oldenburg, which was descended from King Christian III. Although they were of royal blood,[a] the family lived a comparatively modest life. They did not possess great wealth; her father's income from an army commission was about £800 per year, and their house was a rent-free grace and favour property.[3] Occasionally, Hans Christian Andersen was invited to call and tell the children stories before bedtime.[4]
In 1848,
Prince Christian was given the title Prince of Denmark and his family moved into a new official residence,
Marriage and family
Given that Albert Edward, the
On 24 September 1861, Crown Princess Victoria introduced her brother Albert Edward to Alexandra at
A few months later, Alexandra travelled from Denmark to Britain aboard the royal yacht
Sea King's daughter from over the sea,
Alexandra!
Saxon and Norman and Dane are we,
But all of us Danes in our welcome of thee,
Alexandra!— A Welcome to Alexandra, Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Thomas Longley, the Archbishop of Canterbury, married the couple on 10 March 1863 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The choice of venue was criticised widely. As the ceremony took place outside London, the press complained that large public crowds would not be able to view the spectacle. Prospective guests thought it awkward to get to and, as the venue was small, some people who had expected invitations were disappointed. The Danes were dismayed because only Alexandra's closest relations were invited. The British court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, so ladies were restricted to wearing grey, lilac, or mauve.[15] As the couple left Windsor for their honeymoon at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, they were cheered by the schoolboys of neighbouring Eton College, including Lord Randolph Churchill.[16]
By the end of the following year, Alexandra's father had ascended the throne of Denmark, her brother William had become
Alexandra's first child,
In public, Alexandra was dignified and charming; in private, affectionate and jolly.[21] She enjoyed many social activities, including dancing and ice-skating, and was an expert horsewoman and tandem driver.[22] She also enjoyed hunting, to the dismay of Queen Victoria, who asked her to stop, but without success.[23] Even after the birth of her first child, she continued to socialise much as before, which led to some friction between the Queen and the young couple, exacerbated by Alexandra's loathing of Prussians and the Queen's partiality towards them.[17]
Princess of Wales
Albert Edward and Alexandra visited Ireland in April 1868. After her illness the previous year, she had only just begun to walk again without the aid of two walking sticks, and was already pregnant with her fourth child.
The Waleses made Sandringham House their preferred residence, with Marlborough House their London base. Biographers agree that their marriage was in many ways a happy one; however, some have asserted that Albert Edward did not give his wife as much attention as she would have liked and that they gradually became estranged, until his attack of typhoid fever (the disease which was believed to have killed his father) in late 1871 brought about a reconciliation.[26][27] This is disputed by others, who point out Alexandra's frequent pregnancies throughout this period and use family letters to deny the existence of any serious rift.[28] Nevertheless, the prince was severely criticised from many quarters of society for his apparent lack of interest in her very serious illness with rheumatic fever.[29] Throughout their marriage Albert Edward continued to keep company with other women, including the actress Lillie Langtry, Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick, humanitarian Agnes Keyser, and society matron Alice Keppel. Alexandra knew about most of these relationships and later permitted Alice Keppel to visit her husband as he lay dying.[30] Alexandra herself remained faithful throughout her marriage.[31]
An increasing degree of deafness, caused by hereditary otosclerosis, led to Alexandra's social isolation; she spent more time at home with her children and pets.[32] Her sixth and final pregnancy ended with the birth of a son in April 1871, but the infant died the next day. Despite Alexandra's pleas for privacy, Queen Victoria insisted on announcing a period of court mourning, which led unsympathetic elements of the press to describe the birth as "a wretched abortion" and the funeral arrangements as "sickening mummery", even though the infant was not buried in state with other members of the royal family at Windsor, but in strict privacy in the churchyard at Sandringham, where he had lived out his brief life.[33]
For eight months over 1875–76, the Prince of Wales was absent from Britain on a tour of India, but to her dismay Alexandra was left behind. The prince had planned an all-male group and intended to spend much of the time hunting and shooting. During the prince's tour, one of his friends who was travelling with him,
Alexandra spent the spring of 1877 in Greece recuperating from a period of ill health and visiting her brother King George of Greece.[35] During the Russo-Turkish War, Alexandra was clearly partial against Turkey and towards Russia, where her sister was married to the Tsarevitch, and she lobbied for a revision of the border between Greece and Turkey in favour of the Greeks.[36] Alexandra spent the next three years largely parted from her two sons as the boys were sent on a worldwide cruise as part of their naval and general education. The farewell was very tearful and, as shown by her regular letters, she missed them terribly.[37] In 1881, Alexandra and Albert Edward travelled to Saint Petersburg after the assassination of Alexander II of Russia, both to represent Britain and so that Alexandra could provide comfort to her sister, who had become tsarina.[38]
Alexandra undertook many public duties; in the words of Queen Victoria, "to spare me the strain and fatigue of functions. She opens bazaars, attends concerts, visits hospitals in my place ... she not only never complains, but endeavours to prove that she has enjoyed what to another would be a tiresome duty."
Alexandra was deeply saddened by the death of her eldest son, Prince Albert Victor, in 1892. His room and possessions were kept exactly as he had left them, much as those of his grandfather Prince Albert were left after his death in 1861.
Queen and empress consort
With the
Despite being queen, Alexandra's duties changed little, and she kept many of the same retainers. Alexandra's Woman of the Bedchamber, Charlotte Knollys, the daughter of Sir William Knollys, served Alexandra loyally for many years. On 10 December 1903, Knollys woke to find her bedroom full of smoke. She roused Alexandra and shepherded her to safety. In the words of Grand Duchess Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, "We must give credit to old Charlotte for really saving [Alexandra's] life."[51]
Alexandra again looked after her grandchildren when George and Mary went on a second tour, this time to
Alexandra was denied access to the King's briefing papers and excluded from some of his foreign tours to prevent her meddling in diplomatic matters.
In 1910, Alexandra became the first queen consort to visit the
Queen mother
From Edward's death, Alexandra was
Last years and death
Alexandra retained a youthful appearance into her senior years,
Legacy
The
Alexandra was highly popular with the British public.
Alexandra had little understanding of money.[80] The management of her finances was left in the hands of her loyal comptroller, Sir Dighton Probyn VC, who undertook a similar role for her husband. In the words of her grandson, Edward VIII (later the Duke of Windsor), "Her generosity was a source of embarrassment to her financial advisers. Whenever she received a letter soliciting money, a cheque would be sent by the next post, regardless of the authenticity of the mendicant and without having the case investigated."[81] Though she was not always extravagant (she had her old stockings darned for re-use and her old dresses were recycled as furniture covers),[82] she would dismiss protests about her heavy spending with a wave of a hand or by claiming that she had not heard.[83]
Alexandra hid a small scar on her neck, which was probably the result of a childhood operation,[84] by wearing choker necklaces and high necklines, setting fashions which were adopted for fifty years.[85] Alexandra's effect on fashion was so profound that society ladies even copied her limping gait, after her serious illness in 1867 left her with a stiff leg.[86] This came to be known as the "Alexandra limp".[87][88] She used predominantly the London fashion houses; her favourite was Redfern's, but she shopped occasionally at Doucet and Fromont of Paris.[82]
Alexandra has been portrayed on television by Deborah Grant and Helen Ryan in Edward the Seventh, Ann Firbank in Lillie, Maggie Smith in All the King's Men, and Bibi Andersson in The Lost Prince. She was portrayed in film by Helen Ryan again in the 1980 film The Elephant Man, Sara Stewart in the 1997 film Mrs Brown, and Julia Blake in the 1999 film Passion. In a 1980 stage play by Royce Ryton, Motherdear, she was portrayed by Margaret Lockwood in her last acting role.
Honours
- British
- Member 1st Class of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, 1863[89]
- Dame of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, 1876[89]
- Companion of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, 8 January 1878[89]
- Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, 12 February 1901[90]
- Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 1 January 1918[91]
She was the first woman since 1488 to be made a
- Foreign
- Kingdom of Portugal: Dame of the Order of Queen Saint Isabel, 23 June 1863[92]
- Russian Empire: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Saint Catherine, 25 May 1865[93]
- Kingdom of Spain: Dame of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, 11 February 1872[94]
- Kingdom of Prussia: Dame of the Order of Louise, 1st Division, 1886[95]
- Grand Ducal Hessian Order of the Golden Lion, 1 July 1889[96]
- Empire of Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown, June 1902[97]
- Persian Empire: Member 1st Class of the Imperial Order of the Sun for Ladies, June 1902[98]
- Ottoman Empire: Grand Cordon of the Order of Charity, June 1902[99]
- Austro-Hungarian Empire: Grand Cross of the Imperial Austrian Order of Elizabeth, in Brilliants, 1904[100]
Arms
Queen Alexandra's arms upon the
Coat of arms of Alexandra, Princess of Wales | Coat of arms of Queen Alexandra | As a Lady of the Garter, Alexandra's banner of arms hung in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during her lifetime despite the objections of Garter Principal King of Arms Sir Albert Woods. When Woods complained that placing her banner in the chapel would be unprecedented, "the King promptly ordered the banner to be put up."[103]
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Issue
Name | Birth | Death | Marriage/notes |
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Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale | 8 January 1864 | 14 January 1892 (aged 28) | engaged 1891, to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck
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George V | 3 June 1865 | 20 January 1936 (aged 70) | 1893, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck; had issue including Edward VIII and George VI
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Louise, Princess Royal | 20 February 1867 | 4 January 1931 (aged 63) | 1889, Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife; had issue |
Princess Victoria | 6 July 1868 | 3 December 1935 (aged 67) | never married and without issue |
Princess Maud | 26 November 1869 | 20 November 1938 (aged 68) | 1896, Prince Alexander (later Olav V)
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Prince Alexander John of Wales | 6 April 1871 | 7 April 1871 | born and died at Sandringham House |
Ancestry
Ancestors of Alexandra of Denmark | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
Notes
- ^ Her mother and father were both great-grandchildren of Frederick V of Denmark and great-great-grandchildren of King George II of Great Britain.
- ^ Nicholas died within a few months of the engagement and she married his brother Alexander instead.
- ^ The Alexandra Rose Day fund still exists; its patron is Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, Alexandra's great-granddaughter.
References
- ^ a b Eilers, Marlene A., Queen Victoria's Descendants, p. 171.
- ISBN 0-220-66222-3. pp. 69–70.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 16–17.
- ^ Duff 1980, p. 18.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 8.
- ISBN 1-85605-469-1. p. 49.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 19–20.
- ^ a b Priestley 1970, p. 17.
- ^ "Idun (1890): Nr 15 (121) (Swedish)" (PDF) – via ub.gu.se.
- ^ Duff 1980, p. 21.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 125, 176.
- ^ Prince Albert, quoted in Duff, p. 31.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 27–37; Bentley-Cranch 1992, p. 44; Duff 1980, p. 43
- ^ The Landing of HRH The Princess Alexandra at Gravesend, 7th March 1863, National Portrait Gallery, retrieved on 16 July 2009.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 48–50.
- ^ Duff 1980, p. 60.
- ^ , retrieved 16 July 2009 (subscription required).
- ^ Mrs. Blackburn, the head nurse, quoted in Duff, p. 115.
- ^ Hough 1993, p. 116.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 82–86; Duff 1980, pp. 73, 81
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 127, 222–223; Priestley 1970, p. 17
- ^ Duff 1980, p. 143.
- ^ Hough 1993, p. 102.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 94.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 93–100.
- ^ Duff 1980, p. 111.
- Philip Magnus, quoted in Battiscombe, pp. 109–110.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 110.
- ^ Hough 1993, pp. 132–134.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 271; Priestley 1970, pp. 18, 180
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 100–101.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 88; Duff 1980, p. 82
- ^ Duff 1980, p. 85.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 132–135.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 136.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 150–152.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 155–156.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 157–160; Duff 1980, p. 131
- ^ Queen Victoria, quoted in Duff, p. 146.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 257–258; Duff 1980, pp. 148–151
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 166.
- Daily Telegraph, quoted in Battiscombe, p. 168.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 167.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 189–193, 197; Duff 1980, p. 184
- ^ Alexandra, quoted in Duff, p. 186.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 141–142.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 205; Duff 1980, pp. 196–197
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 243–244.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 249.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 204.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 253.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 258.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 262; Duff 1980, pp. 239–240
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 225–227.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 176–179.
- ^ Ensor 1936, p. 194.
- ^ Quoted in Duff, p. 234.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 207, 239.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 269.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 278.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 249–250.
- ^ Ponsonby's memoirs, quoted in Duff, p. 251.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 274; Windsor, p. 77
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 277–278.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 251–257, 260.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 291–292.
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 285–286.
- ^ e.g. Mary Gladstone and Lord Carrington, quoted in Battiscombe, p. 206, Margot Asquith, quoted in Battiscombe, pp. 216–217, John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, quoted in Battiscombe, p. 232.
- ^ Alexandra herself and Queen Mary, quoted by Battiscombe, p. 296.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 299.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 301–302.
- ^ "A History of Royal Burials and Funerals", Westminster Abbey, archived from the original on 10 September 2022, retrieved 11 September 2022
- ^ Dorment, Richard (January 1980). "Alfred Gilbert's Memorial to Queen Alexandra" The Burlington Magazine vol. CXXII pp. 47–54.
- ^ "Alexandra The Rose Queen", The Times, 9 June 1932, p. 13, col. F.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 66–68, 85, 120, 215; Duff 1980, p. 215; Priestley 1970, p. 17
- ^ Duff 1980, pp. 113, 163, 192.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 169.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 212–213; Duff 1980, p. 206
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 72.
- ^ Windsor, pp. 85–86.
- ^ a b Battiscombe 1969, p. 203.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 293.
- Baron Stockmar, who was a doctor, quoted in Duff, p. 37.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, pp. 24–25.
- ^ Battiscombe 1969, p. 92.
- ISBN 9781851093557.
- ISBN 9781840223101.
- ^ a b c Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes for 1918. London: Kelly's Directories. p. 24.
- ^ a b Duff, pp. 215–216; "No. 27284". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 February 1901. p. 1139.
- ISBN 1852835109.
- ^ Bragança, Jose Vicente de (2014). "Agraciamentos Portugueses Aos Príncipes da Casa Saxe-Coburgo-Gota" [Portuguese Honours awarded to Princes of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]. Pro Phalaris (in Portuguese). 9–10: 12–13. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- ^ "Star of the Order of St Catherine". Royal Collection. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
- ^ "Real orden de Damas Nobles de la Reina Maria Luisa". Guía Oficial de España (in Spanish). 1887. p. 168. Archived (web address) from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- ^ "Luisen-orden", Königlich Preussische Ordensliste (in German), vol. 1, Berlin, 1886, p. 1056, archived from the original on 1 October 2022 – via hathitrust.org
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Goldener Löwen-orden", Großherzoglich Hessische Ordensliste (in German), Darmstadt: Staatsverlag, 1914, p. 2 – via hathitrust.org
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36794. London. 14 June 1902. p. 12.
- (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2014.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36808. London. 1 July 1902. p. 3.
- ^ "Elisabeth-orden", Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie, Vienna: Druck und Verlag der K.K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei, 1918, p. 328, archived from the original on 8 March 2023
- ^ OCLC 1206788.
- ^ See, for example, the cover of Battiscombe.
- ^ Lee, Sidney (1927), King Edward VII: A Biography, London: Macmillan, vol. II, p. 54
- ^ ISBN 1-85605-469-1.
Bibliography
- OCLC 44849.
- Bentley-Cranch, Dana (1992). Edward VII : image of an era, 1841-1910. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. OCLC 26997839.
- Duff, David (1980). Alexandra, Princess and Queen. London: Collins. OCLC 7075059.
- OCLC 25202923.
- Hough, Richard (1993). Edward and Alexandra : their private and public lives. London: Hodder & Stoughton. OCLC 26894665.
- OCLC 118892.
- Duke of Windsor, Edward (1952). A king's story : the memoirs of H.R.H. the Duke of Windsor K.G. London: Prion. OCLC 40768465.
External links
- Media related to Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons
- Queen Alexandra at the official website of the Royal Collection Trust
- Alexandra Rose Charity official site
- Treaty between Great Britain and Denmark, for the Marriage of HRH the Prince of Wales, with HRH the Princess Alexandria, Daughter of Prince Christian of Denmark – 15 January 1863
- Newspaper clippings about Alexandra of Denmark in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
- Portraits of Queen Alexandra at the National Portrait Gallery, London