biography of queen alexandra

Biography of Queen Alexandra

The Danish princess who waited decades to be queen

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Queen Alexandra (December 1, 1844 – November 20, 1925) was the longest-serving Princess of Wales in British history. She was the wife of King Edward VII , the successor to Queen Victoria . Although her public duties were limited, Alexandra became a style icon and did significant charity work in her lifetime.

Fast Facts: Queen Alexandra

• Full Name : Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia
• Occupation : Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India
• Born : December 1, 1844 in Copenhagen, Denmark
• Parents : Christian IX of Denmark and his consort, Louise of Hesse-Kassel
• Died : November 20, 1925 in Norfolk, England
• Known For : Born a princess of Denmark; married Queen Victoria's son and heir; as queen, held little political power but was influential in fashion and charity work
• Spouse : King Edward VII (m. 1863-1910)
• Children : Prince Albert Victor; Prince George (later King George V); Louise, Princess Royal ; Princess Victoria, Princess Maud (later Queen Maud of Norway); Prince Alexander John

Princess of Denmark

Born Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia of Denmark, Alexandra was known to her family as “Alix.” She was born at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen on December 1, 1844. Her parents were minor royalty: Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Although they were members of the Danish royal family, Alexandra's family lived a comparatively low-key life. Her father Christian’s income came only from his army commission. Alexandra had several siblings, but was closest to her sister Dagmar (who would later become Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia). Their family was close with Hans Christian Andersen, who occasionally visited to tell the children stories.

The Danish royal family became more complicated in 1848, when King Christian VIII died and his son, Frederick, became king. Frederick was childless, and because he ruled both Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein, which had differing succession laws, a crisis arose. The ultimate outcome was that Alexandra’s father became the heir to Frederick in both regions. This change elevated Alexandra’s status, as she became the daughter of a future king. However, the family remained outside of court life, partially due to their disapproval of Frederick.

Princess of Wales

Alexandra was not Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s first choice to marry their son , Prince Albert Edward. Nevertheless, Alexandra was introduced to the Prince of Wales by his sister, Princess Victoria, in 1861. After a courtship, Edward proposed in September of 1862, and the couple were married on March 10, 1863 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The wedding was a less festive occasion than many had hoped for, since the court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, who had died in December 1861.

Alexandra gave birth to their first child, Prince Albert Victor, in 1864. The couple would go on to have a total of six children (including one who died at birth). Alexandra preferred to be a hands-on mother, but she also continued to enjoy her social life, carrying on hobbies such as hunting and ice skating. The couple were the center of society, bringing a youthful fun to a court long-dominated by a strict (and now mourning) queen. Even after rheumatic fever left her with a permanent limp, Alexandra was noted for being a charming and cheerful woman.

Although most accounts seem to show that Edward and Alexandra had a fairly happy marriage, Edward's affection for his wife did not stop the prince from continuing his infamous playboy ways. He carried on several affairs throughout their marriage, both flings and long-term extramarital relationships, while Alexandra remained faithful. She became increasingly isolated, due to a hereditary condition that caused her to slowly lose hearing. Edward ran in scandalous circles and was very nearly implicated in at least one divorce hearing.

As Princess of Wales, Alexandra performed many public duties, taking on the burden of some of her mother-in-law Victoria’s public appearances such as opening ceremonies, attending concerts, visiting hospitals, and otherwise conducting charity works. She was a popular young addition to the monarchy and was almost universally liked by the British public.

In the early 1890s, Alexandra and her family suffered multiple losses that would also change the course of two monarchies. Prince Albert Victor, her eldest son, died in 1892 at the age of 28 after falling ill during a flu pandemic. His death devastated Alexandra. Albert Victor's younger brother, George, became the heir and even married Albert Victor’s former fiancée, Mary of Teck; it is from this line that the current British monarchy descends.

Alexandra’s sister Dagmar also suffered a major loss in 1894: her husband, the Russian Tsar Alexander III, died. Dagmar's son took the throne as Nicholas II . He would be the last tsar of Russia.

Queen At Last

Edward was the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history during his lifetime. (He was surpassed by his descendant Prince Charles in 2017.) However, he finally ascended to the throne upon Queen Victoria’s death in 1901. By this time, Edward’s taste for excess was catching up to him and his health, so Alexandra had to appear in his place for a few events.

This was the only time that Alexandra was permitted to be involved in matters of importance. She held political opinions (for example, she was wary of German expansion from the beginning) but was ignored when she expressed them in both public and private . Ironically, her distrust proved prescient: she urged against the British and Germans “swapping” dominion over a pair of islands, which the Germans ended up using as a fortified stronghold during the world wars . Edward and his ministers went so far as to exclude her from trips abroad and forbid her to read briefing papers so that she would not try to exert any influence. Instead, she poured her efforts into charity work.

On one occasion, however, Alexandra broke protocol and appeared publicly in a political context. In 1910, she became the first queen consort to visit the House of Commons and watch a debate. She would not be queen consort for long, though. Only a few months later, she was on a trip to Greece, visiting her brother, King George I, when she received word that Edward was seriously ill. Alexandra made it back in time to say goodbye to Edward, who died on May 6, 1910 after a bout of bronchitis and a series of heart attacks. Their son became King George V.

Later Years and Legacy

As the queen mother, Alexandra mostly continued her duties as she had as queen consort, focusing her efforts on charity work with a side of anti-German cajoling. Her generosity was renowned, as she willingly sent money to anyone who wrote to her asking for help. She lived to see her fears about the Germans realized with the outbreak of World War I, and rejoiced when her son changed the royal family’s name to Windsor to avoid German associations.

Alexandra suffered another personal loss when her nephew, Nicholas II, was overthrown during the Russian Revolution . Her sister Dagmar was rescued and came to stay with Alexandra, but her son George V refused to offer asylum to Nicholas and his immediate family; they were murdered in 1917 by the Bolshevik revolutionaries. In the last years of her life, Alexandra’s health declined, and she died from a heart attack on November 20, 1925. She was buried at Windsor Castle next to Edward.

A popular royal in life and death, Alexandra was mourned deeply by the British public, and she became the namesake for everything from palaces to ships to streets. Although she was not permitted any political influence, she was a style icon for the women of her time and defined an entire era of fashion. Her legacy was not one of politics, but of personal popularity and boundless generosity.

• Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra . Constable, 1969.
• Duff, David. Alexandra: Princess and Queen . Wm Collins & Sons & Co, 1980.
• “Edward VII.” BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/edward_vii_king.shtml.
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New biography about Queen Alexandra to hit the bookshelves in February

In February of 2022, a new biography of Queen Alexandra will be hitting bookshelves. 

On 28 February, Frances Dimond’s Queen Alexandra: Loyalty and Love will be available. This is the first major Queen Alexandra biography that covers both her public and private lives. Although Alexandra was a popular Princess of Wales, Queen, and Dowager Queen, there have been few biographies written about her. 

Dimond worked in the Royal Archives for several decades, and was the first Curator of the Royal Photograph Collection. She has already published one book on Alexandra, Developing the Picture: Queen Alexandra and the Art of Photography , looking at the late Queen’s photography work. 

The Queen herself gave Dimond permission to complete the research for this book in the Royal Archives, rare for a royal biography. While many biographies are based on private letters and diaries, most of Alexandra’s were destroyed in the tradition of Queen Victoria’s, making Dimond’s access to the Royal Archives even more important. 

Queen Alexandra left her mark on Britain and the Empire (now Commonwealth) in a variety of ways. Countless landmarks, sites, and roads are named for Alexandra, such as the Alexandra Palace in London. Alexandra Rose Day is held every day in June in the UK to raise money to tackle food poverty, after Alexandra launched the day in 1912 to raise money for her charities. 

Alexandra was born in Denmark, to the future King Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. One of six children, she led a relatively happy childhood but the family larged lived in aristocratic poverty. She was close to her siblings, particularly her sister Dagmar (who would go on to be the Empress of Russia). 

She was chosen to be the wife of the Prince of Wales, and the couple married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor in 1863. While Bertie, the Prince of Wales, carried on numerous affairs, Alexandra ignored the gossip and dedicated herself to her children and her charities. A beautiful woman, the British public adored Alexandra and women everywhere sought to emulate her. 

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• Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (1844-1925)

• King Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom (1841-1910)
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• Born 1844 , The Yellow Palace [Copenhagen]
• Died 1925 , Sandringham House

Queen Alexandra was the daughter of Christian IX of Denmark. She married Edward VII in 1863. Her principal residences were Marlborough House, London and Sandringham House, Norfolk, in addition to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

Queen Alexandra grew up in Denmark in relatively modest surroundings compared to her future ones. After her marriage to Edward VII in 1863 she lived in England as Princess of Wales. The paintings of Copenhagen and the Danish Royal summer residence, Bernstoff House , were presented to the royal couple on the occasion of their marriage. They also received a porcelain dinner and dessert service made by Royal Copenhagen.

By the end of 1864, Alexandra's father had become King of Denmark and her brother the King of Greece, and her sister Dagmar (later Marie Fedorovna) became engaged to the Tsar of Russia. The family had greater links with other European royal houses from that point onwards.

Dagmar married the future Tsar Alexander III in 1866, and lived in Moscow, and she began to send her sister objects from one of the most famous manufacturers in Russia at the time, Carl Fabergé . This began a group of Fabergé objects in the Royal Collection eventually numbering more than 500 . Edward VII would shop there when he visited Moscow and in 1903, Fabergé opened a London branch also. Pendants, photo frames, silver and gold boxes all came into the collection as well as more than 200 carved farm animals, known as the Sandringham Commission.

An enthusiastic and prolific amateur photographer, Queen Alexandra learned how to use a hand-held camera. She enjoyed creating albums of family photographs and painting them with watercolour decoration. In 1908 a selection of her photographs was published as a gift book to raise money for charity.

Queen Alexandra had six children, five of whom survived infancy. Her eldest son, Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, died young and tragically, in 1892 at the age of 28. Edward and Alexandra commissioned the sculptor Sir Alfred Gilbert to make a memorial sculpture for him, which is located in the Albert Memorial Chapel at St George's, Windsor. It is a marvel of art nouveau design and invention in metalwork, dominating the chapel space.

Queen Alexandra was Princess of Wales for several decades, and set many trends for fashion over this time. The portrait by the French painter, François Flameng , depicts her when she had finally become queen, a dazzling example of glamour and style.

Consort of King Edward VII

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Iconic Facts About Alexandra Of Denmark, The Long-Suffering Queen

Alexandra of Denmark was a rags-to-riches royal and the unlikeliest fashion icon of all time. Through bizarre circumstances, the Danish-born Queen consort of the United Kingdom even caused a limping pandemic in London! But as her fortunes—and outfits—changed, her life became one marred by tragedy after tragedy…after tragedy. Dive into these trendy and tragic facts to find out how Alexandra of Denmark went from sleeping in a dusty old attic to living it up in a palace.

1. She Was Broke

Alexandra of Denmark, or Alix as her family called her, was born in 1844 in Denmark. In her early years, Alexandra and her five siblings weren’t on anyone’s radar. They were only a small and insignificant cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg, the royal house in Denmark. She lived the first 18 years of her life in near-total obscurity. Her family was comfortable, but they weren't exactly living it up—though all of that would change before long.

2. She Had A Dope Crib

They say that the best things in life are free. While I haven’t personally gotten any of life’s luxuries free of charge—Caribbean cruise, anyone?—Alexandra definitely did. The penniless princess still lived a pretty charmed childhood. Alexandra grew up with her siblings in Copenhagen’s famed Yellow Palace, rent-free. And, to sweeten the deal, the palace came with some serious perks.

3. She Slept Soundly

Alexandra’s childhood was short on luxuries—free palaces notwithstanding—but she still enjoyed the best things in life. Even her bedtime stories were epic. The famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen used to come to the palace to personally read his stories to Alexandra and her siblings. This is the same guy who wrote The Little Mermaid , The Ugly Duckling, and Thumbelina . Doesn't get much better than that!

4. She Had To Bunk Up

Despite enjoying some creature comforts, Alexandra couldn’t escape the reality of her impoverished family. Having a world-famous writer as a bedtime storyteller might have been more of a necessity than a luxury—she wasn’t sleeping on a bed of roses. Alexandra’s bedroom was a draughty old attic that she shared with her sister, Dagmar.

And, to make matters worse, she suffered other indignities no princess ever should.

5. She “Waited”

Alexandra was so poor that she had to do what few other royals—if any—have ever done. She had to do the unthinkable. The unimaginable. She had to, gulp... work for a living . Before her fortunes turned in her favor, Alexandra waited on tables. Picture a waitress in a stained apron with frazzled hair and a tiara. Oh, the indignity.

6. She Was A Dressmaker

Alexandra must not have been the best waitress, or maybe her customers just weren’t very big tippers. Either way, waiting tables didn’t earn Alexandra enough money to live like the royal she was—or even like a commoner. Poor Alexandra couldn’t afford to buy the latest fashions, so she made her own clothes. Don't you worry though: It wouldn’t be long before she was the one setting the trends.

7. Her Fortunes Changed

After Alexandra’s spendthrift early years, her fortunes finally took a turn for the better in 1852. A political crisis of succession in Denmark made her father, of all people, next in line for the throne. Just like that, Alexandra and her family went from the bottom to the top. Suddenly, Alexandra and her sisters were extremely important royals on the European scene. While their status upgrade didn't change their financial fortunes much, it attracted the eyes of some  very wealthy suitors.

But, unfortunately for Alexandra, not all of that attention was for the best.

8. She Found A Match

Over in England, Queen Victoria was on the hunt for a wife for her son Albert Edward, the future King Edward VII . She enlisted the help of her daughter, who just so happened to be friendly with one very poor—but recently elevated—Alexandra of Denmark. After their families made contact, Alexandra met her prospective husband in a small town in Germany. It was just the beginning of a rocky relationship.

If Alexandra had dreamed of her Prince Charming, Edward, AKA "Dirty Bertie," definitely wasn't it.

9. She Was The Last Pick

Queen Victoria eventually settled on Alexandra as the right match for her son, but she wasn't the Queen’s first choice—and she never would be. Apparently, after exhausting a long list of potential matches, the British royal family called Alexandra “the only one to be chosen.” That’s the British way of saying, “I guess you’ll do.”

Poor Alexandra—if only she knew what she was getting herself into.

10. She Landed In The Money

With the match agreed upon, Edward VII proposed to Alexandra less than a year after meeting her. Finally, Alexandra would have the money to match her royal title, but she had no idea what traumas lay ahead . She would have a fairy tale wedding—and a nightmare marriage. But through all the tragedies that would come, she'd at least dress to impress.

11. She Received A Royal Welcome

Alexandra received the kind of royal welcome that could have been plucked right out of one of her bedtime stories. When she arrived in England—on a royal yacht, no less—she did so to the sound of music composed specifically for her arrival. Without even trying, Alexandra had become an overnight sensation in her new home, and she didn't stop there.

She would be the cause of more than a few fashion frenzies in due time.

12. She Had A Small Wedding

Alexandra wasn’t accustomed to the huge fanfare that she encountered. After all, just a few years earlier, she had been sleeping in an attic and waiting tables. So, to the disappointment of the excited crowds, the ever-modest Alexandra and her new fiancé, Edward VII, opted for a smaller wedding. But smaller didn’t mean less impressive.

13. She Went Viral

Alexandra’s days of darning her own shabby dresses were all behind her. Even before she officially married into the British royal family—and a whole lot of money—Alexandra had her first moment as a fashion icon. She posed for widely circulated photographs in her wedding dress, sporting a pearl necklace and three diamond bracelets.

If only her marriage had ended up as glamorous as her wedding.

14. She Conducted A Train

Alexandra definitely developed some serious skills as a seamstress from her dusty-attic days, but there was no way she could have sewn her own wedding dress. The train for Alexandra’s silk-satin dress was so long that it required eight ladies to carry it down the aisle. And she was going to need all of the support she could get if she was going to survive being married to one of the biggest scoundrels in all of Europe.

15. Her Family Stepped It Up

Alexandra wasn’t the only member of her family moving up in the world. Her siblings were making moves too. In just two years, her father had ascended to the Danish throne, her brother had become King of the Hellenes, and her sister, Dagmar, was married to the Russian Tsarevich. Yet it wouldn’t be long before they'd each beg to have their simple life back.

16. She Had A Monster-In-Law

Alexandra’s new mother-in-law wasn't her biggest fan. That's bad enough for anyone, but it's a whole lot worse when she's Queen Victoria , a.k.a. the most powerful person in the world. While the kingdom might have been singing Alexandra’s praises, Queen Victoria saw right through her couture clothing. The Queen resented Alexandra’s Danish loyalties—but it wasn’t her loyalties that the Queen should have been concerned about.

17. She Had A “Victorian” Marriage

Accounts of Alexandra’s and Edward VII’s marriage differ. According to some historians, the couple enjoyed a happy union. Others say that their relationship was a little “Victorian”—you know, because Queen Victoria was practically the third wheel in their marriage. But one thing is for certain: Alexandra kept some dark marital secrets hidden in the folds of her gowns.

18. Her Husband Strayed

Alexandra was a devout Christian all throughout her life and she took her wedding vows very seriously. Particularly that one vow about fidelity. Her husband, on the other hand, ignored that particular vow almost daily. Maybe if Queen Victoria wasn’t so busy worrying about Alexandra’s “loyalties,” she could have kept her son in line.

19. She Had The Receipts

Alexandra might have tried to hide her husband’s affairs behind her many oversized 19th century dresses, but she failed terribly. It was an open secret at the time that Edward VII carried on multiple affairs throughout his marriage. He might have had as many as 55 different mistresses. And Alexandra kept tabs on every single last one of them.

20. She Took Aim At The Queen

Alexandra was a social butterfly who enjoyed a lot of physical activities. She was an “expert horsewoman” and often ice-skated and danced. But it was her love of other hobbies that had Queen Victoria shaking in her crown. To Queen Victoria’s consternation, Alexandra was an avid hunter. And she was fixing her crosshairs on her mother-in-law.

21. She Had A Small Litter

When he wasn’t too busy with one of his 55 mistresses, Edward VII actually showed affection towards Alexandra. Seriously, the guy must have been a stallion, because on top of all his affairs, Alexandra and Edward VII had six children together. However, in a strange coincidence, every single one of those kids was born premature—or was it a coincidence?

22. She Feuded With The Queen

It was no secret that Queen Victoria didn’t much care for her daughter-in-law—and the feeling was mutual. Alexandra might have tolerated her husband’s endless lineup of mistresses, but his mother was too much to bear. But, obviously, she couldn’t exactly get rid of the Queen of all England. However,  she came up with a devious plan to get even with her meddling mother-in-law.

23. She Concealed Her Pregnancies

Alexandra might have used her dresses to hide her secrets—literally. Her six premature deliveries might not have been premature at all. Some historians suggest that Alexandra deliberately lied about how far along she was in her pregnancies so that Queen Victoria would miss the birth of her grandchildren. You’d think the Queen would have clued in after, I don’t know, five early pregnancies?

24. She Fought With The Queen

Of course, the tug-of-war between Alexandra and Queen Victoria for control over her marriage didn’t end there. Alexandra might have stripped the Queen of the opportunity to witness the birth of her grandchildren, but she couldn’t strip her of her legacy. Queen Victoria attempted to tell Alexandra what to name her children.

It wouldn’t be the last time that Alexandra had to put the Queen in her place.

25. She Had Difficulty In Birthing

Alexandra was the queen of premature deliveries—if only Amazon could learn from her example—but it might not have been intentional. While it’s fun to imagine Alexandra lying in order to dupe Queen Victoria, she might not have been that clever. From the sounds of it, Alexandra had a hard time with childbirth. Her third pregnancy nearly ended her life.

26. She Ran Hot

During her third pregnancy, Alexandra suffered from a terrible bout of rheumatic fever. To make matters worse, her errant husband seemed particularly uninterested in her rapidly deteriorating situation. But Alexandra had survived poverty, she could survive a fever. She recovered and delivered a healthy child—though she didn't come through unscathed. She suffered a permanent disfiguration.

27.  She Was Terribly Disfigured

Somehow, Alexandra managed to survive her run-in with rheumatic fever and her third pregnancy, but she still paid a terrible price for it. Rheumatic fever left the once-glamorous princess who had strutted down the aisle in the most fashionable dresses with a terrible limp. But for Alexandra, this just meant that she found her signature walk for the runway.

28. She Caused A Limping Pandemic

Alexandra was a princess of Britain, but a queen of fashion—and not even a terrible disfigurement could dethrone her. Instead of becoming a laughingstock, Alexandra became the envy of every woman in the kingdom. Her new limp became a fashion trend known as the “Alexandra limp.” High-society ladies all over London walked around with a pretend limp for years.

What would have happened if she had had the leg amputated?

29. She “Cobbled” Them Up

Alexandra’s influence on fashion, high society, and culture got way out of hand. The “Alexandra limp” was so popular and fashionable that even the shoemakers got in on the fad—eat your heart out Nike. All throughout London, shoemakers began making mismatched shoes to better allow women to copy Alexandra’s signature limp.

I suppose that’s easier than catching a fever and surviving a pregnancy by the skin of your teeth.

30. She Stuck Her Neck Out

Not all of the fashion trends that Alexandra started were as strange as limps. Alexandra also made it fashionable to wear chokers and dresses with high necklines. But once again, Alexandra had started the trend as an accident. She wore chokers and high necklines because she wanted to conceal a hideous and embarrassing scar on her neck.

31. She Was Going Deaf

Alexandra’s health got progressively worse after each of her pregnancies—and her good fortunes were just beginning to sour, too. Alexandra began to lose her hearing due to a hereditary illness. She stopped socializing as much and spent more time isolated with her children and pets. But her days of suffering had just started.

32. She Lost A Baby

Childbirth had never been easy for Alexandra, but she had managed to produce five healthy and beautiful babies. Number six would be tragically different. Alexandra’s sixth child, a baby boy, only survived for a single day. In her grief, a weakened Alexandra pleaded with Queen Victoria for privacy but once again, the two royals bickered bitterly.

33. She Had A “Wretched Abortion”

Queen Victoria insisted on a very public display of court mourning for the infant royal’s passing. Alexandra, not as popular as she had once been, took all of the blame for the showy display. The press described Alexandra’s pregnancy as “a wretched abortion” and the funeral arrangements as “sickening mummery.” It was the lowest moment in Alexandra's life so far—and her trials weren't over yet.

34. Her People Booed Her

Despite her declining health and immense grief at the loss of her infant son, Alexandra carried on her royal duties, even if everyone hated her for it. On a trip to Ireland, thousands of angry nationalists booed Alexandra and Edward VII as they waved. Alexandra found the strength to smile through the whole ordeal.

And she managed to finally gain the respect of her long-time nemesis.

35. She Earned Some R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Despite their differences, there might actually have been some respect between Alexandra and Queen Victoria. The Queen said of Alexandra’s tireless efforts, “She opens bazaars, attends concerts, visits hospitals in my place...she not only never complains, but endeavors to prove that she has enjoyed what to another would be a tiresome duty.”

That’s high praise coming from the woman who had spent the last decade or so making her life miserable.

36. She Lost Her Most Beloved Son

Just as it seemed like Alexandra was about to move on from her infant son’s passing, she suffered another blow. Tragic as the loss of her sixth-born son was, it was nothing compared to what she had to endure next. She was about to lose her favorite child in the prime of his life—and there was nothing that could ever make that pain go away.

37. She Never Recovered

Alexandra had arranged for her eldest son, Prince Albert Victor , to become engaged to Princess Mary of Teck . The young couple were just about to tie the knot when Albert Victor suddenly fell ill with influenza. Just days before his 28th birthday, the strapping young prince succumbed to his illness. Alexandra would never recover from the loss—mostly because there was more tragedy in store.

38. She Broke Everyone’s Heart

Alexandra was totally devastated by her eldest son’s passing, and everyone could see it. Princess Mary of Teck, Prince Albert Victor’s fiancé, wrote to Queen Victoria about Alexandra. She said, “The despairing look on her face was the most heart-rending thing I have ever seen.” To say that Alexandra kind of lost it would be an understatement.

39. She Built A Shrine

Alexandra said of her son’s passing, “I have buried my angel and with him my happiness.” She was totally grief-stricken and couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye to him. So, she made his room into a shrine to his memory and left it totally untouched. Thankfully, "dusty old rooms" was one trend that did not catch on with the broader society.

40. She Comforted Her Sister

Just a couple of years later, Alexandra suffered another devastating loss. Her brother-in-law, Emperor Alexander III of Russia, suddenly passed. Alexandra knew the feeling of grief all too well and went to her sister’s side. She spent two weeks with Dagmar in Russia, even sleeping by her side. It was just like the old days in the draughty attic.

41. She Was Front And Center

Alexandra’s losses just kept piling up. In 1901, she lost her long-time “frenemy,” Queen Victoria. While Alexandra must have felt some relief at having her crotchety old mother-in-law kick the bucket, it also put her right back where she did not want to be—i.e., in the spotlight. With her mother-in-law gone, her husband ascended to the throne and Alexandra became Queen consort.

The one-time nobody from Denmark was now married to the King of England. I'd say she did pretty well for herself.

42. She Was A Real Scrooge

You can take the girl out of the dusty old attic, but you can’t take the dusty old attic out of the girl. Even after becoming Queen consort, Alexandra kept her thrifty ways. She wasn’t sewing her own dresses anymore, but she still pinched her pennies. She re-used her old stockings and had her old dresses turned into furniture covers.

For all of her frugality, though, she still spent money like crazy—though for a heartwarming reason.

43. She Gave It All Away

Though Alexandra was now rich beyond her wildest dreams, she didn't spend all that money on herself. No: She spent it on others—and she spent a lot  of it on others. She was a total softie, and she'd open the checkbook for just about any sob story she heard. Her grandson even went so far as to say, "Her generosity was a source of embarrassment."

When her financial advisers talked to her about it, she would either wave them off or pretend that she hadn’t heard them. Though, considering the fact that she was practically deaf, she might actually not have heard them.

44. She Was Too Hot To Handle

Just nine days after her 59th birthday, Alexandra had a close call that nearly ended her reign, and her life, prematurely. While the new Queen consort slept peacefully in her bed, her room quietly filled with smoke. Thankfully, one of her attendants, Charlotte Knollys, rushed in and whisked her away to safety at the last second. It was a terrifying close call—but the next time death came calling, she wouldn't be so lucky.

45. She Became A Widow

Alexandra was visiting her brother in Greece when her husband, Edward VII, fell ill. Unlike when he had ignored her when she had rheumatic fever, Alexandra rushed to her husband’s side. She made it back to England without a moment to spare. The very day she returned, he passed away. She wrote, "I feel as if I had been turned into stone, unable to cry, unable to grasp the meaning of it all.”

He might have been an incorrigible womanizer and a scoundrel, but Alexandra still cared deeply for her husband, and now he was gone.

46. Her Family Caused WWI

Alexandra was related to just about every single royal in all of Europe, either by blood or by marriage. And just like any family, Alexandra’s family fought bitterly. Only, when her family had a falling out, entire nations got involved. Alexandra despised her nephew, the German Emperor Wilhelm II, and called him, “inwardly our enemy.”

During WWI, he would become outwardly her enemy.

47. She Survived Battle

During WWI, no one was safe from the fighting—not even the Queen mother. If Alexandra thought that being the aunt of the German Emperor would make him look upon her with mercy, she was sorely mistaken. The German forces launched a Zeppelin air raid on Sandringham House when she was still inside. Luckily, Alexandra survived the attack.

Other members of her family did not make it out of WWI alive.

48. Her Family Was Tragic

Tragedy seemed to run Alexandra’s family. She wasn’t the only one of her siblings to lose a child. Alexandra’s nephew, Tsar Nicholas II , the son of her closest sister Dagmar, suffered a terrible fate. Alexandra had the comfort of knowing that her son had passed peacefully—but her nephew and his entire family were brutally butchered by revolutionaries.

49. She Had A Look About Her

After all of those years of hardship, Alexandra’s age finally caught up with her. She was no longer the youthful fashion icon that she had once been—and aging gracefully just didn’t sound like fun. Alexandra tried to maintain her looks by plastering her face with heavy makeup, but her days of setting odd fashion trends were long gone.

The same people who used to copy her every move—including her limp—started calling her appearance “enameled.”

50. She Had One Last Dress

In her last few years, Alexandra’s health and mental state had deteriorated significantly. She had endured poverty, prominence, and providence, but it was finally time to throw in the towel. Alexandra passed from a heart attack less than a month shy of her 81st birthday. She was laid to rest next to her husband—presumably in an elaborate dress and wearing mismatched shoes.

51. She Was Forgiving

Over the years, Alexandra had a remarkably civil relationship with many of her husband's mistresses—but when Edward VII was on his deathbed, one of them took it too far. Alice Keppel, Edward's longtime mistress, heard that he was ill and rushed to his bedside. Completely unable to control herself, Keppel made such a scene that even the infinitely patient Alexandra had had enough.

The Queen consort muttered, “Get that woman away,” and had her guards escort Keppel out. Hey, what can we say, Edward had a certain effect on the ladies!

Sources : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6

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Alexandra of Denmark Biography

Birthday: December 1 , 1844 ( Sagittarius )

Born In: Copenhagen, Denmark

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Also Known As: Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia

Died At Age: 80

siblings: Frederick VIII of Denmark, George I of Greece , Maria Feodorovna , Prince Valdemar of Denmark, Princess Thyra of Denmark

children: Duke of Clarence and Avondale, George V , Louise, Maud of Wales , Prince Albert Victor, Prince Alexander John of Wales, Princess Royal, Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom

Born Country: Denmark

Empresses & Queens British Women

Died on: November 20 , 1925

place of death: Sandringham House, Norfolk

Ancestry: German Danish

City: Copenhagen, Denmark

Cause of Death: Heart Attack

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Who is Princess Alexandra? The royal's life and close bond with Queen Elizabeth II

Princess alexandra is one of the late queen elizabeth ii's first cousins.

Princess Alexandra is one of the late Queen's most beloved cousins, who often appears at major royal events. 

The 87-year-old was among those to feature in the King and Queen Camilla's official coronation photographs last year. The photos taken in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace show the Princess, dressed in a white gown, standing between the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. 

The Honorable Lady Ogilvy is still a working member of the royal family and was close to her late cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, and has supported Her Majesty at many engagements throughout the years.

Here's everything you need to know about Princess Alexandra, from her early life, her marriage, her children and her personal interests and passions.

Who is Princess Alexandra?

Princess Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel, born on 25 December 1936, is the only daughter of the late Prince George, Duke of Kent and the late Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.

She has two brothers – Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 87, and Prince Michael of Kent, 80.

The family split their time between their London residence, 3 Belgrave Square, and their country home, Coppins, in Buckinghamshire.

READ:  Lady Louise Windsor reunites with royal family at coronation after missing major event

TOP STORY:  Duchess Sophie praised for very touching gesture on coronation day

Sadly, Alexandra's father was killed in a wartime accident in 1942 when she was just five years old.

She was the first British Princess to go to an ordinary school in 1947 – Heathfield School near Ascot, and she also attended a finishing school in Paris, studying French and music.

At the age of 11, she also had a starring role as one of Princess Elizabeth's bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.

Princess Alexandra's marriage, children and grandchildren

Princess Alexandra married businessman Sir Angus James Bruce Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey in London 24 April 1963, which was attended by members of the royal family.

The royal bride wore a wedding dress of Valenciennes lace, designed by John Cavanagh. Alexandra also wore the diamond fringe tiara given to her mother by the City of London as a wedding gift in 1934.

The Queen's daughter, Princess Anne, was one of the bridesmaids .

Sir Angus declined the offer of an earldom from the Queen following his marriage to the Princess.

Alexandra and Sir Angus shared two children, James and Marina Ogilvy, born in 1964 and 1966 respectively.

James married Julia Caroline Rawlinson in 1988, and the couple went on to have two children – Flora, who married Swedish financier Timothy Vesterberg in 2020, and Alexander Ogilvy.

Meanwhile, Alexandra and Sir Angus' daughter, Marina, has two children from her marriage to Paul Mowatt – Zenouska and Christian.

Marina's first pregnancy caused controversy at the time as she and Paul were not married at the time.

Sadly, Sir Angus died at the age of 76 on 26 December 2004, after spending three months in hospital with cancer-related illnesses. His death came a day after his wife's 68th birthday. 

His funeral took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor in January 2005, and he is buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore.

Where does Princess Alexandra live?

Princess Alexandra has lived at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond, London since 1963.

The property is thought to boast a grand total of six reception rooms and six bedrooms spread across a mammoth four acres of grounds. 

The royal also has use of a grace-and-favour apartment at St James's Palace in London.

Princess Alexandra's interests

As a working member of the royal family, Alexandra's interests include mental health care, palliative care and international aid. She has been patron of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, which provides scholarships for nurses, midwives and health visitors to study - since 1957. 

In 2021, the then-Countess of Wessex succeeded Princess Alexandra as patron of the charity, Guide Dogs, after 67 years.

She is also a fan of classical music and opera, and is patron of the Chopin Society, the English National Opera, and the London Philharmonic Choir.

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The favourite monarch you forgot: days after Queen Alexandra's birthday, Tatler looks back at one of the most endearing queens in history

Queen Alexandra

One hundred years ago on Friday, on December 1 1923, Queen Alexandra turned 79. She was nearing the end of her life, a life which had bridged the Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian periods. On her birthday Tatler looks back at the life of a Queen who was vastly popular in her time, well known as a fashion icon, a devoted wife, Queen and philanthropist.

On 1 December last week, Alexandra’s birthday in 1923, Stanley Baldwin was prime minister and Virginia Woolf was living in Mayfair, battling with the manuscript that would become Mrs. Dalloway. The nation was still healing the wounds of war; London’s streets were a-throng with the newly popular passenger buses, some horse drawn vehicles and early motorcars; beneath the streets of the city, the first tube lines in the world were trundling away. Queen Alexandra was Queen mother to George V, the King who guided the country through WWI. But Alexandra had come into the royal family sixty years earlier, when she married Edward VII in 1863. At that time, Alexandra was just 18 and Edward 21.

Queen Alexandra appears on Le Petit Journal

Alexandra was born in Denmark in remarkably modest surroundings – unaware of the grandeur that would later fill her life as a queen and empress at the height of the British Empire. She was born in the Yellow Palace, a quaint townhouse adjacent to the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. Her family were a distant cadent branch of the Danish royal House of Oldenburg, which had declined into relative insignificance by this time. Her father’s income was a modest trickle from an army commission and their house was a rent-free grace and favour property.

In 1848, King Christian of Denmark died, sparking a succession crisis which ended with major European powers calling a conference in London. An agreement was reached which made Alexandra’s father, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, heir to Frederick’s throne in all his dominions. Although the family’s status had risen, their income hardly changed. Alexandra shared a draughty attic room with her sister Dagmar, made her own clothes and waited a table along with her sisters. They were often visited by the famous writer, Hans Christian Andersen, who would tell them bed-time stories; they learned English and were taught to swim by the renowned pioneer of women’s swimming, Nancy Edberg.

King Edward VII and his wife Queen Alexandra aboard the Royal yacht at Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1909, a year before his death

King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in circa 1902

The Bolsheviks exiled him, but Carl Fabergé was beloved by British royalty and high society

Queen Alexandra’s family certainly had an artistic bent. Dagmar married the future Tsar Alexander in 1866 and moved to Moscow, where she became an important collector of Carl Faberge’s eggs – often sending them to her sister. Queen Alexandra herself was an enthusiastic amateur photographer, learning how to use a hand-held camera, she enjoyed creating photographs of family albums and painting them with watercolour decoration.

As Princess of Wales, Alexandra became well known as a trendsetter, popularising the choker necklace, which became a particular symbol of her fashion reign. She was also known as a smoker in a period where it was unconventional for women to smoke. Often seen with a cigarette holder, she set an enduring trend which became a symbol of high-society elegance. It is said that Alexandra’s impact on fashion was so profound that society women even copied her limping gait after an illness left her with a stiff leg. This came to be known as the ‘Alexandra limp’.

American marksman Walter W Winans (1852-1920) is presented with his gold medal by Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) won in the men's double-shot running deer event of the 1908 Summer Olympics

Having married so young, Alexandra and Edward had a relatively successful marriage – though Edward indulged in a number of affairs, the matter was handled with stoicism by Alexandra. They had six children, with five surviving. Their eldest son, Prince Albert Victor died in 1892 of a influenza, contracted during a pandemic. This was a blow which brutally saddened Alexandra. She kept his room and possessions exactly as he had left them – as a shrine to her deceased son. The nation, too, was shocked, with shops shuttered and mourning clothes worn in the streets. Albert Victor’s tutor, James Kenneth Stephen, refused all food from the day of his death and died 20 days later. Albert’s father, Edward, wrote to Queen Victoria, ‘glady would I have given my life for his’. At this moment, Prince George took Albert’s place in the line of succession — eventually succeeding in 1910.

In 1910, while Alexandra was visiting her brother in Corfu. She received the news that Edward was dying and arrived only a day before he passed, administering oxygen from a gas cylinder to help him breathe. Alexandra was also intensely devoted to her sister Dagmar. When Dagmar was widowed by the death of Alexander III, Alexandra travelled to Russia and slept, prayed and stayed by her sister’s side until Alexander’s burial two weeks later. During her husband’s reign, Alexandra was deeply involved in charitable work. She rarely enjoyed much hard power but was committed to various causes, including hospitals and the welfare of soldiers. During WWI she became involved in nursing efforts and founded the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.

Queen Alexandra, later in life, in 1919

In her later years as Queen mother, Alexandra enjoyed a close relationship with her son, George V, supporting him through a number of difficult periods as King. In her later years she was known for wearing elaborate veils and heavy makeup. Her hearing began to fail and her memory and speech became impaired. She died in late November 1925 at Sandringham.

Alexandra would have been 179 years old today, had she lived so long. In challenging times for the crown, her popularity and charming, resilient and sometimes eccentric approach to royal life might be remembered fondly.

Alexandra of Denmark: Fashioning the Modern Consort

• First Online: 25 February 2023

Cite this chapter

• Kate Strasdin 8  

Part of the book series: Queenship and Power ((QAP))

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For so relatively recent a queen consort, Alexandra (1844–1925) is a figure whose reputation has arguably found itself built on mythologised narratives. Popular perceptions position her as the beleaguered wife of an unpredictable husband, Edward VII—whose scandals eclipsed her own experiences. It is often her enduringly youthful appearance that is most remarked upon, yet previous biographies have not explored how she came to capitalise on this. This chapter considers Alexandra’s dress practices to explore more traditional approaches to life writing. Her garments have survived in museums around the world, covering different decades of her life. Using these alongside a variety of written sources and images, it is possible to build on existing biographical works. Looking at her world through the lens of clothing reveals much about her upbringing, her life at the heart of the British establishment, and how she used dress to control public perceptions of her royal role.

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Blessington, Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of (née Margaret Power)

Legitimacy in Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto

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Before his accession, his formal title was the Prince of Wales, and within his family circle he was often referred to as Bertie, but for clarity I shall refer to him throughout as Edward.

Georgina Battiscombe, Queen Alexandra (London: Constable & Co, 1969), 3, 223, 286.

See my wider research in: Kate Strasdin, Inside the Royal Wardrobe: A Dress History of Queen Alexandra (London: Bloomsbury, 2017).

Richard Hough, Edward and Alexandra: Their Public and Private Lives (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1992), 9, 24.

Coryne Hall, Little Mother of Russia (London: Shepheard-Walwyn, 1999), 6.

Hough, Edward and Alexandra , 8.

Quoted in David Duff, Alexandra, Princess and Queen (London: Collins, 1980), 47.

Battiscombe, Queen Alexandra 8. See also: Inger-Lise Klausen, Alexandra Af Wales: Prinsesse Fra Danmark (Copenhagen: Lindhardt og Ringhof, 2001), 18.

RA VIC/Z462/101–2.

Roger Fulford, ed., Dearest Mama: Letters Between Queen Victoria and the Crown Princess of Prussia, 1861–1864 (London: Evans Brothers, 1968), 164.

Fulford, Dearest Mama, 53.

Princess Victoria and Prince Frederick William were nicknamed Vicky and Fritz within their family.

Royal Archive—RA Z31/45, V to QV, 8/29/77

Lady Walburga Paget, Scenes and Memories (London: Smith, Elder & Co, 1912), 97.

RA/Z/463/123

Queen Victoria’s Office of Robes accounts are in The National Archives at Kew. Queen Alexandra’s Wardrobe Accounts are held in the Royal Archive at Windsor Castle.

Sarah Tooley, The Life of Queen Alexandra (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1902), 46.

Tooley, Life of Queen Alexandra , 23.

For the entirety of their married life, Marlborough House was their official residence in London. Their favourite home, which they built to their own requirements, was Sandringham. They moved into Buckingham Palace when Edward ascended the throne, and after her husband’s death Alexandra returned to Marlborough House, although she preferred the quiet of the Sandringham estate.

The Times , June 9 1863, 10c.

See, for example, Chap. 5, “Reporting Royalty,” in John Plunkett, Queen Victoria: First Media Monarch (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003).

Fulford, Dearest Mama , 236.

Quoted in Hough, Edward and Alexandra , 33.

Quoted in Philip Magnus, King Edward the Seventh (London: John Murray 1964), 105.

All of the earlier wardrobe accounts outlining her spending and Privy Purse allowances from 1862 to 1897 were lost during the London Blitz.

Fulford, Dearest Mama, 246.

See: Hannah Pakula, An Uncommon Woman (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1996), 114.

Tooley, Life of Queen Alexandra , 61.

Annie Rudd, “Victorians Living in Public: Cartes de Visites as 19th-Century Social Media,” Photography and Culture 9, no. 3 (2016): 195–217.

Frances Dimond, Developing the Picture: Queen Alexandra and the Art of Photography (London: Royal Collection, 2004), 183.

The Times , July 7, 1871, 3.

Jane Elizabeth Lewis, Mary Queen of Scots: Romance and Nation (London: Routledge, 1998), 173.

Alison Matthews-David, “Elegant Amazons: Victorian Riding Habits and the Fashionable Horsewoman,” Victorian Literature and Culture 30, no. 1 (2002): 193.

Henry Poole & Co Measurement Ledger, no number.

Fulford, Dearest Mama , 226.

Danish National Archives, letters from Alexandra to her sister Minnie (as she affectionately called Dagmar), 1862–1885, 4555, Centralarkiv for Oktoberrevolutionen, Moskva, Boxes 102–104.

Tooley, Life of Queen Alexandra , 161. Heliotrope, a shade of purple, was popular at the time.

Reginald Esher, Journals and Letters, Volume 1 (London: Nicholson & Watson, 1934), 373.

Esher, Journals and Letters , 279.

Esher, Journals and Letters , 318.

Quoted in John Bradley, Lady Curzon’s India: Letters of a Vicereine (London: George Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1985), 107.

Quoted in Bradley, Lady Curzon’s India , 117.

Nicola Thomas, “Embodying Imperial Spectacle: Dressing Lady Curzon, Vicereine of India, 1899–1905,” Cultural Geographies 14, no. 3 (2007): 388.

Lady Curzon Papers (LCP), British Library, East India Papers, F306/35 No 71, 3 August 1901.

LCP, British Library, F306/35 No 76, 9 August 1901.

For example, the coloured lithograph of William IV’s consort Queen Adelaide in 1831 shows her plain coronation robes. National Portrait Gallery, https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw42108/Queen-Adelaide-Princess-Adelaide-of-Saxe-Meiningen .

For details of the robe, see: Zillah Halls, Coronation Costume, 1685–1953 (London: London Museum, 1973), 53.

For details of Danish coronation robes, see: Katia Johansen, Royal Gowns (Copenhagen: Rosenborg Palace, 1990), 30, 39, 55; and Katia Johansen, “Magnificence des Rois Danois: Costumes de Couronnement et Habits de Chevaliers,” in Fastes de Cour et Ceremonies Royales , ed. Pierre Arizzoli-Clémentel and Pascale Gorguet Ballesteros (Paris: Réuniondes Musées Nationaux, 2009), 140–145.

E.A.D., The New York Times , 10 August 1902, np.

Mary Meynell, Sunshine and Shadows Over a Long Life (London: John Murray, 1933), 10.

Royal Archive, Queen Alexandra to Princess of Wales, 21 Jan 1908.

Elizabeth Longford, Louisa, Lady in Waiting: The Personal Diaries and Albums of Louisa, Lady in Waiting to Queen Victoria and Queen Alexandra (London: Jonathan Cape, 1979), 79.

Battiscombe, Queen Alexandra , 209.

For an account of his final weeks and Alexandra’s presence, see: Ridley, Bertie , 448–460.

Cecil Beaton, The Glass of Fashion (London: Weidenfield & Nicolson, 1954), 76.

Royal Archive, Queen Mary to Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 7 May 1911.

Quoted in Battiscombe, Queen Alexandra , 302.

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University of Winchester, Winchester, UK

Elena Woodacre

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Strasdin, K. (2023). Alexandra of Denmark: Fashioning the Modern Consort. In: Norrie, A., Harris, C., Laynesmith, J., Messer, D.R., Woodacre, E. (eds) Hanoverian to Windsor Consorts. Queenship and Power. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12829-5_10

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Elizabeth II (born April 21, 1926, London, England—died September 8, 2022, Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) was the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from February 6, 1952, to September 8, 2022. In 2015 she surpassed Victoria to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

Elizabeth was the elder daughter of Prince Albert, duke of York , and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon . As the child of a younger son of King George V , the young Elizabeth had little prospect of acceding to the throne until her uncle, Edward VIII (afterward duke of Windsor), abdicated in her father’s favour on December 11, 1936, at which time her father became King George VI and she became heir presumptive. The princess’s education was supervised by her mother, who entrusted her daughters to a governess, Marion Crawford; the princess was also grounded in history by C.H.K. Marten, afterward provost of Eton College , and had instruction from visiting teachers in music and languages. During World War II she and her sister, Princess Margaret Rose, perforce spent much of their time safely away from the London blitz and separated from their parents, living mostly at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and at the Royal Lodge, Windsor , and Windsor Castle .

Early in 1947 Princess Elizabeth went with the king and queen to South Africa . After her return there was an announcement of her betrothal to her distant cousin Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten of the Royal Navy , formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark . The marriage took place in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947. On the eve of the wedding her father, the king, conferred upon the bridegroom the titles of duke of Edinburgh, earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich. They took residence at Clarence House in London . Their first child, Prince Charles (Charles Philip Arthur George), was born November 14, 1948, at Buckingham Palace .

In the summer of 1951 the health of King George VI entered into a serious decline, and Princess Elizabeth represented him at the Trooping the Colour and on various other state occasions. On October 7 she and her husband set out on a highly successful tour of Canada and Washington, D.C. After Christmas in England she and the duke set out in January 1952 for a tour of Australia and New Zealand , but en route, at Sagana, Kenya , news reached them of the king’s death on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, now queen, at once flew back to England. The first three months of her reign, the period of full mourning for her father, were passed in comparative seclusion. But in the summer, after she had moved from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace, she undertook the routine duties of the sovereign and carried out her first state opening of Parliament on November 4, 1952. Her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.

Beginning in November 1953 the queen and the duke of Edinburgh made a six-month round-the-world tour of the Commonwealth , which included the first visit to Australia and New Zealand by a reigning British monarch. In 1957, after state visits to various European nations, she and the duke visited Canada and the United States . In 1961 she made the first royal British tour of the Indian subcontinent in 50 years, and she was also the first reigning British monarch to visit South America (in 1968) and the Persian Gulf countries (in 1979). During her “Silver Jubilee” in 1977, she presided at a London banquet attended by the leaders of the 36 members of the Commonwealth, traveled all over Britain and Northern Ireland, and toured overseas in the South Pacific and Australia, in Canada, and in the Caribbean.

On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, her son Prince Charles became heir apparent; he was named prince of Wales on July 26, 1958, and was so invested on July 1, 1969. The queen’s other children were Princess Anne (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise), born August 15, 1950, and created princess royal in 1987; Prince Andrew (Andrew Albert Christian Edward), born February 19, 1960, and created duke of York in 1986; and Prince Edward (Edward Anthony Richard Louis), born March 10, 1964, and created earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn in 1999. All these children have the surname “of Windsor,” but in 1960 Elizabeth decided to create the hyphenated name Mountbatten-Windsor for other descendants not styled prince or princess and royal highness. Elizabeth’s first grandchild (Princess Anne’s son) was born on November 15, 1977.

The queen seemed increasingly aware of the modern role of the monarchy, allowing, for example, the televising of the royal family’s domestic life in 1970 and condoning the formal dissolution of her sister’s marriage in 1978. In the 1990s, however, the royal family faced a number of challenges. In 1992, a year that Elizabeth referred to as the royal family’s annus horribilis , Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, princess of Wales , separated, as did Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah, duchess of York. Moreover, Anne divorced, and a fire gutted the royal residence of Windsor Castle. In addition, as the country struggled with a recession , resentment over the royals’ lifestyle mounted, and in 1992 Elizabeth, although personally exempt, agreed to pay taxes on her private income. The separation and later divorce (1996) of Charles and the immensely popular Diana further eroded support for the royal family, which was viewed by some as antiquated and unfeeling. The criticism intensified following Diana’s death in 1997, especially after Elizabeth initially refused to allow the national flag to fly at half-staff over Buckingham Palace. In line with her earlier attempts at modernizing the monarchy , the queen subsequently sought to present a less-stuffy and less-traditional image of the monarchy. These attempts were met with mixed success.

In 2002 Elizabeth celebrated her 50th year on the throne. As part of her “Golden Jubilee,” events were held throughout the Commonwealth, including several days of festivities in London. The celebrations were somewhat diminished by the deaths of Elizabeth’s mother and sister early in the year. Beginning in the latter part of the first decade of the 21st century, the public standing of the royal family rebounded, and even Charles’s 2005 marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles found much support among the British people. In April 2011 Elizabeth led the family in celebrating the wedding of Prince William of Wales —the elder son of Charles and Diana—and Catherine Middleton . The following month she surpassed George III to become the second longest-reigning monarch in British history, behind Victoria . Also in May, Elizabeth made a historic trip to Ireland , becoming both the first British monarch to visit the Irish republic and the first to set foot in Ireland since 1911. In 2012 Elizabeth celebrated her “ Diamond Jubilee ,” marking 60 years on the throne. On September 9, 2015, she surpassed Victoria’s record reign of 63 years and 216 days.

In August 2017 Prince Philip officially retired from public life, though he periodically appeared at official engagements after that. In the meantime, Elizabeth began to reduce her own official engagements, passing some duties on to Prince Charles and other senior members of the royal family, though the pool of stand-ins shrank when Charles’s younger son, Prince Harry, duke of Sussex , and his wife, Meghan, duchess of Sussex , controversially chose to give up their royal roles in March 2020. During this period, public interest in the queen and the royal family grew as a result of the widespread popularity of The Crown , a Netflix television series about the Windsors that debuted in 2016. Having dealt with several physical setbacks in recent years, Philip, who had been Elizabeth’s husband for more than seven decades, died in April 2021. On their 50th wedding anniversary, in 1997, Elizabeth had said of Philip, “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years.” Because of social-distancing protocols brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the queen sat alone in a choir stall in St. George’s Chapel (in Windsor Castle ) at Philip’s funeral. The widely disseminated images of her tragic isolation were heartbreaking but emblematic of the dignity and courage that she brought to her reign.

In June 2022 Britain celebrated Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne with the “Platinum Jubilee,” a four-day national holiday that included the Trooping the Colour ceremony, a thanksgiving service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, a pop music concert at Buckingham Palace , and a pageant that employed street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival, and costume to honour the queen’s reign. Health issues limited Elizabeth’s involvement. Concerns about the queen’s health also led to a break in tradition when, in September, she appointed Boris Johnson ’s replacement as prime minister , Liz Truss , at Balmoral rather than at Buckingham Palace, where she had formally appointed more than a dozen prime ministers.

Just days later, on September 8, Elizabeth’s death, at age 96, shocked Britain and the world. Prince Charles succeeded her on the throne as King Charles III . Ten days of national commemoration of her life and legacy—long planned as “Operation London Bridge”—followed. Notably, the queen lay in state for a day in St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh and then for three days in Westminster Hall in London, outside of which mourners stood in a line that stretched for miles, in some cases waiting for more than 24 hours to view Elizabeth’s casket. Her sombre funeral ceremony in Westminster Abbey , officiated by Archbishop Justin Welby on September 19, was attended by an estimated 100 heads of foreign governments. Following a procession to Wellington Arch, during which Big Ben tolled, the queen’s casket was borne by hearse to her final resting place in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Elizabeth was known to favour simplicity in court life and was also known to take a serious and informed interest in government business, aside from the traditional and ceremonial duties. Privately, she became a keen horsewoman; she kept racehorses, frequently attended races, and periodically visited the Kentucky stud farms in the United States. Her financial and property holdings made her one of the world’s richest women.

HistorianRuby: An Historian's Miscellany

Early modern historian. loves gender, women's, social & royal histories. ventures elswhere when interest is piqued. blog may cover above themes or something a little more random. find me on twitter @ruthrblair.

The Children of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales married Princess Alexandra of Denmark on 10 March 1863 at Windsor Castle. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Bertie and Alix, as they were known, went on to have six children, five surviving to adulthood.

The nine children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert married into many European royal households and subsequently, King Edward VII was known as the uncle of Europe. His sister Victoria married Prince Frederick William of Prussia, making Bertie the uncle of the German Kaiser, Willhelm II.

Alix’s younger sister Dagmar was the wife of Tsar Alexander III and the mother of Tsar Nicholas II. This makes Edward VII the uncle of Tsar Nicholas II via marriage and the uncle of Nicholas’ wife, another Alexandra (of Hesse and the Rhine) through her mother and Edward VII’s sister, Princess Alice of Hesse .

• He succeeded his father to the throne, he reigned from 6 May 1910 to his death. You can read my Thoughts on George V here .
• She was born prematurely 20 February 1867 and died 4 January 1931
• Victoria was her mother’s companion and never married. She spoke to her brother, the King, daily, and was once overheard saying to him, ‘Hello, you old fool’.
• Prince Carl of Denmark was Maud’s cousin. He was elected King of Norway in 1905. Prince Carl became King Haakon VII and their son Crown Prince Olav. Carl and Maud were crowned King and Queen of Norway on 22 June 1906.

• This little prince was born prematurely and lived only 24 hours. He is buried at Sandringham.

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18 thoughts on “ the children of king edward vii and queen alexandra ”.

Interesting how one family had ruling power in so many countries.

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Even though they mixed as a large family unit, they held sway over disparate political and monarchical states and had quite opposing views at times that had the potential to cause friction.

Very interesting article. Lot of research would be required for writing this. Thanks for sharing

Thanks! It does help that I’ve been reading about the family on and off for years – I’m listening to Jane Ridley’s excellent biography of EVII at the mo!

I wonder why so many of their children were born prematurely?

I’m not sure why it seems she was predisposed to it – but initially with the first baby (if I remember rightly) she was out enjoying a winter’s day watching ice-skating and she had her pains come on. With one child, she fell ill, possibly rheumatic fever and took months to recover. She was a very slim woman and comments from family correspondents to Bertie would say how thin and ill she would look. She hid a lot of stress, I dare say, with Bertie’s constant philandering.

There is speculation that Alexandra did not want Victoria present at the births of her children so lied about her due dates to fool her. Victoria was very overbearing and made sure she knew about every detail of Alexandra’s health.

I also think Queen Alexandra was not very strong.

This post must have taken some time to research and write! It just helps to emphasize how far we have come in reducing infant mortality in the last 150 years.

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They did give their kids a heavy string of names. You don’t suppose they were trying to use up all of them so there’d be none left for anybody else, do you?

Haha, probably! King Edward VII was known as Bertie (Albert) but his regal name was Edward (against his mother’s wishes if I remember correctly). King Edward VIII was known by his family as David, but he was named Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David. That is a mouthful. The George Andrew Patrick and David come from the patron saints of the British​ Isles! My children have 1 middle name.

And I have no middle name at all. Suddenly I’m grateful. I remember reading a Shakespeare play in high school and the characters went by their names and also by their–I guess you’d say locations, so that the Duke of Bedford would be Bedford. (I have no idea if there is a duke of Bedford. I pulled that out of a hat.) It was like reading a Russian novel, with everyone running around with multiple names. I not only couldn’t keep the characters straight, I wasn’t even sure how many there were. Now, if it had been on stage I’d have been fine. There’d be the guy in the red cloak, the guy in black, and so forth.

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They should do a biography on King Edward and his children.

I do recommend Bertie: a Life of Edward VII by Jane Ridley. It’s a fabulous biography.

Reblogged this on a_historical_royal_family and commented: It was really interesting to learn more about their daughters as they tried to live their lives as privately as they could. I also liked how John was not forgotten despite his short life.

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Queen Alexandra (Biography & Memoirs) Paperback – January 1, 1984

• Print length 336 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Trans-Atlantic Publications
• Publication date January 1, 1984
• ISBN-10 0094657106
• ISBN-13 978-0094657106
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Trans-Atlantic Publications (January 1, 1984)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0094657106
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0094657106
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
• #110,801 in European History (Books)

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Queen Alexandra

• Born December 1 , 1844 · Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Died November 20 , 1925 · Sandringham House, Sandringham, Norfolk, England, UK (heart attack)
• Birth name Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia
• Height 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
• Queen Alexandra was born Princess Alexandra Caroline Mary Charlotte Louisa Julia on December 1, 1844. She was the granddaughter of the king of Denmark. She lived an uneventful childhood in the palaces of Denmark with her sister, Marie, who became the mother of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. When Alex, as she was called, turned 16 she was considered a great beauty, and won the hand of the heir to the throne of England. She and Prince Albert Edward, or "Bertie", were married on March 10, 1863. They had six children including the future King George V . The first 40 years of marriage were very turbulent for Alexandra. As well as the six children, she had to contend with a brother-in-law (the husband of Bertie's sister Helena) whose family wanted a stake in the Schleswig-Holstein lands that had belonged to the kings of Denmark for generations. Finally in 1901 her mother-in-law, Queen Victoria , died, making her husband King Edward VII and she, in turn, Queen Consort. During her time as Queen she did many things to make England better, including the establishment of The Red Cross. In 1910, however, something happened to change everything. Her husband of almost 50 years died. On his death bed she did a very magnanimous thing: she allowed his mistress, Alice Keppel, to say goodbye to him. After his death she lived at the house in which she had lived during her marriage. Unfortunately, she also lived with the increasing deafness that plagued her life as well as that of her son Albert Victor, who would have become king if he had not died. Alexandra died in 1925 of a heart attack and is buried at Windsor near her husband and mother and father-in-law. - IMDb Mini Biography By: CR
• Spouse King Edward VII (March 10, 1863 - May 6, 1910) (his death, 6 children)
• Children Prince Alexander John of Wales King George V Prince Albert Victor Princess Louise Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom Dronning Maud
• Parents Christian IX Louise Queen of Denmark
• Relatives Prins Valdemar (Sibling) Prins Aage (Niece or Nephew) Prins Axel (Niece or Nephew) Prins Erik (Niece or Nephew) Prins Viggo (Niece or Nephew) Prinsesse Margrethe (Niece or Nephew) Tsar Nicholas II (Niece or Nephew) George Alexandrovich (Niece or Nephew) Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (Niece or Nephew) Grand Duke Michael (Niece or Nephew) Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia (Niece or Nephew) Czarina Maria Fyodorovna (Sibling) Queen Elizabeth II (Great Grandchild) Princess Margaret (Great Grandchild) King George VI (Grandchild) Duke of Windsor (Grandchild) Princess Mary (Grandchild) George Earl of Harewood (Great Grandchild) Gerald Lascelles (Great Grandchild) Duke of Gloucester (Grandchild) Duke of Gloucester (Great Grandchild) Duke of Kent (Grandchild) Edward Windsor (Great Grandchild) Princess Alexandra (Great Grandchild) Prince Michael of Kent (Great Grandchild) Prince John (Grandchild) King Haakon VII (Niece or Nephew) King Olav V (Grandchild) Prinsesse Ragnhild (Great Grandchild) Prinsesse Astrid (Great Grandchild) King Harald V (Great Grandchild) Princess Ingeborg (Niece or Nephew) King Christian X (Niece or Nephew) Princess Louise of Schaumburg-Lippe (Niece or Nephew) Prins Harald (Niece or Nephew) Prins Gustav (Niece or Nephew) King Frederik VIII (Sibling) Prinsesse Thyra (Sibling) Ernest Augustus (Niece or Nephew) King Constantine (Niece or Nephew) Prince George of Greece and Denmark (Niece or Nephew) Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark (Niece or Nephew) Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark (Niece or Nephew) King George of Greece (Sibling) Princess Alexandra (Grandchild)
• Through marriage and blood Alexandra was an aunt to both Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Tsarina Alexandra . Nicholas was the son of her sister Marie and Alexandra was the daughter of her husband's sister Alice.
• Grandmother of King Olav V , Duke of Windsor , Duke of Kent , Duke of Gloucester , and King George VI .
• Daughter of of Christian IX . Sister of King George of Greece , King Frederik VIII , Prins Valdemar , Czarina Maria Fyodorovna , and Prinsesse Thyra .
• Children: Prince Albert Victor , King George V , Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar (1867-1931), Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary (1868-1935), Dronning Maud , and Alexander John Charles Albert (1871-1871).
• Aunt of Prins Axel . Great-aunt of King Olav V , Frederik IX , and Arveprins Knud .

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The forgotten ancient queen: salome alexandra of judea.

In this exclusive interview, James Blake Wiener of the Ancient History Encyclopedia speaks with Dr. Kenneth Atkinson, Professor of History at the University of Northern Iowa, about this most distinct and enigmatic of ancient monarchs.

JW: Dr. Atkinson, it is such a delight to be speaking to you about such an interesting and relatively unknown personality! I must confess that initially I confused Queen Salome Alexandra with another Salome–Princess Salome, the infamous granddaughter of King Herod the Great (r. 37-4 BCE) who desired the head of St. John the Baptist (d. 28-36 CE).

What compelled you to write your recent biography — Queen Salome: Jerusalem’s Forgotten Ruler and the Mysterious Women of the Dead Sea Scrolls –and what obstacles did you face in researching such an elusive personality? From what I understand, most of the information pertaining to Salome Alexandra’s life comes from the historian Josephus (c. 37-100 CE), who wrote in the century after her death.

KA: Thanks, James, for the opportunity to introduce Ancient History Encyclopedia users to this fascinating woman. My interest in Queen Salome Alexandra grew out of my graduate school work on the early Roman period in ancient Palestine, specifically the 63 BCE conquest of Jerusalem by the Roman general, Pompey the Great (106-48 BCE). In order to understand why he invaded the country and ended the nearly century old dynasty of Hasmonean rulers, I began researching the decades prior to his arrival.

I was quite surprised to find that the country experienced its greatest period of peace and prosperity just before these events during the reign of a woman, namely Salome Alexandra. The problem was that, other than the historian Josephus, there was nothing written about her. I decided to take on the quest to undercover the historical Salome Alexandra despite the lack of evidence. It proved to be quite a challenge, but in the process I uncovered much unknown and neglected evidence that allowed me to reconstruct her life for the first time.

KA: I first encountered the name “Salome Alexandra,” while working on my first Master’s degree at the University of Chicago in 1991. The Dead Sea Scrolls had just been released to the public, having been held by a small group of scholars for over forty years. One of my professors, Dr. John J. Collins, was appointed part of the new team of scholars to translate and publish these texts.

I remember looking through the newly released photos of the over 900 Dead Sea Scroll documents when I came across two references to Salome Alexandra. I was quite shocked to find a woman mentioned in these texts. I was unable to find any additional information about her in the standard reference works at the time and had to put my interest aside until I completed my degree. Over time, I became determined to try and find out more about her since she seemed to be such an important and neglected ruler who not only shaped the Judaism of her day, but that of Jesus’ as well. I hope that this interview and my recent book encourage others to learn more about this fascinating but largely unknown woman, who was undoubtedly one of history’s greatest rulers.

JW: Dr. Atkinson, what do we know if anything about Salome Alexandra’s origins and association with the Hasmonean dynasty? Do we even know how her subjects would have received her marriage to Alexander Jannaeus?

KA: Josephus tells us nothing about Salome Alexandra’s background, but I suspect that she was a member of the Hasmonean family since this dynasty tended to marry their cousins. One of the big surprises in my research concerned her marriage to the future monarch Alexander Jannaeus: she was married to him for the entirety of his 27 year reign. Calculating their ages at the time of their marriage, I was quite shocked to realize that he was either 14 or 16 and she was 29 years old at the time of their marriage! This is quite an unusual age difference for any period. I am certain that many people at the time were shocked if not horrified.

A close reading of Josephus’ works suggests that Alexander Jannaeus was never expected to rule, and was perhaps sort of a misfit. I believe that his father, John Hyrcanus (r. 154–134 BCE), selected this independent strong-willed woman to manage his son and groom him to be a functional member of the royal family. Alexander Jannaeus became king largely by accident after the unexpected deaths of his elder brothers, Aristobulus I (r. 104-103 BCE) and Prince Antigonus. But in the end, it turned out to be a good thing that he was married to Salome Alexandra since Josephus–a sexist historian who did not like her–stresses that the nation respected her piety and hated her husband. It was likely because of her that he managed to rule for so long: she governed the nation during his many absences. Without her at his side, I doubt his reign would have lasted very long.

KA: Unfortunately Josephus is largely silent about Salome Alexandra during this time. He was uncomfortable with female rule and preferred to tell us as little about her as possible. Josephus does, however, “cut and paste” materials from his sources that often give us glimpses of her actions during this time. He hints that she ruled Jerusalem while her husband was away fighting his many foreign campaigns. Salome Alexandra is mentioned frequently in later Jewish literature, particularly the Talmud, written centuries after her death. These later works consistently praise her, suggesting that she favored and protected the Pharisees from her husband’s wrath.

She supported the leading Pharisee of the time, Shimeon ben Shetah (120-40 BCE). He reformed the court system under her patronage and instituted the ketubah –the woman’s portion of a marriage contact that specified the obligations of the groom toward his bride–which still exists today. Shimeon even went further to encourage female education. It was likely because Salome Alexandra was such an effective administrator and supporter of the Pharisees that her people willingly accepted her as their queen after her husband’s death, even though she had two grown sons.

JW: Following my previous question, I wondered if there is any conjecture as to why Alexander Jannaeus left the crown to Salome Alexandra instead of one of their two sons, Hyrcanus II (r. 67-66 BCE) and Aristobulus II (r. 66-63 BCE)? Could this have been a strategic move to promote dynastic stability or some other political agenda?

KA: The Hasmonean monarchy (140-37 BCE) was quite controversial in itself since the Bible explicitly restricts political rule to descendants of the biblical King David. The Hasmoneans were the descendants of Mattahias ben Johanan (d. 166 BCE), a rural priest from Modi’in, who helped organize the successful Revolt of the Maccabees (167-160 BCE). By virtue of ancestry, Hasmoneans were of the priestly class and therefore qualified to hold the office of high priest. Yet, they were clearly in violation of Scripture when they combined both offices to become “priest-kings.”

When Salome Alexandra became the sole ruler of her nation, she could not serve as high priest since Scripture restricts the priesthood exclusively to males. She appointed her eldest son, Hyrcanus II, as high priest. This, I believe, promoted dynastic stability and guaranteed the survival of the dynasty since it restored the biblical separation of the monarchy and the priesthood. The nation clearly supported her since she was not only allowed to reign, but her people also let her determine the high priestly succession and the form of Judaism practiced in the Jerusalem temple.

JW: Do we know how or why Alexandra Salome became such a strong supporter of the Pharisees even when her husband backed the Sadducees? Could you also explain to our readers how her patronage of the Pharisees played a decisive role in shaping Judaism?

When Salome Alexandra became queen, she restored the Pharisees to positions of political and religious power. Her patronage of the Pharisees played a decisive role in shaping the Judaism of Jesus’ day, which became the basis for the rabbinic movement upon which modern Judaism is based. Many of the laws of the Pharisees–a large number instituted during her reign–still remain normative even today. It was because Jesus agreed with her form of Judaism that we find him most frequently engaged in debates with the Pharisees, who allowed for diversity of opinion regarding the observance of Jewish Law.

JW: There are tantalizing references to Salome Alexandra in the Dead Sea Scrolls , which attest that she was a “prostitute.” How should we interpret and analyze these comments in your academic opinion? Salome Alexandra is the only woman explicitly mentioned by name in the Dead Sea Scrolls .

KA: Great question, James. The marginalized religious community that authored the Dead Sea Scrolls did not like the Hasmonean monarchs, especially Salome Alexandra. They considered her family usurpers of the Davidic throne. But they hated her because she was a woman. In one of their texts known as the Nahum Pesher , which interprets the writings of the prophet Nahum, they were convinced that a biblical passage describing a prostitute who ruled the nation referred to her. They use shocking and sexist language to demean her, and accuse her of gross sexual immorality. I should add that this community aspired to a life of greater purity, away from Hasmonean, and later Herodian and Roman rule.

What is ironic is that Josephus praised Salome Alexandra’s piety and denounced her husband for consorting with prostitutes! In another Dead Sea Scroll, known as the Hosea Pesher A, the author reflects back upon an unprecedented period of prosperity that clearly took place during her reign. The Talmud also preserves this same tradition and states that during the reign of Salome Alexandra, “the wheat became like kidneys and the barley like olive pits, and the lentils like gold coins.” Yet, even though this Dead Sea Scroll recognizes that her reign was a period of unprecedented prosperity, its author blames her for the Roman conquest that took place four years after her death.

Dr. Atkinson, how should we characterize Salome Alexandra’s accomplishments and evaluate her legacy? Although she did much to stabilize Judea, she was never able to diminish the fierce sibling rivalry between her two sons, which brought the downfall of Hasmonean rule and the Roman annexation of Judea soon after her death.

KA: Salome Alexandra’s love for her sons was her greatest failing: they hated one another. Archaeologists have discovered two magnificent palaces she constructed in the oasis of Jericho: one for Hyrcanus II and the other for Aristobulus II. She apparently had to keep her sons apart from one another even in their leisure time!

Unable to divide the offices of monarch and high priest between her two children, she had no choice but to name Hyrcanus II as her successor since he was a Pharisee. His brother, Aristobulus II, deposed him only three months later. Hyrcanus II fought his sibling to regain power. Ultimately, the two were foolish enough to allow the Romans to settle their dispute over the succession. The general Pompey the Great accepted the offer and ultimately seized power for himself, ending nearly a century of independent Jewish rule. For centuries, Jews and Christians regarded Salome Alexandra as the most pious and competent ruler of her nation. Without her reign, Judaism and Christianity would likely be vastly different religions.

JW: Before concluding this interview, I wanted to ask you what sparked your interest in the ancient world and biblical history?

Your background is quite fascinating; namely, you were an American soldier stationed in Berlin during the height of the Cold War in the 1980s and also a volunteer at a kibbutz in Israel. Did you cultivate a love of ancient history and the Holy Land from these experiences?

KA: Indeed, it was largely during my time stationed in West Berlin as part of the U.S. Army in the 1980s that I became interested in ancient history. I was fortunate to be able to cross through the Berlin Wall often. I frequently visited the great ancient history collections in the museums in East Berlin, especially the Pergamon Museum, as well as the antiquity museums in West Berlin. This stimulated my desire to learn more about the past and pursue advanced degrees in ancient history. I spent most of my military leave traveling to ancient sites in Europe and the Middle East, where many of the artifacts in the Berlin collections were initially discovered.

While in the military, I arranged to be discharged in Germany. I then moved to Kibbutz Kfar Hanassi north of the Sea of Galilee, where, among various jobs, I worked as an avocado picker and chicken handler. During this time, I began volunteering on archaeological excavations in the region. I then spent a total of 2.5 years traveling on my military savings, living out of a backpack, visiting ancient sites and working on various archaeological excavations throughout Israel, as well as England. It was these combined experiences that convinced me to pursue a career in ancient history upon my return home. It is a decision I have not regretted as teaching and researching ancient history remains as exciting as ever. I discover something new virtually every day!

JW: It has been a pleasure to learn more about Salome Alexandra and her rightful place in history. She is truly a most intriguing and commanding woman, Dr. Atkinson! I wish you many happy adventures in research and please keep us posted as to your future projects and research.

KA: James, thank you very much for the invitation and your work on the Ancient History Encyclopedia. It is a valuable resource, one I wish I had when I was beginning my academic career.

Image Credits and Reference:

1. Coin of depicting the seals of Alexander Jannaeus, c. 90 BCE. Courtesy of Ingsoc via Wikimedia Commons.

2. Map of the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judea, c. 80 BCE and its neighbors in the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

3. Photograph of caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in Qumran, West Bank (Palestine). Courtesy of Grauesel via Wikimedia Commons.

4. Photographic reproduction of “Pompey in the Temple of Jerusalem,” painted originally c. 1470-1475, by the French artist Jean Fouquet (1420-1481 CE). In 63 BCE, after a three month siege, Pompey the Great and his soldiers enter the Jerusalem Temple and desecrate the holy sanctuary. [<< Pompée dans le Temple de Jérusalem >>. Paris: BnF, département des Manuscrits. Français 247, fol. 293v. (Livre XIV)].

James Blake Wiener is a Director and the Public Relations Manager of the Ancient History Encyclopedia , providing a continuous listing of must-read articles, exciting museum exhibitions, and interviews with experts in the field. Trained as a historian and researcher, and previously a professor of history, James is also a freelance writer who is keenly interested in cross-cultural exchange. Committed to fostering increased awareness of the ancient world, James welcomes you to the Ancient History Encyclopedia and hopes that you find his news releases and interviews to be “illuminating.”

All photographs of Dr. Kenneth Atkinson or images from his publication are his exclusive property. They have been given to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, as a courtesy, for the purposes of this interview. Other images have been attributed under copyright licenses. All rights reserved. © AHE 2013.

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