King Edward VII (1841-1910) and Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) - Page 12

Iluvbertie · #**221** 10-03-2009, 10:29 PM

Alexandra always had the love of the people of her adopted country and although Edward cheated on her he did respect her and insist that she be treated with total respect and, in his way, I do think that he loved her but she couldn't fill all of his needs.

I think Alexandra was happier overall as she had the secure country, the love of the people and the love of her family.

Minnie had the love of her family only as the people in Russia turned on her and her family and she had to flee her adopted country and wasn't all that well received by her brother in Denmark. He tolerated her more than welcomed her. Alexandra could always go back to Britain to a loving country whereas after 1917 Minnie didn't have that 'home' anymore.

Grace Angel · #**222** 10-04-2009, 12:07 AM

I agree with these observations. Just from reading the bio of Queen Alexandra- can't recall the author's name now, likely David Duff's book, and then the biography of Marie F by Coryne Hall, I got the impression Marie was maybe happier. But, Marie lost more of her children in her lifetime than Alexandra who only lost 2, Eddy and also an infant son. Minnie lost George in 1899 and also a son in infancy, but more than that, Nicholas and Michael in the revolution.

**MAfan** · #**223** 10-04-2009, 06:13 AM

Not Nicholas, but Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexis. And a lot of other Romanov relatives. This is worst.
Maria Fedorovna had to live ten years, the last ten years of her life, together with this tragedy, the murder of half her family.

Furienna · #**224** 10-04-2009, 09:19 AM

Aw, yes. That must have been terrible for Dagmar.

Marsel · #**225** 10-04-2009, 09:57 AM

She didn't want to accept it though. Up until her death, Maria Feodorovna didn't believed that Nicholas, Alexandra and their children were death. She preferred believing in myths that they had somehow survived and escaped.
That was one of the reasons she never met with Sokolov, who conducted the investigation into the fate of the Imperial Family and found out all the horrible details (including Yurovski's detailed report): she simply couldn't face the truth.

**MAfan** · #**226** 10-04-2009, 10:04 AM

Exact, Marsel; and in my opinion this fact shows all the tragedy and the sorrow of her later life.

Russophile · #**227** 10-04-2009, 08:53 PM

I will have to read a bio. on Alexandra to see. From what I am reading right now, Minnie had a terrific grasp of politics and the court. I can't help but think if Nicholas had deferred to her more things would have turned out differently. Of the two women, though, the big thing that shines through is that they both did their duty to their countries and did it exceedingly well.

CarolinaLandgrave · #**228** 10-05-2009, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russophile

i will have to read a bio. On alexandra to see. From what i am reading right now, minnie had a terrific grasp of politics and the court. I can't help but think if nicholas had deferred to her more things would have turned out differently. Of the two women, though, the big thing that shines through is that they both did their duty to their countries and did it exceedingly well.

agreed 100%!!!!

betina · #**229** 10-15-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackswife

I actually think Queen Alexandra wore chokers to hide a tracheotomy scar from when she had scarlet fever as a child (which is also why she walked with a slight limp ever afterwards), and not as a result of attempting suicide. And yes, she was quite the beauty of her day, more so than I think her sister Dagmar (Marie of Russia) and Thyra. A very elegant royal lady.

The limp was during a very hard birth of Princess Louise. At least i have read that in several books

Iluvbertie · #**230** 10-15-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betina

The limp was during a very hard birth of Princess Louise. At least i have read that in several books

It wasn't the difficulty of the birth but more the fact that she suffered from rheumatic fever during the pregnancy. It was the fever that caused the limp. She didn't have it before the fever.

Lady Meg · #**231** 10-15-2009, 10:03 PM

What I admire the most about her and the women of that time is their clothing. Have you seen some of those corsets that they wore? How do you get such a tiny waist?!

Furienna · #**232** 10-15-2009, 10:53 PM

Yeah, you have to wonder (even though at least two royal women of that era, Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary and Queen Maud of Norway, may have suffered from anorexia). Fashion can be so painful.

Grace Angel · #**233** 10-15-2009, 11:04 PM

Alexandra was naturally the thin type ( as was her sister Marie, Empress consort of Russia) and her daughters Maud, Toria, and Louise seem to have inheirited this build. Tight corseting was the in thing- you can see this also in a photo of Victoria Melita and her sisters ( Beatrice, Marie of Romania and Sandra) as young women too. They followed the fashion of the times.

Iluvbertie · #**234** 10-15-2009, 11:22 PM

Alexandra, and Bertie, were both among the fashion setters of the time rather than just followers.

Grace Angel · #**235** 10-16-2009, 01:11 PM

That's very true. Alexandra has been called the Diana of her time.

Lady Meg · #**236** 10-17-2009, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grace Angel

Alexandra was naturally the thin type ( as was her sister Marie, Empress consort of Russia) and her daughters Maud, Toria, and Louise seem to have inheirited this build. Tight corseting was the in thing- you can see this also in a photo of Victoria Melita and her sisters ( Beatrice, Marie of Romania and Sandra) as young women too. They followed the fashion of the times.

Yes, I just can't get over how tight those things were. You must have started out with a larger waist and then through wearing it you were shaped in that way?? I guess it's like the modern day Spanx. lol. I just love looking at their dresses. They really were beautiful. This and the Renaissance era are the times I wish I could go back to.. just to wear the clothes if anything.

Grace Angel · #**237** 10-17-2009, 12:55 AM

I think they did get the waist slimmer through corseting over time. They were quite thin anyway. Alexandra and her family seemed to have that build that they remained youthful looking for a long time. But tight corseting got every one royal and non royal alike,- another royal example is Mary of Teck on her wedding day to George V. Her waist was tiny. They made it look effortless. I'm sure it didn't feel effortless though. But they wanted to be in style. It's like breast implants and plastic surgery today.

Furienna · #**238** 10-17-2009, 07:41 AM

Yeah, Mary of Teck really had a thin waist too.

I'm glad I wasn't a royal back then, because I would never have been able to pull that off.

Wisteria · #**239** 10-17-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grace Angel

That's very true. Alexandra has been called the Diana of her time.

Or perhaps we could say that Diana was the Alexandra of her time.

betina · #**240** 10-17-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Meg

Yes, I just can't get over how tight those things were. You must have started out with a larger waist and then through wearing it you were shaped in that way?? I guess it's like the modern day Spanx. lol. I just love looking at their dresses. They really were beautiful. This and the Renaissance era are the times I wish I could go back to.. just to wear the clothes if anything.

Many women at that time had their lower ribs removed so they could tighten the corsetts like that.
It cant be healthy at all.