[Danielle]

I finally found this thread! :)

Here is some more information about Princess Beatrice. The article had a few spelling mistakes, so I tried to fix some of them up.

Princess Beatrice, 1857-1944

Queen Victoria's last child was Beatrice and was referred to as "Baby" in the family. Victoria was enchanted with her youngest child. Unfortunately the Queen never wanted her daughter to leave her. Beatrice was the first member of her family, but not the last, to run afoul of the future Kaiser Wilhelm II. A daughter of Beatrice married Alfonso XIII of Spain.

Parents

Beatrice was Victoria and Albert's last child.

Albert

Albert was the born into the royal family of a small German principality. He was strictly raised and very well educated. His marriage to Victoria brought him to the throne of the most powerful country of the day. He was only the Prince Consort and not a co-ruler with his wife. His advise to his poorly educated wife, however, was of great value to England, especially his advise that England not support the South in the American Civil War. He took the education of their children very seriously--especially heir, the future Edward VII very seriously. Despite the attention given to the care and education of the children. Albert's untimely death devastated the Victoria.

Victoria

Queen Victoria was Britain's longest serving monarch. Her marriage with Albert was the love story of the 19th century. She set the moral tone of the nation and helped shape Britain's emergence as a truly democratic nation. Victoria witnessed an extraordinary development of British power and influence. She and Albert changed how Britain's looked on their monarch. She became in many ways the grandmother of Europe, forging dynastic ties throughout the Continent. She also played a major role in influencing boys clothing around the world by the garments she selected for the young princes.

Birth

Beatrice was born at Buckingham Palace in 1857, only 4 years before her father's death. It is likely that her life would have been quite different if Albert has not died at such a young age. Her formal name was Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodora Wettin.

Siblings

Victoria and Albert had nine children, four boys and five girls. They saw themselves and in many ways were suitably enough an ideal Victorian family. The marriages and offspring of these children are truly remarkable. Victoria in more than name was the grandmother of Europe. Ties were forged with Denmark, Prussia and other German states, Russia, and Spain. Notably France was exempted from Victoria's dynastic web.

Childhood

Victoria was delighted with the baby and her letters to Vicky describe the joy she got out of playing with the child. It was only 4 years, however, before the death of the Prince Consort Albert and the dramatic change in the life of the children. Victoria later wrote, Beatrice was the only thing I think I feel keeps me alive. As the baby of the family she was doted on. In fact baby became her nickname among the family.

Wilhelm II

Beatrice was the first member of her family, but not the last, to run afoul of the future Kaiser Wilhelm II. Beatrice was Wilhelm's aunt, but only a few years younger than him. Beatrice's sister Victoria brought Wilhelm along with her when she came to Britain for the Prince of Wales wedding. Wilhelm by all accounts out did himself with naughty behavior. He through Beatrice's muff from the carriage. For the wedding itself, Wilhelm was done up in a kilt costume and was intrigued with the dirk (dagger) in his knee socks. When he started playing with it, Beatrice tried unsuccessfully to get him to behave. She reportedly wanted him to refer to her as "Aunt Beatrice". As she was only a few years older than him, he objected. By this time he had picked up the fact that within the family she was called "Baby". He then told her, "... alright, I will call you Aunt Baby". [Van der Kriste]