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

[Alison H]

You could say "by disliking his nephew". Edward was aiming for peace with the Entente Cordiale, though, not military action.

If anything, the Triple Entente should have stopped the war, when you actually get down to the events of the summer of 1914 ... Austria-Hungary must surely have known that Russia would back up Serbia, and so, knowing that the Triple Entente existed, might have thought twice about potentially aggravating Britain and France by association, but evidently didn't. And what actually brought Britain into the war was the German invasion of Belgium, and Britain's agreement to protect Belgium went right back to before Edward was even born. There are a lot of reasons why the Great War happened, but Edward VII's actions aren't amongst them.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Some people dislike it when older film is colorized. What do you think?

 

[IloveCP]

Does anymore know if the Queen Mother attended Alexandra's funeral? I ask this because she was pregnant with Elizabeth at the time and to my knowledge, I have never seen photos of the Queen Mother pregnant.

 

[Gawin]

Does anymore know if the Queen Mother attended Alexandra's funeral? I ask this because she was pregnant with Elizabeth at the time and to my knowledge, I have never seen photos of the Queen Mother pregnant.

According to Hugo Vickers's biography of the Queen Mother, she did attend Queen Alexandra's funeral at Westminster Abbey (November 28, 1925). The Court Circular for that day also states that the Duke and Duchess of York were among the guests who dined with the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace that evening. I'm not sure about the private committal service held at St. George's Chapel on November 29. The November 30 issue of the Times lists the royal mourners as the King and Queen, the Prince of Wales, the King of Denmark, the King and Queen of Norway, Prince Olaf of Norway, the Duke of York, Prince Henry, Princess Mary, Princess Victoria, Prince George of Greece, and "one or two others."

In his official biography of the Queen Mother, William Shawcross states that the Yorks did not tell their parents about her pregnancy until mid October 1925 (a month before the funeral). When the Royal Family (including the Duke) went to York Cottage at Sandringham a few days after the funeral, the Duchess remained in London because she felt unwell. However, she joined them there for Christmas.

 

[Mbruno]

If anything, the Triple Entente should have stopped the war, when you actually get down to the events of the summer of 1914 ... Austria-Hungary must surely have known that Russia would back up Serbia, and so, knowing that the Triple Entente existed, might have thought twice about potentially aggravating Britain and France by association, but evidently didn't. And what actually brought Britain into the war was the German invasion of Belgium, and Britain's agreement to protect Belgium went right back to before Edward was even born. There are a lot of reasons why the Great War happened, but Edward VII's actions aren't amongst them.

I see it the other way around. The policy of alliances could trigger a chain reaction that would escalate potential wars in Europe. Germany was likely to go to war with France and, maybe with Russia, and Britain, by being committed to the Entente, could be dragged into their conflicts against its own best interests.

To be fair, that is not exactly what happened. In the end, Germany declared war on both Russia and France, and Britain went to war over Belgium, even though the German invasion of Belgium was aimed at invading France, militarily speaking.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

During the First World War, Queen Alexandra begged King George V to remove Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany's honorary flags from the chapel of St. George's at Windsor.

She certainly held grudges especially after Schleswig-Holstein issue

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Mark Twain met King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at a Windsor garden party in 1907.
http://www.maryevans.com/history/Mark-Twain-meets-Edward-VII-and-Queen-Alexandra-10547248

 

[Furienna]

She certainly held grudges especially after Schleswig-Holstein issue

Yeah, but the UK was also at war with Germany at that point.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Yeah, but the UK was also at war with Germany at that point.

I know that the U.K went to war against Germany because of Belgian neutrality but I also think Alexandra’s pettiness played a part in reminding her husband.

 

[Denville]

I know that the U.K went to war against Germany because of Belgian neutrality but I also think Alexandra’s pettiness played a part in reminding her husband.

Alix was hardly petty in disliking Prussian militarism. And her husband was dead when the War broke out, so not sure what you mean. The British govt went to war with Germany for various reasons, and it would be odd to have the emblems of a foreign power, with whom you are at war, in a royal chapel.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Edward VII visited 32 royal cousins in Denmark. Is not 32 royal cousins a lot of cousins to visit?

 

[JR76]

King Edward VII visited 32 royal cousins in Denmark. Is not 32 royal cousins a lot of cousins to visit?

His wife Alexandra and her siblings alone had 39 children among them so it's not a high number of royal cousins at all. Europe was swarming with royal cousins back then.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

King Edward VII visited 32 royal cousins in Denmark. Is not 32 royal cousins a lot of cousins to visit?

Royals in those days produced like rabbits so no it’s not shocking that he had many cousins. Plus most of Queen Victoria’s children had many children so.....

 

[Durham]

The white yacht looks a lot like Kaiser Wilhelm's Hohenzollern. Although it looks like the White Ensign at the stern. It's definitely not the Victoria & Albert.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

Royals in those days produced like rabbits so no it’s not shocking that he had many cousins. Plus most of Queen Victoria’s children had many children so.....

People in general produced like rabbits in those days. Not just the Royals. But all the way down to the poorest families it was not uncommon for a couple to have 6-8+ children.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Alexandra and Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany at an archeological excavation in Garista, Corfu in 1911
http://www.maryevans.com/history/10496927

 

[Prinsara]

I find it really hard to believe Alix and her nephew would be voluntarily hanging out together, in Greece of all places, especially given what Wilhelm did to his sister the Crown Princess... but given the position of his arm, I guess that really is Willy.

As Alix's biography says: "Not so welcome was 'The Great William very much en evidence [who] also came on board the first day & she & the whole family came next day. We are going to pay them a visit this afternoon!' He had come to see some 'very interesting excavations to which we all went & spent hours there. W spends his days there & all his enormous suites!!'"

 

[Furienna]

I find it really hard to believe Alix and her nephew would be voluntarily hanging out together, in Greece of all places, especially given what Wilhelm did to his sister the Crown Princess... but given the position of his arm, I guess that really is Willy.

As Alix's biography says: "Not so welcome was 'The Great William very much en evidence [who] also came on board the first day & she & the whole family came next day. We are going to pay them a visit this afternoon!' He had come to see some 'very interesting excavations to which we all went & spent hours there. W spends his days there & all his enormous suites!!'"

I think I must have missed something.
What exactly did Wilhelm do to his sister?

 

[Prinsara]

I think I must have missed something.
What exactly did Wilhelm do to his sister?

Accused Sophie of doing harm to his premature son and had her banned from Germany for 3 years, both for converting to Greek Orthodoxy. Not to mention his awful relationship with their mother Vicky — Alix was very fond of her sister-in-law.

Alix apparently learned to tolerate him to his face but not respect him in private, unsurprisingly.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In June 1908 King Edward VII became the first reigning British sovereign to visit the Russian Empire.
On June 9, 1908, a meetting of the Russian Imperial and British Royal families took place in Reval.
http://www.tsarnicholas.org/2022/06/09/emperor-nicholas-ii-and-king-edward-vii-meet-at-reval-1908

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) in first Rolls Royce circa 1900
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/515297630

 

[Prinsara]

The Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) in first Rolls Royce circa 1900
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/515297630

If you zoom in, that is very much not the future Edward VII (especially not in 1900), but the future George V. What he is doing there, I couldn't say.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, that’s George all right with Charles Rolls on what looks like a very cold day. Edward VII did like motoring and cars but he’s nowhere in sight. Is the building Balmoral I wonder?

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) in first Rolls Royce circa 1900
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/515297630

It was taken at ' The Hendre' which was the Lord Llangattock's family's home in Monmouthshire.
Also in the photo is Hon. C.S. Rolls,Lord Llangattock [Rolls' father], Sir Charles Cust .

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...or_autocar,_C_S_Rolls_driver_and_George_V.jpg

 

[Prinsara]

So it isn't "the first Rolls-Royce", either, just the founder.

 

[An Ard Ri]

So it isn't "the first Rolls-Royce", either, just the founder.

Charles Stewart Rolls was co founder of the Rolls-Royce car manufacturing firm with Henry Royce in 1904.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In 1868 Edward and Alexandra made plans to go abroad for several months. The Princess was determined to take her three eldest children as far as Copenhagen. Queen Victoria was not at all disposed to agree Princess Louise ought to be left behind. Alexandra burst into tears. Queen Victoria gave way about Princess Louise.

​

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Edward VII visited the ship Discovery
http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/U337226

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Did Princess Alexandra lift Queen Victoria out of her isolation?

 

[Prinsara]

What an absolutely dreadful "documentary". I can't even count the errors.

Yes, it's on record that during Alexandra's first visit to England (with no Bertie) that Victoria cheered up a bit and was crying less. She also praised Alix. (So much for having "hated" her as claims.)