Alexandra of Denmark was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 1901 to 1910. She was Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1901, the longest anyone has ever held that title. Largely excluded from wielding any political power, she unsuccessfully attempted to sway the opinion of British ministers and her husband’s family to favour Greek and Danish interests. She greatly distrusted her nephew Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and supported her son George V during the First World War.
About Alexandra of Denmark in brief
Alexandra of Denmark was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 1901 to 1910 as the wife of King Edward VII. She was Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1901, the longest anyone has ever held that title. Largely excluded from wielding any political power, she unsuccessfully attempted to sway the opinion of British ministers and her husband’s family to favour Greek and Danish interests. She greatly distrusted her nephew Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and supported her son George V during the First World War. Alexandra’s family had been relatively obscure until 1852, when her father, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, was chosen to succeed his distant cousin Frederick VII as king of Denmark. At the age of 16 Alexandra was chosen as the future wife of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the heir apparent of Queen Victoria. The couple married eighteen months later in 1863, the year in which her father becameKing of Denmark as Christian IX and her brother was appointed king of Greece as George I. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were already concerned with finding a bride for their son and heir apparent, Albert Edward. They enlisted the aid of their daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, the Prince of Prussia. Alexandra was not their first choice because the Danes were at loggerheads with most of the Prussians. Eventually, after rejecting other possibilities, they rejected her as ‘the only one to be chosen’ on September 24, 1861. Almost a year later on September 9 September 1862, Alexandra and Albert Edward travelled to Denmark aboard the royal yacht Leopold I of Belgium.
A few months later they settled in Denmark and later on 9 September 1863 on a royal yacht, the Royal Yacht Leopolder. Alexandra shared a draughty attic bedroom with her sister, Dagmar, made her own clothes and waited at table along with her sisters. Alexandra and Dagmar were given swimming lessons by the Swedish pioneer of women’s swimming, Nancy Edberg. Alexandra grew into a young woman; she was taught English by the English chaplain at Copenhagen and was confirmed in Christiansborg Palace. Although she was of royal blood, her family lived a comparatively normal life. They did not possess great wealth; her father’s income from an army commission was about £800 per year and their house was a rent-free grace and favour property. Prince Christian was given the title Prince of Denmark and his family moved into a new official residence, Bernstorff Palace. In 1848, Christian VIII of Denmark died and his only son Frederick ascended the throne. Frederick was childless, had been through two unsuccessful marriages, and was assumed to be infertile. An uneasy peace was agreed, which included the provision that Prince Christian would be Frederick’s heir in all his dominions and the prior claims of others were surrendered. In Holstein, the Salic law prevented inheritance through the female line, whereas no such restrictions applied in Denmark. Holstein being predominantly German, proclaimed independence.
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