Alexandra's Personality Traits - Good & Bad

[imperial angel]

Very true about the Kaiser, he was not good public relations for Germany as it were. I think this was one reson that Alexandra was looked badly at. Another one ws that she was shy, which she coudn't help. She was more concerned with the common people than the aristocracy; in another country or time, this could have won her great favour. But in that time and country it didn't, although she was right in in her concern for ordinary people more, even if she sometimes thought a bit naively of them. Alexandra was certainly not extravagent nor called so; but she was called everything else, and this doomed her in the end. I think it was unfair, in England Alexandra would most likely have pretty popular as a consort.

[CountessKate]

in England Alexandra would most likely have pretty popular as a consort.

I would question this.  In my view, it was Alexandra's invisibility which really caused her unpopularity.  Because people couldn't see her, they could imagine all sorts of lurid things - and did so.  Maria Feodorovna's parents were born in Germany, her youngest sister was married to a German and her nephew was married to the Kaiser's daughter, but there was never any question in people's minds that she might be a covert German sympathiser because she was highly visible, and made her opinions clearly known.  Alexandra was invisible, didn't bother communicating to anyone outside her immediate circle, and the only things most people knew about her was that she was associated with a man of deeply unsavoury reputation, and was close to her German brothers and sisters.  Some measure of social communication would have mitigated this perception of her.

Queen Victoria's seclusion after Albert's death made her similarly unpopular.  Once Disraeli worked his magic, and she got out and about more, she became much more popular.   Queen Mary and Empress Dona were quite as virtuous as Alexandra, and not particularly dedicated to the social whirl, but both saw it as their duty to preside over court events, and generally be highly visible consorts whose loyalty to their countries could not be questioned, even if they had relations fighting on the other side.  And in a more raffish way, Marie of Roumania in WWI showed you could be identified with an adopted country without being born and bred there.  If Alexandra had shown herself in society frequently, however awkwardly, and rushed about the country during WWI handing out medals, attending charity bazars and visiting hospitals as other consorts did, rather than attending on the wounded as a nurse and running the country in a deeply incompetent fashion in relative isolation, she might never have become a figure of such genuine, and unfair, hatred.  At least people would have a better idea of where she stood.  

Given that in WWI her brother-in-law Louis Mountbatten was hounded from his position in the British navy due to his German origins , even if she had been queen of England Alexandra might have come in for some unpleasant flack.  But greater visibility might also have countered this.  

[Ortino]

While I agree with all that CountessKate stated, I believe that Alexandra would have indeed made a better English consort. I don't think it would have necessarily made her more popular, but she would have been better suited nonetheless. Although born a German princess, it is clear that her leanings were always English. Her tastes, opinions, and reserved personality all reflect the English lifestyle and obviously therefore could never coincide with Russian ones. Looking back, even though Eddy was a tad crazy, I think she would have been better off marrying him than Nicholas.

[Teddy]

Yes, I would be friends with her. For me: Loyalty is a must.

[Yseult]

I don´t think so.

I feel tenderness and a great measure of compassion for Alix, but I think that If she were a friend of mine, I would be so exasperate about her.

[Tania+]

I think for most, when one chooses to be a friend, or find a friend, respect and loyalty are a must. I don't think it matters what rank, or how much one has in terms of money or objects, these basic essentials are the glue that makes or breaks any relationships.

So I agree with you, for me loyalty is a must ! I would be friends with her as well !

Tatiana+

Yes, I would be friends with her. For me: Loyalty is a must.

[Grace]

While I agree with all that CountessKate stated, I believe that Alexandra would have indeed made a better English consort. I don't think it would have necessarily made her more popular, but she would have been better suited nonetheless. Although born a German princess, it is clear that her leanings were always English. Her tastes, opinions, and reserved personality all reflect the English lifestyle and obviously therefore could never coincide with Russian ones. Looking back, even though Eddy was a tad crazy, I think she would have been better off marrying him than Nicholas.

Eddy may not have been ideal king material, Ortino, but he was certainly not crazy in any way.  I think you may be a little short on info regarding him?  

Regardless of Eddy's strong feelings for Alix, they would have been a poorly matched couple.  However, she probably would have made a better Queen of England than she did a Tsarina of All The Russias, anyway.  In my opinion, she wasn't suited to play a lead role in any capacity.

[aleksandra]

Yes absolutely I would because we have so much in common, family wise and in feelings. But I’m a little shy like alix.

[Ortino]

Eddy may not have been ideal king material, Ortino, but he was certainly not crazy in any way.  I think you may be a little short on info regarding him?

Actually, no. I don't know where you're getting your information, but Eddy was certainly mentally imbalanced.  :-? I mean Eddy, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, not David, Prince of Wales if that's what's confusing you.

And my point was that if she had become a British consort instead of a Russian one, she may have avoided certain problems/criticisms regarding personality and behavior.

[Arleen]

YES, I would befriend Alexandra!  I have always liked her VERY much.

Arleen

[Grace]

I am off topic here, but I wonder where your information that Prince Eddy was "mentally unbalanced" came from?  It is a fairly typical view of him, admittedly, but it does not fit in with what is now known about Eddy and his life.  I'll say no more on him here, however...    

Back to topic - I agree with what you say about AF.  Being a British consort rather than a Russian one would have proved more suitable to her character but it is still hard to think that she would have handled it competently and become beloved of the people, but who knows?  :-/

[Ra-Ra-Rasputin]

I agree that Alexandra would probably have fared better as an English Queen; she certainly wouldn't have been murdered, that's for sure.

I think it would have been easier for her because she wouldn't have had SUCH a prominent role, seeing as our monarchy is constitutional, and she wouldn't have felt such pressure to have a son, etc.  Plus, of course, no Orthodox religion here, so her intensely spiritualist side wouldn't have had a chance to come out, and so no Rasputin.

I agree with Grace; Alexandra was simply not suited to a public role at all, but she was going to have to have some sort of public role, whoever she married, seeing as she was royalty.  Russia was probably the worst country she could have married into for her temperament, and if she had married the heir to the British throne, I think her life would have been a lot more comfortable and less stressful for her.  

She may though have suffered from the anti German feelings during the war, though I doubt to the extent she did in Russia.

Rachel
xx

[CountessKate]

My personal feeling is that Alexandra would have made a poor queen/empress consort for any of the European countries as she just doesn't seem to me to have been good consort material.  For Russia, she proved to be totally disastrous.  If she had been in England,  the governmental structure meant that she would have had no opportunity to influence political decisions, so her whole sphere would have been in the social/public arena, where she clearly demonstrated ineptitude even before her increasing isolation from Russian society.  The role of the consort in Europe (including Russia) was (1) to produce healthy heirs, gender depending on country but at the time male was preferred even where not required and (2) to support the monarch, politically depending on country but foremost socially/publically.  It should be remembered that Maria Feodorovna's apparent social 'frivolity' was in fact highly supportive of Alexander III's government as she put a public, accessible and attractive face on a monarchy where the autocrat was not himself sociable, particularly accessible, or attractive.  In Alexandra's case, her dislike and contempt of the social side of her role had a much higher importance in a regime where the ruler was so pivotal.  Nicholas had no consort at his side, publicly demonstrating her support of his regime, showing how much she enjoyed being in Russia and leading its society.  Instead he had a consort who shrank from her public role and appeared to think it beneath her.  That wouldn't have gone down well in any country.  If she had been 'just' a socialite, she would have been a much better consort whether she was in Russia or England, in my view.  

[GD Alexandra]

My personal feeling is that Alexandra would have made a poor queen/empress consort for any of the European countries as she just doesn't seem to me to have been good consort material.  For Russia, she proved to be totally disastrous.  If she had been in England,  the governmental structure meant that she would have had no opportunity to influence political decisions, so her whole sphere would have been in the social/public arena, where she clearly demonstrated ineptitude even before her increasing isolation from Russian society.  The role of the consort in Europe (including Russia) was (1) to produce healthy heirs, gender depending on country but at the time male was preferred even where not required and (2) to support the monarch, politically depending on country but foremost socially/publically.
 If she had been 'just' a socialite, she would have been a much better consort whether she was in Russia or England, in my view.  

Well, I second your opinion. She wound't had make it nor in England as she did not in Russia. On the part of producing healthy heirs, well it is clearly that she did not accomplished this task, for example, although Queen Victoria's son Leopold was hemophiliac, she had Bertie Alfred and Arthur to ensure the crown. If Alix would had had any other sons, the story might had been different.
On the other hand, I beleive that supporting the monarchy by socializing was a key point by that time to give a bright side to the ruling monarch.

So, yes in my opinion Alexandra's most important job was to be a socialite.

[imperial angel]

There are many things I admire about Alexandra, and I don't think she should just be judged by Rasputin and the later years when she was under much stress and pressure. I guess I would just find her a little hard to relate to.