Alexandra & Queen Victoria and Prince Eddy

[Mary R.]

Here are a few excerpts from James Pope-Hennessy's biography that help answer question #2.
"... an excited shouting crowd asurge beneath the gas lamps in front of Buckingham Palace, cheering the two well known figures who, aloft upon the brightly-lit central balcony, seemed at that moment to symbolize the nation's joy."
"They were the same King and Queen whom Londoners had congregated to cheer in that same place... but now a sense of true gratitude strengthened the more conventionally loyal enthusiasm of the past."
This certainly shows the loyalty of the general public. I'm sure there were whispers here and there about QM's loyalties, but these quotes show an overall reaction. 

Grandduchessella, I was reading through the JPH's biography of QM and it says that Alexandra was at the 1913 wedding and that this was the last time they saw each other. You are quite knowledgeable about these little details, help! 

Mary R.

[grandduchessella]

The cheering showed the English royals was immense, and the role of the royal family solidified, but this was at the end of the conflict--in 1917 it was very different. There were strikes, serious unrest (helpfully urged on by the Germans) in Ireland where troops had to be stationed at there was loss of life, widespread shortages, etc....It was one of those times in history where it appeared things could go another way. I've looked through every issue of the Illustrated London News from 1914-1919 and some of the other weeklies like the Graphic and the Sphere, not to mention much of The Times coverage and it's a fascinating glimpse at the whole picture of what England and its Empire was facing at the time. It was in 1917 that the English royal family changed its name and various royals had to lose their status--including the Battenbergs even though Maurice (a grandson of Queen Victoria) had lost his life in the opening weeks of the war. Anyway, I don't want to get off-topic here. There are other threads for this.

Regarding Alexandra's attendance at the 1913 wedding, Pope-Hennessey was wrong.    I think it was assumed she was there, perhaps because Queen Mary was, but she wasn't. George V wrote to Nicholas about how everytime they tried to talk in private it seemed that Wilhelm was lurking at every keyhole. This was the last time George would see either Nicholas or Wilhelm.

There's a similar thread to this about the family and their relations with the foreign relatives:

http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php/topic,750.0.html

[Mary R.]

Thanks! 

Mary R.

[rgt9w]

Thank you for your informative replies Grand Duchess Ella. I was prompted to ask my questions after reading "King, Kaiser, Tsar". I was surprised about the antipathy towards Alexandra compared to Nicholas by the Royal Family.

[dmitri]

Why should anybody be surprised? Alexandra was hardly charming to her own grandmother Queen Victoria when she tried to let her know about feedback she had been receiving about Alexandra's unpopularity and that was many years before the revolution as Queen Victoria died in 1901. 

[Bsquared]

What evidence is there of Alix not being "charming" to her grandmother Queen Victoria? Any primary sources that I have seen indicate Alix's devotion to her grandmother, and visa versa.  Most surviving letters between QV and Nickly usually state "I long to see Darling Alicky" so much, etc.  Alix was devistated by QV's death, and this was observed and commented on by Grand Duchess Xenia, who was not above criticizing Alix.

I know there were awkward moments regarding presidence on the Imperial visit to Balmoral, but they were smoothed over.  The photographs from that visit can attest to that...

[dmitri]

There is one particular letter which I saw which warns Alexandra that her behaviour is not being appreciated in Russia and that even as Queen for a very long time and doyenne of Sovereigns that Victoria herself had to take notice of public opinion. Alexandra replied that she had no need to and that things were different in Russia. I am sure you will locate it if you do the research.

[RichC]

What evidence is there of Alix not being "charming" to her grandmother Queen Victoria? Any primary sources that I have seen indicate Alix's devotion to her grandmother, and visa versa.  Most surviving letters between QV and Nickly usually state "I long to see Darling Alicky" so much, etc.  Alix was devistated by QV's death, and this was observed and commented on by Grand Duchess Xenia, who was not above criticizing Alix.

I know there were awkward moments regarding presidence on the Imperial visit to Balmoral, but they were smoothed over.  The photographs from that visit can attest to that...

All indications are that Empress Alexandra had a very positive relationship with her grandmother, Queen Victoria, up to the Queen's death in 1901.  Even the Kaiser (William II) didn't cross his grandmother, so it's hard to imagine Empress Alexandra doing so.  Queen Victoria did once write a diatribe in which she referred to herself as the "doyenne" of sovereigns, but if I recall, that was directed to her daughter, Vicky, not her granddaughter Alix.  In any case, the Queen had very warm relationships with both Vicky and Alix.

[dmitri]

You need to do some research about Alexandra and Queen Victoria as well as Queen Victoria and Kaiser Wilhelm II.

[Bsquared]

I do not think it is required.  Alexandra and QV had a very loving relationship. Alexandra burned all of the QV correspondence, except for letters sent at the time of Alexandra's wedding.  Not sure where the letter Dmitri quotes from QV to Alix is?  QV invoked the doyenne of soveriegns line often- I've seen it to her daughters Vicky and Alice. It sounds like something good for QV to say to Alix, but I am not convinced that it actually took place. 

QV's last letter to Nicholas in late 1900 mentions that she longs to see "darling Alicky so much..." No hint at a rift or irritation. Alexandra was devistated by QV's death from all accounts.

Alix kept an affectionate correspondence with her aunts Beatrice and Louise, her letters to them survive..Alix   

[RichC]

I know there were awkward moments regarding presidence on the Imperial visit to Balmoral, but they were smoothed over.  The photographs from that visit can attest to that...

I thought the story of the "awkward moments" at Balmoral were also shown to have come from a very unreliable source.  But I don't remember the details -- can anyone help out here?

[Bsquared]

One source said that there were minor issues of precedence which briefly ruffled some feathers.  The weather was not great either.  But it seems it was a very poingnant visit, especially for Alix and QV, who doted on baby Olga.

[Clemence]

It was a quarrel for THEM-and bloodshed for us, the "plebs"..And with all my enthusiasm and respect towards the royal issues (cz that brought me here), this is the thing, what basically makes me a republican...Cz let alone the Bolshevik disease, afterall it was really just a quarrel between them but they dared to send millions of their citizens to kill, massacre each other, just because "Aunt Gerogie" was angry at "uncle Willy"...

In fact, I was watching Edward The King, the TV-show of the '70s, and I came across this quote of King Edward that I much wanted to share with you:

King Christian of Denmark: ''The days of the Kings are nearly over, they say. In future, we'll all be replaced by elected presidents.''
Edward VII: ''Oh, I can't believe it will happen. A president, once elected, has barely time to learn the needs of his country before he's replaced by another - a king on the other hand, dedicated the whole of his life to the job. If we work closely and honestly with our governments, if we allow our people to know us and trust us, then we are their surest protection, their only promise of stability.''

Edward the VII, episode 12, The Peacemaker.