I don't think anyone actually seemed to make that kind of judgement at the time - the main criteria for a consort were whether she would be healthy and a good wife and mother. There was no reason at the time to suppose she wouldn't, and indeed in terms of spousal loyalty and motherhood you couldn't fault her. The views of Alexandra failing to be a 'good empress' were formed by factors which no one could have forseen at the time of her marriage and at the time Ella and Serge may well have thought that the well-connected youngest princess of Hesse Darmstadt, brought up under Queen Victoria's wing, would have made a good Empress of Russia in due course. And none of the objections Queen Victoria put forward were anything to do with Alexandra's potential as the consort of a future Tsar, but rather to do with concerns for her physical safety and the louche quality of court society.
I think it wasn't so much a matter of training as a matter of flair - an inate predisposition for communication on a public level. 'Cercleing' (as Queen Victoria's daughters and grandaughters called it) was a useful training mechanism, but it didn't help if someone wasn't naturally inclined towards a relaxation in, and indeed, enjoyment of, public ocasions. However, Alexandra's eventual alienation from 'society' was not something which would have been picked up or identified as a problem either by Ella or Serge at an early stage as it wasn't essentially a really important factor at the time - and indeed, criticism of society could have been perceived by them as a good thing insofar as she could lead it by example into more virtuous ways.
I agree with all these, CountessKate, so much!
In that way, Alicky was "spolit" as she was allowed to go her own way.
Alix, from her younger years, was said to have a mind of her own; she stuck to what she believed in until the end (unless she was fully convinced to change her opinion)—and she didn’t want to be forced to do something she didn't and wouldn’t like. She wasn’t spoilt but it seems she was because of that reason. She was convincing others to understand her instead—for example, QV tried all her best to make Alix marry Eddy, but Alix kept insisting she would not, even if she knew she would hurt her grandmother’s feelings. Eventually, QV ‘surrendered’ (is this the right word to use?) her hopes and let Alix follow her heart.
'Cercleing' (as Queen Victoria's daughters and grandaughters called it) was a useful training mechanism, but it didn't help if someone wasn't naturally inclined towards a relaxation in, and indeed, enjoyment of, public ocasions.
Alix was the person whose shyness can’t be separated from her whole being, IMO.
Perhaps Alix knew that shaking off some of her shyness would be good for her so that she could be able to enjoy public occasions, but, she’s not willing to do it because she didn’t like it—she only thought of herself, and cared less about what other people would say about her.
I think Ella and VMH was lucky to see their mother Alice as an example growing up, while Alicky seem to model herself after QV (her equally shy grandmother).
Alice taught a lot of beautiful things that a mother could teach to Victoria and Ella, which alas, she had no chance to impart to Irene and Alix. Poor Irene and Alix : (
Ella, on the other hand, had the training and natural flair to be a consort (Queen, Empress, First Lady..etc).
I agree..And if she chose to marry William, Germany would really openly welcome and cherish her as their Queen because of those attributes… But then, I don’t feel disappointed. She doesn’t have feelings for William. Anyway, did she write any letter to William?