Victoria Eugenia of Battenberg, Queen of Spain

[isabel]

Queen Ena and Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg, where very closed in their childness and youth. When Alfonso XIII went to England to look for a bride, Beatrice and Patsy of Connaught were the two favorites candidates to be the Queen of Spain. Beatrice thought that she was the most relevant candidate because she was the daughter of a Grand Duchess of Russia, and grand daughter of the QV.

The big suprise arrived when Alfonso chosed Ena to be his Queen. Beatrice never forgot this.

Finally Beatrice married with the spanish infant D. Alfonso de Orleans.

At the begining, the two cousins living in Spain continued her closed relationship, but step by setep they beging to separate their lifes (Beatrice never forgotten that Ena was the Queen and she was only a Princess)

It´s said that Alfonso XIII and Beatrice becamed lovers.
Is it true? or only a legend.

[Marlene]

Queen Ena and Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg, where very closed in their childness and youth. When Alfonso XIII went to England to look for a bride, Beatrice and Patsy of Connaught were the two favorites candidates to be the Queen of Spain. Beatrice thought that she was the most relevant candidate because she was the daughter of a Grand Duchess of Russia, and grand daughter of the QV.

The big suprise arrived when Alfonso chosed Ena to be his Queen. Beatrice never forgot this.

Finally Beatrice married with the spanish infant D. Alfonso de Orleans.

At the begining, the two cousins living in Spain continued her closed relationship, but step by setep they beging to separate their lifes (Beatrice never forgotten that Ena was the Queen and she was only a Princess)

It´s said that Alfonso XIII and Beatrice becamed lovers.
Is it true? or only a legend.

Patricia of Connaught and Ena were also granddaughters of QV. However, Baby Bee was not considered by Alfonso XIII.

There is a biography in preparation (in Spanish) on Baby Bee, who happens to be a special favorite of mine, as I got to know her better, having read correspondence and other materials about her. I have also been given lovely photos of she and her family, as well as copies of her artwork - she was a gifted artist. She married for love, and her marriage was a happy one. The story about Baby Bee procuring mistresses to the king is the stuff of urban legends. Beatrice was with Ena at the palace during the final days of the monarchy in April 1931, and they left together. Moreover, Ena's daughter Beatriz was briefly engaged to Bee's eldest son.

I wrote an article on Baby Bee for Royalty Digest about a decade ago.

[isabel]

Of course, Patricia and Ena were QV´s grand daughters too, but Baby Bee was also the daughter of a Grand Duchess of Russia so she considered herself more Royal than her cousins.

I think that the match with Michael was finish during the visit of Alfonso to England. Beatrice had suffered a lot and perhaps a posible marriage with the King of Spain would consoled her.

[Marlene]

Of course, Patricia and Ena were QV´s grand daughters too, but Baby Bee was also the daughter of a Grand Duchess of Russia so she considered herself more Royal than her cousins.

I think that the match with Michael was finish during the visit of Alfonso to England. Beatrice had suffered a lot and perhaps a posible marriage with the King of Spain would consoled her.

Bee had far less ties to the British court as she did not live in England.  She lived in coburg

[Eric_Lowe]

True ! But you do forget that she lived in England while she was exiled from Spain. Her home was in Essex (I guess), while her boys went to school in Winchester.

No her ties with England was still strong.

[Marlene]

True ! But you do forget that she lived in England while she was exiled from Spain. Her home was in Essex (I guess), while her boys went to school in Winchester.

No her ties with England was still strong.

I said she did not have strong ties to the court when she was living in Coburg ... I did not forget that she lived in England for several years during the exile ... I was talking about when she was young.    She never forgot she was a British princess (and had a Union Jack on her casket.)  

[Eric_Lowe]

Agreed ! I guess all the Coburg (or Edinburgh) Princesses think of themselves as British Princesses
one time or the other. Queen Marie and Grand Duchess Victoria both are proud of this fact (like their Aunt Vicky, Kaiserin Friedrich) even though they are actually German in stock.

[Eurohistory]

The Edinburgh princesses saw themselves as "ENGLISH" princesses above everything else, not jut at times during their lives, but all the time - regardless of where their "stock" came from.

Arturo Beéche

[LenelorMiksi]

Are there any photos around of Ena and Baby Bee together?  I'll have to find out more about BB, when I think of her the only thing that comes to mind is: You helped Alfonso cheat on Ena! Evil! Evil!  Poor Ena, I hope she did find physical solace in other company.  She had a great burden to bear:  two hemophiliac sons, a cheating husband who blamed her for their sons' illness, and a populace that largely disliked her.  

[Eric_Lowe]

Actually there are quite a few ! One of them is at their cousin "Daisy" Margaret of Connaught's wedding to Gustav of Sweden. Both of them are bridesmaids to their cousin. You can find that photo at Noel Gerald's  biography on Queen Ena.  That is only the second book written of Ena in English !

Baby Bee was not an evil person. She was a forward and outspoken person. I wrote about her in my recent book. I am glad that there is one full length bio currently written in Spanish. It will answer most of the mystery about why BB is exiled and the truth about Ena & Bee.

I know for a fact that they remain close until the end. Bee visited Ena in Lausanne quite a few times...

[grandduchessella]

Does anyone know the title of the Spanish book?

[Eric_Lowe]

The Spanish book is still being written. But there are quite a few already written in Spanish about the Orleans-Borbon family. Two of them being done by a Spanish writer Ricardo Mateos Sainz Medrano, who also wriiten for Royalty Digest, a royalty publication in the UK that just ceased publication.

[Eurohistory]

Ricardo has written one book on the Montpensier line, which was just published as you well know.  His other books include:

1- Los Desconocidos Infantes de España (About the unknown Infantes of Spain)

2- La Boda (About the engagment of the the current Prince of Asturias).

3- La Familia de la Reina Sofía (Covering all the various branches of the Greek and other German families the Spanish queen is related to).

4- Los Infantes de Andalucía (About the Montpensier line)

He is finishing a new book, his fifth, on the Spanish aristocracy.

Arturo Beéche

[Eric_Lowe]

Well thanks for the info.

I guess a lot of people interested in Spanish histroy will be interested in what other books about Spanish royals that are already published or in the works.

I know there is one on Infanta Isabel called "La Chata". Will be interested to know if there are more about other Spanish royals.

I also heard somebody else did a Spanish book on Queen Sophia as well.

[Luke]

Another Spanish book I immensely enjoyed was Juan Carlos I, el Rey que reencontró América by Carlos Seco Serrano.  It's a small book, and quite in the shadows of the books by Paul Preston or Jose Luis de Vilallongo or Charles Powell, but is chock full of those little stories or vignettes that are so revealing.  I remember Pilar Urbano's book on Queen Sofia was rereleased last year in paperback.