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Author Topic: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)  (Read 329021 times)

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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« on: July 15, 2005, 11:52:24 AM »
Like everyone, Alix had her ups and downs. I think she was a charming, beautiful woman, who always meant well, but treated her children like they were toddlers well into middle age! Her possessivness of Princess Victoria in particular is striking - author John Van Der Kiste says that Toria's cousins could remember many a time when Toria would have to leave them to rush urgently to her mother's side only to find that Mama had forgotten what she wanted in the first place. Whenever the topic of Victoria's marriage came up, Alix would use her deafness as a weapon. What do you all think of her as a person?
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Offline Grace

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2005, 05:14:54 PM »
As you said, Prince, Alix was a charming and beautiful woman.  She had a winning touch with the common man but was still Royal to her fingertips.

She did seem unfortunately possessive with her children and did not really attempt to raise them to be independent of her.  This at least in part would be due to her husband's well known neglect of her and her increasing deafness, both very isolating problems.

I think her treatment of Toria was thoughtless and selfish but not deliberate at all - knowing Alix's personality, she was probably airily unaware of her daughter's resentment and unhappiness and would, I'm sure, have made at least some effort to change things for her if she had some degree of awareness of this.

As far as I can see, this is the only grievous fault in Alix's otherwise kind, well balanced character and, to me, her virtues far and away outweigh her faults.
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Maria_Pavlovna

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2005, 05:20:14 PM »
Alexandra was strong and pretty.
Her Husband's unfaithfulness just made her stronger. Her reject of her daughter Victoria marring? not so sure of.
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2005, 05:29:18 PM »
Thank you so much for posting. I was afraid this thread was dead in the water! Yes, Alix endured Bertie's affairs with commendable patience. Didn't she say 'He always loved me best.'
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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Offline Grace

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2005, 01:35:11 AM »
Yes, Prince Lieven, I am surprised that this thread did not receive more attention as I think it is an excellent topic.

Perhaps it would have done better if posted under the Windsor site.  :)
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2005, 06:44:55 AM »
Your probably right, Grace. Anywho, maybe we can stir up a bit of interest. I'm prepared to bet that Alix was QV's favourite daughter-in-law, though in the early years of her marriage to Bertie QV thought their lifestyle was 'fast'. Vicky, though (always the peacemaker) soon brought them back together. All her life, Alix remained in awe of the Queen, I think, as did Bertie.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2005, 11:58:37 AM »
Quote
Yes, Prince Lieven, I am surprised that this thread did not receive more attention as I think it is an excellent topic.

Perhaps it would have done better if posted under the Windsor site.  :)


Probably so. There are lots of threads dealing with aspects of her character and life but not one that ties all the elements together.
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2005, 12:23:22 PM »
<sighes>. Well, it's here now, anyway. GDella, maybe your presence will attract custom, Your Imperial Highness. Did I get it right? Imperial Highness? ; - )
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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Offline Grace

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2005, 01:45:55 AM »
Quote
Your probably right, Grace. Anywho, maybe we can stir up a bit of interest. I'm prepared to bet that Alix was QV's favourite daughter-in-law, though in the early years of her marriage to Bertie QV thought their lifestyle was 'fast'. Vicky, though (always the peacemaker) soon brought them back together. All her life, Alix remained in awe of the Queen, I think, as did Bertie.


Prince Lieven:

I think you are right regarding Alix being QV's favourite daughter-in-law - QV did criticise Alix from time to time for not taking her advice about raising the children and her social life with Bertie etc. but, I think, grew to think of her as if she were her own daughter... :)

I agree with your comments regarding Alix and Bertie's awe of QV and about Vicky also...
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Kevin_Australia

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2005, 05:41:16 AM »
I think that Alexandra saw the Queen firstly as her mother-in-law then as the Queen, I think that the Duchess of Albany also saw her this way.  The Duchess of Connaught I believe saw her firstly as THE Queen, where as the Duchess of Edinburgh only saw her as "A MOTHER-IN-LAW"!!!  

I remember reading a book on Sir Henry Ponsonby where he was amazed that the Duchess of Albany was not afraid to confront the Queen over an issue, where as the rest of teh family would always use a member of the houshold or write a letter.

Sorry to get the subject off Alexandra!!!
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2005, 06:24:14 AM »
I think that QV was delighted with Alix because Alix was perfectly content to be Princess of Wales, and not try to usurp Victoria's position as first lady of the land, as, say, the Duchess of Edinburgh might have had she been in Alix's place. Also, Alix's upbringing was so humble that she had absolutely no pretentions (again, the contrast with Duchess Marie). And, of course, like everyone, QV was simply charmed by Alix!
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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Offline Grace

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2005, 06:41:37 AM »
Well, to be honest, it probably wouldn't be really difficult to be a more popular daughter-in-law than Marie of Edinburgh!  :(

But yes, Alix was just a beautiful person, inside and out.  Just love her... :D
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2005, 06:51:37 AM »
Well, not all QV's daughters-in-law where as horrible as Marie. She adored the Duchess of Connaught, and it was her who set Leopold up with Helen of Albany. But I agree that Alix was indeed a lovely person. Has anyone seen the 1975 serial drama King Edward the Seventh (you might know it as Edward the King or In Victorian Days)? Alix is portrayed wonderfully first by Deborah Grant and then by Helen Ryan. It's well worth watching.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

Kevin_Australia

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2005, 08:00:47 AM »
EDWARD VII - That was the series that first got me interested in Royalty - way back in 1975 - I recently bought it on DVD and was surprised how good it still was - and yes and how they portrayed Alix was very good.

I agree that the difference between Alix and Marie was that Alix was indeed content to be the Princess of Wales - in fact there was an article in Royalty Digest a few years ago by John Wimbles (I think) - he quoted from a letter from Marie written after QV's death - how Alix refused to be acknowledged as Queen until after the funeral, Marie and Louise Connaught insisted that she be treated like a Queen.  I will try and did the article out.
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2005, 08:08:31 AM »
Thanks, Kev. Can you imagine if Marie had been in Alix's shoes? The minute QV drew her last breath Marie would have proclaimed herself Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India! Wasn't one of Marie's biggest gripes the fact that Alix (princess of lowly Denmark) outranked her, the daughter of the mighty tsar of Russia? Ironically, at the Diamond Jubilee, she did outrank Alix as the wife of a German reigning duke. I beleive she's the only woman to ever be a Russian Grand Duchess by birth, an English Royal Duchess by marriage and a German reigning Duchess by her husband's inheritance . . . Ooops! I've deviated slightly from Alix. Sorry.
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"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."
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