Queen Alexandra (1844-1925), Part II

[boffer]

I think the second picture is actually Queen Mary. judging by the jewels: Ladies of England Tiara and the Pearl and Diamond Dog-collar.

[Kate_S]

These kinds of skirts are ingenious - they have a series of cords inside that pass through brass rings and meet at the waistband so that if the wearer was walking and wished to raise her skirt to avoid muddy conditions etc, a pull of the cord secured the hem in this roman blind style!

The other way which QV favoured was to have a series of covered buttons on the outside of the skirt and loopholes further down so that the skirt could be raised that way.

[royal_netherlands]

Thank you fore the info Kate.
was this the dress you were talking about in the thread of Alexandras clothes?

[Booklady]

Yes--I think we can draw several comparisons between her and Diana, beauty and fashion-wise.

Can someone post a photo or two of Alex and Affie together?  I know they were photographed together, particularly at the time when he had a crush on her, and they made a charming couple themselves.

Thanks!

[Alexander1917]

The fact that she corresponded with her German Aunt Augusta during the war was enough prove. Adter WWI, she did later renewed her ties with her German relatives. In contrast, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium said of her German (Bavarian) family during the war" It is finished between me and them. Now there will be an iron curtain that divides us that cannot be lifted." She used the word "iron curtain" years before Chuchill coined it.  

Mary visited also her aunt before 1900 and for example at the Berlin wedding 1913. I think its also a remembernace of her own childhood. Her mother died before she became PoW and later Queen.

[Alexander1917]

I think she had a harder time cutting her German past than Queen Alexandra, who saw it as revenge for Denmark loses of the Duchies. However, it is not to say that she was unpatrotic to GB, but she it is just not easy. Also her love of her Germanic roots was passed to her eldest son Edward VIII, who enjoyed speaking German (her brother Bertie did not share that love). 

Queen Alexandra was also at the gatherings at Rumpenheim. I think she was accepted Germany but was anti-prussian (prussian-danish war)

[Eddie_uk]

The fact that she corresponded with her German Aunt Augusta during the war was enough prove.

Huh

The fact she corresponded with dear Aunt Augusta means nothing. From her patriotism and writings it's clear May was more English than anyone!!

[Duke of New Jersey]

With a pro-German queen (Queen Mary relished her German roots and kept up contact with her Aunt Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz even during WWI)

The fact that she corresponded with her German Aunt Augusta during the war was enough prove.

That is totally unfair. Augusta was a British princess and Mary herself was very British.  Mary herself grew up in London (in Kensington Palace) and lived her whole life in England.  I think Mary was not very pleased with Germany because the way her father was treated and I think it very false to say that Mary was pro-German during WWI. 

On Augusta again, even George V said something to the effect of "a stout, old English heart ceasing to beat." 

-Duke of NJ

[Duke of New Jersey]

Mary's letters to Augusta were passed through the Swedish Embassy or Crown Princess Margaret (as many other letters were).  Just because they were writing letters does not make them treasonous.  They were family and even Wilhem sent a telegram (via Margaret of Sweden) to his aunt Helena in England during the War.  The family realtions were not totally abandoned just toned down a lot after and during the War. 

-Duke of NJ

[Eric_Lowe]

Indeed ! I am not saying that Queen Mary was for Germany against British interests. However she was torn in her loyalities. She cannot do a Queen Elisabeth of Belgium and cut herself off from her German relaties completely. Some in Britian would argue that was treason enough. The name change from Saxe-Coburg -Gotha to Windsor was done to appeaise those who question why they wetre reigned over by "these Germans." Not to mention the fact that Prince Louis of Battenberg was booted off the office of First Sea Lord of Great Britian just because of his German name ! In the contect of this, Queen Mary's corresponence with "the enemy" was very close to teason if viewed this those times and in that context. Queen Sophie of Greece, who hadn't had much contect with her boorish brother was accused of settiing a wire to Berlin inside the palace in Athens. That is all rubbish, but it made her an easy target. 

Queen Alexandra (on the other hand) was all for war. She told George " I have always told you that he (Kaiser Wilhelm II) was a bad man, now I think you would believe me." She also pasterd her son to take down those Garter Standards in St George Chapel of "the enemy."

[Alexander1917]

Mary's letters to Augusta were passed through the Swedish Embassy or Crown Princess Margaret (as many other letters were).  Just because they were writing letters does not make them treasonous.  They were family and even Wilhem sent a telegram (via Margaret of Sweden) to his aunt Helena in England during the War.  The family realtions were not totally abandoned just toned down a lot after and during the War. 

-Duke of NJ

I read somewear that not only Mary wrote via Sweden, also the Russian Empress Alexandra (Sunny), and others use this way for correspondence with "enemies".....

[Duke of New Jersey]

read somewear that not only Mary wrote via Sweden, also the Russian Empress Alexandra (Sunny), and others use this way for correspondence with "enemies".....

Yes, most letters passed through Princess Margaret of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden (daughter of Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Louise Margaret of Prussia).  She was realted to all of them either by marriage or blood, or both.

-Duke of NJ

[Alexander1917]

read somewear that not only Mary wrote via Sweden, also the Russian Empress Alexandra (Sunny), and others use this way for correspondence with "enemies".....

Yes, most letters passed through Princess Margaret of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden (daughter of Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Louise Margaret of Prussia).  She was realted to all of them either by marriage or blood, or both.

-Duke of NJ

Its the same today. Like Queen Margrethe II said in A ROYAL FAMILY "...people see us as the Royal Family of this or that country, but in real we are one family."
goes back the the Grandmother of Europe (Victoria) and the Father-in-law of Europe (Christian IX)

[Eric_Lowe]

Not really...The Queen did not know much of her German/European cousins (other than state visits) well. It was well known that her mother did not flavour much of those "Germans". After Queen Mary's death, Marina was the only one who kept up attending European/continental events. After the present Queen married Prince Philip, his extended family was accepted. However not much the others. When King Boudwin of Belgium died, the Queen did not want to attend his funeral (since she did not know him well), but was persuaded by her cousin and close friend (also a close friend to the Queen Mother) King Olav of Norway to attend. 

[grandduchessella]

Well, it is the same if you're Queen Margarethe or another Scandinavian royal--their links are much tighter than with that of the British royals. Queen Margarethe is first cousin to the King of Sweden (their mother and father respectively being siblings) and King Harold of Norway's mother (Martha) was a Swedish princess as well. The Swedish link (through Princess Astrid, sister of Crown Princess Martha) ties together the families of Belgium and Luxemburg as well since those rulers are grandchildren of Astrid. These royals attend each other's events (weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc) much more frequently than the British royals do it seems. The British royals often seem to send a token royal (often Edward & Sophie) whereas it seems much warmer with the other houses. Plus, the heirs & their wives of thsoe countries seem to be more of an age than either Charles or William--they fall in between generally.