Duke Alfred of Edinburgh (1844-1900) and his family, Part II

[grandduchessella]

Margot, you are a devil! LOL I never would have guessed that was you.    It was an interesting discussion, too bad it got shut down. For someone with all his 'connections', etc and the supposed education that went along with it...Mr Bush had very bad grammar, I must say!

[Margot]

It would have been quite fun to have drawn out more from tyler123 on the 'other' forum! Here are Marlene's musings about Mr Frank FitzGerald Bush and his mother 'Lady' Irene from another thread here at AP!

Thanks.   Some years ago, I got a phone call from a man in North Carolina, who demanded to know why he and his family were not in my book - he claimed that his great great or whatever grandmother was fathered by Bertie when he was in Ireland as a teenager (where he met Nelly Clifden), and claimed the mother was the daughter of the earl of something (who lived in Ireland).    He gave me the daughter's date of birth and I thanked him ... wewll, as it turned out ... the aforementioned earl (whose title I have since forgotten) did not have any daughters, just sisters (all past menopause), and nine months before the "birth", the Prince of Wales was on a ship en route to North America.

I also get emails from people saying that their grandmother (it is always the grandmother) who was the daughter of royalty but had to come to the US, etc., etc.,and how can I find out the whole story .. well, I respond back. granny appears to be rather creative and the story is probably hogwash,

And then there is the fiction created by Frank Fitzgerald Bush who claimed that his mother was the daughter of Young Affie of Edinburgh and a Mabel Firtzgerald .. he claimed that Uncle Bertie created Irene (the daughter) as HH Princess Irene -- the date of the creation was date he created the Duff girls as princesses) ... and gave a date of birth for Mabel, which would have made her 15 or so ... but in fact, she was only 12 and nowhere near Coburg  at the time of the allleged marriage and birth - and her birth was in The Times ....  Frank never backed down - even put the "parents"on Irene's death certificate.
 

All very intriguing and entertaining!

[Carolath Habsburg]

Thank you so much!!

Well..people doesnt know how to invent to get some attention. I think i will fabricate myself an story about being a great granddaughter of Mata hari since i look a bit like her....tee hee!

[Eric_Lowe]

I see...

I did remember reading somewhere that young affie was involved with a girl. It was not terribliy unthinkable as the society expects young men to sow thaeir wild oats. Georgie and Nicky  (and Eddy too) all had mistresses some time in their lives before thinking of settling down.

[Grace]

The difference here is that it's claimed there was a marriage and child from the liaison.  That is a bit different to just 'sowing wild oats'.  It's already been discredited anyway....

[royal_netherlands]

Three of the Edinburgh girls: Princess Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess Victoria Melita of Hessen-Darmstadt and Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

[Eric_Lowe]

Nice photo ! Except Baby Bee was not in it. I think she was still in the school room.

[grandduchessella]

She was. The photo was originally in the Graphic at the time of VM's marriage so it was taken prior to April 1894. Since this caption indicates her already being the Grand Duchess, it must have been republished again but before Alexandra married as it still notes her as a Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

[royal_netherlands]

This photograph of the Coborg sisters came from The Illustrated London News from April 28, 1894.

[grandduchessella]

Two photos I just got (still stuck using my iphone to capture image)

Beatrice, Missy, Ferdinand and Alexandra



the entire family (parents, children and spouses) this is one of the only photos I've seen of the whole clan together, especially as there was only about a 3 yr window between when Alexandra married and Alfred Jr died

[Carolath Habsburg]

"The duke of Edimburgh`s visit to the Crimea seat of the hereditary Grand duke at Livadia" (Click on the image to see it bigger)



 

[Eric_Lowe]

I think where Alexander III died ?

[violetta]

[Eric_Lowe]

The last miniture explained why Marie fell in love with the handsome Alfie !  I read he was in love for awhile with his sister-in-law Alix of Denmark.

[THERRY]

From "Victoria and Albert  Life at Osborne house" by HRH the Duchess of York
Arthur's children with cousins Connaught

(click on to see it bigger)
From left to right : Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, Prince Arthur and Princess Margareth of Connaught, Princess Marie, Princess Alexandra and Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh in 1884
Photograph by Jabez Hughes