Also, much like Rose Kennedy, Cecile devoted herself to a disabled child and this gave her some real purpose, I think. Thankfully for both Cecile and Alexandrine, Crown Prince Wilhelm wasn't the type to swoop in and attempt to have the 'problem' 'fixed' while his wife was away on a needed vacation.
Thanks for the comparative, Grandduchessella. It was dreadful what pappa Kennedy did to his daughter on the sly. Afterward, they "dumped" her in an institution in Wisconsin.
conversely, Cecilie and Wilhelm openly showcased little Alexandrine and maintained that display of compassion and acceptance for her entire life. This is a noteworthy event in the history of how disabilities are handled publicly and privately. The Kronprinz and Cecilie were shining examples of how to accept and care for a child with a disability or disease, and very much in the forefront of such a cause. It tood decades for the rest of the world to get to the place they were in the early 20th century.
It should be sadly noted that while Cecilie and Wilhelme were displaying this type of compassion, Queen Mary in England was rejecting her epileptic son and generally sequestering him out of sight...and sadly out of mind. Too bad Cecilie and Mary did not have a heart to heart during which Cecilie could have taught Mary a few things about mothering.