Discovering the secret life of Queen Victoria since 2018
The last surviving child of Princess Alice and Prince Louis of Hesse, Princess Irene is the least known member of the Hessian family. In todays blog, I will be looking at her life and the heartbreaking events that shaped her story. Princess Irene in May 1893©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III On… Continue reading The life of Princess Irene of Hesse
When looking at Queen Victoria’s 42 grandchildren, there are some key figures that immediately come to mind. However, with 41 contenders, Princess Victoria of Wales has unfortunately become one of the most forgotten. Join me as I rediscover who Princess Victoria was. Princess Victoria by George Koberwein, dated around 1845©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM… Continue reading The life of Princess Victoria of Wales
On 6th June 1872, Princess Alix of Hesse and By Rhine, daughter of Princess Alice and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, was born at Neues Palais, Darmtadt. Princess Alix of Hesse by Hills and Saunders, dated May 1875 ©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III Christened a month later on 1st July, she was… Continue reading The life of Princess Alix of Hesse, Later Alexandra Feodorovna
At 4am on 25th May 1846, Queen Victoria was ‘taken ill’ at Buckingham Palace with her fifth labour. Eleven hours later, ‘a plump, good sized little girl was born’. The labour itself had been difficult for both mother and baby. In a letter, Albert described how the baby was born looking ‘quite blue’. She was… Continue reading The life of Princess Helena
Known as a plump and dowdy widow, Queen Victoria is often remembered for her life after Prince Albert’s premature death in 1861. Join me as I explore the life and reign of Queen Victoria! Queen Victoria with her eldest child, Princess Victoria, dated 1844©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III After the death… Continue reading The life of Queen Victoria
On 24th May 1874, Princess Marie, seventh child of Princess Alice and Prince Louis of Hesse, was born at New Palace, Darmstadt. Her birthday coincided with her grandmother, Queen Victoria’s 55th ‘poor old birthday’, as she described it in her journal. At first, the couple were disappointed not to have had another boy but soon… Continue reading “Our sweet little bright angel May”: The short life of Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine
‘At ¼ p. 8 in the morning’ of 1st May 1850, Queen Victoria headed into her seventh confinement ‘after having been ill a good part of the night’. Just a few hours later the Queen gave birth to a third son, Prince Arthur, at Buckingham Palace. Over a month after his birth, on 22nd June,… Continue reading The life of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught
Soon after midnight on 25th April 1843, the royal gynaecologist, Dr Locock, was called to the Queens bedside at Buckingham Palace. As the Queen later described in her journal, ‘at 5 minutes past 4, a fine, healthy girl was born, & all my sufferings had come to an end!’ While everyone shared relief for the… Continue reading The life of Princess Alice
Born at New Palace, Prussia, on 22nd April 1872, Princess Margaret of Prussia, was the youngest child of Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia. She was later baptised with the names Margaret Beatrice Feodora. By this time, she had grown a moss-like layer of hair, which quickly maimed her gained… Continue reading The life of Princess Margaret of Prussia
On 20th April 1884, Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born at Eastwell Park, Kent. She was the youngest child of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. In her journal, Queen Victoria wrote that she ‘Heard that dear Marie had been safely confined of a… Continue reading The life of Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh, Duchess of Galliera
Born at Buckingham Palace on 14th April 1857, Princess Beatrice was the youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Two weeks after she was born, Victoria wrote that “I was amply rewarded and forgot all I had gone through when I heard dearest Albert say 'It's a fine child, and a girl!” She was… Continue reading The life of Princess Beatrice of Battenberg
At 6am on 12th April 1866, Princess Viktoria of Prussia, fifth child of Princess Victoria and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, was born at New Palace, Potsdam, Prussia. Although known by family as Moretta, she was baptised Friederike Amalia Wilhelmine Viktoria, on 24th May. Princess Viktoria by Jabez Hughes, dated August 1866 ©️ Royal Collection Trust /… Continue reading The life of Princess Viktoria of Prussia