Discovering the secret life of Queen Victoria since 2018
“Scarcely got any sleep. Towards morning heard all the preparations for today's ceremony going on. It tired me terribly. Alice got up & came & kissed me & I gave her my blessing & a Prayer Book, like one dear Mama gave me on our happy wedding morning. — Got up earlier & breakfasted with… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s journal- The Wedding of Princess Alice and Prince Louis of Hesse, 1st July 1862
On 1st July 1862, Princess Alice, third child of Queen Victoria, married Prince Louis of Hesse in the Dining Room at Osborne House. The marriage of Princess Alice, 1st July 1862 by George Housman Thomas©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III In 1860, Victoria and Albert began making plans to find Alice a… Continue reading The wedding of Princess Alice and Prince Louis of Hesse
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
On this day, 2nd June 1843, Princess Alice, third child of Queen Victoria, was baptised in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace. She was given the names Alice Maud Mary and later gained the nicknames “Alee” and “Fatima”. Her godparents included: Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover; Princess Feodora of Leiningen; Prince Ernest of Saxe-Coburg and… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s journal- The Christening of Princess Alice, 2nd June 1843
Born at New Palace, Darmstadt, on 7th October 1870, Prince Friedrich of Hesse was the fourth child and second son of Princess Alice and Prince Louis of Hesse. Prince Friedrich in December 1870 ©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III Christened with the names Friedrich Wilhem August Victor Leopold Ludwig, the prince appeared… Continue reading The life of Prince Friedrich of Hesse and By Rhine
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
On 30th April 1884, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, daughter of Princess Alice and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, married Prince Louis of Battenberg at the Chapel of the Old Palace, Darmstadt. Princess Victoria and Prince Louis in their wedding outfits “At length the eventful day had arrived, & all was excitement. A beautiful,… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s journal- the wedding of Princess Victoria of Hesse and Prince Louis of Battenberg
On 27th April 1882, Prince Leopold, youngest son of Queen Victoria, married Princess Helen of Waldeck Pyrmont at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Marriage of the Duke of Albany, by Sir James Dromgole Linton, dated 1885 ©️ Royal Collection Trust / HM King Charles III Like most of his siblings, Leopold saw marriage as his… Continue reading The wedding of Prince Leopold and Princess Helen of Waldeck Pyrmont
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
From one of Queen Victoria’s favourite grandchildren to the great-grandmother of King Charles III, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine lived a remarkable, yet tragic, life. Join me as I explore the events that shaped her story! Princess Alice and Prince Louis with Princess Victoria, by Franz Backofen, December ©️Royal Collection Trust / HM… Continue reading The life of Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, later Marchioness of Milford Haven