Prince Alexander of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau (William Alexander Frederick Constantine Nicholas Michael, Dutch
: Willem Alexander Frederik Constantijn Nicolaas Michiel, Prins der Nederlanden, Prins van Oranje-Nassau; 2 August 1818 – 20 February 1848) was born at Soestdijk Palace
, the second son to King William II
of The Netherlands and Queen Anna Paulowna
, daughter of Tsar
Paul I of Russia
. He was nicknamed Sasha within his family.
gifted his daughter-in-law Anna Paulowna with the Czar Peter House
in Zaandam, which had been inhabited by her ancestor Peter I of Russia
during his stay in the Dutch Republic
.
Prince Alexander was christened on the forty-sixth birthday of his grandfather, August 24, 1818 by the reverend Krieger in The Hague
. The young Prince's paternal greatgrandmother Wilhelmina of Prussia
was present for the occasion. Alexander received the names of his maternal uncles Alexander I of Russia
, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia
, Nicholas I of Russia
and Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia
.
Alexander was educated together with his brother William III of the Netherlands
, who was only eighteen months his senior. Their father, the Prince of Orange, thought the physical education of the boys particularly important. As such they spent much time outdoors. The Prince of Orange actively parttook in the upbringing of his children. On the 22nd of October 1822 Anna Paulowna wrote to her brother Constantine 'the two eldest are big boys and are receiving their first lessons. William started to teach them to read a year ago and now they have been entrusted to the care of a tutor who comes everyday to teach them. Papa teaches them Geography.' The Princes William and Alexander later continued their studies at Leiden University
, but neither of them showed a particular interest in academics. Alexander did develop an interest in Numismatics
From early childhood on Alexander was his parents' favourite son. They saw him as more fit to rule than his brother William. Alexander had inherited his father's easy going nature. He had a large group of friends and even managed to get on reasonably well with his sister-in-law Sophie of Württemberg
. The latter had a difficult relationship with her inlaws, in particular with Anna Paulowna. Alexander was also known for his sense of humour, as he once appeared for a costume ball dressed from head to toe in shining armour.
Alexander was the first member of the House of Orange to have his photograph taken, and he was also the first to own a bicycle.
Alexanders greatest attachments were hunting and horses. He received his first horse at the age of ten and became a skilled horseman. At Het Loo
he bred Frisian horses. Alexander was also passionate hunter. In 1839 he and his brother were permitted by their grandfather the King to reinstate the old practice of falconry
at Het Loo. The two brothers created the Royal Loo Hawking Club, with Alexander, as protector of the hawking sport, serving as chairman. They gathered a company of international nobility at Het Loo. Apart from hunting the company also engaged in horseraces (Queen Anna Paulowna once gifted him with a horse brought from England for 4000 Dutch guilders) and shooting contests. A letter to the Prince's father proves how seriously Alexander took his hunting activities, as he explained his absence from The Hague: 'I so desire to stay at Het Loo, where the falconry is wonderful this year. You might disapprove of my behaviour and my decision, my dear father, but remember, beloved father, this is my only relaxation and the only pleasure I truly love.' After Alexander's death the expensive sport came to an end and in 1855 the curtain fell for the Royal Loo Hawking Club.
For one who did not particularly care for seafaring Alexander travelled a great deal. This included several visits to the United Kingdom, and longer journeys to Italy and his mother's native country. On July 23, 1839 Alexander travelled to Russia
to visit his maternal uncle Tzar Nicholas, accompanied by his mentor Major Rigot de Beguins. On August 26, 1839 the Tzar named his nephew Chief of a Novorossiysk Draagoon Regiment. On the 3rd of October Anna Paulowna wrote to Tzar Nicholas thanking him for his kindness to her son 'How I should thank you, dear friend, for the gifts you have bestowed upon my son Alexander and for the flattering honour you so mercifully bestowed upon him by making him the head of a regiment of your army. May he once deserve the honour to be taken up in the ranks of such an army! May he be worth it!' Like his father, Alexander occasionally appeared at court in Russian uniform.
In 1846 Alexander accompanied his mother and sister Princess Sophie of the Netherlands
to Italy. The company left Rotterdam
on the 26th of August 1846 and arrived at Domodossola
on September 11. At the end of September they reached Genoa
where Prince Henry's ship lay moored. On October 9 the Queen, Alexander and Sophie reached Rome
. They visited the Pope Pope Pius IX
and the Protestant prince knelt to receive his blessing. Alexander returned to The Netherlands in of November.
As an adult man prince Alexander lived rather modestly. Aide-de-camp Eliza Pieter Matthes in 1842 described the prince's home behind the Kloosterkerk
as "rather small for a prince", but the interior was "charming." In 1844 Alexander bought villa Boschlust in The Hague, after the death of the former inhabitant Johannes van den Bosch
. Alexander relocated to villa Boschlust in 1845, but stayed for only two years, until his departure to Madeira. After his death the villa was inherited by his parents. Anna Pauwlowna inhabited Boschlust for a short time after the death of her husband (The widowed queen fled her former home, Kneuterdijk Palace in tears when she visited one last time). Soon after, the Queen dowager also left Boschlust. The villa was sold in March 1851. Villa Boschlust was demolished shortly after 1888.
in 1833-4. Being an excellent horseman, Alexander from 1840 on served as Lieutenant-General and Inspector of the Cavalry, a position he took very seriously. Eliza Pieter Matthes, aide-de-camp to King William II, recalled a conversation he had with Alexander about the cavalry: "I had the impression he was quite knowledgeable about that weapon [the cavalry]. It is a shame he is only our Inspector-General in name, we would not be worse off if he would be so [inspector-general] effectively." Prince Alexander held the positions of Lieutenant-General and Inspector-General from 1840 until his death. The Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander
is named for him.
In the Autumn of 1844 King William II planned to name his second son Governour-General of the Dutch East Indies. Many people, including Minister of Colonies Jean Chrétien Baud, objected, and in the end Alexander did not receive the commission.
In the late 1830s, William IV of the United Kingdom
wished to marry Alexander to his niece Princess Victoria of Kent
(and future Queen of the United Kingdom). Nothing came of this however, as Victoria remarked to her uncle Leopold I of Belgium
, "The [Netherlander] boys are very plain and have a mixture of Kalmuck (Mongol) and Dutch in their faces, moreover they look heavy, dull, and frightened and are not at all prepossessing. So much for the Oranges, dear Uncle".
It was suggested in 1840 that Alexander should eventually marry Isabella II of Spain
when she came of age, allowing him to become regent. However, opposition from other crowns and King William’s objection to her religion (she was Catholic
) prevented any marriage between the two. Alexander never married, as princess Sophie wrote to Lady Malet on May 4, 1847 'but I am in pleasant company with prince Alexander[...]It is not that he courts me, for he does not yet know what a woman is, but he gives me all friendship he is able to give.' He had no issue.
(1790–1851), recalled how in November 1836 eighteen-year-old Alexander suffered a serious accident that could easily have cost him his life. During a frightening storm 'he and his eldest brother were returning from Leiden, where they went most days to pursue their studies. The road through the wood was so entirely blocked that they were obliged to abandon their carriage and proceed on foot. As they reached the part of the wood nearest to The Hague the trees were falling on all sides [...] one fell from a direction from which they did not expect it. The Baron seized hold of the Hereditary prince who was walking right next to him and pulled him out of danger, but Prince Alexander was caught by the branches and thrown down. It was some time before help was obtainable to extricate him, for it had to be done by digging away the ground.' After the branches had been removed, Alexander, bleeding and unconscious, was carried back to the palace. 'At first, wrote Lady Disbrowe, "he was not much hurt, but after some hours fever and delirium set in, and he was very seriously ill." Alexander never fully recovered from this accident, frequently suffering from breathlessness and headaches for the rest of his life.
Miss Disbrowe later again commented on the prince's declining state of health: 'Prince Alexander, a very fine young man, born in 1818, was evidently failing in health. Whether he had been injured in any way by the tree that fell on him, or whether he had done harm to himself by trying to reduce himself to jockey weight, I know not, but he was six feet four inches in height, the latter experience would have needed vigorous treatment. Often when dancing with him I noticed how breathless he was, and how the perspiration stood out in beads on his forehead, and I wished I had the courage to beg him to stop.'
Alexander was constantly dieting and exercising to maintain his slim figure. He rarely spared himself any exhaustion, and tried to hide his physical weakness from his family.
Alexander, however, failed to hide his problems forever. On the 23rd of April 1847 Princess Sophie remarked to Lady Malet about her brother-in-law's health problems 'Prince Alexander is also ill now. Some kind of exhausting illness, consumption. I don't know what [it is] exactly, but he walks like an old man and his glands are swollen. He has been staying at Het Loo for a month, but there has been no improvement.' On the 3rd of June she continued 'I made long rides with him face to face and listened to his complaints about his health and his problems. Sometimes I thought to myself, it is just like being alone with an old woman.'
Alexander contracted tuberculosis
and for health reasons relocated in November 1847 to the drier climes of Madeira
, Portugal
. After an emotional farewell from his family he was taken to Rotterdam where he embarked on the final journey of his life. Prince Henry of the Netherlands
commanded the flagship 'Prince of Orange' and two escortships 'Cerberus' and 'Cyclops' that brought Alexander to Madeira. On the island Henry met his future wife Amalia of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
when she and her mother came to visit Alexander.
Alexander moved in to the villa Quinta Vigia on the outskirts of Funchal
, which is currently the official residence of the President of the Regional Government of Madeira. He died there on 20 February 1848 at the age of 29. Because of an unfavourable wind the news of his death only reached his parents a month later, reportedly while King William II was posing for a portrait.
Alexander's sister-in-law Sophie wrote to Lady Malet on the 24th of March 'Our poor prince Alexander died like he lived; until the last moment his thoughts were filled with horses and sports. He had no idea of the nearing end. The autopsy showed his lungs were perfectly healthy, the stomach destroyed, there was not a drop of blood in his body.' The death of their favourite son hit the King, who was in the middle of a political crisis, particularly hard. He lamented: 'We walk as if on graves. The earth is nothing but a big grave, that devours all greatness, honour and glory'. The Queen wrote to her brother Nicholas on March, 30th: 'Only today I feel strong enough to write some lines to tell you about the terrible disaster that has befallen us. Our Sasja is dead! and we have survived that blow.[...]He is at peace now, but we have to go on in this world, where he had no enemies, he who for me was the most loving of sons and the most loyal of companions. The Queen later had many of her son's possession brought to Soestdijk, including his two hunting dogs, Charon and Ditch, whom she visited on his birthday and the anniversary of his death.
Prince Alexander was buried in the royal crypt at Nieuwe Kerk
in Delft
on Good Friday
the 21st of April, 1848 in a peculiar turtle-shaped coffin. His brothers Henry and William, Prince of Orange were the only members of the royal family to attend the funeral. The future King William III until 1859 moved the celebrations of his birthday to that of his wife (June 17) because his own birthday (February 19) was too close to the date of his brother's death.
Royal Netherlands Cavalry
Imperial Russian Cavalry
Honours and decorations of the United Kingdom
Imperial Russian honours and decorations
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Willem Alexander Frederik Constantijn Nicolaas Michiel, Prins der Nederlanden, Prins van Oranje-Nassau; 2 August 1818 – 20 February 1848) was born at Soestdijk Palace
Soestdijk Palace
Soestdijk Palace is a former palace of the Dutch royal family. It consists of a central block and two wings.Although named after the village of Soestdijk, which is largely in the municipality of Soest, the Soestdijk Palace is just north of the border in the municipality of Baarn in the province of...
, the second son to King William II
William II of the Netherlands
William II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...
of The Netherlands and Queen Anna Paulowna
Anna Pavlovna of Russia
Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia was a queen consort of the Netherlands.-Background:She was born as the eighth child and sixth daughter of Paul I of Russia and Empress Maria Feodorovna , and thus was Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
, daughter of Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Paul I of Russia
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
. He was nicknamed Sasha within his family.
Biography
Prince Alexander was born on Sunday August, 2, 1818 at a quarter past ten in the morning. His birth was announced the next day in the Nederlandsche Staatscourant. To commemorate the birth of his second grandson William I of the NetherlandsWilliam I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
gifted his daughter-in-law Anna Paulowna with the Czar Peter House
Czar Peter House (Netherlands)
The Czar Peter House is a historical building in Zaandam, the Netherlands. It is best known as the place where Czar Peter I of Russia resided in 1697 during his Grand Embassy. The building was constructed in 1632....
in Zaandam, which had been inhabited by her ancestor Peter I of Russia
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
during his stay in the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
.
Prince Alexander was christened on the forty-sixth birthday of his grandfather, August 24, 1818 by the reverend Krieger in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The young Prince's paternal greatgrandmother Wilhelmina of Prussia
Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange
Wilhelmina of Prussia, born Frederika Sophia Wilhelmina, , was the consort of William V of Orange and also the de facto leader of the dynastic party and contra revolution in the Netherlands...
was present for the occasion. Alexander received the names of his maternal uncles Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia
Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia
Constantine Pavlovich was a grand duke of Russia and the second son of Emperor Paul I. He was the Tsesarevich of Russia throughout the reign of his elder brother Alexander I, but had secretly renounced his claim to the throne in 1823...
, Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
and Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia
Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia
Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia was the tenth child and fourth son of Paul I of Russia and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg.-Marriage and issue:In St...
.
Alexander was educated together with his brother William III of the Netherlands
William III of the Netherlands
William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
, who was only eighteen months his senior. Their father, the Prince of Orange, thought the physical education of the boys particularly important. As such they spent much time outdoors. The Prince of Orange actively parttook in the upbringing of his children. On the 22nd of October 1822 Anna Paulowna wrote to her brother Constantine 'the two eldest are big boys and are receiving their first lessons. William started to teach them to read a year ago and now they have been entrusted to the care of a tutor who comes everyday to teach them. Papa teaches them Geography.' The Princes William and Alexander later continued their studies at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, but neither of them showed a particular interest in academics. Alexander did develop an interest in Numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
From early childhood on Alexander was his parents' favourite son. They saw him as more fit to rule than his brother William. Alexander had inherited his father's easy going nature. He had a large group of friends and even managed to get on reasonably well with his sister-in-law Sophie of Württemberg
Sophie of Württemberg
Princess Sophia Frederika Mathilde of Württemberg was Queen of the Netherlands as the first wife of King William III of the Netherlands.-Biography:...
. The latter had a difficult relationship with her inlaws, in particular with Anna Paulowna. Alexander was also known for his sense of humour, as he once appeared for a costume ball dressed from head to toe in shining armour.
Alexander was the first member of the House of Orange to have his photograph taken, and he was also the first to own a bicycle.
Alexanders greatest attachments were hunting and horses. He received his first horse at the age of ten and became a skilled horseman. At Het Loo
Het Loo
Het Loo Palace is a palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The symmetrical Dutch Baroque building was designed by Jacob Roman and Johan van Swieten and was built between 1684 and 1686 for stadtholder-king William III and Mary II of England...
he bred Frisian horses. Alexander was also passionate hunter. In 1839 he and his brother were permitted by their grandfather the King to reinstate the old practice of falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
at Het Loo. The two brothers created the Royal Loo Hawking Club, with Alexander, as protector of the hawking sport, serving as chairman. They gathered a company of international nobility at Het Loo. Apart from hunting the company also engaged in horseraces (Queen Anna Paulowna once gifted him with a horse brought from England for 4000 Dutch guilders) and shooting contests. A letter to the Prince's father proves how seriously Alexander took his hunting activities, as he explained his absence from The Hague: 'I so desire to stay at Het Loo, where the falconry is wonderful this year. You might disapprove of my behaviour and my decision, my dear father, but remember, beloved father, this is my only relaxation and the only pleasure I truly love.' After Alexander's death the expensive sport came to an end and in 1855 the curtain fell for the Royal Loo Hawking Club.
For one who did not particularly care for seafaring Alexander travelled a great deal. This included several visits to the United Kingdom, and longer journeys to Italy and his mother's native country. On July 23, 1839 Alexander travelled to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to visit his maternal uncle Tzar Nicholas, accompanied by his mentor Major Rigot de Beguins. On August 26, 1839 the Tzar named his nephew Chief of a Novorossiysk Draagoon Regiment. On the 3rd of October Anna Paulowna wrote to Tzar Nicholas thanking him for his kindness to her son 'How I should thank you, dear friend, for the gifts you have bestowed upon my son Alexander and for the flattering honour you so mercifully bestowed upon him by making him the head of a regiment of your army. May he once deserve the honour to be taken up in the ranks of such an army! May he be worth it!' Like his father, Alexander occasionally appeared at court in Russian uniform.
In 1846 Alexander accompanied his mother and sister Princess Sophie of the Netherlands
Princess Sophie of the Netherlands
Princess Sophie of the Netherlands was the only daughter of King William II of the Netherlands and of his wife Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
to Italy. The company left Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
on the 26th of August 1846 and arrived at Domodossola
Domodossola
Domodossola is a city and comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy...
on September 11. At the end of September they reached Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
where Prince Henry's ship lay moored. On October 9 the Queen, Alexander and Sophie reached Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. They visited the Pope Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
and the Protestant prince knelt to receive his blessing. Alexander returned to The Netherlands in of November.
As an adult man prince Alexander lived rather modestly. Aide-de-camp Eliza Pieter Matthes in 1842 described the prince's home behind the Kloosterkerk
Kloosterkerk, The Hague
The Kloosterkerk is a church on the Lange Voorhout in The Hague, Netherlands. The church and its accompanying monastery were first built in 1397. The church is known today as the church where Queen Beatrix occasionally attends services....
as "rather small for a prince", but the interior was "charming." In 1844 Alexander bought villa Boschlust in The Hague, after the death of the former inhabitant Johannes van den Bosch
Johannes van den Bosch
Johannes, Count van den Bosch was a Dutch Lieutenant General and politician.-Biography:...
. Alexander relocated to villa Boschlust in 1845, but stayed for only two years, until his departure to Madeira. After his death the villa was inherited by his parents. Anna Pauwlowna inhabited Boschlust for a short time after the death of her husband (The widowed queen fled her former home, Kneuterdijk Palace in tears when she visited one last time). Soon after, the Queen dowager also left Boschlust. The villa was sold in March 1851. Villa Boschlust was demolished shortly after 1888.
Career
As the Prince of Orange's second son Alexander was destined for a career in the army. On August 2, 1828, for his tenth birthday, Alexander received the rank of Colonel by Royal Order. He originally started his military career in the Navy, but soon switched to the Cavalry. With his father and brother William, Alexander joined the campaign against BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1833-4. Being an excellent horseman, Alexander from 1840 on served as Lieutenant-General and Inspector of the Cavalry, a position he took very seriously. Eliza Pieter Matthes, aide-de-camp to King William II, recalled a conversation he had with Alexander about the cavalry: "I had the impression he was quite knowledgeable about that weapon [the cavalry]. It is a shame he is only our Inspector-General in name, we would not be worse off if he would be so [inspector-general] effectively." Prince Alexander held the positions of Lieutenant-General and Inspector-General from 1840 until his death. The Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander
Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander
The Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander is an armoured regiment of the Royal Netherlands Army, named after Prince Alexander, the second son of King Willem II. The regiment serves as part of 41 Gemechaniseerde Brigade operating the Leopard 2 main battle tank....
is named for him.
In the Autumn of 1844 King William II planned to name his second son Governour-General of the Dutch East Indies. Many people, including Minister of Colonies Jean Chrétien Baud, objected, and in the end Alexander did not receive the commission.
Marriage prospects
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
wished to marry Alexander to his niece Princess Victoria of Kent
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
(and future Queen of the United Kingdom). Nothing came of this however, as Victoria remarked to her uncle Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
, "The [Netherlander] boys are very plain and have a mixture of Kalmuck (Mongol) and Dutch in their faces, moreover they look heavy, dull, and frightened and are not at all prepossessing. So much for the Oranges, dear Uncle".
It was suggested in 1840 that Alexander should eventually marry Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
when she came of age, allowing him to become regent. However, opposition from other crowns and King William’s objection to her religion (she was Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
) prevented any marriage between the two. Alexander never married, as princess Sophie wrote to Lady Malet on May 4, 1847 'but I am in pleasant company with prince Alexander[...]It is not that he courts me, for he does not yet know what a woman is, but he gives me all friendship he is able to give.' He had no issue.
Declining health and death
Charlotte Disbrowe, daughter to the British diplomat Sir Edward Cromwell DisbroweEdward Cromwell Disbrowe
Sir Edward Cromwell Disbrowe , Member of Parliament for Windsor , later served in the British diplomatic corps in positions in Switzerland, Russia, Sweden and other postings. He was named British Ambassador to the Netherlands, where he died at the Hague, and his body was returned to England on the...
(1790–1851), recalled how in November 1836 eighteen-year-old Alexander suffered a serious accident that could easily have cost him his life. During a frightening storm 'he and his eldest brother were returning from Leiden, where they went most days to pursue their studies. The road through the wood was so entirely blocked that they were obliged to abandon their carriage and proceed on foot. As they reached the part of the wood nearest to The Hague the trees were falling on all sides [...] one fell from a direction from which they did not expect it. The Baron seized hold of the Hereditary prince who was walking right next to him and pulled him out of danger, but Prince Alexander was caught by the branches and thrown down. It was some time before help was obtainable to extricate him, for it had to be done by digging away the ground.' After the branches had been removed, Alexander, bleeding and unconscious, was carried back to the palace. 'At first, wrote Lady Disbrowe, "he was not much hurt, but after some hours fever and delirium set in, and he was very seriously ill." Alexander never fully recovered from this accident, frequently suffering from breathlessness and headaches for the rest of his life.
Miss Disbrowe later again commented on the prince's declining state of health: 'Prince Alexander, a very fine young man, born in 1818, was evidently failing in health. Whether he had been injured in any way by the tree that fell on him, or whether he had done harm to himself by trying to reduce himself to jockey weight, I know not, but he was six feet four inches in height, the latter experience would have needed vigorous treatment. Often when dancing with him I noticed how breathless he was, and how the perspiration stood out in beads on his forehead, and I wished I had the courage to beg him to stop.'
Alexander was constantly dieting and exercising to maintain his slim figure. He rarely spared himself any exhaustion, and tried to hide his physical weakness from his family.
Alexander, however, failed to hide his problems forever. On the 23rd of April 1847 Princess Sophie remarked to Lady Malet about her brother-in-law's health problems 'Prince Alexander is also ill now. Some kind of exhausting illness, consumption. I don't know what [it is] exactly, but he walks like an old man and his glands are swollen. He has been staying at Het Loo for a month, but there has been no improvement.' On the 3rd of June she continued 'I made long rides with him face to face and listened to his complaints about his health and his problems. Sometimes I thought to myself, it is just like being alone with an old woman.'
Alexander contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and for health reasons relocated in November 1847 to the drier climes of Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. After an emotional farewell from his family he was taken to Rotterdam where he embarked on the final journey of his life. Prince Henry of the Netherlands
Prince Henry of the Netherlands
Prince William Frederick Henry of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau was the third son of King William II of the Netherlands and his wife, Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
commanded the flagship 'Prince of Orange' and two escortships 'Cerberus' and 'Cyclops' that brought Alexander to Madeira. On the island Henry met his future wife Amalia of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Amalia of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Amalia Maria da Gloria Augusta , Princess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, was the first wife of Prince Henry of the Netherlands, son of king William II of the Netherlands.-Family:...
when she and her mother came to visit Alexander.
Alexander moved in to the villa Quinta Vigia on the outskirts of Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
, which is currently the official residence of the President of the Regional Government of Madeira. He died there on 20 February 1848 at the age of 29. Because of an unfavourable wind the news of his death only reached his parents a month later, reportedly while King William II was posing for a portrait.
Alexander's sister-in-law Sophie wrote to Lady Malet on the 24th of March 'Our poor prince Alexander died like he lived; until the last moment his thoughts were filled with horses and sports. He had no idea of the nearing end. The autopsy showed his lungs were perfectly healthy, the stomach destroyed, there was not a drop of blood in his body.' The death of their favourite son hit the King, who was in the middle of a political crisis, particularly hard. He lamented: 'We walk as if on graves. The earth is nothing but a big grave, that devours all greatness, honour and glory'. The Queen wrote to her brother Nicholas on March, 30th: 'Only today I feel strong enough to write some lines to tell you about the terrible disaster that has befallen us. Our Sasja is dead! and we have survived that blow.[...]He is at peace now, but we have to go on in this world, where he had no enemies, he who for me was the most loving of sons and the most loyal of companions. The Queen later had many of her son's possession brought to Soestdijk, including his two hunting dogs, Charon and Ditch, whom she visited on his birthday and the anniversary of his death.
Prince Alexander was buried in the royal crypt at Nieuwe Kerk
Nieuwe Kerk (Delft)
Nieuwe Kerk is a landmark Protestant church in Delft, Netherlands. The building is located on Delft Market Square , opposite to the City Hall . In 1584, William the Silent was entombed here in a mausoleum designed by Hendrick and Pieter de Keyser. Since then members of the House of Orange-Nassau...
in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
the 21st of April, 1848 in a peculiar turtle-shaped coffin. His brothers Henry and William, Prince of Orange were the only members of the royal family to attend the funeral. The future King William III until 1859 moved the celebrations of his birthday to that of his wife (June 17) because his own birthday (February 19) was too close to the date of his brother's death.
Titles
- His Royal Highness Prince Alexander of the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Prince of Orange-Nassau (1818–1848)
Military Ranks
Royal Netherlands Army- Colonel (2 August 1828 until death)
- Commander, Grenadiers' Guard Regiment
Royal Netherlands Cavalry
- Major-General (2 August 1839 until 1840)
- Lieutenant-General (1840 until death)
- Inspector-General (1840 until death)
Imperial Russian Cavalry
- Chief, Novorossiysk Dragoon Regiment(26 August 1839 - 19 March 1848)
Honours
Dutch honours and decorations- Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (2 August 1828)
Honours and decorations of the United Kingdom
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic OrderRoyal Guelphic OrderThe Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
(1836)
Imperial Russian honours and decorations
- Grand Cross of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (10 September 1839)
Sources
- In naam van Oranje, 30. Vijf eeuwen de Oranjes en hun sport en jacht (1994) Nationaal Museum Paleis Het Loo. Zwolle: Waanders (in Dutch)
- In naam van Oranje, 33. Vijf eeuwen de Oranjes en de onbekende oranjeprinsen (1995) Nationaal Museum Paleis Het Loo. Zwolle: Waanders (in Dutch)