Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Encyclopedia
Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Alexandra Louise Olga Victoria; 1 September 1878 – 16 April 1942), was the fourth child and third daughter of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. She was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom as well as of Tsar Alexander II of Russia
.
. Princess Alexandra's father was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her mother was Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, a daughter of Alexander II of Russia
and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.
The young princess was baptised on 2 October 1878 at Edinburgh Palace, Coburg, presumably by her mother's chaplain. Her godparents included her maternal uncle Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia
.
Nicknamed 'Sandra' by her family, Alexandra spent her childhood first in England
and between 1886 and 1889 in Malta, where her father was serving with the Royal Navy. In 1889 the family moved to Coburg, Germany since her father, Alfred, was the heir apparent to the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
.
In 1893, her great-uncle, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
(brother of her paternal grandfather, Prince Albert) died without issue. Since Albert was dead, and her uncle, Edward VII of the United Kingdom
, the Prince of Wales
, had renounced his claim to the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the vacant duchy fell to Alexandra's father, the Duke of Edinburgh. Thus, Princess Alexandra was both a British princess
and a Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Throughout her life, Alexandra was usually overshadowed by her two eldest sisters, Marie and Victoria. Alexandra, less beautiful and more subdued than her sisters, was plain, placid and not as brilliant.
(13 September 1863 – 11 December 1950). Alexandra's grandmother, Queen Victoria, complained that she was too young. Alexandra's father objected to the status of his future son-in-law. The House of Hohenlohe-Lagenburg was mediatized - a formerly ruling family who had ceded their sovereign rights to others while (in theory) retaining their equal birth. It was not considered a brilliant match, but they were also related. Ernst was a grandson of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, Queen Victoria's half-sister.
The wedding took place on 20 April 1896 in Coburg
, Germany
. Together, they had five children:
, she worked as a Red Cross nurse. In February 1916 her eldest daughter was married at Coburg to Prince Friederich of Gluckburg and she became a grandmother when the couple's first child, Prince Hans of Glucksburg was born in May 1917. On her thirty-fifth wedding anniversary in April 1931, her son Gottfried married Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark. In the years preceding World War II
, Alexandra was an early supporter of the Nazi Party, which she joined on 1 May 1937, together with several of her children. She died in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany in 1942.
Her eldest son, Gottfried, 8th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, was named in an unsavory manner as part of the custody suit over Gloria Vanderbilt
("Little Gloria") between her mother Gloria Laura Mercedes Morgan
(1904–1965) and the child's aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
.
.
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
.
Early life
Alexandra was born on 1 September 1878 at Rosenau Castle, CoburgCoburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
. Princess Alexandra's father was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her mother was Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, a daughter of Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.
The young princess was baptised on 2 October 1878 at Edinburgh Palace, Coburg, presumably by her mother's chaplain. Her godparents included her maternal uncle Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia was the sixth child and the fourth son of Alexander II of Russia and his first wife Maria Alexandrovna . Destined to a naval career, Alexei Alexandrovich started his military training at the age of 7...
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and between 1886 and 1889 in Malta, where her father was serving with the Royal Navy. In 1889 the family moved to Coburg, Germany since her father, Alfred, was the heir apparent to the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha served as the collective name of two duchies, Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha, in Germany. They were located in what today are the states of Bavaria and Thuringia, respectively, and the two were in personal union between 1826 and 1918...
.
In 1893, her great-uncle, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the second sovereign duke of the German duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, reigning from 1844 to his death...
(brother of her paternal grandfather, Prince Albert) died without issue. Since Albert was dead, and her uncle, Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, had renounced his claim to the ducal throne of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the vacant duchy fell to Alexandra's father, the Duke of Edinburgh. Thus, Princess Alexandra was both a British princess
British princess
This is a list of British princesses from the accession of King George I in 1714. This article deals with both princesses of the blood royal and women who become princesses upon marriage....
and a Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Throughout her life, Alexandra was usually overshadowed by her two eldest sisters, Marie and Victoria. Alexandra, less beautiful and more subdued than her sisters, was plain, placid and not as brilliant.
Marriage
During Alexandra's formative years, her father, occupied with his career in the Navy and later as a ruler in Coburg, paid little attention to his family. It was Alexandra's mother who was the domineering presence in their children's life. The duchess believed in marrying her daughters young, before they began to think for themselves. At the end of 1895, she arranged Alexandra's engagement to Prince Ernst, of Hohenlohe-LangenburgHohenlohe-Langenburg
Hohenlohe-Langenburg was a German county of northeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located around Langenburg. Hohenlohe-Neuenstein was partitioned into it, Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen and Hohenlohe-Kirchberg in 1701...
(13 September 1863 – 11 December 1950). Alexandra's grandmother, Queen Victoria, complained that she was too young. Alexandra's father objected to the status of his future son-in-law. The House of Hohenlohe-Lagenburg was mediatized - a formerly ruling family who had ceded their sovereign rights to others while (in theory) retaining their equal birth. It was not considered a brilliant match, but they were also related. Ernst was a grandson of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, Queen Victoria's half-sister.
The wedding took place on 20 April 1896 in Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Together, they had five children:
- Prince Gottfried, 8th Prince of Hohenlohe-LangenburgGottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-LangenburgGottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the only son of Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. He was the titular Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg from 1950 until his death.-Early life:...
(24 May 1897 – 11 May 1960); married Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark had issue - Princess Marie Melita of Hohenlohe-LangenburgPrincess Marie Melita of Hohenlohe-LangenburgPrincess Marie Melita of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the Duchess consort of Schleswig-Holstein as the wife of Wilhelm Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein...
(18 January 1899 – 8 November 1967) - Princess Alexandra of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (2 April 1901 – 26 October 1963)
- Princess Irma of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (4 July 1902 – 8 March 1986)
- Prince Alfred of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (16 April 1911 – 18 April 1911)
Later life
Alexandra lived for the rest of her life in Germany. At the death of her father in 1900, Alexandra's husband was appointed regent of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg during the minority of the new Duke. Alfred, Alexandra's only brother, had died in 1899. During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, she worked as a Red Cross nurse. In February 1916 her eldest daughter was married at Coburg to Prince Friederich of Gluckburg and she became a grandmother when the couple's first child, Prince Hans of Glucksburg was born in May 1917. On her thirty-fifth wedding anniversary in April 1931, her son Gottfried married Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark. In the years preceding World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Alexandra was an early supporter of the Nazi Party, which she joined on 1 May 1937, together with several of her children. She died in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany in 1942.
Her eldest son, Gottfried, 8th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, was named in an unsavory manner as part of the custody suit over Gloria Vanderbilt
Gloria Vanderbilt
Gloria Laura Vanderbilt is an American artist, author, actress, heiress, and socialite most noted as an early developer of designer blue jeans...
("Little Gloria") between her mother Gloria Laura Mercedes Morgan
Gloria Laura Mercedes Morgan-Vanderbilt
Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt was a Swiss-born American socialite best known as the mother of fashion designer and artist Gloria Vanderbilt and maternal grandmother of television journalist Anderson Cooper. She was a central figure in Vanderbilt vs...
(1904–1965) and the child's aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney was an American sculptor, art patron and collector, and founder in 1931 of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City...
.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
- 1 September 1878 – 23 August 1893: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, Princess of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Saxony
- 23 August 1893 – 9 March 1913: Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
- 9 March 1913 – 16 April 1942: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
British arms
Alexandra's personal coat of arms was that of the British monarch, with an inescutcheon of the shield of Saxony, all differenced, as a male-line grandchild, with a label argent of five points, the central point bearing a cross gules, the inner pair anchors azure, and the outer pair fleurs-de-lys azure. In 1917, the inescutcheon was dropped by royal warrant from George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.