*** boys clothing: Danish royalty -- Christian IX children









Danish Royalty: Christian IX's Children

Danish King Chrustian IX children Figure 1.--This is a royal cabinet portrait of Queen Louise with her children -- Prince Waldemar and Princesses Alexandra, Dagmar and Thyra. Denmark did not attract many suitors, but Christian's daughters were all very attractive which did attract royal suitors. The studio was Georg E. Hansen of Copenhagen. It would have been taken about 1870. Notice the bustle. The photgraphic studio was Georg E. Hansen of Copenhagen.

King Christian is often called the grandfather of Europe. It was not because he left a substantial imprint on European history. Denmark's time had come and gone. He did leave a huge imprint on European royal dynasties. Few Euroopean moinarchs has more descendents who became monarchs. Christian produced three kings and a queen and a Tsarina. His son Frederick succeded him as King of Denmark (1906) and his grandson Charles became King Haakon VII of Norway (1905). William George became King of Greece (1863). His daughter Alexandra mairred the Prince of Wales (future Edward VII) and became Queen of England. Edward was a great disappointment to his parents, but proved to a remarably effective monarch--although because of his mother's long life, had a very short reign. He was not a very fauithful husbabd leading to a family life nlike her Danish upbrining. Dagmar mairred the Russian Tsar -- Alexander III. He was a bear of a man and an arch reactionary. He ruled very forcefully, setting the stage for the Russian Revolution. Alix and Dagmar were especially close as children. It is one of the ironies of history that two princess from a family of very limited means married into two of the greatest royal families of Europe.

Frederick VIII (1843- )

Frederick was born in 1843, son of Christian IX. He was born in Copenhagen and educated at Oxford University. He fought as a young man in the hopeless war with Prussia and Austria over Schleswig-Holstein (1864). He continued to be interested in military affairs. He married Louise Josephine Eug�nie of Sweden in 1869. Louise was a somewhat eccentric person whose major preoccupation was painting illuninations on vellum. They had eight children: 1870: Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Wilhelm (1870- ), Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel (1872- ), Louise Caroline Josephine (1875- ), Harald Christian Frederik (1876- ), Ingeborg Charlotta Carolina (1878- ), Thyra Louise Caroline Amalie (1880- ), Gustav (1887- ), Dagmar Louise Elisabeth (1890- ). He reigned for a relatively brief 6 years. He died in Hamburg Germany in 1912. He was succeeded by his son Christian X. Another son Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel became King Haakon VII of Norway.

Alexandra (1844-1925)

Christian's oldest daughter Alexandra (Alix) was born in 1844. Alexandria as a girl was raised in living, but frugal circumstances in Copenhagen. She and her sisters sewed many of their own clothes. Occasionally they would wait on tables and perform other household chores. Dhe was graceful and something of a gymnist as a girl. She had, however, no interests in intelectual pursuits. She maired the English Prince of Wales (future Edward VII) which meant a total change in her life style. Both the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria , however proved to be a challenge to Alexandra. She proved, however, to be a great favorite of Victoria. Alix and her husband became King and Queen of England in 1901 and were crowned in 1902. The fashions of the entire era were named after them, the Edwardian Era. There son George V succeed to the throne. George's children (her grandchildren) loved to visit as both grandparents doted on them in contrast to their father's strict discipline.

William George (1845-1913)

Christian's second son William George was born in 1845. He was Alexandra's favorite brother. He became George I of Hellenes, King of Greece in 1863, largely because of his sister's marringe to the English Prince of Wales. He married Romanov Russian Princess Olga Constantinovna in 1867. They had eight children, three of which became Greek kings. A descendent, Prince Philip, would marry Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

Dagmar "Marie" (1847-1928 )

Dagmar "Marie" was born in 1847. She was not as beautiful as her older sister Alexandra, the future Princess of Wales, to whom she was very close. Dagmar had large eyes and a wide smile. She had a tiny girl, but slender and ellegant. She was not as beautiful as her eldest sister Alexandra, the future Princess of Wales, to whom she was very attached, but she had large eyes and a wide smile on her livelier and engaging face. She had a tiny figure, but slender and ellegant. Dagmar became engaged to the eldest son of Tsar Alexander II of Russia, the Tsarevitch Nicholas, in the summer of 1864 during the war with Prussia and Austria. Nicholas was a handsome, but delicate young man. He was well-read and the two became deeply attached. Nicholas did not have a strong constitution and contracted bronchitis. He was sent to the southern France to recuperate, but his condition deterriorated. Dagmar came from Denmark to visit his fiance but Nicholas died some days later. She then found herself in the compromising position of bethrothing the new Tsarevitch, Nicholas's brother. Alexander was the complete opposite of his delicate older brother. He was a bear of a man broad shoulders that towered over Dagmar. More importantly, he was poorly read and had a rigid mind. Dagmar had a great sense of her family duty. Denmark needed powerfull allies. She thus accepted engagement to Alexander, without caring about his appearence, because it was convenient for Denmark. She married the future Tsar Alexander III Alexandrovich in 1866 and became Tsarina. He devoted to his wife and family. They had six children. The oldest became Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar who was murdered by the Bolshevicks in 1918. Dagemar died in Copenhagen in 1928.

Thyra Amelia Caroline (1853-1933)

Thyra Amelia Caroline was born in 1853. Her sister who at the time was the Princess of Wales Alexandra worked hard at finding her a husband. She married the Third Duke of Cumberland Ernest Augustus in 1878. He was lso the Crown Prince of Hannover. He decided to cast his lot with Germany, although abused by Kaiser Wilhelm II. They had six children. One son served in the German army during World War I. Thyra eventually became the mother-in-law of Princess Victoria Luise of Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm II's only daughter. Given the differences in ages, the two younger children were not as intimate as the older children were with each other.

Prince Valdemar
Figure 2.--These are the five children of Prince Valdemar and French Princess Marie d' Orleans. This portrait was probably taken about 1899. The color was presumably painted in by thestudio. Notice the modern blue/pink usage. We are not sure how accurately the color was oointed in, but it seems likely.

Valdemar (1858-1939)

Valdemar was born in 1858. As the youngest child and born after a considerable gap from his four older more famous brothers and sisters, there was as a result, no great intimacy between them. He married Princess Marie d'Orleans in 1885. Her father was Robert, Duke of Chartres (1840- ). Her mother was Francisca d'Orleans (1844-1909). Prince Valdemar and Marie has five children, four boys and a girl. The boys were: Aage Christian Alexander, Count of Rosenborg, (1887- ), Axel Christian George (1888- ), Erik Frederik, Duke of Rosenburg (1890- ), Viggo Christian Adolph George, Count of Rosenborg (1893- ). The girl was the baby of the family. Her name was Margrethe Françoise (1895- ). We know little about this family, except that their mother apparently liked to dress the boys in identical sailor suits. The boys, especially the first three were both very close together. This made in easy to dress them identically. Note that the sailor style was not considered appropriate for their baby sister.






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Created: May 28, 2002
Last updated: 4:43 PM 8/5/2023