boys clothing: British royalty Victoria -- Prince Alfred









British Royalty: Victoria and Albert's Children: Prince Alfred (1844-1900)


Figure 1.--Victoria and Albert began the practice of dressing the princes in kilts. The boys wore dresses as younger boys. Bertie (Edward) appears in kilts in the late 1840s. He also wore tunics as a boy. I'm not sure precisely when he began to wear kllts or whose idea it was. This drawing by Victoria herself of Edward and Alfred shows the princes in identical kilts. It was drawn about 1850.

Prince Alfred or "Alfie" was born in 1844, the only child not to be born in Buckingham Palace. The Queen wrote when Alfred was over a year old, was the possesor of a very good manly temper which he reportedly retained for the rest of his life. Alfie may have been the most mischivious of the children. Prince Albert was always worrying about the boy hurting himself. Alfred was often depicted with his older brother, the two of them outfitted in kilts. Alfred became the Duke of Edinburgh--a precursor to Prince Phillip. Alfred was the first member of the royal family to visit Australia. He visited in 1867-68 and was shot at by a dereigned Irishman. He served in the Royal Navy and eventually married the autocratic Russian Grand Duchess Marie, the only daughter of the Czar. Neither proved very popular. He reigned as the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Stories circulated about his drinking and temper.

Parents

Alfred was Victoria and Albert's fourth child and second boy.

Albert

Albert was the born into the royal family of a small German principality. He was stictly raised and very well educated. His mairrage to Victoria brought him to the throne of the most powerful country of the day. He was only the Prince Consort and not a co-ruler with his wife. His advise to his poorly educated wife, however, was of great value to England, especially his advise that England not support the South in the American Civil War. He took the education of their chiodren very seriously--especially heir, the future Edward VII very seriously. Despite the attention given to the care and education of the children. Albert's untimely death devestated the Victoria.


Figure 2.--Prince Alfred at 2 years old wears a dress while his 5 year old brother wears a tunic in this detail from a 1846 Winterhalter painting.

Victoria

Queen Victoria was Britain's longest serving monarch. Her mairrage with Albert was the love story of the 19th century. She set the moral tone of the nation and helped shape Britain's emergence as a truly democratic nation. Victoria witnessed an extrodinary development of British power and influence. She and Albert changed how Britain's looked on their monarch. She became in many ways the gramdmother of Europe, forging dynastic ties throughout the Continent. She also played a major role in influencing boys clothing around the world by the garments she selected for the young princes.

Birth

Prince Alfred or "Alfie" was born in 1844, the only child not to be born in Buckingham Palace. Alfred has been described as a darkly handsome boy with blue eyes. As he was close in age to Albert Edward (Bertie), the future Edward VII, the two became very close and were tutored together.

Brothers and Sisters

Victoria and Albert had nine children, four boys and five girls. They saw themselves and in many ways were suitably enough an ideal Victorian family. The mairrages and offspring of these children are truely remarkable. Victoria in more than name was the grandmother of Europe. Ties were forged with Denmark, Prussia and other German states, Russia, and Spain. Notably France was exepted from Victoria's dynastic web.

Childhood

The Queen wrote when Alfred was over a year old, was the possesor of a very good manly temper which he reportedly retained for the rest of his life. He was known as "Affie" within the family. He was a very healthy boy and enjoyed fantastic health throughout most of his life.


Figure 3.--Notice how the dresses worn by Arthur's older sisters are little different than the dress he wears.

Mischievious

Alfie may have been the most mischivious of the children. Prince Albert was always worrying about the boy hurting himself as he was so daring. He had a concussion at age 5 from sliding down a bannister. Actually he had slid down a banister, going so fast he could not control himself. Most boys would have had second toughts. Alfie just dis it again--at which time he sustained a concussion. Albert reportedly was un constant fear that he would really hurt himself. [Bennett, p. 217.] This mischieviouness caused problems for te tutor that was working with Bertie and Affie. Working with Bertie along would ave bee a challenge, but a mischievious younger brother must have futher complicated matters.

Clothes

Alfred like the other children were always depicted or photographed in dressy outfits. We do not know what kind of play clothes they wore. As there are descriptions of the children, boys and girls romping about, running and clinbing trees, there must have been play clothes. Alfred was often depicted with his older brother, Bertie the future Edward VII. The the two of them near each other in age. They were commonly dressed identically. Queen Victoria herself drew tghe charming drawing of the princes, notably both outfitted in identical kilts. The princes appear to have mostly worn kilts as younger boys. Only Alfred and his brothers wore kikts--never the princesses. Family portaits when they are older show them in Eton styled suits with their younger brothers wearing kilts. Presumably Alfred also wore sailor suits like the one Bertie wore in the famous Winterhalter portarit. I do not have any photograph or portait, however, of Alfred wearing one. It does not appear that sailor suits were as widely worn by this generation as was to be the case of future generations of British royals. The boys' suits look rather influenced by Eton with small dark jackets and lighter colored long trousers. They wore a variety of different collar styles, including some comfortable looking open collars. Headwear varied. With their kilts and sailor suits they wore Glengary caps and wide-brimmed staw hats. As younger boys they wore military styled peaked caps with their suits.

Hair Styles

Alfred and his brothers as children had long hair which they wore with natural curls. Their hair is long, but not shoulder length. Available images show Alfred and Bertie wearing identical hair styles as youths. They wore long hair, not much shorter than they wore as todlers, covering their ears, but without curls. It is well above the shoulder.

Education

Alfred and his brother were tutored by first Henry Birch, a Eton mater, and then Frederick Weymouth Gibbs, a Cambridge don. Both were taken back by the volitile and virtually impossible to control Prince Albert Edward (Bertie). I'm less sure how they found Alfred. Gibbs was a gifted teacher when it came to bright university scholars. He soon found teaching the heir to the throne was a very different matter.

Separation

Affie admired his older brother and copied him in everything. The two boys for several years took their lessons together under tutors. When ffie's copy of older brother extended to disobedience and refusal to work on his studies like Bertie, it was decided that the boys had to be separated. The separation ocurred in 1857. Some authors have cited this as an example of Albert's cruelty. Indeed it was a punishment of kind for Bertie as he suffered the loss of his cloest friend. The decession was primarily taken, however, in the interests of Affie. It was deemed essential for properly forming Affie's chracter.

I am not sure what was done after the boys were separated. I do not know if a special tutor was hired for Affie. Within a year, however, Afiie had entered the navy.

The Navy

Alfred went into the navy and did quite well. His fathwr was to say that the navy was the "best school" for Affie. At the age of 15-16 in 1858-59 he was writing home cheerful letters from his ship operating in the Mediterrean and Atlantic. He passed his midshipman examinations on the voyage in 1860. (It is a good thing that Bertie never had to take an examination.) Presumably Affie at this time was glad he ad been separated from Bertie in 1857. The navy perhaps proved the best school for Affie. He was posted to the School of Navigation at Alverbank on the Isle of Wight. He passed his exams with such high marks that his father could find nonfault when he looked them over.

Youth

Alfred's mother was reportedly very pleased with him. It is said that he was inteligent without being intelectual. He was rarely idle. He even joined in the evening tutoring sessions with Alice whenever he was at Osbourne. The Queen in conversations with Vicky reportedly remarked, "The contrast with someone else is very sad." Of course she was referring to Bertie.

Duke of Saxe Conburg

When Duke Ernest, Prince Albert's older brother, died the title fell to the Prince of Wales, but he renounced the title. It then fell on Prince Alfred in 1866. I believe, however, that he continued to live primarily in England.

Marriage

Alfred married Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna Romanav in 1874 at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. She was the daughter of Tsar Alexander II and Prussian Princess Alexandra Charlotte (Hohenzollern) (1798- ). While Prince Alfred was very close to his older brother Prince of Wales Albert Edward (Bertie). Their wives, however, did not get along. Alfred took the titles if Duke of Edinburgh. The Duchess Alexandra as daughter of the Tsar felt she should have a higher status that a mere Princess of wales, which of course did not sit well with Princess of Wales Alexandra which thought the Edinburghs much too Germanic for her liking. [Battiscombe, p. 193.] Alfred when his older brother renounced the title become the Duke of Saxe Coburg.

Children

Alfred and Marie had six children.

Alfred Alexander William Ernest

Alfred was born in 1874. As Prince of Saxe-Coburg, he was next in line to inherit his father's title as Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. However he died of self-inflicted gun shot wounds. As there were no children or brothers, the succession was in doubt. Queen Victoria suggested Prince Arthur. She did not, however, consult Wilhelm II, who was upset at not being consulted. Finally at a consultation between the Kaiser and Prince Arthur, it was decided that Prince Charles, a son of Prince Leopld would become the next Duke.

Marie

Marie was born in 1875. She was known as Missy within the family. Prince George was quite smitten with her. Much to the relief of Princess of Wales Alexandra, Missy wanted nothing to do with him. She decided to marry instead Prince Ferdinand of Romania. I am not sure why she chose the Romanian crown over the English crown, presumably it was a question of the heart.

Victoria Melita

Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, Grand Duchess, was born in 1876. She was called Ducky.

Alexandra Louise Olga Victoria

Princess Alexandra Louise Olga Victoria was born in 1878.

Son

A son was born on 1879, but did not survive.

Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria

Princess Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria was born in 1884.

Children's Childhood

The girls were tasught at home with tutors. The children came to dislike their tutor who they began referriung to as "Dr. X". He became involved inan affair with the Edinburgh children's nurse. The Duchess usually lunched with the children. She placed a large pot on the table so the tutor and nurse could not see each other during lunch. When the Suchess was away for an extended period, the nurse removed the pot. The girls protested vehemently saying their mother had placed it on the table and no one should move it. The tutor became so incensed over their continued protess that he insisted, "It is either I or the pot," Whereas one of the girls, we think it was Ducky, immediately grabbed the pot and exclaimed, "We prefer the pot." Dr. X then marched out of the room. The lunch was finished in silence. All of the girls were reportedy delighted with their sister's inpertence.

Adult Life

Alfred reportedly had an abominable temper, lack of tact, supressed emotions, taciturn, marked inability to get along with others. I'm not sure how true this was of him as a boy, although his mother mentioned his temper from an early age. As an adult, he was sullen, brusque and his offhand manner was often resented by others.

Alfred became the Duke of Edinburgh--a precursor to Prince Phillip. Alfred was the first member of the royal family to visit Australia. He visited in 1867-68 and was shot at by a dereigned Irishman. He served in the Royal Navy and eventually married the autocratic Russian Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna, the only daughter of the Czar in 1874. Neither proved very popular. He reigned as the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Stories circulated about his drinking and temper. He died from throat cancer in 1900.

Sources

Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1969).






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Created: April 29, 2001
Last updated: 2:48 AM 6/25/2009