The Danish princess who became Britain’s most enduring Princess of Wales
Before she was Queen, Alexandra of Denmark lived a modest life in a draughty attic. Despite political exclusion and personal health struggles, her grace and fashion-forward style captured the British public's heart, making her one of the most beloved figures of the Edwardian era.
Born in Copenhagen in 1844, Alexandra’s early life was far from regal. As the daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, she shared a cramped attic bedroom with her sister, Dagmar. Her family lived relatively modestly; her father’s annual income from an army commission was only about £800, and they resided in a rent-free property. It was only after the 1852 London conference, which settled the Danish succession crisis, that her father ascended the throne as Christian IX, elevating the family's status.
Her path to the British throne was a strategic triumph. In 1861, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert selected the sixteen-year-old Alexandra to marry the Prince of Wales. Though her Danish origins were initially a diplomatic concern due to tensions with Prussia, she married Albert Edward in 1863. She would hold the title of Princess of Wales for nearly four decades, the longest tenure in history, becoming a fashion icon whose style was widely imitated by women.
Alexandra’s reign was marked by both resilience and private hardship. A bout of rheumatic fever in 1867 left her with a permanent limp, and hereditary otosclerosis eventually led to increasing deafness and social isolation. While she was largely barred from political influence, she channeled her energy into charitable works, founding the Imperial Military Nursing Service in 1902 and Alexandra Rose Day. Even when faced with public hostility, such as being booed by nationalists in Cork in 1885, she maintained a dignified, smiling composure.
Source: Alexandra of Denmark
