boys clothing: British royalty Victoria -- Prince Alfred









British Royalty: Victoria and Albert's Children: Princess Helena (1846-1923)


Figure 1.--

Helena was considerd the tomboy of the family. The Queen did not regard Helena and Louise with the same affection as her older and younger daughters. The Prince of Wale's fiancee, Princess Alexandra, was met on her arrival at Osborne by Princess Helena who was about 16 and and her younger brother Leopold who was about 9. Alix was to stay with the Queen for a few months befor the marriage. Leopold was worried about the bouquet that had been enbtrusted to him. Alix was charmed, took little Leopold in her arms and kissed him, forging a loving relationship with him. Alix soon made friendships with the Queen's daughrts as well, especially Helena who was close to her in age. [Battiscombe, pp. 40-41.] Helena at the age of 20 in 1866 married a landless German/Danish Prince, Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Augustenburg, who was 15 years her senior. This was the cause of a major family squable. The two had agreed to live with the Queen in England. Helena was a bright girl, but saw marriage to the rather oafish Christain as her old chance for marriage. Much of the family saw the marriage as the Queen sacrificing her daughter to ensure that she would stay at home. The Princess of Wales took it much more personally because Prince Christian had taken the Prussian side in the dispute over Schleswig-Holstein. Alix was not pleased to have another German in the family. His rather Danish origins just added fuel to the fire.

Parents

Helena was Victoria and Albert's fifth child and third 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.

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


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

Helena was considerd the tomboy of the family. The Queen did not regard Helena and Louise with the same affection as her older and younger daughters.

Princess of Wales

The Prince of Wales' fiancee, Princess Alexandra, was met on her arrival at Osborne by Princess Helena who was about 16 and and her younger brother Leopold who was about 9. Alix was to stay with the Queen for a few months befor the marriage. Leopold was worried about the bouquet that had been enbtrusted to him. Alix was charmed, took little Leopold in her arms and kissed him, forging a loving relationship with him. Alix soon made friendships with the Queen's daughrts as well, especially Helena who was close to her in age. [Battiscombe, pp. 40-41.]

Clothes


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Hair Styles


Education


Prince Christian (1831-1917)

Helena met a landless German/Danish Prince, (Frederick) Christian Charles Augustus of Schleswig-Holstein-Augustenburg, who was 15 years her senior.

Marriage

Helena at the age of 20 married Prince Christian in 1866 at Windsor Castle. The two had agreed to live with the Queen in England. Helena was a bright girl, but saw marriage to the rather oafish Christain as her old chance for marriage. He was the cause of a major family squable. Much of the family saw the marriage as the Queen sacrificing her daughter to ensure that she would stay at home. The Princess of Wales took it much more personally because Prince Christian had taken the Prussian side in the dispute over Schleswig-Holstein. Alix was not pleased to have another German in the family. His rather Danish origins just added fuel to the fire.

Children

Helena and Christian had five children. The oldest was Christian Victor ( -1900). He died of enteric fever in South Africa. This was the final blow to the aging Queen Victoria. Her son Alfred had died a few months eralier and her eldest daughter Victoria lay dieing in Germany. She died a few months after Christian Victor's death. The other children were: Duke Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Helena Victoria, Princess Marie Louise, and Frederick Harold.

Sources

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






Christopher Wagner








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Created: July 5, 2002
Last updated: July 5, 2002