- 1901-1910: King of the United Kingdom
Edward VII of the United Kingdom, King of the United Kingdom, was born 9 November 1841 in Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom to Albert von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (1819-1861) and Victoria of the United Kingdom (1819-1901) and died 6 May 1910 Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom of bronchitis. He married Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925) 10 March 1863 in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom.
Biography
King Edward VII was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He became King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India on January 22, 1901, following the death of his mother, Queen Victoria.
Edward was known for his social and diplomatic skills and played an important role in the development of modern Britain. During his reign, the country went through significant changes, including the rise of the Labour Party and the beginning of the women's suffrage movement.
Before his ascension to the throne, Edward held a number of official positions in the military and government. He served as the Prince of Wales, the heir to the throne, from 1841 until 1901, and during this time, he travelled extensively, representing his mother, Queen Victoria, at important events both at home and abroad.
Despite his reputation as a socialite, Edward was also an advocate for modernizing the British military and played an important role in the Second Boer War. He was also responsible for improving Anglo-French relations and helping to create the Entente Cordiale between the two countries.
King Edward VII was married to Alexandra of Denmark and had six children, including King George V. He died on May 6, 1910, at Buckingham Palace, at the age of 68, after suffering a series of heart attacks.
Edward was succeeded by his son, King George V, and is remembered as a popular and respected monarch who played an important role in shaping modern Britain.
Family Life
Marriage
The marriage of the Prince of Wales with Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Windsor, 10 March 1863
Once widowed, Queen Victoria effectively withdrew from public life. Shortly after Prince Albert's death, she arranged for Edward to embark on an extensive tour of the Middle East, visiting Egypt, Jerusalem, Damascus, Beirut and Istanbul.[1] The British Government wanted Edward to secure the friendship of Egypt's ruler, Said Pasha, to prevent French control of the Suez Canal if the Ottoman Empire collapsed. It was the first royal tour on which an official photographer, Francis Bedford, was in attendance. As soon as Edward returned to Britain, preparations were made for his engagement, which was sealed at Laeken in Belgium on 9 September 1862.[2] Edward married Alexandra of Denmark at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 10 March 1863. He was 21; she was 18.
Edward and Alexandra on their wedding day, 1863
The couple established Marlborough House as their London residence and Sandringham House in Norfolk as their country retreat. They entertained on a lavish scale. Their marriage met with disapproval in certain circles because most of Queen Victoria's relations were German, and Denmark was at loggerheads with Germany over the territories of Schleswig and Holstein. When Alexandra's father inherited the throne of Denmark in November 1863, the German Confederation took the opportunity to invade and annex Schleswig-Holstein. The Queen was of two minds as to whether it was a suitable match, given the political climate.[3] After the marriage, she expressed anxiety about their socialite lifestyle and attempted to dictate to them on various matters, including the names of their children.[4]
London Bridge on the Night of the Marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, by William Holman Hunt (1864)
- Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (1864-1892) - died age 28, engaged 1891, to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck
- George V of the United Kingdom (1865-1936) - Successors as King of the United Kingdom. Married in 1893, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck; had issue including Edward VIII and George VI
- Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar, Princess Royal (1867-1941) - 1889, Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife; had issue
- Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary of the United Kingdom (1868-1935) - never married, no issue
- Maud of Wales (1869-1938) - 1896, Prince Carl of Denmark (King of Norway as Haakon VII from 1905); had issue including Prince Alexander (later Olav V)
- Alexander John Charles Albert of Wales (1871-1871) - born and died at Sandringham House after just 1 day.
Children
Siblings
See Also
Bibliography
- Bentley-Cranch, Dana (1992), Edward VII: Image of an Era 1841–1910, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, ISBN 978-0-11-290508-0
- Ensor, R. C. K. (1936), England, 1870–1914, Oxford: Clarendon Press, https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.155599
- Hattersley, Roy (2004), The Edwardians, London: Little, Brown, ISBN 978-0-316-72537-8
- Heffer, Simon (1998), Power and Place: The Political Consequences of King Edward VII, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 978-0-297-84220-0
- Hough, Richard (1992), Edward & Alexandra: Their Private and Public Lives, London: Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN 978-0-340-55825-6
- Lee, Sidney (1927), King Edward VII: A Biography, II, London: Macmillan
- Magnus, Philip (1964), King Edward The Seventh, London: John Murray
- Middlemas, Keith (1972), Antonia Fraser, ed., The Life and Times of Edward VII, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, ISBN 978-0-297-83189-1
- Priestley, J. B. (1970), The Edwardians, London: Heinemann, ISBN 978-0-434-60332-9
- Ridley, Jane (2012), Bertie: A Life of Edward VII, London: Chatto & Windus, ISBN 978-0-7011-7614-3
- Shaw, William Arthur; Burtchaell, George Dames (1906), The knights of England; a complete record from the earliest time to the present day of the knights of all the orders of chivalry in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of knights bachelors, London: Central chancery of the orders of knighthood, Sherratt and Hughes, https://archive.org/details/cu31924092537418/
- Windsor, HRH The Duke of (1951), A King's Story, London: Cassell and Co
External Links
- wikipedia:en:Edward VII
- Edward VII at thePeerage
- Edward VII, Geni.com, https://www.geni.com/people/Edward-VII-King-of-the-United-Kingdom/6000000001651648070, retrieved 01 May 2023
- Edward VII at Find A Grave
- Edward VII at the official website of the British monarchy
- Edward VII at the official website of the Royal Collection Trust
- Edward VII at BBC History
- Works by Edward VII at Project Gutenberg
- Macaulay, James (editor) (1889). Speeches and addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863–1888 London: Murray.
Ancestry Trees
- Charlemagne Family Ancestry
- Rurik Family Ancestry
- Rollo Family Ancestry
- Alfred the Great Family Ancestry
- House of Hanover
- Plantagenet Family Line
- Capetian dynasty
Royal Succession Charts
Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1841-1910) Cadet branch of the House of Wettin Born: 9 November 1841 Died: 6 May 1910
| ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Victoria |
King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions Emperor of India 22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910 |
Succeeded by George V |
British royalty
| ||
| Vacant Title last held by George (IV)
|
Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Duke of Rothesay 1841–1901 |
Succeeded by George (V) |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by The Earl Beauchamp |
Colonel of the 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars 1863–1901 |
Succeeded by Lord Ralph Drury Kerr |
| Freemasonry offices | ||
| Preceded by The Marquess of Ripon |
Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England 1874–1901 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Vacant Title last held by Albert, Prince Consort
|
Great Master of the Bath 1897–1901 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn |
References
- ^ Bentley-Cranch, pp. 40–42
- ^ Bentley-Cranch, p. 44; Ridley, p. 72
- ^ Middlemas, p. 35; Ridley, p. 83
- ^ Ridley, pp. 85, 87, 93, 104
Footnotes (including sources)
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