Given that Queen Alexandra is slowly being recognised again more and more- you can find her Consort of the Month post here– I thought it was the perfect time to share this post again in time for the holidays, as it is one of the most interesting pieces of royal history for me.
The British royal family have been fans of photography for nearly two centuries now, and several members have been and are avid photographers. The Princess of Wales’ photographs have been featured in multiple exhibitions, including one at the Imperial War Museum in London. However, earlier members of the royal family have also shared their photographs publicly. Queen Alexandra, consort to King Edward VII, actually sold her photos to raise money for several different charities. Just in time for the holiday season, let’s look at Queen Alexandra’s Christmas Gift Book!
Who is Queen Alexandra?
Queen Alexandra was the wife of King Edward VII. She arrived in England from Denmark in 1863, and was immediately popular in the United Kingdom. She was young and beautiful, and women everywhere sought to imitate her sense of style.
Her husband, Bertie, had a notoriously bad wandering eye, and carried on countless affairs throughout his adult life. Alexandra largely ignored the gossip (helped by being partially deaf) and continued to carry herself with grace and poise. She had several philanthropic causes that she focused on, and quickly began raising money for different groups early in her marriage. Alexandra Rose Day, started in 1912, to mark the fifty-year anniversary of her arrival in Britain and continues to this day.
What is Queen Alexandra’s Christmas Gift Book?
Queen Alexandra’s Christmas Gift Book- Photographs From My Camera is a bound-book that features 136 photographs from Alexandra’s own collection. 90 of the images are printed in photogravure, with the remaining 46 mounted by hand on dark green pages. The photographs offer a “behind the scenes” look at royal life at the end of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. It features photographs of the Dowager Empress of Russia, the King of Denmark, several future British monarchs (including George V, Edward VIII, and George VI), and many other European royals. There are also several photos that include royal pets (they are some of my favourites).
What Did It Raise Money For?
Alexandra created the book with The Daily Telegraph in 1908 to raise money for more than thirty different charities (along with several other publishers in the UK). It was sold in Britain, but also across the British Empire and Europe. Alexandra had been immensely popular upon arriving in England for her wedding to the then-Prince of Wales, and her popularity did not wane- people were more than happy to purchase it! It sold for 2s 6d, per copy, and ended up being a bestseller. (And luckily for us now, many copies still survive- they are fairly easy to purchase for a fair price.)
The Ultimate Royal Christmas Gift
Although the book itself is not Christmas-y or festive in any way, it is easy to see why it would have been a popular gift. In 1908, the royal families of Europe were still fairly secluded from the general population (not to mention everyone in the Empire at even greater distances). This book gives a fascinating insight into royal life and royal relationships during the time. And something that does stand out to me is the number of royal men in full formal uniform while they are on vacation. Yes, people were more formal during the Edwardian period but it still seems a bit eyebrow-raising to see the future George V in full uniform while sailing on vacation. (It also highlights just how much the royals travelled, given how geographically spread out these families were.)
It is a somewhat haunting book now. There are casual photographs of the Romanovs on vacation- it feels odd to look at these very relaxed photos when you know what will happen to them in July 1918. (Especially when you factor in just how young the Romanov children are here.) Nevertheless, it perfectly illustrates how interconnected the royal families of Europe were.
Have you seen Queen Alexandra’s Christmas Gift Book?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
