Wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra facts for kids
Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra on their wedding day, 1863
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| Date | 10 March 1863 |
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| Venue | St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Location | Windsor, England |
| Participants | Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) Princess Alexandra of Denmark (later Queen Alexandra) |
The wedding of Prince Albert Edward (who later became King Edward VII) and Princess Alexandra of Denmark (who later became Queen Alexandra) happened on March 10, 1863. The ceremony took place at St. George's Chapel inside Windsor Castle. This was the first time a royal wedding was held at St. George's Chapel. It was also the last wedding for a prince of Wales until Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer got married in 1981. Prince Albert Edward became King Edward VII in 1901.
How They Got Engaged
Before he got married, Prince Albert Edward, who his family called "Bertie," had a reputation for not being very responsible. His parents, Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort, were worried about this. They hoped that getting married would help him settle down and bring more stability to his life.
In 1858, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert started looking for a good wife for their son. They preferred someone from a German Protestant family. Bertie's older sister, Victoria, Princess Royal, who was then the Crown Princess of Prussia, helped her mother make a list of possible brides. Princess Alexandra of Denmark was fifth on this list. She was 13 years old at the time. Alexandra was the oldest daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (who later became King Christian IX of Denmark) and Louise of Hesse-Kassel.
In the end, Prince Albert agreed that Alexandra was the best choice. He said she was "the only one to be chosen." Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra first met on September 24, 1861, at Speyer Cathedral in Germany. This meeting was arranged by Bertie's sister, Princess Victoria.
On December 14 of that same year, Prince Albert died from typhoid. This made Queen Victoria very sad, and she went into a deep period of mourning. Bertie proposed to Alexandra at their next meeting, perhaps to honor his late father's wishes. They became engaged on September 9, 1862, at the Palace of Laeken in Belgium.
Princess Alexandra arrived in Britain on the royal yacht Victoria and Albert on March 7, 1863. This was just a few months after their engagement. Large crowds welcomed her when she landed in Gravesend, Kent. She then joined the Prince of Wales on the royal train for the trip to London. There, Queen Victoria, who was eager to meet her, greeted her.
The Wedding Day
Queen Victoria decided that the wedding ceremony would be held at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. This was an unusual choice at the time, as royal weddings usually happened in London. The newspapers complained that the public would not be able to see the event. Some people who expected invitations were disappointed because the wedding was planned to be small. Only Princess Alexandra's close family were invited.
On the morning of March 10, 1863, the carriage procession started from Windsor Castle. The Danish royal family went first, followed by members of the British royal family. The Prince of Wales and his group were in the second-to-last carriage, with the bride coming last. Queen Victoria did not join the procession. She was taken to the chapel privately. Her brother-in-law, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, escorted her. She wore mourning clothes and watched the ceremony from a hidden spot above the other guests. Thomas Longley, the Archbishop of Canterbury, led the ceremony.
Princess Alexandra had eight bridesmaids helping her. These included Diana Beauclerk, Victoria Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Victoria Howard, Elma Bruce, Agneta Yorke, Emily Villiers, Eleanor Hare, and Feodorowna Wellesley. Her father, Prince Christian, and the Duke of Cambridge supported her. The Prince of Wales was supported by his uncle, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and his brother-in-law, the Crown Prince of Prussia.
After the ceremony, the Prince and Princess of Wales returned to Windsor Castle with their guests. Many royal guests signed the marriage register as witnesses. These included Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales's siblings and their spouses, Princess Alexandra's family, and Danish and British government officials. A big dinner was held in the State Dining Room for the royal guests. Another dinner was held in St. George's Hall for household members and other guests. The couple spent their honeymoon at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.
After her marriage, Princess Alexandra was known as Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.
The Wedding Dress
Princess Alexandra of Denmark's wedding dress was made by a London dressmaker named Mrs. James of Belgravia. This was the first British royal wedding dress to be photographed while someone was wearing it.
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