The wedding of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and

Princess Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of King ...

took place on 10 March 1863 at St. George's Chapel,

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original cas ...

. It was the first royal wedding to take place at St. George's, and the last wedding of a

prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the ruler ...

until Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's 1981 wedding. Albert Edward became King Edward VII in 1901.

Engagement

Before his marriage, Prince Albert Edward, known as "Bertie" amongst his family, garnered a reputation as a philandering prince, and his irresponsibility was greatly detested by his parents,

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

and Albert, Prince Consort. They sought to put a stop to his affairs by means of marriage and thereby bring stability to his life. In 1858, the Queen and Prince Albert began the process of finding their son a suitable bride, preferable a German Protestant. The Prince's older sister,

Victoria, Princess Royal Victoria, Princess Royal (Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa; 21 November 1840 – 5 August 1901) was German Empress and Queen of Prussia as the wife of German Emperor Frederick III. She was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdo ...

(by then Crown Princess of Prussia), aided the Queen in drafting a list of potential brides, the fifth on the list being the thirteen-year-old

, the eldest daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (later King Christian IX of Denmark) and

Louise of Hesse-Kassel da, Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie , succession = Queen consort of Denmark , image = Louise of Hesse-Kassel.jpg , reign = 15 November 1863 – 29 September 1898 , spouse = , issue = , house = ...

. In the end, Bertie's father agreed on Alexandra, remarking that she was "the only one to be chosen." Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra met on 24 September 1861 at

Speyer Cathedral , native_name_lang = German , image = Speyer_dom_11.jpg , imagesize = 280px , imagelink = , imagealt = , landscape = , caption = , pushpin ma ...

, Germany, an arrangement engineered by Princess Victoria. On 14 December that year, Prince Albert died of

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several d ...

, causing the Queen to enter a deep state of mourning. She blamed his death on their son and his promiscuous affairs, most recently with actress Nellie Clifden that caused a rift between Bertie and his father. Perhaps to appease his mother by following the late Prince Consort's wishes, Bertie proposed to Alexandra on their next meeting. They were engaged on 9 September 1862 at the Palace of Laeken, Belgium. Princess Alexandra arrived in Britain abroad the royal yacht '' Victoria and Albert'' on 7 March 1863, just a few months after the engagement. She was received by large crowds as she landed in

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Rochester, it is th ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces the ...

. She joined the Prince of Wales on the

royal train A royal train is a set of railway carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of a royal family. Most monarchies with a railway system employ a set of royal carriages. Australia The various government railway operators of A ...

for the journey to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...

, where she was greeted by an anxious Queen Victoria.

Wedding

The Queen decided that the ceremony would be held at St. George Chapel, Windsor, at the time an unusual location as royal weddings typically took place in London. The press complained that public spectators would not be able to view the event. Some people who might have expected invitations were disappointed that the event was planned to be small, and therefore they did not receive invitations. Only Princess Alexandra's close family were invited.Duff, pp. 48–50. On the morning of 10 March 1863, the carriage procession began from Windsor Castle. The

Danish royal family The Danish royal family is the dynastic family of the monarch. All members of the Danish royal family except Queen Margrethe II hold the title of ''Prince/Princess of Denmark''. Dynastic children of the monarch and of the heir apparent are acc ...

were first, followed by the British royal family members; the Prince of Wales and his entourage were in the next-to-last carriage, with the bride coming last. Queen Victoria was not part of the procession, being taken to the chapel privately. She was escorted by her brother-in-law, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; she was dressed in mourning, and viewed the ceremony from above and out of view of the other guests. The ceremony was conducted by Thomas Longley, the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Jus ...

. Princess Alexandra was attended by eight bridesmaids Diana Beauclerk, Victoria Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Victoria Howard, Elma Bruce, Agneta Yorke, Emily Villiers, Eleanor Hare and Feodorowna Wellesley. She was supported by her father, Prince Christian, and by The Duke of Cambridge. The Prince of Wales was supported by his uncle, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and brother-in-law, The Crown Prince of Prussia. After the ceremony, the Prince and Princess of Wales returned to Windsor Castle along with the other guests. Many of the royal guests served as witnesses, with Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales's siblings and their spouses, Princess Alexandra's family, as well as the Danish and British ministers and

Lord Chancellor The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...

signing the marriage register. A banquet was held in the State Dining Room for the royal guests and in St. George's Hall for household members, and other guests. The couple honeymooned at

Osborne House Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat. Albert designed ...

on the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...

. Following her marriage, Princess Alexandra was styled ''

Her Royal Highness Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''. When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it take ...

'' The Princess of Wales. Princess Alexandra wedding dress 1863

Wedding dress

The wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark was made by London dressmaker Mrs James of Belgravia, and was the first British royal wedding dress to be photographed while being worn.

Guests

Groom’s family

* The Queen of the United Kingdom, ''the groom's mother''https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22718/ **

The Crown Princess ''The Crown Princess'' ( th, ลิขิตรัก, ), is a Thai television series, premiered on May 14, 2018 and last aired on June 19, 2018 on Channel 3. It starred Urassaya Sperbund and Nadech Kugimiya and produced by Ann Thongprasom. ...

and Crown Prince of Prussia, ''the groom's sister and brother-in-law'' *** Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, ''the groom's nephew'' **

Princess Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a subst ...

and Prince Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine, ''the groom's sister and brother-in-law'' ** The Princess Helena, ''the groom's sister'' ** The Princess Louise, ''the groom's sister'' ** The Prince Arthur, ''the groom's brother'' ** The Prince Leopold, ''the groom's brother'' ** The Princess Beatrice, ''the groom's sister'' * The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, ''the groom's paternal uncle'' * The Duchess of Inverness, ''the groom's maternal grandaunt by marriage'' * The Duchess of Cambridge, ''the groom's maternal grandaunt by marriage'' ** The Duke of Cambridge, ''the groom's maternal first cousin once removed'' **

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge (27 November 1833 – 27 October 1897), later Duchess of Teck, was a member of the British royal family. She was one of the first royals to patronise a wide range of charities. Mary Ade ...

, ''the groom's maternal first cousin once removed'' * The Prince of Leiningen, ''the groom's maternal first half-cousin'' *

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

and

Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (Laura Williamina Seymour; 17 December 1832 – 13 February 1912)Burke's Peerage, 107th edition - "Hertford, Marquess of". was a British-born aristocrat whose marriage to a German prince naturalised in ...

, ''the groom's maternal first half-cousin and his wife'' * The Duchess of Brabant, '' wife of the groom's double first cousin once removed'' * The Count of Flanders, ''the groom's double first cousin once removed'' * Prince August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, ''the groom's double first cousin once removed''

Bride's family

and Princess Christian of Denmark, ''the bride's parents'' ** Prince Frederik of Denmark, ''the bride's brother'' ** Prince Wilhelm of Denmark, ''the bride's brother'' **

Princess Dagmar of Denmark Princess Dagmar of Denmark (''Dagmar Louise Elisabeth''; 23 May 1890 – 11 October 1961) was a member of the Danish royal family. She was the youngest child and fourth daughter of Frederick VIII of Denmark and his wife, Princess Louise of Swe ...

, ''the bride's sister'' **

Princess Thyra of Denmark Princess Thyra of Denmark, , (Thyra Amalie Caroline Charlotte Anna; 29 September 1853 – 26 February 1933) was the youngest daughter and fifth child of Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. In 1878, she married Ernest Augustus, ...

, ''the bride's sister'' * The Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, ''the bride's paternal uncle'' *

Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel Frederick William George Adolphus, Landgrave of Hesse (german: Friedrich Wilhelm Georg Adolf von Hessen-Kassel; 25 November 1820 – 14 October 1884) was the only son of Wilhelm I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim and Princess Louise Charlott ...

, ''the bride's maternal uncle''

Other royals

Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar Prince William Augustus Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, , PC(Ire) (11 October 1823 – 16 November 1902) was a British military officer of German parents. After a career in the Grenadier Guards, he became Major General commanding the Brigade o ...

* Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh

Foreign ambassadors

* The Ottoman Ambassador and Madame Mousouros * The Austrian Ambassador and Countess Apponyi * The Russian Ambassador and Baroness von Brunnow * The Prussian Ambassador and Countess von Bernstorff * The French Ambassador * The Belgian Minister and Madame Van De Weyer * The Bavarian Minister * The Hanoverian Minister * The Italian Minister * The Dutch Minister * The Portuguese Minister * The Brazilian Minister and Madame Moreira * The Saxon Minster * The Danish Minister * The Honduran Minister * The United States Minister and Mrs. Adams * The Swedish Minister * The Spanish Minister * The Peruvian Minister * The Persian Minister * The Greek Chargé d'affaires * The Haitian Chargé d'affaires

Royal Household

* The Lord Steward * The Lord Chamberlain and the Viscountess Sidney * The Master of the Horse and the Marchioness of Ailesbury * The Mistress of the Robes * The Treasurer of the Household and Viscountess Bury * The Comptroller of the Household and Lady Proby * The Vice Chamberlain and Viscountess Castlerosse * The Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard and the Countess of Ducie * The Gold Stick in Waiting and Viscountess Combermere * The Keeper of the Privy Purse and the Hon. Lady Phipps * The Master of the Buckhounds and the Countess of Bessborough * The Deputy Earl Marshall * The Master of the Household and the Hon. Mrs. Biddulph * The Lord in Waiting * The Groom in Waiting * The Clerk Marshal * The Groom of the Stool and the Countess Spencer * The Lord Chamberlain to the Princess of Wales

Clergy

* The Archbishop of Canterbury * The Bishop of London and

Catharine Tait Catharine Tait (; 9 December 1819 – 1 December 1878) was a British philanthropist. Life Tait was born in Elmdon near Rugby where her father was the rector. Her parents were Anna Maria and William Spooner. She had opposed Archibald Campbell ...

* The Bishop of Winchester * The Bishop of Oxford * The Bishop of Chester and Mrs. Graham * The Dean of Windsor and the Hon. Mrs. Wellesley

Politicians

* The Lord High Chancellor * The Lord President of the Council * The Lord Privy Seal and the Duchess of Argyll * The Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, and the Viscountess Palmerston * The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs Gladstone * The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Countess Russell * The Secretary of State for the Colonies * The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lady Grey * The Secretary of State for India and Lady Mary Wood * The Secretary of State for War * The First Lord of the Admiralty and the Duchess of Somerset * The President of the Board of Trade * The Postmaster General and the Lady Stanley of Alderley * The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Mrs. Cardwell * The President of the Poor Law Board * The First Commissioner of Works and the Hon. Mrs. William Cooper * The Vice-President of the Committee of the Council on Education and Mrs. Lowe * The Vice-President of the Board of Trade and Mrs. Hutt * The Chief Secretary for Ireland * The Speaker of the House of Commons and Lady Charlotte Denison * The Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench * The Judge Advocate General and Mrs. Headlam * The Adjutant General * The Quartermaster General * The Lord Mayor and Lord Mayoress of London * The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod * Mr and Mrs. Benjamin Disraeli

Nobles

* The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch * The Duke of Devonshire * The Duke of St Albans * The Dowager Duchess of Sutherland * The

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

and Duchess of Atholl * The Marquess and Marchioness of Carmarthen * The Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury * The Marquess Camden * The Marquess and Marchioness of Abercorn **

Viscount Hamilton A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...

* The Marquess and Marchioness of Westminster * The Marchioness of Ely * The Dowager Countess of Mount Edgcumbe ** The Earl and Countess of Mount Edgcumbe * The Earl and Countess of Clarendon * The Earl and Countess of Suffolk * The Earl and Countess of Hardwicke * The Earl and Countess Cowley * The Earl and Countess of Macclesfield * The Earl and Countess of Morton * The Earl and Countess de Grey and Ripon * The Earl of Carlisle * The Earl of Harrowby * The Countess of Derby * The Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury * The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam * The Earl and Countess De La Warr * The Earl and Countess of Caithness * The Viscount and Viscountess Falkland * The Countess of Dysart * Viscount Hinchingbrooke * Viscountess Jocelyn * Viscountess Chewton * Viscountess Forbes *

Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...

and Viscountess Torrington * The Lord Portman * The Lord and Lady Churchill * The Dowager Lady Lyttelton * The Lord and Lady Camoys * The Lord Rivers * The Lord Methuen * The Lord and Lady de Tabley * The Lord and Lady Cremorne * The Lady Byron *

Lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...

and Lady Alfred Harvey * Lord Charles FitzRoy *

Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places *Rural Mu ...

and Lady Emily Seymour * The Hon. Dudley and Lady Elizabet de Ros * Sir William Alexander, 3rd Baronet * Sir Alexander Cornewall Duff-Gordon, 3rd Baronet *

Sir William Dunbar, 7th Baronet Sir William Dunbar, 7th Baronet (2 March 1812 – 17 December 1889) was a Scottish Liberal Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons. Life He was born on 2 March 1812 the son of James Dunbar and his wife, Anna Catharina van Reed d'Oud ...

and Lady Dunbar *

Sir James Clark, 1st Baronet Sir James Clark, 1st Baronet, KCB (14 December 1788 – 29 June 1870) was a Scottish physician who was Physician-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria between 1837 and 1860, and was previously physician to poet John Keats in Rome. Early life and career ...

* The Garter Principal King of Arms

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{British royal weddings Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra of Denmark Windsor Castle Edward VII Alexandra of Denmark Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra of Denmark Marriage, unions and partnerships in England 1863 in England