View source for Alexandra of Denmark

{{Short description|Queen of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910}}
{{Redirect-several|Queen Alexandra|Princess Alexandra of Denmark|Alexandra of the United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}{{Use British English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| consort      = yes
| image        = Queen Alexandra Portrait 1913.jpg
| caption      = Alexandra in 1913
| alt          = Photograph of Alexandra aged about 69
| succession   = {{plainlist|
* {{Br separated entries|[[Queen consort of the United Kingdom]]|and the [[British Dominions]]}}
* [[Empress consort of India]]
}}
| reign        = 22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910
| coronation   = 9 August 1902
| cor-type     = [[Coronation of Edward VII and Alexandra|Coronation]]
| coronation1  = 1 January 1903
| cor-type1    = {{nowrap|[[Delhi Durbar#Durbar of 1903|Imperial Durbar]]}}
| birth_name   = Princess Alexandra of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|df=yes|1844|12|1}}
| birth_place  = [[Yellow Palace, Copenhagen]], Denmark
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1925|11|20|1844|12|1}}
| death_place  = [[Sandringham House]], Norfolk, England
| burial_date  = 28 November 1925
| burial_place = {{hanging indent|Albert Memorial Chapel, [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]]}} {{Br separated entries|22 April 1927|{{hanging indent|South Aisle, St George's Chapel}}}}
| spouse       = {{marriage|[[Edward VII]]|10 March 1863|6 May 1910|end=died<!--Please do not link, see [[WP:OVERLINK]]-->}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|
* [[Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale]]
* [[George V]]
* [[Louise, Princess Royal]]
* [[Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom|Princess Victoria]]
* [[Maud, Queen of Norway]]
* [[Prince Alexander John of Wales]]}}
| full name    = Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia
| house        = [[House of Glücksburg|Glücksburg]]
| father       = [[Christian IX of Denmark]]
| mother       = [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel]]
| signature    = Queen-Alexandra-Signature.svg
| signature_alt = Signature of Queen Alexandra
}}

'''Alexandra of Denmark''' (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was [[List of British royal consorts|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 Edward&nbsp;VII]].

Alexandra's family had been relatively obscure until 1852, when her father, [[Christian IX of Denmark|Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]], was chosen (with the consent of the major European powers) to succeed his second cousin [[Frederick VII of Denmark|Frederick VII]] as [[King of Denmark]]. At the age of sixteen, Alexandra was chosen as the future wife of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the son and [[heir apparent]] of [[Queen Victoria]]. [[Wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra|The couple married]] eighteen months later in 1863, the year in which her father became king of Denmark as Christian IX and her brother William was appointed [[king of Greece]] as [[George I of Greece|George I]]. 

Alexandra was [[Princess of Wales]] from 1863 to 1901, the longest anyone has ever held that title, and became generally popular; fashion-conscious women copied her style of dress and bearing. Largely excluded from wielding any political power, she unsuccessfully attempted to sway the opinion of British ministers and her husband's family to favour Greek and Danish interests. Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work.

On the [[death of Queen Victoria]] in 1901, Albert Edward became [[king-emperor]] as Edward&nbsp;VII, with Alexandra as [[queen consort|queen-empress consort]]. She became [[queen mother]] on [[Edward&nbsp;VII's death]] in 1910, at which point their son [[George&nbsp;V]] acceded to the throne. [[Death and funeral of Alexandra of Denmark|Alexandra died]] aged 80 in 1925.

==Early life==
Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia of [[House of Glücksburg#Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]], or "Alix", as her immediate family knew her, was born on 1 December 1844 at the [[Yellow Palace, Copenhagen|Yellow Palace]], an 18th-century town house at 18 [[Amaliegade]], immediately adjacent to the [[Amalienborg Palace]] complex in [[Copenhagen]].<ref name="Eilers"/> Her father was [[Christian IX of Denmark|Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]] and her mother was Princess [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel]].<ref name=bp>[[Hugh Massingberd|Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (ed.)]] (1977). ''Burke's Royal Families of the World'', Volume 1. (London: [[Burke's Peerage]]). {{ISBN|0-220-66222-3}}. pp. 69–70.</ref> She had five siblings: [[Frederick VIII of Denmark|Frederick]], [[George I of Greece|William]] (later George I of Greece), [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Dagmar]] (later Empress Maria of Russia), [[Princess Thyra of Denmark|Thyra]] and [[Prince Valdemar of Denmark|Valdemar]].

Her father's family was a distant [[cadet branch]] of the Danish royal [[House of Oldenburg]], which was descended from King [[Christian III of Denmark]]. Although they were of royal blood,{{efn|Her mother and father were both great-grandchildren of [[Frederick V of Denmark]] and great-great-grandchildren of [[George II of Great Britain]].}} the family lived a comparatively modest life. They did not possess great wealth; her father's income from an army commission was about [[pound sterling|£]]800 per year, and their house was a rent-free [[grace and favour]] property.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=16–17}} Occasionally, [[Hans Christian Andersen]] was invited to call and tell the children stories before bedtime.{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=18}}

In 1848, [[Christian VIII of Denmark]] died and his only son [[Frederick VII of Denmark|Frederick]] acceded to the throne. Frederick was childless, had been through two unsuccessful marriages, and was assumed to be infertile. A succession crisis arose because Frederick ruled in both Denmark and [[Schleswig-Holstein]], and the succession rules of each territory differed. In [[Holstein]], the [[Salic law]] prevented inheritance through the female line, whereas no such restrictions applied in Denmark. Holstein, being predominantly German, proclaimed independence and called in the aid of [[Prussia]]. In 1852, the major European powers called a [[London Protocol (1852)|conference in London]] to discuss the Danish succession. An uneasy peace was agreed, which included the provision that Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg would be Frederick's heir in all his dominions and the prior claims of others (who included Christian's own [[Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark|mother-in-law]], [[Frederick William of Hesse|brother-in-law]] and wife) were surrendered.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=8}}<ref>[[Maclagan, Michael]]; Louda, Jiří (1999). ''Lines of Succession'' (London: [[Little, Brown]]). {{ISBN|1-85605-469-1}}. p. 49.</ref>

[[File:Christian IX of Denmark and family 1862.jpg|thumb|left|Christian IX of Denmark with his wife and their six children, 1862. Left to right: [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Dagmar]], [[Frederick VIII of Denmark|Frederick]], [[Prince Valdemar of Denmark|Valdemar]], [[Christian IX]], [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel|Queen Louise]], [[Princess Thyra of Denmark|Thyra]], [[George I of Greece|William]], and Alexandra.]]
Prince Christian was given the title Prince of Denmark and his family moved into a new official residence, [[Bernstorff Palace]]. Although the family's status had risen, there was little or no increase in their income; and they did not participate in court life in Copenhagen, for they refused to meet Frederick's third wife and former mistress, [[Louise Rasmussen]], because she had an illegitimate child by a previous lover.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=19–20}} 

Alexandra shared a draughty attic bedroom with her sister, [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Dagmar]], made her own clothes, and waited at table along with her sisters.{{sfn|Priestley|1970|p=17}} Alexandra and Dagmar were given swimming lessons by the Swedish pioneer of women's swimming, [[Nancy Edberg]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ub.gu.se/fasta/laban/erez/kvinnohistoriska/tidskrifter/idun/1890/pdf/1890_15.pdf| title = Idun (1890): Nr 15 (121) (Swedish)| via = ub.gu.se| access-date = 3 October 2010| archive-date = 4 March 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032836/http://www.ub.gu.se/fasta/laban/erez/kvinnohistoriska/tidskrifter/idun/1890/pdf/1890_15.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref> At Bernstorff, Alexandra grew into a young woman; she was taught English by the English chaplain in Copenhagen and was [[confirmed]] in [[Christiansborg Palace]].{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=21}} She was devout throughout her life, and followed [[high church]] practice.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=125, 176}}

==Marriage and family==
{{main|Wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra}}

{{See also|Wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark}}
[[File:The Landing of HRH The Princess Alexandra at Gravesend, 7th March 1863 by Henry Nelson O'Neil.jpg|thumb|right|''[[The Landing of Princess Alexandra at Gravesend]]'', by [[Henry Nelson O'Neil]]]]
[[File:Princess Alexandra of Denmark and the Prince of Wales engagement photograph.jpg|thumb|upright|Princess Alexandra of Denmark and the Prince of Wales, 1863]]

Given that Albert Edward, the [[Prince of Wales]], would reach the age of twenty in November 1861, his parents [[Queen Victoria]] and her husband, [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]], were taking steps to find a bride for him. They enlisted the aid of their eldest (and already-married) daughter, [[Victoria, Princess Royal|Crown Princess Victoria of Prussia]], in seeking a suitable candidate. Alexandra was not their first choice because the Danes were at loggerheads with the Prussians over the [[Schleswig-Holstein Question]], and most of the [[British royal family]]'s relations were German. Eventually, after rejecting other possibilities, they settled on her as "the only one to be chosen".<ref>Prince Albert, quoted in Duff, p. 31.</ref>

On 24 September 1861, Crown Princess Victoria introduced her brother Albert Edward to Alexandra at [[Speyer]]. Almost a year later on 9 September 1862 (after his affair with [[Nellie Clifden]] and the death of his father Prince Albert), Albert Edward proposed to Alexandra at the [[Royal Castle of Laeken]], the home of his great-uncle, King [[Leopold I of Belgium]].<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=27–37}}; {{harvnb|Bentley-Cranch|1992|p=44}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|p=43}}</ref>

A few months later, Alexandra travelled from Denmark to Britain aboard the royal yacht [[HMY Victoria and Albert (1855)|''Victoria and Albert'']] and arrived in [[Gravesend, Kent]], on 7 March 1863.<ref>[http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?LinkID=mp05859&rNo=0&role=sit ''The Landing of HRH The Princess Alexandra at Gravesend, 7th March 1863''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211192745/http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?LinkID=mp05859&rNo=0&role=sit |date=11 December 2008 }}, National Portrait Gallery, retrieved on 16 July 2009.</ref> Sir [[Arthur Sullivan]] composed music for her arrival and [[Poet Laureate]] [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]], wrote an ode in Alexandra's honour:

{{blockquote|<poem>Sea King's daughter from over the sea,
Alexandra!
Saxon and Norman and Dane are we,
But all of us Danes in our welcome of thee,
Alexandra!</poem>
|''A Welcome to Alexandra'', [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]]}}

[[Charles Longley|Thomas Longley]], the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], married the couple on 10 March 1863 at [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]]. The choice of venue was criticised. As the ceremony took place outside London, the press complained that large public crowds would not be able to view the spectacle. Prospective guests thought it awkward to get to and, as the venue was small, some people who had expected invitations were disappointed. The Danes were dismayed because only Alexandra's closest relations were invited. The British court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, so ladies were restricted to wearing grey, lilac, or mauve.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=48–50}} As the couple left Windsor for their honeymoon at [[Osborne House]] on the [[Isle of Wight]], they were cheered by the schoolboys of neighbouring [[Eton College]], including [[Lord Randolph Churchill]].{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=60}}

By the end of the following year, Alexandra's father had acceded to the throne of Denmark, her brother William had become [[King George I of Greece]], [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|her sister Dagmar]] was engaged to [[Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of Russia]],{{efn|Nicholas died within a few months of the engagement and she married his brother [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander]] instead.}} and Alexandra had given birth to her first child. Her father's accession gave rise to [[Second War of Schleswig|further conflict over the fate of Schleswig-Holstein]]. The [[German Confederation]] successfully invaded Denmark, reducing the area of Denmark by two-fifths. To the great irritation of Queen Victoria and the Crown Princess of Prussia, Alexandra and Albert Edward supported the Danish side in the war. The [[Prussia]]n conquest of former Danish lands heightened Alexandra's profound dislike of the Germans, a feeling which stayed with her for the rest of her life.<ref name=purdue>Purdue, A. W. (September 2004). [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30375 "Alexandra (1844–1925)"], ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, {{doi|10.1093/ref:odnb/30375}}, retrieved 16 July 2009 (subscription required).</ref>

[[File:Alexandra with her first born child Albert Victor.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Alexandra with her firstborn child, [[Albert Victor]], 1864]]
Alexandra's first child, [[Albert Victor]], was born two months premature in early 1864. Alexandra showed devotion to her children: "She was in her glory when she could run up to the nursery, put on a flannel apron, wash the children herself and see them asleep in their little beds."<ref>Mrs. Blackburn, the head nurse, quoted in Duff, p. 115.</ref> Albert Edward and Alexandra had six children in total: Albert Victor, George, [[Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife|Louise]], [[Princess Victoria Alexandra of the United Kingdom|Victoria]], [[Maud of Wales|Maud]], and [[Prince Alexander John of Wales|Alexander]]. All of Alexandra's children were apparently born prematurely; biographer [[Richard Hough]] thought Alexandra deliberately misled Queen Victoria as to her probable delivery dates, as she did not want the Queen to be present at their births.{{sfn|Hough|1993|p=116}} During the birth of her third child in 1867, the added complication of a bout of [[rheumatic fever]] threatened Alexandra's life and left her with a permanent limp.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=82–86}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|pp=73, 81}}</ref>

In public, Alexandra was dignified and charming; in private, affectionate and jolly.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=127, 222–223}}; {{harvnb|Priestley|1970|p=17}}</ref> She enjoyed many social activities, including dancing and ice-skating, and was an expert horsewoman and [[Tandem#Horse driving|tandem driver]].{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=143}} She also enjoyed [[Hunting and shooting in the United Kingdom|hunting]], to the dismay of Queen Victoria, who asked her to stop, but without success.{{sfn|Hough|1993|p=102}} Even after the birth of her first child, she continued to socialise much as before, which led to some friction between the Queen and the young couple, exacerbated by Alexandra's loathing of Prussians and the Queen's partiality towards them.<ref name=purdue/>

==Princess of Wales==

Albert Edward and Alexandra visited [[Ireland]] in April 1868. After her illness the previous year, she had only just begun to walk again without the aid of two walking sticks, and was already pregnant with her fourth child.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=94}} The royal couple undertook a six-month tour taking in [[Austrian Empire|Austria]], [[Khedivate of Egypt|Egypt]] and [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]] over 1868 and 1869, which included visits to her brother [[George I of Greece]], to the [[Crimean]] battlefields and, for her only, to the harem of the [[Khedive Ismail]]. In [[Ottoman Empire|Turkey]] she became the first woman to sit down to dinner with the Sultan ([[Abdulaziz]]).{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=93–100}}

The couple made [[Sandringham House]] their preferred residence, with [[Marlborough House]] their London base. Biographers agree that their marriage was in many ways a happy one; however, some have asserted that Albert Edward did not give his wife as much attention as she would have liked and that they gradually became estranged, until his attack of [[typhoid fever]] (the disease which was believed to have killed his father) in late 1871 brought about a reconciliation.{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=111}}<ref>[[Sir Philip Magnus-Allcroft, 2nd Baronet|Philip Magnus]], quoted in Battiscombe, pp. 109–110.</ref> This is disputed by others, who point out Alexandra's frequent pregnancies throughout this period and use family letters to deny the existence of any serious rift.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=110}} Nevertheless, the prince was severely criticised from many quarters of society for his apparent lack of interest in her very serious illness with [[rheumatic fever]].{{sfn|Hough|1993|pp=132–134}} Throughout their marriage Albert Edward continued to keep company with other women, including the actress [[Lillie Langtry]], [[Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick]], humanitarian [[Agnes Keyser]], and society matron [[Alice Keppel]]. Alexandra knew about most of these relationships and later permitted Alice Keppel to visit her husband as he lay dying.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|p=271}}; {{harvnb|Priestley|1970|pp=18, 180}}</ref> Alexandra herself remained faithful throughout her marriage.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=100–101}}

[[File:ALexandra of Denmark Princess of Wales.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Portrait of Alexandra of Denmark]]'' by [[Franz Xaver Winterhalter]], 1864]]
An increasing degree of deafness, caused by hereditary [[otosclerosis]], led to Alexandra's social isolation; she spent more time at home with her children and pets.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|p=88}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|p=82}}</ref> Her sixth and final pregnancy ended with the birth of a son in April 1871, but the infant died the next day. Despite Alexandra's pleas for privacy, Queen Victoria insisted on announcing a period of court mourning, which led unsympathetic elements of the press to describe the birth as "a wretched abortion" and the funeral arrangements as "sickening mummery", even though the infant was not buried in state with other members of the royal family at Windsor, but in strict privacy in the churchyard at Sandringham, where he had lived out his brief life.{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=85}}

For eight months over 1875–76, Albert Edward was absent from Britain on a tour of India, but to her dismay Alexandra was left behind. The prince had planned an all-male group and intended to spend much of the time hunting and shooting. During his tour, one of Albert Edward's friends who was travelling with him, [[Lord Aylesford]], was told by his wife that she was going to leave him for another man, [[George Spencer-Churchill, 8th Duke of Marlborough|Lord Blandford]], who was himself married. Aylesford was appalled and decided to seek a [[divorce]].{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=132–135}}

Meanwhile, Lord Blandford's brother, [[Lord Randolph Churchill]], persuaded the lovers against an elopement. Now concerned by the threat of divorce, Lady Aylesford sought to dissuade her husband from proceeding, but Lord Aylesford was adamant and refused to reconsider. In an attempt to pressure Lord Aylesford to drop his divorce suit, Lady Aylesford and Lord Randolph Churchill called on Alexandra and told her that if the divorce was to proceed they would subpoena her husband as a witness and implicate him in the scandal. Distressed at their threats, and following the advice of [[William Knollys (British Army officer)|Sir William Knollys]] and [[Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge|the Duchess of Teck]], Alexandra informed the Queen, who then wrote to the Prince of Wales. The prince was incensed. Eventually, the Blandfords and the Aylesfords both separated privately. Although Lord Randolph Churchill later apologised, for years afterwards the Prince of Wales refused to speak to or see him.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=132–135}}

Alexandra spent the spring of 1877 in Greece recuperating from a period of ill health and visiting her brother King George of Greece.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=136}} During the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]], Alexandra was clearly partial against Turkey and towards Russia, where [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|her sister]] was married to the Tsarevitch, and she lobbied for a revision of the border between Greece and Turkey in favour of the Greeks.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=150–152}} Alexandra spent the next three years largely parted from her two sons as the boys were sent on a worldwide cruise as part of their naval and general education. The farewell was very tearful and, as shown by her regular letters, she missed them terribly.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=155–156}} In 1881, Alexandra and Albert Edward travelled to [[Saint Petersburg]] after the [[assassination]] of [[Alexander II of Russia]], both to represent Britain and so that Alexandra could provide comfort to her sister, who had become [[tsarina]].<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=157–160}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|p=131}}</ref>

Alexandra undertook many public duties; in the words of Queen Victoria, "to spare me the strain and fatigue of functions. She opens bazaars, attends concerts, visits hospitals in my place&nbsp;... she not only never complains, but endeavours to prove that she has enjoyed what to another would be a tiresome duty."<ref>Queen Victoria, quoted in Duff, p. 146.</ref> She took a particular interest in the [[London Hospital]], visiting it regularly. [[Joseph Merrick]], the so-called "Elephant Man", was one of the patients whom she met.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=257–258}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|pp=148–151}}</ref> Crowds usually cheered Alexandra rapturously,{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=166}} but during a visit to Ireland in 1885, she suffered a rare moment of public hostility when visiting the [[City of Cork]], a hotbed of [[Irish nationalism]]. She and her husband were booed by a crowd of two to three thousand people brandishing sticks and black flags. She smiled her way through the ordeal, which the British press still portrayed in a positive light, describing the crowds as "enthusiastic".<ref>''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', quoted in Battiscombe, p. 168.</ref> As part of the same visit, she received a Doctorate in Music from [[Trinity College Dublin]].{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=167}}

Alexandra was deeply saddened by the death of her eldest son, Prince Albert Victor, in 1892. His room and possessions were kept exactly as he had left them, much as those of his grandfather Prince Albert were left after his death in 1861.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=189–193, 197}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|p=184}}</ref> Alexandra said, "I have buried my angel and with him my happiness."<ref>Alexandra, quoted in Duff, p. 186.</ref> Surviving letters between Alexandra and her children indicate that they were mutually devoted.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=141–142}} In 1894, her brother-in-law [[Alexander III of Russia]] died and her nephew [[Nicholas II]] became [[Tsar]]. Alexandra's widowed sister, Dowager Empress Maria of Russia, leant heavily on her for support; Alexandra, who had gone to Russia accompanied by her husband, slept, prayed, and stayed beside Maria for the next two weeks until Alexander's burial.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|p=205}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|pp=196–197}}</ref> Alexandra and Albert Edward stayed on for the wedding of Nicholas to their niece [[Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine]], who had taken the Russian name Alexandra Feodorovna and became the new tsarina.

==Queen and empress consort==
[[File:Sir Samuel Luke Fildes (1843-1927) - Queen Alexandra (1844-1925) - RCIN 404554 - Royal Collection.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Coronation portraits of Edward VII and Alexandra|Coronation portrait]] by [[Luke Fildes]], 1905]]
With the [[Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria|death of her mother-in-law]], Queen Victoria, in 1901, Alexandra became queen-empress with her husband's accession as Edward VII. Just two months later, her son George and daughter-in-law [[Mary of Teck|Mary]] left on an extensive tour of the empire, leaving their young children in the care of Alexandra and Edward, who doted on their grandchildren. On George's return, preparations for [[Edward and Alexandra's coronation]] in [[Westminster Abbey]] were well in hand, but just a few days before the scheduled coronation in June 1902, the King became seriously ill with [[appendicitis]]. Alexandra deputised for him at a military parade and attended the [[Ascot Racecourse|Royal Ascot races]] without him, in an attempt to prevent public alarm.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=243–244}} Eventually, the coronation had to be postponed and Edward had an operation performed by [[Sir Frederick Treves, 1st Baronet|Frederick Treves]] of the [[London Hospital]] to drain the infected appendix. After his recovery, Alexandra and Edward were crowned together in August: the King by the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[Frederick Temple]], and the Queen by the [[Archbishop of York]], [[William Dalrymple Maclagan]].{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=249}}

[[File:1902 alexandra coronationhr.jpg|thumb|190px|Portrait by W. & D. Downey, 1902]]
Despite being queen, Alexandra's duties changed little, and she kept many of the same retainers. Alexandra's [[Woman of the Bedchamber]], [[Charlotte Knollys]], the daughter of Sir William Knollys, served Alexandra loyally for many years. On 10 December 1903, Knollys woke to find her bedroom full of smoke. She roused Alexandra and shepherded her to safety. In the words of [[Princess Augusta of Cambridge|Grand Duchess Augusta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], "We must give credit to old Charlotte for ''really'' saving [Alexandra's] life."{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=253}}

[[File:Alexandra of UK with daughter Victoria.jpg|thumb|upright|Alexandra (right) was an enthusiastic amateur photographer.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=204}}
This photograph of her with her daughter Victoria is from ''Queen Alexandra's Christmas gift book'', which was published in 1908 to raise money for charities.]]

Alexandra again looked after her grandchildren when George and Mary went on a second tour, this time to [[British India]], over the winter of 1905–06.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=258}} Her father, Christian IX of Denmark, died that January. Eager to retain their family links, both to each other and to Denmark, in 1907 Alexandra and her sister, Dowager Empress Maria, purchased a villa north of Copenhagen, [[Hvidøre]], as a private getaway.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|p=262}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|pp=239–240}}</ref>

Alexandra was denied access to the King's briefing papers and excluded from some of his foreign tours to prevent her meddling in diplomatic matters.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=225–227}} She was deeply distrustful of Germans, particularly her nephew German Emperor [[Wilhelm II]], and she invariably opposed anything that favoured German expansion or interests. For example, in 1890 Alexandra wrote a memorandum, distributed to senior British ministers and military personnel, warning against the planned exchange of the British [[North Sea]] island of [[Heligoland]] for the German colony of [[Zanzibar]], pointing out Heligoland's strategic significance and that it could be used either by Germany to launch an attack, or by Britain to contain German aggression.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=176–179}} Despite this, [[Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty|the exchange]] went ahead. The Germans fortified the island and, in the words of [[Robert Ensor]] and as Alexandra had predicted, it "became the keystone of Germany's maritime position for offence as well as for defence".{{sfn|Ensor|1936|p=194}} The ''[[Frankfurter Zeitung]]'' was outspoken in its condemnation of Alexandra and her sister Maria, saying that the pair were "the centre of the international anti-German conspiracy".<ref>Quoted in Duff, p. 234.</ref> Alexandra despised and distrusted Emperor Wilhelm, calling him "inwardly our enemy" in 1900.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=207, 239}}

In 1910, Alexandra became the first queen consort to visit the [[British House of Commons]] during a debate. In a remarkable departure from precedent, for two hours she sat in the Ladies' Gallery overlooking the chamber while the [[Parliament Act 1911|Parliament Bill]], to remove the right of the [[House of Lords]] to veto legislation, was debated.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=269}} Privately, Alexandra disagreed with the bill.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=278}} Shortly afterwards, she left to visit her brother George in [[Corfu]]. While there, she received news that King Edward was seriously ill. Alexandra returned at once and arrived only the day before [[Death and state funeral of Edward VII|her husband died]]. In his last hours, she personally administered oxygen from a gas cylinder to help him breathe.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=249–250}} She told [[Frederick Ponsonby, 1st Baron Sysonby|Frederick Ponsonby]], "I feel as if I had been turned into stone, unable to cry, unable to grasp the meaning of it all."<ref>Ponsonby's memoirs, quoted in Duff, p. 251.</ref> Later that year she moved out of [[Buckingham Palace]] to [[Marlborough House]], but she retained possession of Sandringham.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|p=274}}; {{harvnb|Windsor|p=77}}</ref> The new king, Alexandra's son George&nbsp;V, soon faced a decision over the Parliament Bill. Despite her personal views, Alexandra supported her son's reluctant agreement to Prime Minister [[H. H. Asquith]]'s request to create sufficient Liberal peers after a general election if the Lords continued to block the legislation.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=277–278}}

==Queen mother==
[[File:Alexandra of Denmark.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Queen Alexandra, 1923]]
From Edward's death, Alexandra was [[queen mother]], being a [[dowager queen]] and the mother of the reigning monarch. She did not attend [[Coronation of George V and Mary|the coronation of her son and daughter-in-law in 1911]] since it was not customary for a crowned queen to attend the coronation of another king or queen, but otherwise continued the public side of her life, devoting time to her charitable causes. One such cause was [[Alexandra Rose Day]], where artificial roses made by people with disabilities were sold in aid of hospitals by women volunteers.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=251–257, 260}}{{efn|The [[Alexandra Rose Day]] fund still exists; its patron is [[Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy]], Alexandra's great-granddaughter.}} During the [[First World War]] the custom of hanging the banners of foreign princes invested with Britain's highest order of knighthood, the [[Order of the Garter]], in [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]], came under criticism, as the German members of the Order were fighting against Britain. Alexandra joined calls to "have down those hateful German banners".<ref name="banners">Alexandra to King George&nbsp;V, quoted in Battiscombe, p. 285.</ref> Driven by public opinion, but against his own wishes, the King had the banners removed; but to Alexandra's dismay, he had taken down not only "those vile [[Prussia]]n banners" but also those of her [[Grand Duchy of Hesse|Hessian]] relations who were, in her opinion, "simply soldiers or vassals under that brutal German Emperor's orders".<ref name="banners" /> On 17 September 1916, she was at Sandringham during a [[Zeppelin]] air raid,{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=291–292}} but far worse was to befall other members of her family. In Russia, her nephew [[Tsar Nicholas II]] was overthrown and he, his wife and their children were [[Execution of the Romanov family|killed by revolutionaries]]. Dowager Empress Maria was rescued from Russia in 1919 by {{HMS|Marlborough|1912|6}} and brought to England, where she lived for some time with her sister Alexandra.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=285–286}}

=== Last years and death ===
{{Main|Death and funeral of Alexandra of Denmark}}

Alexandra retained a youthful appearance into her senior years,<ref>e.g. [[Mary Gladstone]] and [[Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire|Lord Carrington]], quoted in Battiscombe, p. 206, [[Margot Asquith]], quoted in Battiscombe, pp. 216–217, [[John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher]], quoted in Battiscombe, p. 232.</ref> but during the war her age caught up with her.<ref>Alexandra herself and [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], quoted by Battiscombe, p. 296.</ref> She took to wearing elaborate veils and heavy makeup, which was described by gossips as having her face "enamelled".{{sfn|Priestley|1970|p=17}} She made no more trips abroad, and her health worsened. In 1920, a blood vessel in her eye burst, leaving her with temporary partial blindness.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=299}} Towards the end of her life, her memory and speech became impaired.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=301–302}} Alexandra died at 5:25&nbsp;pm on 20 November 1925 at [[Sandringham House]] from a heart attack, aged 80.<ref>"Death of Queen Alexandra". ''The Mail (Adelaide)''. 21 November 1925. p.&nbsp;1. Retrieved 14 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.</ref> She [[lay in state]] at [[Westminster Abbey]] and was interred on 28 November next to her husband in [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]].<ref name="Eilers">Eilers, Marlene A., ''Queen Victoria's Descendants'', p. 171.</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/a-history-of-royal-burials-and-funerals|title=A History of Royal Burials and Funerals|work=Westminster Abbey|accessdate=11 September 2022|archive-date=10 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220910182531/https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/a-history-of-royal-burials-and-funerals|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:London - panoramio (24).jpg|right|thumb|Detail of the [[Queen Alexandra Memorial]], opposite [[St James's Palace]]]]
[[File:Braemar, Mar Lodge Estate, St Ninian's Chapel - wall plaque 03.JPG|thumb|upright|Wall-mounted plaque for Queen Alexandra in [[St Ninian's Chapel, Braemar]], where her eldest daughter is buried]]
The [[Queen Alexandra Memorial]] by [[Alfred Gilbert]] was unveiled on [[Alexandra Rose Day]] 8 June 1932 at Marlborough Gate, London.<ref>Dorment, Richard (January 1980). "Alfred Gilbert's Memorial to Queen Alexandra" ''The Burlington Magazine'' vol. CXXII pp. 47–54.</ref> An ode in her memory, [[Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode|"So many true princesses who have gone"]], composed by the then [[Master of the King's Musick]] Sir [[Edward Elgar]] to words by the [[Poet Laureate]] [[John Masefield]], was sung at the unveiling and conducted by the composer.<ref>"Alexandra The Rose Queen", ''[[The Times]]'', 9 June 1932, p. 13, col. F.</ref>

Alexandra was highly popular with the British public.<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=66–68, 85, 120, 215}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|p=215}}; {{harvnb|Priestley|1970|p=17}}</ref> Unlike her husband and mother-in-law, Alexandra was not castigated by the press.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=113, 163, 192}} Funds that she helped to collect were used to buy a river launch, called ''Alexandra'', to ferry the wounded during the [[Sudan campaign]],{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=169}} and to fit out a hospital ship, named ''The Princess of Wales'', to bring back wounded from the [[Boer War]].<ref>{{harvnb|Battiscombe|1969|pp=212–213}}; {{harvnb|Duff|1980|p=206}}</ref> During the Boer War, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, later renamed [[Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps]], was founded under Royal Warrant.

Alexandra had little understanding of money.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=72}} The management of her finances was left in the hands of her loyal [[comptroller]], Sir [[Dighton Probyn]] [[Victoria Cross|VC]], who undertook a similar role for her husband. In the words of her grandson, [[Edward VIII]] (later the Duke of Windsor), "Her generosity was a source of embarrassment to her financial advisers. Whenever she received a letter soliciting money, a cheque would be sent by the next post, regardless of the authenticity of the mendicant and without having the case investigated."{{sfn|Windsor|pp=85–86}} Though she was not always extravagant (she had her old stockings darned for re-use and her old dresses were recycled as furniture covers),{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=203}} she would dismiss protests about her heavy spending with a wave of a hand or by claiming that she had not heard.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=293}}

Alexandra hid a small scar on her neck, which was probably the result of a childhood operation,<ref>[[Baron Stockmar]], who was a doctor, quoted in Duff, p. 37.</ref> by wearing [[choker]] necklaces and high necklines, setting fashions which were adopted for fifty years.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=24–25}} Alexandra's effect on fashion was so profound that society ladies even copied her limping gait, after her serious illness in 1867 left her with a stiff leg.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=92}} This came to be known as the "Alexandra limp".<ref>{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NLGhimIiFPoC&pg=PA24| author = Helen Rappaport | author-link = Helen Rappaport | title = Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion | year = 2003 | page = 24| publisher = Bloomsbury Academic | isbn = 9781851093557 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=IgjAJazrBWwC&pg=PA29| title = Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, p. 29| isbn = 9781840223101| last1 = Brewer| first1 = Ebenezer Cobham| year = 2001| publisher = Wordsworth Editions| access-date = 23 October 2015| archive-date = 30 April 2024| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240430013010/https://books.google.com/books?id=IgjAJazrBWwC&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false| url-status = live}}</ref> She used predominantly the London fashion houses; her favourite was [[Redfern (couture)|Redfern's]], but she shopped occasionally at [[Jacques Doucet (fashion designer)|Doucet]] and Fromont of Paris.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=203}}

Alexandra has been portrayed on television by [[Deborah Grant]] and [[Helen Ryan]] in ''[[Edward the Seventh]]'', [[Ann Firbank]] in ''[[Lillie (TV series)|Lillie]]'', [[Maggie Smith]] in ''[[All the King's Men (1999 film)|All the King's Men]]'', and [[Bibi Andersson]] in ''[[The Lost Prince]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://letterboxd.com/film/edward-the-seventh/| title=Edward the Seventh| website=letterboxd.com | access-date =6 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1970s/lillie/| title=Lillie| website= nostalgiacentral.com| date=10 May 2022| access-date =6 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/all-the-kings-men-bbc-1-1999-david-jason/| title=All The King's Men (BBC-1 1999, David Jason, Maggie Smith)| website=memorabletv.com| access-date =6 September 2024|date=11 June 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stephenpoliakoff.com/the-lost-prince-2003/| title=The Lost Prince (2003)| website=stephenpoliakoff.com | access-date =6 September 2024}}</ref> She was portrayed in film by Helen Ryan again in the 1980 film ''[[The Elephant Man (1980 film)|The Elephant Man]]'', [[Sara Stewart]] in the 1997 film ''[[Mrs Brown]]'', and [[Julia Blake]] in the 1999 film ''[[Passion (1999 film)|Passion]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://filmdope.com/Statics/A00015000/ActorCredit15164.html| website=filmdope.com| title=Helen Ryan | access-date=6 September 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://nostalgiacentral.com/movies/movies-l-to-z/movies-m/mrs-brown/| website= nostalgiacentral.com| title=Mrs. Brown (1997) | date= 11 June 2014| access-date=6 September 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.movie-intelligence.com/people/16098-julia-blake| website= movie-intelligence.com| title=Julia Blake | access-date=6 September 2024 }}</ref> In a 1980 stage play by [[Royce Ryton]], ''Motherdear'', she was portrayed by [[Margaret Lockwood]] in her last acting role.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.silversirens.co.uk/productions/motherdear/| website= silversirens.co.uk| title=Motherdear (1980) |date=6 September 2024}}</ref> Also, in 1907, the [[Royal Alexandra Theatre]] was built in [[Toronto]], Canada, as North America's first royal theatre. The venue was named after her, after a patent letter was granted by the King, her husband Edward VII.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mirvish.com/visit/theatres/royal-alexandra-theatre| website= mirvish.com| title=Royal Alexandra Theatre | access-date=6 September 2024}}</ref>

==Honours==
'''British'''
* Member 1st Class of the [[Royal Order of Victoria and Albert]], ''1863''<ref name="kelly">{{Cite book |title=Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes for 1918 |publisher=Kelly's Directories |location=London |pages=24}}</ref>
* Dame of Justice of the [[Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem]], ''1876''<ref name="kelly"/>
* Companion of the [[Imperial Order of the Crown of India]], ''8 January 1878''<ref name=kelly/>
* Royal Lady of the [[Most Noble Order of the Garter]], ''12 February 1901''<ref name=garter>Duff, pp. 215–216; {{London Gazette |issue=27284 |date=12 February 1901 |page=1139 |supp=y}}</ref>
* Dame Grand Cross of the [[Most Excellent Order of the British Empire]], ''1 January 1918''<ref>{{cite book|title=Royal Orders|first=Hugo|last=Vickers|year=1994|publisher=Boxtree|isbn=1852835109|page=166}}</ref>

She was the first woman since 1488 to be made a [[List of Ladies of the Garter|Lady of the Garter]].<ref name=garter/>

'''Foreign'''
* [[Kingdom of Portugal]]: Dame of the [[Order of Saint Isabel|Order of Queen Saint Isabel]], ''23 June 1863''<ref name="Agraciamentos">{{cite journal |last1=Bragança |first1=Jose Vicente de |date=2014 |title=Agraciamentos Portugueses Aos Príncipes da Casa Saxe-Coburgo-Gota |trans-title=Portuguese Honours awarded to Princes of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |url=https://www.academia.edu/10576008 |journal=Pro Phalaris |language=pt |volume=9–10 |pages=12–13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527162951/https://www.academia.edu/10576008 |archive-date=27 May 2023 |access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref>
* [[Russian Empire]]: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Saint Catherine|Imperial Order of Saint Catherine]], ''25 May 1865''<ref>{{cite web |title=Star of the Order of St Catherine |url=https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/59/collection/441523/order-of-st-catherine-russia-star-worn-by-queen-alexandra |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224045250/https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/59/collection/441523/order-of-st-catherine-russia-star-worn-by-queen-alexandra |archive-date=24 February 2024 |access-date=12 December 2019 |publisher=Royal Collection}}</ref>
* [[Restoration (Spain)|Kingdom of Spain]]: Dame of the [[Order of Queen Maria Luisa]], ''11 February 1872''<ref>{{cite book |title=Guía Oficial de España |date=1887 |pages=168 |language=es |chapter=Real orden de Damas Nobles de la Reina Maria Luisa |access-date=21 March 2019 |chapter-url=http://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/issue.vm?id=0000941464&search=&lang=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126130140/https://hemerotecadigital.bne.es/hd/viewer?oid=0000941464 |archive-format=web address |archive-date=26 November 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Kingdom of Prussia]]: Dame of the [[Order of Louise]], 1st Division, ''1886''<ref>{{citation |title=Königlich Preussische Ordensliste |volume=1 |page=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=1128&skin=2021 1056] |year=1886 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001063841/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021 |archive-date=1 October 2022 |chapter=Luisen-orden |chapter-url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021 |location=Berlin |publisher=Königlichen General-Ordens-Kommission |language=German |via=hathitrust.org}}</ref>
* [[Grand Duchy of Hesse]]: Dame of the [[House Order of the Golden Lion (Hesse)|Grand Ducal Hessian Order of the Golden Lion]], ''1 July 1889''<ref name="ordensliste">{{citation|title=Großherzoglich Hessische Ordensliste|chapter=Goldener Löwen-orden|page=2|language=German|location=Darmstadt|year=1914|publisher=Staatsverlag|via=hathitrust.org}}</ref>
* [[Empire of Japan]]: Grand Cordon of the [[Order of the Precious Crown]], ''June 1902''<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular |date=14 June 1902 |page=12 |issue=36794}}</ref>
* [[Qajar Iran|Persian Empire]]: Member 1st Class of the [[Order of Aftab|Imperial Order of the Sun for Ladies]], ''June 1902''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Najmabadi |first=Afsaneh |url=http://6rang.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/women-with-mustaches-men-without-beards.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031175548/http://6rang.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/women-with-mustaches-men-without-beards.pdf |archive-date=31 October 2014 |url-status=live |title=Women with mustaches and men without beards: gender and sexual anxieties of Iranian modernity |date=2005 |isbn=978-0-520-93138-1 |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |page=265 |oclc=60931583}}</ref>
* [[Ottoman Empire]]: Grand Cordon of the [[Order of Charity]], ''June 1902''<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular |date=1 July 1902 |page=3 |issue=36808}}</ref>
* [[Austro-Hungarian Empire]]: Grand Cross of the [[Imperial Austrian Order of Elizabeth]], in Brilliants, ''1904''<ref name="osterreich">{{citation |title=Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie |date=1918 |page=328 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308200303/https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1918&page=702&size=45 |archive-date=8 March 2023 |chapter=Elisabeth-orden |chapter-url=https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1918&page=702&size=45 |location=Vienna |publisher=Druck und Verlag der K.K. Hof- und Staatsdruckerei}}</ref>

==Arms==
Queen Alexandra's arms upon the [[Accession Day|accession]] of her husband in 1901 were the [[royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom]] impaled with the arms of her father, the King of Denmark.<ref name="pinches">{{Cite book |last1=Pinches |first1=J. H.|author-link=John Pinches |title=The royal heraldry of England |date=1974 |publisher=Hollen Street Press |last2=Rosemary |first2=Pinches |isbn=0-900455-25-X |location=Slough, Buckinghamshire |pages=260 |oclc=1206788}}</ref><ref>See, for example, the cover of Battiscombe.</ref> The shield is surmounted by the imperial crown, and supported by the crowned lion of England and a wild man or savage from the [[Danish royal arms]].<ref name="pinches"/>

<gallery widths="200">
File:Coat of Arms of Alexandra of Denmark as Princess of Wales.svg|Coat of arms of Alexandra, Princess of Wales
File:Coat of Arms of Alexandra of Denmark.svg|Coat of arms of Queen Alexandra
File:Royal Standard of Alexandra of Denmark, Queen Consort.svg|As a [[List of Ladies of the Garter|Lady of the Garter]], Alexandra's [[Royal Standard of the United Kingdom#Consorts of the British monarch|banner of arms]] hung in [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]], during her lifetime despite the objections of [[Garter Principal King of Arms]] Sir [[Albert Woods]]. When Woods complained that placing her banner in the chapel would be unprecedented, "the King promptly ordered the banner to be put up."<ref>{{citation|last=Lee|first=Sidney|author-link=Sidney Lee|title=King Edward VII: A Biography|publisher=Macmillan|location=London|year=1927|at=vol. II, p. 54}}</ref>
File:Royal Cypher of Alexandra of Denmark, Queen of the United Kingdom.svg|[[Royal cypher]] of Queen Alexandra
</gallery>

==Issue==
{{Further|Descendants of Christian IX of Denmark#Children of Alexandra and Edward VII}}
{{Excerpt|Edward VII|Issue}}

==Ancestry==
{{ahnentafel
|collapsed=yes
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|1= 1. '''Princess Alexandra of Denmark'''
|2= 2. [[Christian IX of Denmark]]
|3= 3. [[Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel]]
|4= 4. [[Frederick William, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]]
|5= 5. [[Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel]]
|6= 6. [[Prince William of Hesse-Kassel]]<ref name=louda/>
|7= 7. [[Princess Charlotte of Denmark]]
|8= 8. [[Frederick Charles Louis, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck]]<ref name=louda>{{cite book |last1=Louda |first1=Jiří |author1-link=Jiří Louda |last2=Maclagan |first2=Michael |author2-link=Michael Maclagan |title=Lines of Succession: Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe |publisher=Little, Brown |location=London |year=1999 |page=51 |isbn=1-85605-469-1}}</ref>
|9= 9. [[Countess Friederike von Schlieben]]<ref name=louda/>
|10= 10. [[Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel]]<ref name=louda/>
|11= 11. [[Princess Louise of Denmark (1750–1831)|Princess Louise of Denmark]]<ref name=louda/>
|12= 12. [[Prince Frederick of Hesse-Kassel]]
|13= 13. [[Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen]]
|14= 14. [[Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark]]<ref name=louda/>
|15= 15. [[Princess Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]]<ref name=louda/>
}}

==See also==
* [[Crown of Queen Alexandra]]
* [[Household of Edward VII and Alexandra]]

==Notes==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
{{notelist}}
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=15em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Cite book |last=Battiscombe |first=Georgina |title=Queen Alexandra |publisher=Constable |isbn=0-09-456560-0 |location=London |year=1969 |oclc=44849 |author-link=Georgina Battiscombe}}
* {{Cite book |last=Bentley-Cranch |first=Dana |title=Edward VII : image of an era, 1841-1910 |date=1992 |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |isbn=0-11-290508-0 |location=London |oclc=26997839}}
* {{Cite book |last=Duff |first=David |title=Alexandra, Princess and Queen |year=1980 |publisher=Collins |isbn=0-00-216667-4 |location=London |oclc=7075059}}
* {{Cite book |last=Ensor |first=R. C. K |title=England, 1870-1914 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1936 |isbn=0-19-285261-2 |oclc=25202923 |author-link=Robert Ensor}}
* {{Cite book |last=Hough |first=Richard |title=Edward and Alexandra : their private and public lives |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |year=1993 |isbn=0-340-59700-3 |location=London |oclc=26894665}}
* {{Cite book |last=Priestley |first=J. B. |title=The Edwardians |date=1970 |publisher=Heinemann |isbn=0-434-60332-5 |location=London |oclc=118892 |author-link=J. B. Priestley}}
* {{Cite book |last=Duke of Windsor |first=Edward |title=A king's story : the memoirs of H.R.H. the Duke of Windsor K.G. |publisher=Prion |year=1952 |isbn=1-85375-303-3 |location=London |oclc=40768465 |ref={{harvid|Windsor}}}}

==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|Alexandra_of_Denmark.ogg|date=7 May 2005}}
* [https://www.rct.uk/collection/people/queen-alexandra-of-the-united-kingdom-1844-1925#/type/subject Queen Alexandra] at the official website of the [[Royal Collection Trust]]
* [http://www.alexandrarose.org.uk Alexandra Rose Charity official site]
* [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hj138n;view=1up;seq=62 Treaty between Great Britain and Denmark, for the Marriage of HRH the Prince of Wales, with HRH the Princess Alexandria, Daughter of Prince Christian of Denmark – 15 January 1863]
* {{PM20|FID=pe/000345}}
* {{NPG name|name=Queen Alexandra}}

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{{s-vac|last=[[Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]|as=[[prince consort]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Queen consort of the United Kingdom]]
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Empress consort of India]]|years=1901–1910}}
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{{Alexandra of Denmark}}
{{British consort}}
{{Princesses of Wales}}
{{Duchesses of Rothesay}}
{{British princesses by marriage}}
{{Danish princesses}}
{{Princesses of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg}}
{{Princesses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha by marriage}}
{{Subject bar |auto=1 |spoken=y |portal1=British Royalty |portal2=England |portal3=United Kingdom |portal4=Denmark |portal5=History |portal6=Biography}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexandra of Denmark}}
[[Category:Alexandra of Denmark| ]]
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