New Bridegroom for Queen Victoria

Say something happens to Prince Albert before he can marry Victoria - or they never meet (or if they do, there's a mutual antipathy). Who does Victoria marry instead?
 
Say something happens to Prince Albert before he can marry Victoria - or they never meet (or if they do, there's a mutual antipathy). Who does Victoria marry instead?

Well there are a few interesting candidates. Three if memory serves. There's Prince William of the Netherlands, Crown Prince George of Hanover and Prince George of Cambridge. I'm unsure which was the most likely candidate after Albert, tough I think that George of Hanover was the one most favored by William IV, to keep the union between Britain and Hanover, so do with that what you will.
 
Well, then there were the other matches thrown around (i.e. between her and Emperor Alexander II of Russia, and the future Christian IX of Denmark). And then there was also her attraction to her cousin, the duke of Brunswick.
 
Well, then there were the other matches thrown around (i.e. between her and Emperor Alexander II of Russia, and the future Christian IX of Denmark). And then there was also her attraction to her cousin, the duke of Brunswick.

Yeah but none of those were ever really considered. The ones I mentioned were the most likely ones.
 

dead_wolf

Banned
Well there are a few interesting candidates. Three if memory serves. There's Prince William of the Netherlands, Crown Prince George of Hanover and Prince George of Cambridge. I'm unsure which was the most likely candidate after Albert, tough I think that George of Hanover was the one most favored by William IV, to keep the union between Britain and Hanover, so do with that what you will.

I think you mean Prince Alexander, the younger brother. The elder, William went on to be the King of the Netherlands.

Also, I'm not sure how you'd avoid Prince Consort Albert without killing him. All records, especially Victoria's journals, show that it something of love at first sight for the couple.

If Albert does die a premature death that leaves open a lot of options, but the timing will be key. Victoria isn't an absolute monarch in the same sense as the Kaiser or the Tsar, however no PM is going to try to force her into a match she isn't interested in. As well it's not like she comes from a small family, so there wouldn't be as great of a pressure to be wedded and bedded right away. I guess the answer is going to depend on how long Victoria is able to resist being pushed into a loveless marriage simply to fulfill her duties as Queen and potential political gain.

A crazy thought
An interesting option might be France; even early in her reign Victoria was very interested in improving relations between London & Paris. The Orleanists were desperately looking for allies, after being turned down by both Russia and Austria, and the prospect of a regency terrified many in the July Monarchy so there was something of a sense of urgency over the matter in Paris. Ferdinand Philippe married Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1837, in what was largely a cordial but loveless marriage that certainly didn't bring any great political advantage to the July Monarchy, however his younger brother Louis IOTL wed Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840. With Victoria still single Louis might and his extended family might consider it worth the cost of traveling to Britain to at least consider the possibility. Assuming the two get along well enough, there's a possibility of joining Louis to Victoria sometime in the early 1840s if the stars align properly; international European politics, as well as those of both Britain & France, will certainly play a role there.

If not then than I suppose it'll be some other minor German noble.
 
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A crazy thought
An interesting option might be France; even early in her reign Victoria was very interested in improving relations between London & Paris. The Orleanists were desperately looking for allies, after being turned down by both Russia and Austria, and the prospect of a regency terrified many in the July Monarchy so there was something of a sense of urgency over the matter in Paris. Ferdinand Philippe married Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1837, in what was largely a cordial but loveless marriage that certainly didn't bring any great political advantage to the July Monarchy, however his younger brother Louis IOTL wed Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840, and third-son François married Francisca of Brazil in 1843. There's a possibility of joining either Louis or François to Victoria sometime in the early 1840s if the stars align properly, international European politics, as well as those of both Britain & France, will certainly play a role there.

While it makes for an interesting match, the Act of Settlement would ban Victoria from the throne if she marries before she succeeds. I'm not sure on the exact wording of the Act of Settlement, but AFAIK there's nothing that prohibits a reigning monarch from marrying a Catholic.

Although, the last times the possibilities of French matches were tossed around were with Mary II marrying the Dauphin and Elizabeth I marrying either Henri III or the duc d'Alencon. And the British were xenophobic enough about 'dear old Al' who was Protestant (although with a Catholic godfather - Albert of Saxe-Teschen, one time son-in-law of Empress Maria Theresa), to think that might go into overdrive with a Catholic Frog for a king.
 

dead_wolf

Banned
If nothing else I'm sure Louis would convert if it was an issue. iirc didn't his father once quip something like "I myself believe that it is neither here nor there" in regards to religion and state. Though yes as I said it's a crazy long shot, but it was the most interesting choice I could think of. Otherwise it's likely going to be some boring German princely. Or as you mentioned potentially George, which would at least bring Hanover bring into the British sphere.
 

Vitruvius

Donor
Wasn't Duke Alexander of Wurttemberg considered? He was her maternal first cousin and his uncle Frederick I had married Princess Charlotte so there were ties to Britain. He married an Orleans princess OTL so he seems destined for a foreign match.

On another note if the only way to get rid of Albert is to kill him wouldn't that make Ferdinand II of Portugal the heir to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha? Ferdinand married before Albert so I don't see his marriage to Maria II being affected. OTL his younger son's never had children of their own so there's a good chance that the Duchy as a secundogeniture would still fall back to the Portuguese crown after a generation. Any major affects for Portugal on such a union? Ramifications for the selection of a Spanish King if the King of Portugal is already perceived to be too close to Germany.
 
Wasn't Duke Alexander of Wurttemberg considered? He was her maternal first cousin and his uncle Frederick I had married Princess Charlotte so there were ties to Britain. He married an Orleans princess OTL so he seems destined for a foreign match.

On another note if the only way to get rid of Albert is to kill him wouldn't that make Ferdinand II of Portugal the heir to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha? Ferdinand married before Albert so I don't see his marriage to Maria II being affected. OTL his younger son's never had children of their own so there's a good chance that the Duchy as a secundogeniture would still fall back to the Portuguese crown after a generation. Any major affects for Portugal on such a union? Ramifications for the selection of a Spanish King if the King of Portugal is already perceived to be too close to Germany.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Alex of Wurttemberg was considered, but fell out for some unspecified reason. He had some really good connections to Russia, Oldenburg and (of course) the Coburgs. And just because Ferdinand's younger sons were childless OTL, doesn't mean they will, nor does it mean that Pedro V will die of typhoid. If this happens, Luis can inherit Coburg as Duke Ludwig I with a clear conscience. Or maybe international pressures will say that the father/elder brother of Ferdinand of Bulgaria should succeed rather.
 
As well it's not like [Victoria] comes from a small family, so there wouldn't be as great of a pressure to be wedded and bedded right away.

She has relatives, but her only eligible cousins are Hanoverian, and Britain doesn't want the union of crowns restored.

So there is pressure, I think.
 
She has relatives, but her only eligible cousins are Hanoverian, and Britain doesn't want the union of crowns restored.

So there is pressure, I think.

So George of Cambridge is next and arguably the best choice. The closest one can get to marrying a British subject without angering other noble families and he had the added bonus of living even longer then Victoria, so no decades long mourning.
 
So George of Cambridge is next and arguably the best choice. The closest one can get to marrying a British subject without angering other noble families and he had the added bonus of living even longer then Victoria, so no decades long mourning.

I read somewhere that Victoria and Albert are in a way the reverse of Ferdinand II and Maria II of Portugal. Maria's health was ruined by her Coburg hubby knocking her up continually - even against the warning of the doctors - and she eventually died as a result of childbirth. Victoria was likewise (near) constantly knocked up by her Coburg hubby, but, he dropped dead because his workload increased because of her pregnancies etc.

With a hubby she's less in love with, she might have less of an aversion to breast-feeding etc, and likewise not be pregnant as often, which would mean that she would be more hands-on sovereign leading to a very different Victorian era (beside the fact that Albert was predominantly the reason/cause for the prudishness that it became a byword for) and actually a very different Victoria.

Although I once saw a TL (on another site) where she ended up married to a humorless German prince (can't remember who/where), and had a fling with Albert on the side :eek:. You have the whole of the damn Germany to pick from to have an affair with and you pick your cousin?:confused:
 
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