The House of England: A Rather Different Monarchy

[wwbgdiaslt]

Shortly after 6 PM on the 4th May 1910, Edward VII lost consciousness and died. His eldest daughter, the Princess Royal, was at his side at the moment he passed. Her mother would not return from Greece until the following day and would arrive to find that Louise had already arranged for her father's body to be moved, dressed and placed into his coffin.

This was something that Queen Alexandra would never truly forgive her daughter for having done.

At the moment of her fathers death, the Princess Royal became Queen of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland and it is that moment that historians also mark as the birth of the House of England.

 

[Jonathan1997]

Shortly after 6 PM on the 4th May 1910, Edward VII lost consciousness and died. His eldest daughter, the Princess Royal, was at his side at the moment he passed. Her mother would not return from Greece until the following day and would arrive to find that Louise had already arranged for her father's body to be moved, dressed and placed into his coffin.

This was something that Queen Alexandra would never truly forgive her daughter for having done.

At the moment of her fathers death, the Princess Royal became Queen of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland and it is that moment that historians also mark as the birth of the House of England.

For a second then I thought you were talking about the house Carpet becoming kings of England because that Dynasty was also called the house of France.

 

[PrinceofApathy]

Following

 

[Tyler96]

George die of typhoid in 1892, leaving Louise the heir?

 

[Southern pride]

Interesting but how did she become the heir to the throne?

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

Hmm... One guesses that OTL George V died as well his older brother. If this happened after 1893, then no butterflies affect Louise's issue: two daughters (Alexandra and Maud) and no sons.

Thus Britain will have three queens regnant in four reigns: Victoria, Louise, Alexandra. Alexandra outlived her only child, who died without issue. Next might come her younger sister Maud, who OTL died age 52 from bronchitis but ITTL would probably outlive her older sister (a fourth queen regnant).

BTW, why is this about a "House of England" when Louise was married to a Scotsman (the Earl of Fife, created Duke on occasion of the marriage)? Alexandra was married to Victoria's male-line grandson Arthur (in 1913, so butterflied). OTL Maud was married to another Scotsman, the Earl of Carnegie (in 1923, so again butterflied).

 

[isabella]

Hmm... One guesses that OTL George V died as well his older brother. If this happened after 1893, then no butterflies affect Louise's issue: two daughters (Alexandra and Maud) and no sons.

Thus Britain will have three queens regnant in four reigns: Victoria, Louise, Alexandra. Alexandra outlived her only child, who died without issue. Next might come her younger sister Maud, who OTL died age 52 from bronchitis but ITTL would probably outlive her older sister (a fourth queen regnant).

BTW, why is this about a "House of England" when Louise was married to a Scotsman (the Earl of Fife, created Duke on occasion of the marriage)? Alexandra was married to Victoria's male-line grandson Arthur (in 1913, so butterflied). OTL Maud was married to another Scotsman, the Earl of Carnegie (in 1923, so again butterflied).

Well Alexandra marrying her OTL husband here is guaranteed. Is pretty unlikely who ATL they would take in consideration another wedding for her

 

[wwbgdiaslt]

The Queen was swiftly attended to by Mary, Dowager Duchess of Clarence and Avondale who had resided at Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park since her husband's death.

Her sister, Victoria, Queen of Portugal, and Maud, Duchess of Teck would arrive in the following seven days.

Her fathers funeral would be held just over two weeks after his death on 20th May.

1886


Alexandra, Princess of Wales, had discouraged her second daughter from entering into marriage. In this, she was inspired by her mother-in-law, who had refused until recently to discuss the marriage prospects of Princess Beatrice.

But Victoria found herself subject to the attention of Carlos of Portugal. Carlos was a Roman Catholic and should she enter into the marriage, Victoria would loose her rights to claim the British throne. At this point, her father had yet to become King and she had three elder siblings who may yet marry and produce issue, and there were always her numerous Aunts, Uncles and cousins that could succeed in her place.

Over the strenuous objection of her mother and the permission of her grandmother, Queen Victoria after whom she was named, Victoria accepted the proposal and the pair married in 1886, when she was eighteen and Carlos was twenty three.

They would have their first child later that year, Prince Luis, Prince of Beira, named after his paternal grandfather, with two further children, Princess Victoria, and Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Beja born over the next few years.

Her elder sister, Louise of Wales, would marry the Earl of Fife, Alexander Duff, in July 1889 but Victoria would be advised not to travel due to her pregnancy and in October 1889, shortly before Ferdinand's birth, her husband, Carlos, became King of Portugal.

Within the following three years, one of her brothers would be married, and the other would be dead. Victoria would not become pregnant again after Ferdinand's birth, and she would thus attend both funeral and wedding.

 

[Rfl23]

Ohh this is an interesting one does this have an impact on ww1? (If it happens)

 

[wwbgdiaslt]

Ohh this is an interesting one does this have an impact on ww1? (If it happens)

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

Well Alexandra marrying her OTL husband here is guaranteed. Is pretty unlikely who ATL they would take in consideration another wedding for her

Arthur was 30 in 1913; he has quite a few years since the PoD to marry someone else. And Alexandra did want to marry someone else (Christopher of Greece). That match was shot down by their families, as would be a similar ATL match. But there would be many opportunities for Alexandra to hit it off with an acceptable not-Arthur.

Also, after the demise of her maternal uncles (by 1893, to pre-empt the conception of Edward VIII), Alexandra would be heir presumptive to Louise, who is heir presumptive to Edward VII, who is heir apparent to Victoria. Louise would be de facto heir apparent, her mother being about 50). Alexandra would be de facto heir apparent by 1903 or so (i.e. ten years after her parents' last child).

This would certainly affect her marriage prospects. One gets the impression that the marriage to Arthur was more or less arranged by the family, perhaps to prevent another mésalliance like Christopher. But an in-family marriage doesn't feel right for the heir, and ISTM that as the heir, Alexandra would have more to say about it than OTL.

So I cannot agree that the Alexandra-Arthur marriage is "guaranteed".

 

[isabella]

Arthur was 30 in 1913; he has quite a few years since the PoD to marry someone else. And Alexandra did want to marry someone else (Christopher of Greece). That match was shot down by their families, as would be a similar ATL match. But there would be many opportunities for Alexandra to hit it off with an acceptable not-Arthur.

Also, after the demise of her maternal uncles (by 1893, to pre-empt the conception of Edward VIII), Alexandra would be heir presumptive to Louise, who is heir presumptive to Edward VII, who is heir apparent to Victoria. Louise would be de facto heir apparent, her mother being about 50). Alexandra would be de facto heir apparent by 1903 or so (i.e. ten years after her parents' last child).

This would certainly affect her marriage prospects. One gets the impression that the marriage to Arthur was more or less arranged by the family, perhaps to prevent another mésalliance like Christopher. But an in-family marriage doesn't feel right for the heir, and ISTM that as the heir, Alexandra would have more to say about it than OTL.

So I cannot agree that the Alexandra-Arthur marriage is "guaranteed".

ATL a wedding between Alexandra and Arthur would bring back the male line of Victoria and Albert on the throne, and he is an English prince not a foreign match (and Albert was the last English foreign consort) or a simple noble

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

ATL a wedding between Alexandra and Arthur would bring back the male line of Victoria and Albert on the throne, and he is an English prince not a foreign match (and Albert was the last English foreign consort) or a simple noble

ITYM "last British foreign prince consort", because Alexandra of Denmark and Mary of Teck were both foreign - but even that isn't true because Philip was Greek (by nationality) and Danish and German by blood. To be sure, by the time of the wedding, Philip was effectively British, but that rule clearly was not in effect.

The future Queen Alexandra would be sought after by foreign royalty. I doubt if she would marry as young as OTL; she'd have a lot on her mind. Arthur would be a safe choice; but he was already 30 in 1913, and might not wait another 3-5 years till Alexandra was settled into her role as heir ("Princess of Wales"?).

There is also the question of butterflies affecting larger events, but that is for the OP to address.

An immediate knock-on is how Queen Louise responds to the constitutional crisis of 1911 (assuming no butterflies have derailed it). Does she, like OTL George V, agree to create as many new Liberal peers as needed to pass the abolition of the Lords' veto?

 

[isabella]

ITYM "last British foreign prince consort", because Alexandra of Denmark and Mary of Teck were both foreign - but even that isn't true because Philip was Greek (by nationality) and Danish and German by blood. To be sure, by the time of the wedding, Philip was effectively British, but that rule clearly was not in effect.

The future Queen Alexandra would be sought after by foreign royalty. I doubt if she would marry as young as OTL; she'd have a lot on her mind. Arthur would be a safe choice; but he was already 30 in 1913, and might not wait another 3-5 years till Alexandra was settled into her role as heir ("Princess of Wales"?).

There is also the question of butterflies affecting larger events, but that is for the OP to address.

An immediate knock-on is how Queen Louise responds to the constitutional crisis of 1911 (assuming no butterflies have derailed it). Does she, like OTL George V, agree to create as many new Liberal peers as needed to pass the abolition of the Lords' veto?

Right. I wrote Albert, but I had forgotten Alexandra. Mary of Teck was foreign only by name (and her status as native princess was the reason for which she was chosen for Clarence and later married to York), while Prince Philip was quite English.
Alexandra would be likely married off soon. Also the death of her uncles would surely unsettle things in England and knowing Victoria is likely who she would start to arrange the wedding between Alexandra and Arthur before dying.
So Alexandra to Arthur is still the most likely option (and he would wait a little more for marrying a future Queen, who will not be Princess of Wales as she can NOT be heiress apparent), but Louise can very well marrying differently

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

Prince Philip was quite English

???

Born in Greece, baptized Greek Orthodox, educated at first in France. Exactly one of his eight great-grandparents was born in Britain.

...Victoria is likely ... to arrange the wedding between Alexandra and Arthur before dying.

Victoria died in 1901 when Alexandra was ten years old. I rather doubt that she could impose a betrothal at that time at all, much less insure that it would be followed twelve years later.

 

[isabella]

???

Born in Greece, baptized Greek Orthodox, educated at first in France. Exactly one of his eight great-grandparents was born in Britain.


Victoria died in 1901 when Alexandra was ten years old. I rather doubt that she could impose a betrothal at that time at all, much less insure that it would be followed twelve years later.

And later lived in England, serving in the English navy, and was very close to his English maternal uncle. He was considered British enough and accepted to become full British before marrying Elizabeth.

With Victoria you can not know, she would be more than likely to express her wish for such wedding. Still Edward and his brother Arthur would be inclined to such wedding on their own and Louise likely to follow them in the matter.

 

[wwbgdiaslt]

The Queen had been christened as Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar, but when she came to choose her regnal name, she would discard Louise as not quite regnal enough, and Dagmar as not quite English enough. Her father had suggested, when the topic had occasionally been broached, that there should only ever be one Queen Victoria which left her with Alexandra.

And therefore on 4th May 1910, Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal became Alexandra, by Grace of God, of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India.

Her coronation was scheduled to take place in July the following year and it was announced that the Duke of Fife would be granted the style and title of a Prince of the United Kingdom by Letters Patent.

Unlike her grandfather, Prince Albert, sixty three years earlier, Prince Alexander would not be created as Prince Consort.

Three Queens, by Sydney Prior Hall, part of the Royal Collection, on loan from John II


1892


Prince George of Wales, second son of the Prince of Wales, had succumbed to typhoid shortly before Christmas 1891. Now, in a cruel twist of fate, less than six weeks later, Prince Albert Victor of Wales lay in bed, sick with pneumonia.

His parents were present, his unmarried sister Maud was present, and another of his sister's, Victoria, Queen of Portugal, was present having returned to England for the funeral of Prince George.

His fiancee, Princess Mary of Teck, remained close to his side. Whilst it had seemed that Albert Victor may die on the 14th January, he pulled through and was said to have fully recovered by 28th January, and subsequently married Mary of Teck on 27th February 1892.

The following year, Albert Victor would be made Lord Lieutenant (or Viceroy) of Ireland and in September of 1893, learn that the Government of Irelamd Bill had been defeated in the House of Lords. The Prince believed that "home rule" was something that would be beneficial to the United Kingdom and began actively campaigning for the concept to be revisited.

This would happen in 1899.

By this time, Albert Victor and Mary had a son, five year old Prince George of Clarence and Avondale, named after Albert Victors late brother. The family would often be visited by Albert Victor's younger sister, Maud, and Mary's younger brother, Francis, and Mary herself is said to have played matchmaker between the pair.

It was during one of these mutual visits that news reached Dublin Castle, that the Government of Ireland Bill 1899 had been passed by the House of Commons. Although greatly pleased, Albert Victor fell ill and by the time that news arrived the bill had been narrowly passed by the House of Lords, he was dead.

Five year old George succeeded his father as Duke of Clarence and Avondale whereupon he returned to England with his mother and took up residence at Fort Belvedere.

By 1908, Prince George would also have passed and his aunt, The Princess Royal, had become her father's Heir Presumptive.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Wow bad luck for the house of sax-cobert-gotta I think I spelled it right. The entire male line gone in a generation.

 

[wwbgdiaslt]

Wow bad luck for the house of sax-cobert-gotta I think I spelled it right. The entire male line gone in a generation.

Not strictly - by 1910, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and his son are still alive, as is the Duke of Saxe Coburg and Gotha.

 

[isabella]

Wow bad luck for the house of sax-cobert-gotta I think I spelled it right. The entire male line gone in a generation.

Not strictly - by 1910, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and his son are still alive, as is the Duke of Saxe Coburg and Gotha.

Eh, would be Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. With the male descendants of Edward VII dying like that I see a wedding between Alexandra, the new Princess Royal and heiress presumptive and Arthur of Connaught (the son of the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and her OTL husband) as wanted by everyone