• Source: Wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra

The wedding of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), and Princess Alexandra of Denmark (later Queen Alexandra) took place on 10 March 1863 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. It was the first royal wedding to take place at St. George's, and the last wedding of a Prince of Wales until Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's 1981 wedding.




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 and Prince Albert. 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 (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 Princess Alexandra of Denmark, the eldest daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (later King Christian IX of Denmark) and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. 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, Germany, an arrangement engineered by Princess Victoria.
On 14 December that year, Prince Albert died of typhoid, 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, Kent. She joined the Prince of Wales on the royal train for the journey to London, 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.
On the morning of 10 March 1863, the carriage procession began from Windsor Castle. The Danish royal family 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.

Princess Alexandra was attended by eight bridesmaids Diana Beauclerk, Victoria Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Victoria Howard, Elma Bruce, Agneta Yorke, Emily Villiers (filling in for Hariot Georgina Hamilton-Rowan who was indisposed that day), 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 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 on the Isle of Wight.
Following her marriage, Princess Alexandra was styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.




= 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, the groom's mother
The Crown Princess and Crown Prince of Prussia, the groom's sister and brother-in-law
Prince Wilhelm of Prussia, the groom's nephew
Princess 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, the groom's maternal first cousin once removed
The Prince of Leiningen, the groom's maternal first half-cousin
Prince and Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 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

=
Prince and Princess Christian of Denmark, the bride's parents
Prince Frederick of Denmark, the bride's brother
Prince Wilhelm of Denmark, the bride's brother
Princess Dagmar of Denmark, the bride's sister
Princess Thyra of Denmark, the bride's sister
The Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the bride's paternal uncle
Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel, the bride's maternal uncle




= Other royals

=
Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar
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
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 and Duchess of Atholl
Marquess and Marchioness of Carmarthen
The Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury
The Marquess Camden
The Marquess and Marchioness of Abercorn
Viscount Hamilton
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
The Viscount 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 and Lady Alfred Harvey
Lord Charles FitzRoy
Francis 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 and Lady Dunbar
Sir James Clark, 1st Baronet
The Garter Principal King of Arms




References






Bibliography

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Edward VII dari Britania Raya
• Elizabeth II dari Britania Raya
• Harry, Adipati Sussex
• Charles III dari Britania Raya
• Maud dari Norwegia
• Victoria dari Britania Raya
• Catherine, Putri Wales
• Putri Margaret dari Snowdon
• Permaisuri Camilla dari Britania Raya
• Putri Mary Adelaide, Adipatni Teck
• Wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra
• Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark
• Alexandra of Denmark
• Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine
• Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten
• Louise, Princess Royal
• Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood
• Princess Helena of the United Kingdom
• Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale
• Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife