Pets of the Belle Époque: Queen Alexandra with Her Grandchildren and Her Dogs, 1902

Queen Alexandra with Her Grandchildren and Dogs
Frederick Morgan, Thomas Blinks, 1902
The Royal Collection

Though Queen Alexandra and her husband, King Edward VII, didn’t spend as much time together as most married couples, they did both share a love for their family and their pets.


This 1902 portrait of Queen Alexandra by Frederick Morgan and Thomas Blinks shows Alexandra engaged in play with the children of her son who would become King George V. Here, we see the Queen pictured with the future King George VI, the future (brief) King Edward VIII and Mary, Princess Royal. They are surrounded by an assortment of excited dogs who seem quite thrilled to be out in the warm air.