Mastery of Design: The "Victoria's Grandchildren" Bracelet, 1870-1880

Locket Bracelet
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
This and all images courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

While Princess of Wales, Alexandra (the future Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII), presented this cylindrical link gold bracelet with five oval gold lockets to her Royal mother-in-law, Queen Victoria.

Each of the lockets is  mounted with different stone-set motifs and each conceals a photograph of one of Victoria's grandchildren.  Their names are inscribed inside the covers:

Prince Albert Victor's (the second in line to the throne until his unexpected death) photo is housed in a locket set with a Horseshoe in diamonds.

Prince George (who would become King George V) is found in a locket mounted with a "G" reversed in rubies & diamonds).

Princess Louise's visage is hidden behind an "L" of diamonds & sapphires.

Princess Victoria, a "V" of diamonds & emeralds, and Princess Maud's locket is adorned with "M" in turquoises.

Unfolding Pictures: The Lilies Fan, 1895

The Lilies Fan
French, 1895
Presented to Queen Mary
The Royal Collection

A beautiful example of the art of late Nineteenth Century fan-making, this delightful hand fan features a paper leaf backed with kid leather mounted à l’anglaise with blond tortoiseshell guards and sticks decorated in gold, enamel and diamonds.

Known as “The Lilies Fan” for its floral decoratio, it was a gift to Queen Mary (Mary of Teck, Consort of King George V) from Princess Hélène (1871-1951), the second daughter of the Comte de Paris and the younger sister of Princess Amélie.

Now, that might not seem too strange--one Princess giving another former Princess (then Queen at the time) a luxurious gift. But, let’s examine the history between these two women for a moment.

In August 1890 the Princess Hélène had become engaged to Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. Albert Victor (known as Prince “Eddie”) was the eldest son of the Prince of Wales (son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, later King Edward VII) and his wife, Princess Alexandra (later Queen Alexandra. Prince Eddie was obsessed with Princess Hélène. But, Eddie had a habit of becoming infatuated with pretty young ladies. In fact, that’s about all he was good for.

The Great Grandchildren of French King Louis-Philippe
That's Princess Hélène there on the left, sitting up in the
dark dress.
The Royal Collection

The engagement was called off. Some say that it was on the instruction of Princess Hélène’s father, but there’s strong evidence to suggest that Queen Victoria disapproved of her grandson’s choice of mates. Princess Hélène was, after all, a Catholic (gasp!) and that just wasn’t going to work. The Prince of Wales—as heir presumptive to the throne—was expected to be King one day, and therefore, head of the Church of England. For his consort to be Roman Catholic would have been problematic to say the least.

And, so, Eddie being the resilient chap that he was found himself, in December 1891, engaged to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (later Queen Mary). We’ve discussed what happened next. After Eddie’s unexpected death in that coming January, both of his fiancées grieved his loss. Princess Victoria Mary (May) of Teck soon accepted the marriage proposal of Eddie’s younger brother, the Duke of York (later King George V). In June 1895, Princess Hélène married Prince Emanuele of Savoy (1869-1931), 2nd Duke of Aosta.

The Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales
The Royal Collection

This fan was given to her for her wedding. The guards are adorned with the arms of France and Savoy, set in diamonds. But, was Princess Hélène happy with her new husband or did she always mourn the death of Eddie who—even had he lived—would not have been her husband in the first place.

Queen Mary’s biographer, James Pope-Hennessy, wrote in 1953:

On the grandiose tomb erected to the Duke of Clarence’s (Eddie’s) memory [at Windsor] there hung until quite recently a wreath of immortelles inscribed simply, ‘Hélène’. And Princess Hélène it is who deserves to have the last word on the subject of the Duke. In November 1892 Queen Victoria had a conversation with this charming girl who had so faithfully loved her not very lovable grandson. Je l’aimais tant, said Princess Hélène, adding, somewhat surprisingly, Il était si bon.

So, it’s rather odd that Princess Hélène would present this fan to Queen Mary who had, in effect, taken her place as the bride-to-be to the Prince of Wales. But, good ol’ Mary had a way of getting things that she admired from people. We’ll never quite know how this fan came to rest in the Royal Collection.

The floral painting on the leaf is by Madeleine Jeanne Lemaire (née Colle; 1845-1928). She was a prominent French fan-painter and illustrator who was quite popular with the court, particularly amongst the descendants of Queen Victoria. A watercolor by Lemaire was listed in the catalogue of the contents of Queen Victoria’s summer home, Osbourne House in 1876. Said painting was a gift from the Prince de Joinville to Queen Victoria, but it seems to be missing. No trace of it can be found. However, a concert program designed by Lemaire from June 1898 remains in the Royal Collection—preserved in one of the Duchess of Connaught’s photograph albums.

Object of the Day: A Magic Lantern Slide of Mary of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide

Queen Mary

Regular readers know my deep affection for the late Queen Mary. I have long admired Her Majesty’s dedication to the history of Britain, her adoration of art and jewelry, and her steadfast loyalty to not only the Royal Family but to her people.

Queen Mary’s interest in the history of the Royal Family was quite natural considering that she, herself, was the daughter of Her Serene Highness, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, one of the few remaining granddaughters of King George III.

Queen Mary had a particular fascination with George III and his wife Queen Charlotte whom Mary thought she resembled (she did, in fact, look quite a lot like Queen Charlotte). Princess May—as she was known before her marriage to the future King George V—learned a bit about the history of her family at her mother’s knee and, on her own, researched as much as she could about her lineage.

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge,
The Duchess of Teck

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge was a peculiar figure in history. She was wildly popular with the people of Britain. Known as “Fat Mary” due to her girth, she was also known for her equally large personality and generous spirit. The princess was the patron of many a charity and was, more often than not, engaged in helping others in some way. Queen Victoria was terribly fond of her cousin, but also found Mary Adelaide to be problematic. She was loud and opinionated, scatter-brained and dramatic. Queen Victoria often lamented about Mary Adelaide’s inability to answer a simple letter in a timely fashion. But, worst of all, Mary Adelaide could not control her spending. She spent, and spent, and spent some more—jewels, art, carriages, clothes and the best food. She was a singular drain on the Royal Family, and, Victoria feared, totally unmarriageable.

Queen Victoria—while quite strict about other things—was not quite the stickler about rank that others were. As Queen, she herself had to marry someone of a lesser rank (Prince Albert of Saxe, Coburg and Gotha)—after all, there weren’t any unmarried Kings to be her mate. Still this marriage was quite a success, and, therefore, Victoria saw no reason for a woman of higher birth to not marry a man of slightly lower rank. The clear choice for Princess Mary Adelaide was the rather excitable Duke of Teck. Though Princess Mary Adelaide's marriage to the German Duke of Teck was morganatic (meaning that he was, technically, not her equal being simply a Duke while she was a Princess, albeit a Serene Highness and not a Royal Highness), Mary of Teck, as an adult, took Queen Victoria’s point of view and didn’t let these minor differences distract her from realizing the importance of her father’s family history as well.

Mary Adelaide relied heavily on her daughter. Before Mary of Teck’s two engagements—one to Prince Albert Victor (Known as “Eddy”) which ended upon his unexpected death, and the second to his brother and, then, heir presumptive, Prince George—Mary Adelaide enjoyed her daughter’s orderly mind and steady manner to keep her correspondence current and monitor her spending. The two, in fact, were inseparable.

Click above image to enlarge

This magic lantern slide which I recently acquired features a photograph of Mary of Teck and her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide seated together (with a beagle) at their private suite of rooms at Kensington Palace. The photo and the slide both date to early 1893 and were published to mark the occasion of the engagement of “Princess May” to the future King George V.

I looked for a non-lantern version of this photo and gave up since most of the results directed me back to my own web site.  So, I'm sorry to have only the slide to show you.  This is as clear a scan as I can get.

If you’re as much of a fan of Queen Mary as I, you might enjoy our line of “Teck Support” products—available only at our online store.

Unusual Artifacts: The Duke of Clarence and Princess May of Teck, 1891-2

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This locket was made to celebrate the engagement of Princess May of Teck (later Queen Mary) and the Duke. But, wait! The attractive gent on the reverse isn’t the Duke of York (later King George V, Mary’s husband). No, he’s the Duke of Clarence—George’s brother to whom Mary was originally engaged. As I’ve noted many times before, The Duke of Clarence died very soon after the engagement, leaving Princess May to marry his younger brother, the future King George V. So, it worked out well. George and Mary were very devoted to one another for the rest of his life.

Nonetheless, this silver locket with photographs of Princess May of Teck and the Duke of Clarence is quite rare and exceptional as souvenirs of their brief, tragic engagement are difficult to come by. A double-sided circular pendant, it is made of silver with the photographs mounted behind glass, and ten balls between two cables which run around the drum. It was made in Birmingham, England around 1891. 

The Duke of Clarence and Avondale, Prince Eddy as he was called, on the reverse of the locket.

Princess May upon her engagement to Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale

Princess May upon her marriage to the Duke of York, Eddy's brother, the future King George V.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Prince Albert Victor Receiving the Freedom of City of London, 1885

Prince Albert Victor
Duke of Clarence and Avondale
George Gammon Adams
1885
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Prince Albert Victor of Wales, the Duke of Clarence and Avondale and eldest son of the Princes of Wales and Princess Alexandra, wasn’t really to motivated by anything except a desire to be comfortable and have a nice rest. Still, he was the heir presumptive and he was said to have been infinitely charming.

Here, we see a roundel featuring the Prince. This was a model designed for the obverse of a medal—the work of George Gammon Adams, about 1885. It commemorates the event of Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence receiving the Freedom of City of London at a ceremony in the Guildhall on 29th June. This traditional ceremony is still in practice today and has been an important presentation since 1237. Basically, it’s an honorary ceremony which grants the recipient the right to be a “freeman.” The medieval term 'freeman' ostensibly meant one who was not the property of a feudal lord, and therefore, was allowed to enjoy privileges such as the right to earn money and own land. According to the official City of London rules, “Town dwellers who were protected by the charter of their town or city were often free - hence the term 'freedom of the City'.” As part of the ceremony, all freemen receive the book of “Rules for the Conduct of Life,” which was written by the Lord Mayor in 1737.

It’s basically meaningless, but a nice honor, I suppose, rather like getting the key to the city.

The artist, George Gammon Adams (1821-1898) was a portrait sculptor and medallist who designed and exhibited prize medals for Prince Albert’s baby, the Great Exhibition of 1851. Adams’ work was so appreciated that in 1852 he was chosen to model the death mask of Wellington—rather a big deal. Several important monuments by the artist still stand in London.

Unfolding Pictures: The Lilies Fan, 1895

The Lilies Fan
French, 1895
Presented to Queen Mary
The Royal Collection

A beautiful example of the art of late Nineteenth Century fan-making, this delightful hand fan features a paper leaf backed with kid leather mounted à l’anglaise with blond tortoiseshell guards and sticks decorated in gold, enamel and diamonds.

Known as “The Lilies Fan” for its floral decoratio, it was a gift to Queen Mary (Mary of Teck, Consort of King George V) from Princess Hélène (1871-1951), the second daughter of the Comte de Paris and the younger sister of Princess Amélie.

Now, that might not seem too strange--one Princess giving another former Princess (then Queen at the time) a luxurious gift. But, let’s examine the history between these two women for a moment.

In August 1890 the Princess Hélène had become engaged to Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. Albert Victor (known as Prince “Eddie”) was the eldest son of the Prince of Wales (son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, later King Edward VII) and his wife, Princess Alexandra (later Queen Alexandra. Prince Eddie was obsessed with Princess Hélène. But, Eddie had a habit of becoming infatuated with pretty young ladies. In fact, that’s about all he was good for.

The Great Grandchildren of French King Louis-Philippe
That's Princess Hélène there on the left, sitting up in the
dark dress.
The Royal Collection

The engagement was called off. Some say that it was on the instruction of Princess Hélène’s father, but there’s strong evidence to suggest that Queen Victoria disapproved of her grandson’s choice of mates. Princess Hélène was, after all, a Catholic (gasp!) and that just wasn’t going to work. The Prince of Wales—as heir presumptive to the throne—was expected to be King one day, and therefore, head of the Church of England. For his consort to be Roman Catholic would have been problematic to say the least.

And, so, Eddie being the resilient chap that he was found himself, in December 1891, engaged to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (later Queen Mary). We’ve discussed what happened next. After Eddie’s unexpected death in that coming January, both of his fiancées grieved his loss. Princess Victoria Mary (May) of Teck soon accepted the marriage proposal of Eddie’s younger brother, the Duke of York (later King George V). In June 1895, Princess Hélène married Prince Emanuele of Savoy (1869-1931), 2nd Duke of Aosta.

The Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales
The Royal Collection

This fan was given to her for her wedding. The guards are adorned with the arms of France and Savoy, set in diamonds. But, was Princess Hélène happy with her new husband or did she always mourn the death of Eddie who—even had he lived—would not have been her husband in the first place.

Queen Mary’s biographer, James Pope-Hennessy, wrote in 1953:

On the grandiose tomb erected to the Duke of Clarence’s (Eddie’s) memory [at Windsor] there hung until quite recently a wreath of immortelles inscribed simply, ‘Hélène’. And Princess Hélène it is who deserves to have the last word on the subject of the Duke. In November 1892 Queen Victoria had a conversation with this charming girl who had so faithfully loved her not very lovable grandson. Je l’aimais tant, said Princess Hélène, adding, somewhat surprisingly, Il était si bon.

So, it’s rather odd that Princess Hélène would present this fan to Queen Mary who had, in effect, taken her place as the bride-to-be to the Prince of Wales. But, good ol’ Mary had a way of getting things that she admired from people. We’ll never quite know how this fan came to rest in the Royal Collection.

The floral painting on the leaf is by Madeleine Jeanne Lemaire (née Colle; 1845-1928). She was a prominent French fan-painter and illustrator who was quite popular with the court, particularly amongst the descendants of Queen Victoria. A watercolor by Lemaire was listed in the catalogue of the contents of Queen Victoria’s summer home, Osbourne House in 1876. Said painting was a gift from the Prince de Joinville to Queen Victoria, but it seems to be missing. No trace of it can be found. However, a concert program designed by Lemaire from June 1898 remains in the Royal Collection—preserved in one of the Duchess of Connaught’s photograph albums.

Object of the Day: A Magic Lantern Slide of Mary of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide

Queen Mary

Regular readers know my deep affection for the late Queen Mary. I have long admired Her Majesty’s dedication to the history of Britain, her adoration of art and jewelry, and her steadfast loyalty to not only the Royal Family but to her people.

Queen Mary’s interest in the history of the Royal Family was quite natural considering that she, herself, was the daughter of Her Serene Highness, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, one of the few remaining granddaughters of King George III.

Queen Mary had a particular fascination with George III and his wife Queen Charlotte whom Mary thought she resembled (she did, in fact, look quite a lot like Queen Charlotte). Princess May—as she was known before her marriage to the future King George V—learned a bit about the history of her family at her mother’s knee and, on her own, researched as much as she could about her lineage.

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge,
The Duchess of Teck

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge was a peculiar figure in history. She was wildly popular with the people of Britain. Known as “Fat Mary” due to her girth, she was also known for her equally large personality and generous spirit. The princess was the patron of many a charity and was, more often than not, engaged in helping others in some way. Queen Victoria was terribly fond of her cousin, but also found Mary Adelaide to be problematic. She was loud and opinionated, scatter-brained and dramatic. Queen Victoria often lamented about Mary Adelaide’s inability to answer a simple letter in a timely fashion. But, worst of all, Mary Adelaide could not control her spending. She spent, and spent, and spent some more—jewels, art, carriages, clothes and the best food. She was a singular drain on the Royal Family, and, Victoria feared, totally unmarriageable.

Queen Victoria—while quite strict about other things—was not quite the stickler about rank that others were. As Queen, she herself had to marry someone of a lesser rank (Prince Albert of Saxe, Coburg and Gotha)—after all, there weren’t any unmarried Kings to be her mate. Still this marriage was quite a success, and, therefore, Victoria saw no reason for a woman of higher birth to not marry a man of slightly lower rank. The clear choice for Princess Mary Adelaide was the rather excitable Duke of Teck. Though Princess Mary Adelaide's marriage to the German Duke of Teck was morganatic (meaning that he was, technically, not her equal being simply a Duke while she was a Princess, albeit a Serene Highness and not a Royal Highness), Mary of Teck, as an adult, took Queen Victoria’s point of view and didn’t let these minor differences distract her from realizing the importance of her father’s family history as well.

Mary Adelaide relied heavily on her daughter. Before Mary of Teck’s two engagements—one to Prince Albert Victor (Known as “Eddy”) which ended upon his unexpected death, and the second to his brother and, then, heir presumptive, Prince George—Mary Adelaide enjoyed her daughter’s orderly mind and steady manner to keep her correspondence current and monitor her spending. The two, in fact, were inseparable.

Click above image to enlarge

This magic lantern slide which I recently acquired features a photograph of Mary of Teck and her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide seated together (with a beagle) at their private suite of rooms at Kensington Palace. The photo and the slide both date to early 1893 and were published to mark the occasion of the engagement of “Princess May” to the future King George V.

I looked for a non-lantern version of this photo and gave up since most of the results directed me back to my own web site.  So, I'm sorry to have only the slide to show you.  This is as clear a scan as I can get.

If you’re as much of a fan of Queen Mary as I, you might enjoy our line of “Teck Support” products—available only at our online store.

A Royal Anniversary: King George V and Mary of Teck

Today, we're going to pause from our usual Friday "Punch and Judy" theme to remember the anniversary of a very special day...

The Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of York, 1893
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Images Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

On July 6, 1893, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck married George, the Duke of York (later King George V) at the Chapel Royal at St. James Palace. The morning of the wedding, the Duke of York spied Princess May, as she was called by her family, across a long corridor in Buckingham Palace as she was preparing for the wedding. In what could have been an awkward moment—a heralding of bad luck—the Prince smiled, and offered, “a low and courtly bow,” to his future wife. The future Queen Mary never forgot this gesture, noting later that it was at this moment that she knew that she had made the right decision in accepting is proposal of marriage. She would don her elaborate wedding gown of silver brocade, trimmed in white, and jewels and, offering her famous side-ways smile to the gathered crowds of well-wishers, joined her groom as the consort of the new heir presumptive to the throne.

Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales
Carl Rudolph Sohn
1882
The Royal Collection

This, however, was not the wedding that was originally meant to be. Princess May was previously engaged to George’s elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. The Prince, known as “Eddy” to his family, was quite the opposite to his more staid brother. Eddy was listless and not terribly ambitious, but possessed of a remarkably winning charm. Queen Victoria, fearful that the apathetic heir presumptive would make a mess of his life, was adamant that he should make a smart marriage (and not a morganatic one to a woman beneath his position) and studied the possible candidates for his bride. Of the Prince’s cousins, the only clear choice was Princess Victoria Mary, the daughter of Princess Mary Adelaide (on the Cambridge side of the Royal Family) and the slightly off-kilter Duke of Teck.

 

Prince Albert Victor of Wales
Duke of Clarence and Avondale
Known as "Eddy"
1891
The Royal Collection

 Victoria worried that her grandson—who was given to enormous waves of passion for a variety of London ladies—would not be keen on marrying his reserved and dignified cousin May, and was happily surprised when, upon the suggestion, he immediately fell in love with May. May accepted his proposal, and joined the Cambridge clan in London (accompanied by her stout mother and muttering father), enjoying the many celebrations in honor of the couple. Though it was not a love-match on Mary’s side, she had a fondness for her cousin and thought him very “dear.” May was no fool and realized that the marriage put her in the position of being the future Queen Consort, and rather liked the idea—devoted as she was to her country and people.

During the nationwide celebration, the Duke of Clarence and Avondale and May made many journeys in inclement weather. They didn’t worry much about the widespread outbreak of influenza that had gripped England. After all, it was Prince George who was the sickly one. Albert Victor was hale and hearty. Still, “Eddy” contracted a slight head cold that quickly became a massive infection. Over a period of six days, he declined rapidly as fever and illness possessed his body.

Alexandra, Princess of Wales
with her Children
(Later Queen Alexandra)
The Royal Collection

The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), the Princess of Wales (later Queen Alexandra, the much-beloved and beautiful woman who captivated the hearts of the nation) gathered with Princess May (and her parents) at the bedside of the ailing heir presumptive. Young Prince George knelt at the side of his brothers bed and wept. Princess Alexandra, ever brave, turned to the attending doctor and asked in a clear voice (here, I should note that Alexandra was stone deaf and her lovely voice was a testament to her strength), “Can nothing be done for him?” The physician sadly shook his head.

With a few rattling breaths, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale—dear “Eddy”—rattled out his last few breaths and died.

All of England was distraught at this tragedy, and turned their sympathies to his intended as Princess May—in a daze—mourned not only the passing of her future husband, but, seemingly, her chances of becoming Queen.

An informal song was soon on the lips of people throughout London.

Alas his soul, it has departed
How solemn came the news,
His parents broken-hearted,
Their darling son to lose.
With sympathy and feeling,
We one and all should say,
God rest his soul in silence,
And bless the Princess May.


With love and true devotion,
They watched by his bed side,
But all was gloom and sadness,
The moment that he died,
He closed his eyes forever,
They kissed his pallid cheek,
In breathless tones his mother said,
“O speak, my darling speak.”


A nation wrapped in mourning,
Shed bitter tears today,
For the noble Duke of Clarence
And fair young Princess May.

 

Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale
with the Family of the Duke and Duchess of Teck
upon the engagement of their daughter.
Standing, left to right: Prince Adolfus of Teck;
the Duchess of Teck (Princess Mary Adelaide);
Prince Francis of Teck.
Seated, left to right: Albert Victor Duke of Clarence and Avondale;
Princess Victoria Mary of Teck; the Duke of Teck.
December, 1891
The Royal Collection

Immediately upon the death of Prince “Eddy,” Mary’s father, the Duke of Teck—who following his stroke several years earlier was often given over to fits of madness—began pacing the halls of the palace saying one single sentence over and over. “It must be a Tsarevitch. It must be a Tsarevitch. It must be a Tsarevitch.” Now, what could the Duke of Teck have meant by that odd phrase? Above all else, His Grace was concerned with one thing—status. Even before his stroke, the Duke of Teck was always preoccupied with his position and the rank of his family. His wife, Princess Mary Adelaide—a granddaughter of King George III (and though never in line for the throne since she was the daughter of one of George III’s daughters and cousin to the Queen, was not only a Princess, but also the Duchess of Cambridge. When they married, he was always reminded that their marriage was morganatic (meaning that a woman of higher birth had married beneath her). Because of what he perceived as a massive slight, the Duke always wished that his children would make suitable marriages that would elevate them to the status he felt they deserved. And, so, upon Eddy’s death, the Duke of Teck was more concerned that “May” was missing her chance to become the future Queen. 

Tsar Alexander
1896
The Royal Collection

The Duke of Teck’s mad rambling following the Prince’s death referred to his in-law’s the Cambridges. The Princess of Wales (previously a Princess of Denmark) had a sister, Princess Dagmar of Denmark, who, like May, had been engaged to the heir presumptive who, also, had died before their marriage, preventing her from becoming the Empress of Russia. However, the Russian Royal Family had quickly engaged the grieving Dagmar to the deceased Tsarevitch’s brother, Alexander—the new heir presumptive, and they joined in what would be a very successful union as Emperor and Empress of Russia.

In his own weird way, the Duke was suggesting such an arrangement for Mary. With the passing of Prince Albert Victor, Prince George was the new heir presumptive to the British throne. He was unmarried and needed a strong woman to guide him. Why not engage Mary to George?

Mary would not hear of it.

At the funeral for Prince Albert Victor, many noted that the most touching moment was when Princess May handed her marriage wreath of orange blossoms to her father who in turn presented it to the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) who, with Princess Alexandra, placed it upon the casket.

Mary of Teck's Mother
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge,
Duchess of Teck
1882
The Royal Collection

Mary’s long and painful period of mourning began. To distract the girl, her parents--especially her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide--forced her to travel and regain her strength. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria had had the same thought as the Duke of Teck—though in a much less embarrassing and public way. Victoria orchestrated a journey for Prince George which would casually force him to be in the same places at the same times as Princess May.

The Princess was still bereft. On what was to have been her wedding day, despite the attempts of her family to distract her, she wrote in her diary:

27 February


Chilly, damp day. This day is a very sad one for me for it was to have been our wedding day. ‘Es wär zu schön gewesen, es hat nicht sollen sein…'

Fifty-five years later, under this entry, Queen Mary wrote again in the same journal:

I read this diary again in 1947, when I was 80, and felt compelled to add that the kind ‘Uncle Wales’ [The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII] & ‘Motherdear’ [her affectionate nickname for the Princess of Wales, alter Queen Alexandra] gave me a beautiful rivière of diamonds which they had destined for me as a wedding present, as well as a lovely dressing bag, which darling Eddy had ordered for me as a wedding gift. I remember I felt overcome by this kind thought.

The future Queen Mary in her Wedding Gown

Still, George was ever-present. The two—who had known one another all of their lives as cousins—developed a close friendship, bonding over their shared grief. George mourned the loss of his beloved elder brother deeply—calling him, “my dear, lovely boy.” Soon, Mary began to develop feelings for George that she had not felt for Albert Victor. While she was fond of “Eddy” and enjoyed his company, she admitted that she didn’t feel romantic love for him. This, she felt for George. And, though she resisted at first, she did accept his proposal of marriage in 1892—much to the relief of the Queen and much to the joy of the British people.

Their marriage was a success and the two remained devoted to one another—enduring much hardship, war and chaos as King and Queen of England. 

So, here’s wishing King George V and Queen Mary a belated and posthumous happy 119th anniversary.

Mastery of Design: The Duke of Clarence and Princess May of Teck, 1891-2

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This handsome locket has nothing to do with today’s theme of Punch-related items, but it does fit into the category of subjects which interest Joseph. I’m sure you’re shocked. Yes, it’s Mary of Teck.

This locket was made to celebrate the engagement of Princess May of Teck (later Queen Mary) and the Duke. But, wait! The attractive gent on the reverse isn’t the Duke of York (later King George V, Mary’s husband). No, he’s the Duke of Clarence—George’s brother to whom Mary was originally engaged. As I’ve noted many times before, The Duke of Clarence died very soon after the engagement, leaving Princess May to marry his younger brother, the future King George V. So, it worked out well. George and Mary were very devoted to one another for the rest of his life.

Nonetheless, this silver locket with photographs of Princess May of Teck and the Duke of Clarence is quite rare and exceptional as souvenirs of their brief, tragic engagement are difficult to come by. A double-sided circular pendant, it is made of silver with the photographs mounted behind glass, and ten balls between two cables which run around the drum. It was made in Birmingham, England around 1891.

The Duke of Clarence and Avondale, Prince Eddy as he was called, on the reverse of the locket.

Princess May upon her engagement to Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale

Princess May upon her marriage to the Duke of York, Eddy's brother, the future King George V.