Item 37: Telegraph from Albert Edward [Future King Edward VII] to “The Queen Osborne” [Queen Victoria], 1871-1901
Item — Box: 2, Folder: 37
Dates
- Created: 1871-1901
Creator
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Telegraph
Condition Note:
Fair; document is browning; small holes in bottom corners; slight staining; crisp edges
Measurements:
6 ½ in. x 10 in.
Description:
The following item is a telegraph from Albert Edward, [future King Edward VII] to “The Queen Osborne” (referring to his mother, Queen Victoria) regarding a “dim” anniversary and the cooling weather, sent from the German Reich. In September 1861, Edward was sent to Germany to learn military strategies, where he met Princess Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra, consort of Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 1844-1925) and plans for marriage began. In October 1861, he was sent to Ireland for a similar purpose, where he had relations with an Irish actress named Nellie Clifden. His father, Prince Albert, (Albert, Prince Consort, consort of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1861) discovered the infidelity and met with Edward to reprimand him, even though he was sick with typhoid fever. Prince Albert died from typhoid two weeks later and Queen Victoria blamed Edward for her husband’s death, writing that she “never can, or shall, look at [Edward] again without a shudder”. The majority of the Queen’s relatives were German, and all of Princess Alexandra’s relatives were Danish, which led to tension during the Second Schleswig War, where the German Confederation annexed land disputed between Austria/Prussia and Denmark. Edward supported Denmark in the war, and Queen Victoria leaned towards the German Confederation, furthering the divide between Edward and his mother. This telegraph may have been sent any time between 1871, when the German Reich was established, and 1901, when Queen Victoria died and the Osborne House was donated to the nation on the day of Edward’s coronation. The “dim anniversary” mentioned may have been referring to the death of Edward’s father or to one of his siblings that passed, including Princess Alice, 1843-1878; Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg, 1844-1900; and Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and Gotha, 1853-1884. Albert Edward likely referred to Queen Victoria as “The Queen Osborne” as Osborne House was the name of the royal residence.
Location:
Osborne House (Museum : Isle of Wight, England); German Reich
Transcription:
[Front]
The Queen Osborne my thoughts are much with you on this dim anniversary Weather became cool and rainy
Albert Edward
[Back] 143 [written in pencil] Edward VII [written diagonally in pencil] Rex Ed. [written diagonally in pencil]
Autographed telegram written by King Edward VII [written in pencil, possible archivist’s notes]
[Back] 143 [written in pencil] Edward VII [written diagonally in pencil] Rex Ed. [written diagonally in pencil]
Autographed telegram written by King Edward VII [written in pencil, possible archivist’s notes]
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu