THE PRINCE DIDN'T AVOID THE WOMEN WHO'D BEEN HIS MISTRESSES IN THE PAST : LILLIE LANGTRY, DAISY WARWICK, and AGNES KEYSER BUT ALICE KEPPEL WAS HIS FAVORITE

As Princess and Queen, Alexandra busied herself with motherhood and other duties that came with her rank.  As Prince and King, Edward Albert kept up with some of the women who had been his mistresses in the past.  Or perhaps these relationships lingered?

He was not always successful in persuading hostesses to invite Alice Keppel as they favored or were better friends with these other mistresses.  Additionally, he had interest in children he had likely sired with other women. Lillie Langtry was one of these women, who endeavored to have a daughter she had with him presented to society so that she might make a good marriage.

Daisy Warwick was another mistress who he renewed his passion for. Very likely at least one of her children was his. And a the time, he was also involved with Agnes Keyser, our Mistress of the Month last, though this affair was thought by some to be a friendship.

His mother, Queen Victoria, had warned him that when he became King he would have to end his friendships but when he did become King at her death he did not break with Alice Keppel or anyone else.  What happened is that Alice was recognized as his favorite.

Excerpt page 210: "There were several reasons for her preeminent. The chief one was that the King was devoted to her. Physically, mentally, and socially, Alice Keppel meet his every requirement.  he not only adored her, he admired her. It was noticed that whenever they were in company together, he never took his eyes off her, and was on edge if he noticed her talking to another man.  This adoration was to have an echo in the love of his grandson, the future Edward VIII, for Wallis Simpson. He, too would keep a constant watch on his beloved and, if she left the room, would look anxious and fretful until he returned.

So attractive, so chic, Alice Keppel was a decorative addition to the King's circle. In many ways she epitomized the Edwardian society woman - worldly, witty, lighthearted. Unlike her royal lover, she was very articulate...

Excerpt page 211; Her outspokenness even extended to the King. Alice was one of the few people in the world to stand up to him... She knew exactly how far she could go with him.  Alice always handled the notoriously impatient monarch with great expertise... Her tact, her skill in keeping the King amused and diverted was greatly appreciated by his entourage....

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Missy here!  Reading about how well Alice handled the King made me think of another woman who I elected to be Mistress of the Month who was known for how she handled her man. Barbara Sinatra!  See those posts in my archive!

October 2018
BARBARA BLAKELEY MARX-SINATRA : Twice a Mistress Thrice a Wife : Singer Frank Sinatra.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OF DENMARK, THE WIFE OF EDWARD ALBERT, PRINCE OF WALES, DID NOT LIKE ALICE KEPPEL : BUT SHE LIKED HER MORE THAN OTHER MISTRESSES

Though their are legends about how well the Prince of Wales wife, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, accepted Alice as a mistress, this was probably not the case.  Yes, by the time Alice Keppel was the King's mistress, Queen Alexandra knew her husband had never been faithful to her. He'd had many mistresses and he was without apology.  However, she expected him and his women to be discreet. Alice Keppel might have been discreet in her way, but her personality was too big and she was so well know. She and the King were going here, there, and everywhere...

Excerpt page 195-196: "A legend persists, to this day, that the attitude of Alexandra, as Princess and Queen, towards her husband's affair with Alice Keppel was one of saintly forbearance.  She is popularly believed to have displayed all those qualities of charity and forgiveness for which she was renowned.  This is not quite accurate. In the first place, Alexandra was never the saint of popular imagination; she had many attractive quantities but could be stubborn and selfish.  her supposed acceptance of her husbands' mistress should simply have been a manifestation of self absorption.  And secondly, there where times when, far from approving of Mrs. Keppel, Alexandra revealed an active dislike.

It is true that the Princess of Wales preferred Alice Kepple to Daisy Warwick. .....And Alexandra would have approved of the fact that Mrs. Keppel did not flaunt her position to the extent that Daisy Warwick had once done. She would have been grateful to Alice Keppel for keeping the Prince in good temper.  But this did not mean that she found her almost continual presence any less irksome.

The Royal family also noted that Alexandra did not appreciate Alice's presence at events that they attended. And if she knew that Alice was going to be at an event, Alexandra was known to not be present.  She went on Mediterranean cruises, paid visits to her family and friends in Denmark, or traveled abroad.

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AGNES KEYSER DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR : THE KING EDWARD VII HOSPITAL FOR OFFICERS EXPANDED TO THE HOMES OF THE PEERAGE

 

Agnes Keyser maintained her social position and busied herself at the hospital she and her sister had founded and the King had been the patron of.  After his death, King Edward VII's son, King George V became the patron of King Edward's VII Hospital for Officers. The hospital that had treated officers injured in the war in South Africa now cared for the injured of World War I.

Excerpt page 144: "For Agnes Keyser the First World War was to bring a great increase in the work and expansion of her hospital. Now many of Agnes' and Alice's mutual friends were opening up their homes for the hospital's overflow of sick and wounded officers.  Agnes had succeeded in negotiating the use of several houses in London's Belgravia which belonged to such as Mrs. Rupert Beckett, Sire Walpole Greenwell, Lady Maxwell, Mr. Pandelli Ralli and Mrs. Clarence Watney. An added cachet was given to all these owners by visits to their properties by King George and Queen Mary to see the patients.  A fleet of special ambulances was also organized to meet hospital trains and ships to bring the wounded officers to the hospital.

The war effort was tremendous. Many owners of estates opened their homes for the same purpose.  There was the British Red Cross and the order of St John of Jerusalem combined to form th Joint War Committee to carry out charity work.  Many society women got involved. Alice Keppel did.

A historical note from AI and Wikipedia: On July 17, 1917, King George V officially changed the British royal family's name from the German-sounding Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to the British-sounding Windsor. Driven by intense anti-German sentiment during World War I, this decision was also meant to distance the monarchy from its German roots and the Kaiser. The King's cousin was Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II decreed that her descendants (not in the direct line of succession) would bear the surname "Mountbatten-Windsor"

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KING EDWARD VII DIES : AGNES KEYSER GOES INTO MOURNING : ALICE KEPPEL MUST WITHDRAWL - AGNES KEYSER'S DISCRETION MEANS AN INVITE TO THE FUNERAL

He had been smoking and coughing and falling asleep sitting up but had continued to get up each day to fulfill whatever Royal Duties he still could... He was with Alice Keppel at a hotel in Paris. His wife, Queen Alexandra, was on a cruise in the Mediterranean. They both knew he was dying. The day of his death in London, he had a cigar, saw an old friend, had a winning horse at Kempton Park, but the King also fainted twice and then fell into a coma.

Excerpt pages 129-130: ..."Before he passed into a final comatose state Queen Alexandra gave instructions that any close friends he wished to see should be allowed to visit the king. Out of this invitation Alice Keppel was to build a curious story, her version of which she was to assert for the rest of her life.

Agnes claimed she was "summoned" by the Queen to see the dying King Edward VII. Many, including courtiers, say otherwise.

Excerpt page 130: During the last days of the king's life, Alice was frantic. She knew that her lover was dying and asked to be with him. The queen had not sent for her, although, according to Sir Francis Laking, Alice had been a constant visitor to Buckingham Palace before the Queen came back from the Mediterranean.  Alice played what she thought was her trump card - she sent the Queen the letter that the King had sent her at the time of his appendix operation in 1902 which had said that if he was dying he was certain that the Queen would allow Alice to come to him.  The letter, and a further wish of the King's that Alice be invited, persuaded the Queen to allow Knollys (the King's private secretary) to contact Alice.

Alice did go to the King but she also lied that the King had asked the Queen to kiss Alice - to unite in his last hours. Alice also said that he had asked that the Royal Family look after her after his death, suggesting she expected ongoing money. Rather a witness said that the Queen shook hands with Alice and suggested that she had always been a good influence over him. Actually, she might have said that sarcastically, as reportedly Alice ran from the room and was in hysterics. In actuality the King barely recognized people at this point in his dying process.

Alice knew that she would be swamped with publicity, and so she fled to a friend's with her entourage. She was in deep grief. But she did the best thing she could to guard her position in society and went to sign a public book of condolences, as if she were just one of many people to give her regards. She found herself snubbed by the new King, Wilhelm II, who disapproved of her and would not receive her.

But Agnes Keyser and her family were acceptable.

Excerpt page 133 -134: Agnes Keyser's mourning was to be discreet, Alice Keppel's depressive and demonstrative. Leading up to the state ceremonial on 20 Ma6y there was a three-day-lying-in-state at Westminster Hall, before interment at St. George's Chapel, Windsor.  Keppels were to play a prominent part in the funeral cortege. .....  From Marlborough House, the new King's private secretary Sir Arthur Bigge wrote to the Duke of Norfolk that it was the monarch's wish that Agnes and Fanny Keyser were to be allocated seats for the funeral service at Stl George;'s Chapel, Windsor.

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AGNES KEYSER'S ROYAL ADMIRER INSISTS THE HOSPITAL REMAIN OPEN : BUT HE IS ALSO OPENLY IN RELATIONSHIP WITH ALICE KEPPEL : QUEEN ALEXANDRA APPRECIATES AGNES

The hospital was renamed to King Edward's VII Hospital  for Officers: Sister Agnes Founder but the King became its first patron and the Prince of Wales became its first President.  Edward VII was a regular visitor to the hospital and the officers who were treated there. But it was also likely the scene of their dalliances. When Agnes appealed to the King, he got donors to keep the hospital open, though Agnes had used her own funds to endowing the foundation trust. Many of the donors were Anglo-Jews.

Excerpt pages 112:  "Like Alice Keppel, Agnes Keyser was becoming an indispensable part of the king's life. He enjoyed being bullied by Agnes concerning his heath I paying no practical attention the while) and her disapproval of his heavy smoking provoked his guttural laughter. Yet no one could sooth him half so well as Agnes, as he recovered from his Corona y Coronas cigar-induced coughing fits in which he went a deep shade of purple.

It can't be stated enough, the King continued his very open relationship with Alice Keppel. They went together to the resorts - Biarritz - Paris. It is said that sometimes she embarrassed the King's wife, Queen Alexandra. Alice Keppel also noticed the King's declining health and worried and his doctor was distressed. The Queen was angry that he was still going off with his mistress. But Queen Alexandra had a different relationship with Agnes. She appreciated her.

Excerpt page 125 : At 17 Grosvenor Crescent (Agnes' home), Agnes Keyser anxiously noted that the king's health was deteriorating; he had more frequent bouts of coughing as they talked, and a bad kink left him gasping for breath for a quarter of an hour. Agnes could see he was becoming increasingly depressed about the future, and he was talking more and more about bad omens. And an event at Sandringham at New Year 1910 did not improve his state of mind.

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