Edward VII

Albert Edward or Edward VII (1841 - 1910) was King of England from 1901-1910. He was son of Queen Victoria, who belonged to the house of Stuart and Hanover, and her husband Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He married his wife, Princess Alexandria of Denmark, in 1863. They had three sons and three daughters.

It is said that Edward VII felt he was a disappointment to his mother, who did not even try to hide this from him, and indulged in gambling and extramarital affairs, which included him in several divorce cases. Alexandra seemed to not mind his affairs and pretended like nothing happened. He had a series of mistresses, one of which was the actress Lily Langtry.

Edward VII was, by the time he became king, an educated, worldly and polite man, who had several relations to royal houses in Europe. His characteristics made him very popular not only in Britain, but in Europe as a whole.

In his reign politics focused on social politics, for example retirements and schools. He also founded the Order of Merit in 1904, which honours people who deserve special mention in science, literature and arts.

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Bibliography:

Britannia Staff Article. Edward VII. <http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon59.html>

British Broadcasting Company. Edward VII. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/edward_vii_king.shtml>

Encyclopædia Britannica. Edward VII. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/179793/Edward-VII>

Mike Mahoney. Edward VII. <http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxe_coburg_gotha.htm>

Pugh, Martin. State and Society: A Social and Political History of Britain 1870-1997. London: Arnold,1994.