Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh (Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria), (20 April, 1884 - 13 July, 1966), was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She later married into the Spanish Royal Family, and was the wife of Alfonso d'Orleans-Bourbon, Infante of Spain.

Early Life

Princess Beatrice was born on April 20, 1884 at Eastwell Park, Kent. Her father was HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria and HRH Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Her mother was HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh (née Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia), the only daughter of Alexander II of Russia and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.

As a granddaughter of the British monarch in the male line, Beatrice held the title of Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland with the style Her Royal Highness.

Beatrice spent much of her early years in Malta, where her father was serving in the Royal Navy. On the death of Prince Alfred's uncle, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, on August 22, 1893, the vacant duchy fell to the Duke of Edinburgh, since HRH Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the Duke's elder brother had renounced his right to the succession.

The Duke and Duchess and their 5 children travelled to Coburg to take up residence shortly afterwards.

Marriage

In 1902, Princess Beatrice she had a romance with Grand Duke Michael of Russia, the younger brother of Tsar Nicholas II, then the heir apparent to the Imperial throne. However she was prevented from marrying the Grand Duke as the Russian Orthodox Church forbade the marriage of first cousins.

Beatrice was then rumoured to marry King Alfonso XIII of Spain, this proved to be a false rumour also as he married her cousin Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg in 1906. It was at their wedding that Beatrice met Alfonso d'Orleans-Bourbon, Infante of Spain, 5th Duke of Galleria, a cousin of the King Alfonso. The Spanish royal family were unhappy about the proposed match, and it was made clear that should it take place the couple would have to live in exile.

Scandal and Exile

Beatrice and Alfonso married in a Roman Catholic and Lutheran ceremony at Coburg on July 15, 1909. The couple first settled in Coburg, their first child Alvaro was born on April 20, 1910. In 1912 Alfonso and Beatrice were allowed to return to Spain. Here their two sons Alfonso and Ataulfo were born.

During King Alfonso XIII's unhappy marriage, he had numerous affairs and dalliances, some of which produced illegitimate children. It remains an unproven rumour that he had an affair with Beatrice. They were certainly close friends, but in the stifling etiquette of the Spanish Court, such a close relationship would have been difficult to conceal.

Queen Maria Christina (1858 - 1929, Spain's Queen Dowager) was said to be outraged by the rumours, and met up with Beatrice in San Sebastian and asked her to leave Spain, as she refused to do so King Alfonso had no choice but to exile her.

Civil War

Her three sons were educated at Winchester College Public School in England. The country in which Beatrice and her husband were now forced to live. Eventually, the Spanish Royal Family forgave her and allowed the couple to return to Spain where Beatrice and her husband established an estate in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Following the Spanish Civil War of 1936 King Alfonso and his family (he and his wife separated) were exiled and moved to Rome, ten years later he died. During the civil war Beatrice and Alfonso lost their fortune, Alfonso had to work for the Ford Motor Company. In 1936 their son Alfonso was killed in fighting with the communists.

Later Life

Beatrice died at her estate Sanlúcar de Barrameda on July 13, 1966. Her husband survived her by nine years. Their son Ataulfo died in 1974 unmarried. Their only grandchildren are the children of Prince Alvaro.