Editing Alexandra of Denmark (section)

==Early life==
Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia, or "Alix", as her immediate family knew her, was born at the [[Yellow Palace, Copenhagen|Yellow Palace]], an 18th-century town house at 18 [[Amaliegade]], immediately adjacent to the [[Amalienborg Palace]] complex in [[Copenhagen]].<ref name="Eilers"/> Her father was [[Christian IX of Denmark|Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]] and her mother was Princess [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel]].<ref name=bp>[[Hugh Massingberd|Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (ed.)]] (1977). ''Burke's Royal Families of the World'', Volume 1. (London: [[Burke's Peerage]]). {{ISBN|0-220-66222-3}}. pp. 69–70.</ref> She had five siblings: [[Frederick VIII of Denmark|Frederick]], [[George I of Greece|William]] (later George I of Greece), [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Dagmar]] (later Empress Maria of Russia), [[Princess Thyra of Denmark|Thyra]] and [[Prince Valdemar of Denmark|Valdemar]].

Her father's family was a distant [[cadet branch]] of the Danish royal [[House of Oldenburg]], which was descended from King [[Christian III of Denmark]]. Although they were of royal blood,{{efn|Her mother and father were both great-grandchildren of [[Frederick V of Denmark]] and great-great-grandchildren of [[George II of Great Britain]].}} the family lived a comparatively modest life. They did not possess great wealth; her father's income from an army commission was about [[pound sterling|£]]800 per year, and their house was a rent-free [[grace and favour]] property.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=16–17}} Occasionally, [[Hans Christian Andersen]] was invited to call and tell the children stories before bedtime.{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=18}}

In 1848, [[Christian VIII of Denmark]] died and his only son [[Frederick VII of Denmark|Frederick]] acceded to the throne. Frederick was childless, had been through two unsuccessful marriages, and was assumed to be infertile. A succession crisis arose because Frederick ruled in both Denmark and [[Schleswig-Holstein]], and the succession rules of each territory differed. In [[Holstein]], the [[Salic law]] prevented inheritance through the female line, whereas no such restrictions applied in Denmark. Holstein, being predominantly German, proclaimed independence and called in the aid of [[Prussia]]. In 1852, the major European powers called a [[London Protocol (1852)|conference in London]] to discuss the Danish succession. An uneasy peace was agreed, which included the provision that Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg would be Frederick's heir in all his dominions and the prior claims of others (who included Christian's own [[Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark|mother-in-law]], [[Frederick William of Hesse|brother-in-law]] and wife) were surrendered.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|p=8}}<ref>[[Maclagan, Michael]]; Louda, Jiří (1999). ''Lines of Succession'' (London: [[Little, Brown]]). {{ISBN|1-85605-469-1}}. p. 49.</ref>

[[File:Christian IX of Denmark and family 1862.jpg|thumb|left|Christian IX of Denmark with his wife and their six children, 1862. Left to right: [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Dagmar]], [[Frederick VIII of Denmark|Frederick]], [[Prince Valdemar of Denmark|Valdemar]], [[Christian IX]], [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel|Queen Louise]], [[Princess Thyra of Denmark|Thyra]], [[George I of Greece|William]], and Alexandra.]]
Prince Christian was given the title Prince of Denmark and his family moved into a new official residence, [[Bernstorff Palace]]. Although the family's status had risen, there was little or no increase in their income; and they did not participate in court life at Copenhagen, for they refused to meet Frederick's third wife and former mistress, [[Louise Rasmussen]], because she had an illegitimate child by a previous lover.{{sfn|Duff|1980|pp=19–20}} 

Alexandra shared a draughty attic bedroom with her sister, [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Dagmar]], made her own clothes, and waited at table along with her sisters.{{sfn|Priestley|1970|p=17}} Alexandra and Dagmar were given swimming lessons by the Swedish pioneer of women's swimming, [[Nancy Edberg]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ub.gu.se/fasta/laban/erez/kvinnohistoriska/tidskrifter/idun/1890/pdf/1890_15.pdf| title = Idun (1890): Nr 15 (121) (Swedish)| via = ub.gu.se| access-date = 3 October 2010| archive-date = 4 March 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032836/http://www.ub.gu.se/fasta/laban/erez/kvinnohistoriska/tidskrifter/idun/1890/pdf/1890_15.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref> At Bernstorff, Alexandra grew into a young woman; she was taught English by the English chaplain at Copenhagen and was [[confirmed]] in [[Christiansborg Palace]].{{sfn|Duff|1980|p=21}} She was devout throughout her life, and followed [[high church]] practice.{{sfn|Battiscombe|1969|pp=125, 176}}