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FeaturesHistory

Queen Victoria’s April Royal Babies

By
5th April 2019

If you think royal baby mania is a new thing, think again. For centuries, the arrival of a regal bundle of joy has got plenty of people talking. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert kept the papers and the people happy for the best part of two decades as they went about building a family of nine princes and princesses. And one month saw them welcome more bundles of joy than any other – April.

The second longest reigning monarch in British history and her beloved consort welcomed three of their children in the fourth month of the year. Here are Victoria’s April babies.

Princess Alice

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert welcomed their second daughter and third child on April 25th 1843. Alice Maud Mary was born at Buckingham Palace and christened there on June 2nd 1843, the only one of Victoria’s five daughters not to share her name.

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Third in line to the throne at birth, her arrival prompted some to send sympathies to the royal couple that they had not welcomed a second son to help further secure the succession.

Prince Leopold

The youngest son of Victoria and Albert was another April baby. The couple’s eighth child and fourth boy was born on April 7th 1853 at Buckingham Palace where he was christened Leopold George Duncan Albert on June 28th that year.

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Leopold’s delivery was somewhat controversial. During her eighth labour, Victoria opted to use chloroform, then a relatively untried method of pain relief. The safe delivery of her fourth son and the praise Victoria heaped on the drug led to a growth in its use and popularity.

Princess Beatrice

Victoria and Albert’s youngest child was also born in April. Baby number nine, and daughter number five, arrived on April 14th 1857 at Buckingham Palace with her mama once again taking to chloroform and really getting the papers talking.

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She was christened Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodora on June 16th 1857 at Buckingham Palace with her godparents including her older sister, Princess Victoria, and her mother’s favourite aunt, Mary, Duchess of Gloucester.

Beatrice was doted on by her parents and siblings alike and not only did she complete this royal family, she also ensured that April really was the month when Victoria and Albert were most likely to bring on some royal baby fever.

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About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.