Although she was only queen consort for nine years before she became the dowager, Alexandra of Denmark was the most fashionable Queen of the United Kingdom in modern history. Who was this unwitting royal fashion influencer?
The then-Princess Alexandra of Denmark arrived in England on 7 March 1863 to marry Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales. The press had already seized on the beautiful young princess to report on her wedding trousseau.
Her wedding dress may have had the ultimate fashion swap. Queen Victoria insisted upon the dress only using silk woven in Spitalfields, but Alexandra had received a gift of Brussels lace from the King of the Belgians. Reportedly, Alix had a piece of the Brussels lace sewn into the gown.
The glamorous and young Princess of Wales was a sharp contrast to the dour Queen Victoria who was permanently in mourning, and the public immediately took to her fashion.
Alix wore high necklines and choker-style necklaces for all of her adult life. Many historians believe that the styles may have been chosen to cover up a scar on her neck, or perhaps swollen lymph nodes or a goitre. Whatever the reason is, women embraced these trends wholeheartedly.
The Princess of Wales also walked with a slight limp as a result of an unknown illness, and even this limp became fashionable. Women used walking sticks and even mis-matched shoes to achieve the ‘Alexandra limp”.
Alix’s favoured slim silhouette remained popular throughout her time as Princess of Wales and Queen. Instead of an exaggerated waist and wide hoop skirt, she continually chose simply but perfectly tailored silhouettes to emphasise her figure.
After the death of her eldest son. in 1892, Alix remained in a state of mourning for the rest of her life. As Queen, her wardrobe largely featured muted lilacs and greys, both mourning colours. However, her love of ornate embellishment and sharp tailoring remained.
Queen Alexandra’s death on 20 November 1925 was marked by widespread mourning, and she would continue to be known as the most fashionable royal for decades later.
