Edward VII.

Edward VII., eldest son of Queen Victoria, was born at Buckingham Palace, 9th November 1841. His full name is Albert-Edward, and at the time of his accession there was a little doubt what designation he would choose. After a careful education under four private tutors, he studied at the universities of Edinburgh, Oxford, and Cambridge. In 1860 he visited the United States and Canada; in 1862 travelled with Dean Stanley in the East; and on 10th March 1863 married the Princess Alexandra (born 1st December 1844), eldest daughter of Christian IX. of Denmark. Besides three daughters, two sons were born of this marriage—the eldest, Prince Albert-Victor-Christian-Edward, Duke of Clarence (born at Frogmore Lodge, Windsor, 8th January 1864; died at Sandringham, 14th January 1892), and Prince George, Duke of York (born at Marlborough House, 3d June 1865; created Duke of York, May 1892; married 6th July 1893 the Princess May of Teck). The prince's recovery from a six weeks' attack of typhoid was celebrated in St Paul's on 27th February 1872 with great enthusiasm—an enthusiasm emulated in the East on the occasion of his visit to India (1875-76). He is a Field-marshall in the British army (1875), and also in the German (1883); in 1874 he was elected Grand-master of the Freemasons; and he has constantly manifested a lively interest in exhibitions, charitable institutions, the housing of the poor, agriculture, &c. For the Queen his mother, he, then Prince of Wales, bore much of the burden of court ceremonials and public functions. He assisted in promoting the Royal College of Music; and the Imperial Institute was due to his suggestion. On 4th April 1900 he was shot at by a young anarchist, Sipido, in a train at Brussels; on 22d January 1901 he succeeded his mother as Edward VII. See SANDRINGHAM; W. H. Russell's Prince of Wales' Tour in India (1877), and The Prince of Wales, an Account of his Career (1898).