For Victoria motherhood didn’t always come naturally … ‘I think much more about being a cow or a dog at such moments.’ ibid.
‘The intensity of Victoria’s hallucinations and this terrible fear that she’s losing her mind, this really suggests that Victoria’s life at this time is really much darker than we ever knew.’ ibid. historian
At 33 years old, Queen Victoria became pregnant with her eighth child. ibid.
We were one large extended crown that my grandmother, Queen Victoria, called the Royal Mob. We ruled the great empires of Europe from Russia in the east to Britain in the west. The Royal Mob ***** History 2022
These cracks would eventually grow into chasms of discontent. Burning hatred would whip our family apart and lead to the most murderous conflict the world had ever known. ibid.
Hesse sisters: Irene, Victoria, Ella & Alix … Princess Victoria married Prince Louie of Battenberg … Everyone of these sisters would marry into a great dynasty. ibid.
Cousin Willy: now Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany who was determined to prove that his grandmother and mother had been plotting against him … With cousin Willy now in charge we all have more to fear. The Royal Mob II: All Hail the Prince of Wales, History 2022
Uncle Bertie at this point is married to Alexandra who is a Danish princess. He is heir to the throne of Britain but Queen Victoria refuses to give him any responsibility whatsoever. ibid.
‘Britain’s greatest rival in world power was in fact Russia. Alix is the granddaughter of Queen Victoria, so the marriage would bring British and Russian courts together.’ ibid. Simon Sebag Montefiore
‘This year you could sense there was something more in the air between my uncle [Bertie] and cousin [Willie].’ The Royal Mob III: The Day We’d Always Dreaded, granddauther
‘The Diamond Jubilee is a vast glittering statement designed to demonstrate Britain’s moral right to the world. ibid. Emma Dabiri
Yet somehow we found ourselves on different sides of the most murderous conflict the world had ever known. The Royal Mob IV
‘World War I: A tragedy of misunderstandings and missed conceptions … They believed that war could rejuvenate their decadent empires.’ ibid. Montefiore
I never dreamt that that was the last time we would see each other. ibid. Victoria Hesse’s commentary
The news that Nikki, Alix and the children were prisoners in their own palace was truly shocking. ibid.