May 6, 1910 –
Albert Edward Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, known as the ‘Uncle of Europe‘ because he was related to nearly every other European monarch, was not having a good day.
Dealing with a case of severe bronchitis (brought on by his life long heavy cigar smoking and whore mongering) and urged by his family to rest, Edward VII suffered a series of heart attacks on this date. Trying to lighten his father’s mood, the future George V, the Prince of Wales informed his father that his horse had won a race that afternoon. The King replied, “I am very glad” and promptly lapsed into a coma. He died 15 minutes later.
Edward’s wife, Alexandra of Denmark, is the patron saint of understanding wives (I need to interrupt myself here to remind you that Queen Elizabeth and her husband, the late Prince Philip are both related to both of these people, and therefore to each other.) She was known to be quite fond of and enjoyed the company of Edward’s mistress, Jennie Jerome (Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston, the only prime minister born in a hall closet.) Alexandra was equally fond of Agnes Keyser and it was said also enjoyed her company and approved of her utter need of discretion. She apparently permitted, Alice Keppel, one of the king’s many mistresses (and the great-grandmother of Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla,) at Edward’s side when the King was on his deathbed.
Interesting aside: While Edward waited over 50 years for his mother, Queen Victoria’s retirement, Edward excelled to two things: women and excessive consumption. He spent so much time at the exclusive brothel, Le Chabanais, he had his own room, with his coat of arms over the bed. The future King enjoyed nothing more that to while away an afternoon assignation with a woman in a luxurious swan-necked bath, filled to the brim with champagne. Far more interesting was his siège d’amour.
Edward had become so overweight that he had a Love Chair, known as the “siege d’amour“, specially built for himself. Examine the photo carefully, the chair not only helped with his weight but allowed the Prince to engage in relations with two, and some say more, women at the same time. (I do not have the instruction manual, allow your imagination to work overtime.)
Oh, love and death among the royals.
The Haus of Dcaligari 