by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

The painting above depicts the couple kneeling at the altar, Behind them, from right to left: The Prince of Wales; Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine; Queen Victoria; The Princess of Wales and her brothers King George I of Greece, and Crown Frederik of Denmark

On July 27, 1889, in the Private Chapel of Buckingham Palace in London, England, Princess Louise of Wales (later The Princess Royal), the eldest daughter of The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), married Alexander Duff, then the 6th Earl Fife, later 1st Duke of Fife.

• Unofficial Royalty: Private Chapel, Buckingham Palace in London, England

Louise’s Early Life

Embed from Getty Images 

Princess Louise of Wales was born on February 20, 1867, at her parents’ London home, Marlborough House. She was the third of the six children and the eldest of the three daughters of The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, and The Princess of Wales, born Princess Alexandra of Denmark. Louise was the granddaughter of two monarchs, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and King Christian IX of Denmark.

Unlike their beautiful mother, Louise and her sisters Victoria and Maud were not considered attractive and had the rather unpleasant nickname of “The Hags.” Their education was minimal although they had been taught music. In public, the sisters appeared shy and did not want to be noticed or have others talk about them. In private, they were less inhibited and took part in the family tradition of practical jokes. Every summer, the whole family went to Denmark, the homeland of Louise’s mother, where relatives from all parts of Europe gathered.

Alexandra was extremely possessive of her children and prolonged their childhood far past the norm. For example, Louise, at age 19, was given a child’s birthday party. While Louise and Maud married, their sister Victoria was not allowed to marry so that she could serve as a companion to her mother.

To learn more about Louise, see Unofficial Royalty: Princess Louise, Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife

Alexander’s Early Life

Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on November 10, 1849. He was the only son of James Duff, 5th Earl Fife and Lady Agnes Hay, daughter of William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll and Lady Elizabeth FitzClarence, an illegitimate daughter of King William IV and his mistress Dorothea Jordan. Alexander had two older sisters and two younger sisters. When Alexander’s father became 5th Earl Fife in 1857, he was able to use the courtesy title Viscount Macduff, and Macduff became his nickname. Alexander was educated at Eton College.

In 1874, Alexander was elected to Parliament as a Liberal Party member for the Scottish constituency Elginshire and Nairnshire. He remained in Parliament until his father’s death in 1879 when he became the 6th Earl Fife and then had a seat in the House of Lords.

About Alexander Duff’s Titles

Alexander was married as the 6th Earl Fife. Two days after the wedding, Queen Victoria created him Duke of Fife and Marquess of Macduff in the County of Banff in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Letters Patent contained the standard remainder that the peerages were to be inherited by the “heirs male of his body”. Alexander and Louise had two daughters. When it appeared that they would have no more children and Alexander’s peerages would be extinct upon his death, Queen Victoria issued another Letters Patent. The Queen once again created Alexander Duke of Fife and Marquess of Macduff but with the remainder that in default of a male heir, these peerages would pass to the daughters of the 1st Duke and then to their male descendants.

When Alexander died in 1912, all his titles created before the 1900 titles became extinct because there was no male heir, and his elder daughter Alexandra became 2nd Duchess of Fife in her own right. Because her son and only child predeceased her, upon Alexandra’s death in 1959, James Carnegie, her nephew, the son of her sister Maud, became the 3rd Duke of Fife. When Carnegie’s father died in 1992, he became the 12th Earl of Southesk.

To learn more about Alexander, see Unofficial Royalty: Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife

The Engagement

Despite her mother’s possessiveness and her grandmother’s matchmaking, Louise decided that she wanted to marry for love. She preferred to marry a British subject rather than a European prince that would take her away from home and so, like her aunt Princess Louise who had married the future 9th Duke of Argyll, she chose a husband from the British aristocracy, Alexander Duff, then the 6th Earl Fife. Louise and Alexander were third cousins via their mutual descent from King George III. Alexander’s descent was via the long-time relationship of King George III’s third son, the future King William IV, with actress Dorothea Jordan by whom he had ten children who married into the British aristocracy. Alexander was eighteen years older than Louise. He was a close friend of Louise’s father The Prince of Wales who was only eight years older than Alexander. Alexander was a regular companion of the Prince and frequently went shooting with Louise’s father and brothers so he was someone Louise saw often.

When Louise’s grandmother Queen Victoria arrived at Sandringham to discuss a potential engagement with Louise’s parents, she was met by Louise who tearfully explained that if she was not allowed to marry Alexander, she would die an old maid. Queen Victoria, who had known Alexander since childhood, explained that as her grandmother and sovereign, she had to spend some time with her potential groom before deciding about the marriage. Queen Victoria was partial to Scotsmen and when she spent some time with Alexander, she approved the marriage.

Queen Victoria recorded in her journal on June 27, 1889, that she had officially given her approval to the marriage. On that same day, she wrote a letter to Alexander: “…I love my granddaughters dearly and they are like my own children: their happiness is very near my heart. Dear Louise, will, I am sure, be happy with you, whom I have known and liked since childhood. That my dear beloved grandchild should have her home in Scotland and in the dear Highlands is an additional satisfaction to me.” She signed the letter “your very affectionate future Grandmama.”

The Wedding Site

The Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace was created by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1844 in what had originally been a conservatory. Queen Victoria was delighted with the result, supervised by Prince Albert, and described it as “beautiful” and “exceedingly restrained”. During World War II, the Private Chapel was damaged by bombing and was later incorporated into The Queen’s Gallery. The wedding of Princess Louise of Wales was the first wedding to take place at the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace.

Wedding Guests

Royal Guests

• Queen Victoria, grandmother of the bride
• The Prince of Wales, father of the bride, the future King Edward VII
• The Princess of Wales, mother of the bride, born Princess Alexandra of Denmark
• Prince Albert Victor of Wales, brother of the bride
• Prince George of Wales, brother of the bride, the future King George V
• Princess Victoria of Wales, sister of the bride
• Princess Maud of Wales, sister of the bride
• Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Helena, aunt of the bride
• Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, uncle of the bride
• Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, first cousin of the bride
• Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, first cousin of the bride
• Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, first cousin of the bride
• Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, first cousin of the bride
• Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome, aunt of the bride
• John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, uncle of the bride
• Princess Henry of Battenberg, Princess Beatrice, aunt of the bride
• Prince Henry of Battenberg, uncle of the bride
• Princess Frederica of Hanover, Baroness von Pawel Rammingen, second cousin once removed of the bride
• Baron Alfons Von Pawel Rammingen, husband of Princess Frederica of Hanover
• Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, first cousin twice removed of the bride
• Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck, first cousin twice removed of the bride
• Prince Francis, Duke of Teck, husband of Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
• Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, second cousin once removed of the bride and her future sister-in-law
• Prince Francis of Teck, second cousin once removed of the bride, the future Queen Mary, wife of King George V
• Prince Alexander of Teck, second cousin once removed of the bride
• Prince Edward of Saxe- Weimar
• Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, born Lady Augusta Gordon-Lennox
• Prince Victor of Hohenlohe, first cousin once removed of the bride
• Princess Victor of Hohenlohe, born Laura Williamina Seymour
• Countess Feodore Gleichen, second cousin of the bride
• Countess Victoria Gleichen, second cousin of the bride
• Countess Helen Gleichen, second cousin of the bride
• Count Gleichen, second cousin of the bride
• King George I of Greece, uncle of the bride, born Prince Vilhelm of Denmark
• Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, widower of Princess Alice, uncle of the bride
• Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark, first cousin of the bride, the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark
• Ernst, Hereditary Prince of Hohenlohe Langenburg, second cousin of the bride, the future
• Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

The Queen’s Household

• Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch, Mistress of the Robes
• Eliza Hay, Countess of Erroll, Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting
• The Honorable Emily Cathcart, Woman of the Bedchamber
• Miss Ina McNeill, Woman of the Bedchamber
• The Honorable Evelyn Paget, Maid of Honor in Waiting
• The Honorable Marie Adeane, Maid of Honor in Waiting
• William Edgcumbe, 4th Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe, Lord Steward
• Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Earl of Lathom, Lord Chamberlain
• William Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland, Master of the Horse
• General Sir Henry Ponsonby, Private Secretary and Keeper of the Privy Purse
• William Pleydell-Bouverie, 5th Earl of Radnor, Treasurer of the Household
• Lord Arthur Hill, Comptroller of the Household
• William Legge, Viscount Lewisham, Vice-Chamberlain
• Field-Marshal Sir Patrick Grant, Gold Stick in Waiting
• William Pery, 3rd Earl of Limerick, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
• Major-General Sir John Cowell, Master of the Household
• General Lord de Ros, Lord in Waiting
• Major Sir F. I. Edwards, Groom in Waiting
• Colonel The Honorable H. W. J. Ryng, Equerry in Waiting
• The Honorable W. Carrington, Equerry in Waiting
• Colonel The Honorable O. Montagu, Silver Stick in Waiting
• Colonel H. H. D. Stracey, The Field Officer in Brigade Waiting
• The Honorable Sir S. Ponsonby Fane, Comptroller in the Lord Chamberlain’s Department
• Mr. Conway Seymour, Gentleman Usher in Waiting
• Mr. E. H. Anson, Gentleman Usher in Waiting
• Mr. Arnold Royle, Gentleman Usher in Waiting
• Captain C. G. Nelson, Gentleman Usher in Waiting
• The Honorable Henry Stonor, Gentleman Usher in Waiting

Attendants to Other Royalty

• Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield, Lord in Waiting to The Prince of Wales
• General Sir Dighton M. Probyn, Comptroller and Treasurer to The Prince of Wales
• Sir Francis Knollys, Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales
• Major-General Arthur Ellis, Equerry in Waiting to The Prince of Wales
• Charles Colville, 1st Viscount Colville of Culross, Chamberlain to The Princess of Wales
• Lady Emily Kingscote, Lady of the Bedchamber to The Princess of Wales
• Miss Charlotte Knollys, Woman of the Bedchamber to The Princess of Wales
• Captain Holford, Equerry in Waiting to Prince Albert Victor
• The Honorable Mrs. J. M. Stopford, Lady in Waiting to Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
• Lieutenant-Colonel The Honorable C. G. C. Eliot, Equerry in Waiting to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
• Lady Sophia Macnamara, Lady in Waiting to Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne
• Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Collins, Comptroller and Equerry to Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne
• The Honorable Lady Biddulph, Lady in Waiting to Princess Henry of Battenberg
• Colonel J. Clerk, Equerry in Waiting to Prince Henry of Battenberg
• Miss Trotter, Lady in Attendance to Princess Frederica of Hanover, Baroness von Pawel Rammingen
• Major-General R. Bateson, Equerry in Waiting to Prince George, Duke of Cambridge
• The Honorable Mary Thesiger, Lady in Waiting to Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck
• Captain Edgar Sebright, Equerry in Waiting to Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck
• Colonel E. Hadjipetros, Gentleman in Waiting to King George I of Greece
• Charles Marsham, 4th Earl of Romney, Lord in Waiting to The Queen in Attendance on King George I of Greece
• Baron Grancy, Equerry to Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
• Lord E. Pelham Clinton, Groom in Waiting to The Queen in Attendance on Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
• Captain Bull, Equerry to Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
• Colonel Stanley Clark, Equerry to The Prince of Wales in Attendance on Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark

Other Guests

• George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan and Beatrix Cadogan, Countess Cadogan
• Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond and his daughter Lady Caroline Gordon-Lennox
• William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St. Albans and Grace Beauclerk, Duchess of St. Albans
• William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch
• George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll and Amelia Campbell, Duchess of Argyll
• Anne Murray, Dowager Duchess of Atholl
• Susanna Innes-Ker, Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe
• James Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe and Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe
• Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, Duchess of Portland
• William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester and Louisa Montagu, Duchess of Manchester
• James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn and Mary Anna Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn
• Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster and Katherine Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster
• Christian de Falbe, Danish Ambassador and Madame de Falbe
• The Greek Ambassador
• Schomberg Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian and Victoria Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian
• Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister and Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, Marchioness of Salisbury
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry and Theresa Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry
• Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington
• Lady Geraldine Somerset
• William Hay, 19th Earl of Erroll
• Alice Douglas, Dowager Countess of Morton
• Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery and Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery
• Thomas Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield and Mary Frances Parker, Countess of Macclesfield
• John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer and Charlotte Spencer, Countess Spencer
• John Scott, 4th Earl of Clonmell
• Archibald Acheson, 4th Earl of Gosford and Louisa Acheson, Countess of Gosford
• Adelbert Brownlow-Cust, 3rd Earl Brownlow and Adelaide Brownlow-Cust, Countess Brownlow
• Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville and Marie Louise Leveson-Gower, Countess Granville
• Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester and Georgina Coke, Countess of Leicester
• Charles Noel, 3rd Earl of Gainsborough and Augusta Noel, Countess of Gainsborough
• John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney and Emily Sydney, Countess Sydney
• Lord A. Somerset
• Lord and Lady Randolph Churchill
• Lady Agnes Townshend
• Lady Alfred Paget
• Lady Colville of Culross
• Lady Suffield
• Dowager Lady Churchill
• Lord De L’Isle and Dudley
• Lord and Lady Vivian
• Lord Rowton
• Lord and Lady Rothschild
• Lord and Lady Wantage
• Admiral of the Fleet The Honorable Sir Henry Keppel
• The Honorable Mrs. Robert Bruce
• The Honorable A. T. and Mrs. Fitzmaurice
• Captain The Honorable North and Mrs. Dalrymple
• The Honorable Lady Ponsonby Fane
• The Honorable R. Meade
• The Honorable Lady Hardinge
• The Honorable Julia Stonor
• The Honorable H. Tyrwliitt Wilson
• The Honorable Lady Knollys
• The Honorable Mrs. Ellis
• The Honorable Horatia Stopford
• The Honorable Harriet Phipps
• William Ewart Gladstone, former Prime Minister, and Mrs. Gladstone
• G. J. and Mrs. Goschen
• The Honorable Lady Ponsonby
• W. H. and Mrs. Smith
• Henry Matthews
• Sir C. L. Wyke
• Lady Cowell
• Lady Scott and Miss Scott
• General Sir F. Seymour, Baronet
• Sir Prescott Hewett, 1st Baronet, Serjeant-Surgeon to Queen Victoria
• Sir William Jenner, 1st Baronet, Physician in Ordinary to Queen Victoria and to the Prince of Wales
• Sir James Paget, 1st Baronet, Surgeon Extraordinary to Queen Victoria
• Sir William Gull, 1st Baronet, Physicians-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria
• Sir Frederick Leighton, 1st Baronet, painter and sculptor
• Sir Theodore Martin, Scottish poet, biographer, and translator.
• Sir Henry Acland, Physicians-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria
• Lady Probyn
• Colonel Sir George Maude, Crown Equerry to Queen Victoria.
• Colonel Sir N. Kingscote
• Major-General Sir C. Teesdale
• Sir Oscar Clayton, Extra Surgeon-in-Ordinary to the Prince of Wales
• Sir Arnold White, Solicitor to Queen Victoria
• Mr. E. Beck
• Mr. Henry Calcraff
• Reverend A. Campbell, Vicar of Crathie Church near Balmoral in Scotland
• Mrs. Stanley Clarke
• Reverend Canon Robinson Duckworth, former tutor to Prince Leopold
• Reverend Canon John Neale Dalton, chaplain to Queen Victoria and tutor to Prince Albert Victor of Wales and Prince George of Wales
• Dr. Evans
• Major Wynne Finch
• Mr. Frederick Gibbs, former tutor to The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred
• Mrs. Hervey
• Mr. C. Hal
• Mr. M. Holzmann
• Reverend B. Jackson
• Francis Laking, Physician-in-Ordinary to The Prince of Wales
• Mr. W. Leslie
• Reverend J. Mitchell
• Miss Mitchell
• Mr. Mackenzie of Kintail
• Mr. A. Montgomery
• Mr. A. H. A. Morton
• Mr. M. Muther
• Fraulein Noedel, tutor to Princess Louise and her sisters
• Dr. Alexander Profeit, Commissioner of Works at Balmoral Castle
• Dr. Quain
• Dr. James Reid, Physician in Ordinary to Queen Victoria
• Mr. Reuben Sassoon, banker
• Reverend Edgar Sheppard, Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal
• Captain H. F. Stephenson
• Mr. C. Sykes
• Signer Tosti, composer of romantic and drawing-room songs
• Mademoiselle Vauthier, governess to Princess Louise and her two sisters
• Captain G. A. and Lady Cecilia Webbe

Bridesmaids and Supporters

Mr. Horace Farquhar, a friend of the groom, was the groom’s supporter and best man. He was created Baron Farquhar in 1890, Viscount Farquhar in 1917, and Earl Farquhar in 1922.

The bride was supported by her father The Prince of Wales and had eight bridesmaids, all relatives of the bride.

• Princess Victoria of Wales, sister of the bride, unmarried
• Princess Maud of Wales, sister of the bride, married King Haakon VII of Norway
• Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, first cousin of the bride, unmarried
• Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, first cousin of the bride, married Prince Aribert of Anhalt, marriage dissolved
• Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, the future Queen Mary, wife of King George V, second cousin once removed of the bride and her future sister-in-law
• Countess Feodore Gleichen, second cousin of the bride, unmarried
• Countess Victoria Gleichen, second cousin of the bride, married Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Machell
• Countess Helena Gleichen, second cousin of the bride, unmarried

Note: The Gleichens were grandchildren of Queen Victoria’s half-sister Princess Feodora of Leiningen who married Ernst, 4th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Wedding Attire

The groom wore the green uniform of the Banffshire Artillery Volunteers and the Order of the Thistle, an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. In 1884, Alexander had been appointed Honorary Colonel of the Banffshire Artillery Volunteers.

The bride’s wedding dress was made of white duchesse satin with a long train trimmed with orange blossoms. On her head, Louise wore a wreath of orange blossoms and a point de gaze lace veil.  She wore diamond and pearl jewelry.

The eight bridesmaids wore dresses made of blush pink faille, a soft, light-woven silk fabric with a ribbed texture, and carried bouquets of pink roses.

The Wedding

Clergy Officiating:

• Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Mandell Creighton, Bishop of London
• The Very Reverend Randall T. Davidson, Dean of Windsor, Domestic Chaplain to The Queen
• The Reverend F. A. J. Hervey, Domestic Chaplain to The Prince of Wales
• The Reverend T. Teignmouth Shore, Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen

Music Provided by:

• Charles Sherwood Jekyll, Organist and Choirmaster of the Chapel Royal, St. James’ Palace
• Choir of the Chapel Royal, St. James’ Palace

July 27, 1889 was a gloomy, rainy, chilly day in London, “better befitting October than July” according to the New York Times. Nevertheless, crowds gathered to see the bridal procession on its way from Marlborough House, the London home of The Prince and Princess of Wales, to nearby Buckingham Palace where the wedding would take place in the Private Chapel.

Guests arrived at the Pimlico entrance to Buckingham Palace at 11:30 AM and were conducted to their places in the Private Chapel by Her Majesty’s Gentlemen Ushers. The clergy also arrived at the Pimlico entrance and were taken to their place at the altar at 11:45 AM while a “Marche Nuptiale” composed by Charles Sherwood Jekyll was played by the composer on the organ. The groom and his supporter arrived at 11:40 AM and remained in the New Luncheon Room until summoned for the ceremony.

The mother of the bride, The Princess of Wales, along with her brothers King George I of Greece and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and her sons Prince Albert Victor of Wales and Prince George of Wales, left Marlborough House at 11: 30 AM, arrived at the Grand Entrance of Buckingham Palace at 11:40 AM and were conducted to the Bow Library. Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and the other members of the Royal Family, who had arrived at the Grand Entrance were also conducted to the Bow Library, where they assembled at 11:45 AM and awaited the arrival of Queen Victoria from the Private Apartments. After the arrival of Queen Victoria in the Bow Library, the procession of the Royal Family and their attendants made its way to their places in the Private Chapel while “The Occasional March” by Georg Friedrich Handel was played on the organ.

The Vice-Chamberlain then proceeded to the New Luncheon Room and conducted the groom to the Private Chapel while a march from Richard Wagner’s opera “Tannhäuser” was played on the organ. The groom, with his supporter, took his place on the right side of the altar where he awaited the arrival of the bride.

The Prince of Wales and the bride along with her sisters Princess Victoria of Wales and Princess Maud of Wales left Marlborough House at 11:40 AM, proceeded the short distance down The Mall, and arrived at the Grand Entrance of Buckingham Palace at 11:50 AM. They were conducted to the Bow Library, where they were joined by the other six bridesmaids, who had assembled in the Lower Drawing Room, and proceeded at once to the Private Chapel. The well-known march from the opera “Lohengrin” by Richard Wagner was played on the organ as the bridal procession made its way down the aisle.

The bride was given away by her father. Before the Archbishop of Canterbury gave the final address, the anthem “O Perfect Love” written especially for the occasion by English composer Sir Joseph Barnby was sung by the choir. “O Perfect Love” remains a popular wedding anthem. Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” from his suite of incidental music to Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was played as the bride and groom left the Private Chapel.

Queen Victoria and the Royal Family then proceeded to the Lower Drawing Room, where the Register of the Marriage was signed by the bride and groom and attested by Queen Victoria, royalty, and distinguished persons invited to attend for that purpose.

After the Wedding

The bride and groom returned to the Bow Library and received the congratulations of the royal and distinguished guests assembled there. Then Queen Victoria, the bride and groom, King George I of Greece, Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family along with William Edgcumbe, 4th Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe, The Lord Steward; Louisa Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch, The Mistress of the Robes; and Eliza Hay, Countess of Erroll, The Lady of the Bedchamber in Waiting proceeded to the State Dining Room, where luncheon was served. Luncheon was also served for the other guests in the Supper Room.

Gunter’s Tea Shop of Berkeley Square in London, considered one of the best wedding cake makers of the day, made the wedding cake. It was seven feet high and weighed 150 pounds. A sugar Greek temple was atop the cake and around it were medallions of satin with raised sugar monograms. The cake was exhibited to the public before the wedding and while it was on display, it was decorated with artificial flowers. On the wedding day, the artificial flowers were replaced with about twenty pounds of fresh natural flowers.

After the luncheon, Queen Victoria and the Royal Family proceeded to the Picture Gallery where they received the congratulations of the wedding guests. The bride and groom then returned to Marlborough House at 2:30 PM followed by The Prince and Princess of Wales, King George I of Greece, and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. In the afternoon, The Prince and Princess of Wales held a reception at Marlborough House.

At 5 PM, the bride and groom left for East Sheen Lodge, the suburban home of the groom, near the banks of the Thames at Richmond, where they spent their honeymoon. Queen Victoria watched their departure from the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Children

Louise and Alexander had two surviving children.

• Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife (1891 – 1959), married her first cousin once removed, Prince Arthur of Connaught; had one son
• Maud (1893 – 1945), married Charles Carnegie, 11th Earl of Southesk, had one child

As female-line great-granddaughters of the British monarch, (Queen Victoria), Alexandra and Maud were not entitled to the title of Princess or the style Royal Highness. Instead, they were styled Lady Alexandra Duff and Lady Maud Duff, the styles of daughters of a Duke. In 1900, when it became apparent that the Duke and Duchess of Fife were unlikely to have a son to inherit the title, Queen Victoria issued the Duke of Fife a new Letters Patent as Duke of Fife and Earl of Macduff in the Peerage of the United Kingdom giving the second dukedom of Fife a special remainder in default of male issue to the Duke’s daughters and their agnatic male descendants.

Louise was the eldest daughter of King Edward VII and was created Princess Royal during her father’s reign, in 1905.  At the same time, Louise’s daughters Alexandra and Maud were granted the title of Princess with the style of “Highness” and received precedence immediately after all members of the royal family bearing the style of “Royal Highness.” This act was unprecedented and when the College of Arms told King Edward VII it could not be done, the King simply said, “Do it!” Louise’s brother, the future King George V, was greatly disturbed by this act.

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