Edward VII

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Edward VII
portrait photograph of Edward VII
Photograph by W. & D. Downey, 1900s
King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India
Reign22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910
Coronation9 August 1902
Imperial Durbar1 January 1903
PredecessorVictoria
SuccessorGeorge V
Born(1841-11-09)9 November 1841
Buckingham Palace, London
Died6 May 1910(1910-05-06) (aged 68)
Buckingham Palace, London
Burial20 May 1910
Spouse
Issue
more...
Full name
Albert Edward
HouseSaxe-Coburg and Gotha
FatherPrince Albert
MotherQueen Victoria
SignatureEdward VII's signature

Edward VII (9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was the king of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910, which is called the Edwardian period. He was the first British monarch whose royal house was called the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. (King Edward's son, George V, changed the name to Windsor in 1917 and this name is in use today.)

Edward was born Albert Edward and was the oldest son of Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert. He was Prince of Wales and heir apparent for longer than any other person up until that time. His mother was queen for 63 years and Edward was 59 years old when he became king. In his younger years as Prince of Wales, he was known as a playboy and popularized many trends in fashion. He married Alexandra of Denmark, but he had many mistresses.

Family and legacy[change | change source]

Edward VII was the father of George V and grandfather of Edward VIII and George VI. He is also the great-grandfather of the late queen, Elizabeth II and great great grandfather to Charles III. There are a number of statues of Edward VII around the British Isles and Commonwealth realms.

Edward was given a grand state funeral with the largest gathering of royalty taken place anywhere in the 20th century. It included Wilhelm II, the Kaiser of the German Empire (who would later be at war with Britain) and Nicholas II, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, as well as many others. For the first time in royal history, Edward lay in state for the people to pay their last respects, a reflection of his immense popularity.

Edward was king for only nine years but made a lasting impression. He became increasingly popular with his people and was credited as a peacemaker for his work in maintaining world stability at a time when war seemed to be looming. He died at the age of 68 in 1910. Four years later, the peace he worked so hard to keep was broken with the start of World War I (1914–1918).

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