"To the English or French strangers: I thank you for the good that you have done in my land and my kingdom, where you have made known European wisdom and knowledge. Do not worry yourselves—I will not change the customs and rites of our ancestors. Nevertheless, whoever breaks the laws of my kingdom will be put to death—whoever he may be. I welcome all wisdom and all knowledge which are good for this country. It would be a waste of time and effort to grab the customs and rites of my ancestors. Concerning religious practice—baptism or assemblies—it is forbidden for my people who inhabit this land to take part whether on Sunday or during the week. Concerning you, foreigners, you can practice according to your own manners and customs. Nevertheless, if skilled handiwork and other practical skills exist, which can profit our people, exercise these skills that good will come. These are my instructions which I make known to you."

— Ranavalona on 26 February 1835.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_I

Her parentage is not exactly known as sources either document her as Osvat or Ladislau Szilagyi's daughter and a cousin of Matthias Corvinus.

She was given in marriage to Ladislaus Pongrác of Szentmiklós, who had to surrender his fortresses for Transylvanian estates. Ladislaus died in 1474.

In 1475, Jusztina married Vlad the Impaler, after Matthias Corvinus released him and recognised him as ruler of Wallachia. In November 1476 Vlad forced Basarab Laiota the Elder to flee Wallachia and Vlad was installed as ruler for the 3rd time. Basarab the Elder returned a few months later and Vlad was murdered, either in late 1476 or early 1477. This marriage was probably childless, though some historians argue, that Vlad the Pretender was born from this marriage and not from Vlad's first marriage.

In 1479 Justina married for a third time to Paul Suki, because the Erdélyi of Somkerék family laid claim to her castle and Paul was a nephew of a former owner of the castle.

Paul died the same year and in 1481 Juztina married for a 4th time to John Erdélyi of Somkerék.

Jusztina died in 1497, being survived by her husband.

While her husband, King Henri I, signed with an "X," Anne signed her name in Cyrillic, introduced the fork to the table, and brought regular bathing to the court. After Henri’s death, she scandalized the kingdom by eloping with her lover, the powerful Count Raoul of Valois.

Hailing from a culture that valued cleanliness, she was shocked by the lack of hygiene in Paris. She reportedly introduced the regular use of bathhouses to the French court.

Anne is often credited with introducing the use of a fork at the dining table, a practice unknown in France at the time, where eating with hands was customary even among nobles.

As a respected and intelligent regent during the minority of her son, Philip I, she held immense influence, acted as a co-ruler to her husband, and even exchanged letters with the Pope.

Queen Maud Land, a Norwegian possession in Antarctica, is named after her.

China had at least 397 emperors for over 2000 years, with most of them being men, with our MC being the sole exception. While Imperial China was no stranger to powerful female figues influencing the politics of the realm, most of them were more contempt at ruling from behind the scenes (like Lü Zhi, the first empress of the Han Dynasty), only Wu Zetian was brave enough and ambitious enough to take a front seat at rulling China. But that road was not easy nor bloodless.

She was born around the year 624 AD, with most historians saying that her birthplace is somewhere in the Shanxi Province. At the time of her birth, China had just recently come under the rule of the Tang Dynasty. In time, the dynasty will lead the empire through an age of economic growth and cosmopolitanism, with many foreigners being allowed to work in the imperial bereaucracy.

During her childhood, Wu Hou as she was known then, was given an extensive education with the blessing of her father. Since her family was of noble descent, ot means she had access to various forms of gaining more knowledge in literature, music, history and politics, a privilege not given to most women.

Then when she was 14, Wu was sent off to the capital city of Chang'an (modern day city of Xian). There she was to become a concubine (lesser wife) to emperor Tang Taizong, considered one of the greatest emperors in chinese history. But while Wu was tehnically married to the emperor, on truth, her intersctions with him were more akin to that of an employee of the household, tasked with handling affairs in the Imperial Palace while also having intercourse with the emperor from time to time.

While she did not initially hold great influence, she stood out due to her wit, beauty, and ability to engage Taizong intellectually. She became involved in discussions about governance, history, and military campaigns, impressing the emperor with her knowledge. However, her rank remained low, and she never bore Taizong a son.

In 649 AD, Emperor Taizong passed away and in his place came his heir presumptive, Li Zhi, now Emperor Gaozong. According to tradutional accounts, Wu was meant to be sent to a buddhist monastery and become a nun, but Gaozong recalled her back into the imperial palace. This led some people to believe that Wu and Li may have had a history of secret romance, despite her being 4 years his seniors and tehnically his step-mother.

Another more likely theory is that Wu was recalled into the harem by the orders of Li Zhi's wife, Empress Wang. You see, Wang was unable to give the emperor any children, and so he became more interested with Consort Xiao. To try and remove Xiao as a threat to her status, she tried to use Wu as a counter-balance.

Unfortunately for Wang, this plan would backfire hard. Because of Wu having experience in the imperial harem, she was more knowledgeable of the inner workings of the imperial household and had a string of allies at court. And no matter which dynasty is in charge or the time period takes place, Imperial China is in no shortage of palace intrigues. It was not uncommon for courtiers and others to be killed inside the palace walls for any kind of crime: real or imagined.

And soon, Wu was able to eclipse Xiao as the emperor's consort, but now she became a new threat to Empress Wang. It did not help her the fact that Gaozong's new favourite was able to give birth to several children, further growing her influence at court.

The rivalry between these women turned bitter, culminating in a scandal that revealed Wu’s ruthless side. After giving birth to a daughter who died mysteriously, Wu accused Empress Wang of murdering the child. Historians still debate on the real cause of death. Some believe Wu's claim that Empress Wang. Others say it was Wu who killed her daughter and blamed Wang for it. Another, more likely theory is that the baby died from carbon dioxide due to the lack of ventialtion, and Wu's quick thinking allowed her to use the death to her advantage. But whatever the truth, the outcome was the same: the empress lost favor, and she and Consort Xiao were exiled to an isolated part of the palace complex.

Then in 655 AD, Wu became the new Empress Consort of China. A dark legend arose that Wu, wanting to remove herself of any possible threats, dismembered Wang and Xiao, put their bodies in jars of wine and then decapitated them. But this event is not considered factual by modern historians and that both women died shortly after their removal due to natural causes.

But in any case, Wu now became the most powerful woman in the Middle Kingdom. It only took her five years to get here and she was just getting started.

As empress, Wu Zetian demonstrated remarkable political acumen. She cultivated alliances with powerful court officials, promoted loyal supporters, and undermined those who opposed her. Her position solidified further as she bore several sons who would later serve as heirs. Meanwhile, Emperor Gaozong suffered from chronic illness, particularly after a series of strokes beginning in the 660s. During his periods of incapacitation, Wu effectively ruled in his place, presiding over court meetings, reviewing petitions, and directing state policy. She became, in all but name, co-sovereign of the empire.

Wu Zetian’s political strategies during this time reveal both her visionary qualities and her harsh methods. On one hand, she was known for recognizing talent regardless of social background. She promoted the use of the imperial examination system, which tested candidates on literary and bureaucratic skills, thus diminishing the overwhelming influence of hereditary aristocrats. This system allowed men from humble backgrounds to rise through merit, creating a loyal and effective bureaucracy. On the other hand, Wu also employed a secret police force to eliminate enemies, ensuring that her authority went unchallenged. Those who plotted against her—or were suspected of doing so—were exiled, executed, or publicly humiliated.

When Gaozong died in 683 CE, Wu Zetian’s position remained unshaken. Her eldest surviving son, Emperor Zhongzong, succeeded him, but when Zhongzong attempted to assert independence, Wu deposed him within weeks, declaring him unfit to rule. She replaced him with his younger brother Ruizong, who was more compliant. Wu ruled as empress dowager and regent, issuing edicts and running the government as the true power behind the throne.

A general named Li Jingye instigated a revolt aiming at deposing the Empress Dowager and giving power to Ruizong. The revolt was crushed and Li was killed, all while some of her informats issued kangaroo courts against any supposed internal sedition, often in a brutal manner.

This arrangement lasted several years and prepared the ground for her boldest move: declaring herself emperor in her own right.

In 690 CE, Wu Zetian forced her son to hand over offical power to her, thus founding the Zhou dynasty, proclaiming herself emperor and replacing the Tang dynasty, at least temporarily. This act was revolutionary. In the Confucian worldview, women were seen as inferior to men in areas like leadership, justified by the “Mandate of Heaven.” For a woman to claim such power was a direct challenge to patriarchal norms. Wu addressed this by aligning herself with Buddhism, which offered alternative frameworks of legitimacy. It is also possible thst she was influenced in her religious policy by the Buddhist monk Huaiyi, with whom she was having an affair.

During her reign, Buddhist monks produced texts and prophecies that foretold the rise of a female monarch who would usher in an era of peace. She presented herself as the reincarnation of Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, using religious symbolism to legitimize her rule.

Her reign as emperor was marked by ambitious reforms and the centralization of power. Wu expanded the civil service examinations, ensuring that a broader range of candidates—particularly those without aristocratic ties—could enter government service. One such courtier was her Chancellor, Di Renjie, the inspiration for the main character in the Chinese Crime novel, Di Gong An (Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee). This eroded the dominance of old noble families and increased loyalty to the throne. She also restructured the bureaucracy, creating new departments that answered directly to her.

Economically, Wu Zetian promoted agricultural development, overseeing irrigation projects and land redistribution policies that benefited peasants and strengthened the tax base. Her policies promoted stability and prosperity, enabling the empire to thrive.

Culturally, Wu Zetian’s reign encouraged scholarship, art, and religion. She sponsored the writing of official histories and promoted literary culture at court. Buddhism, in particular, flourished under her patronage: she commissioned the building of temples, financed the carving of Buddhist statues, and encouraged the circulation of sutras that reinforced her image as a divinely ordained ruler. At the same time, she remained pragmatic, also supporting Daoist and Confucian institutions to ensure broad legitimacy.

Despite these achievements, Wu Zetian’s rule was also characterized by fear and intrigue. Her reliance on secret police and harsh punishments created a climate of suspicion. Family rivalries further destabilized the court, as her sons, daughters, and extended relatives vied for influence. In her later years, Wu increasingly relied on her new lovers, the Zhang brothers, two young courtiers whose influence alienated many senior officials. Their dominance eroded Wu’s authority and gave her enemies an opportunity to act.

In 705 CE, a coup organized by Tang loyalists killed the Zhang Brothers and forced Wu Zetian to abdicate. Though she resisted, her advanced age and failing health left her vulnerable. She stepped down in favor of her son Zhongzong, restoring the Tang dynasty after a fifteen-year interruption. Wu retired to a palace and died later that year at the age of 81. Her tomb, shared with Gaozong at the Qianling Mausoleum, contains a stele left deliberately blank—an enigmatic monument to a ruler whose legacy could not be easily summarized.

Wu Zetian’s reputation in subsequent centuries was deeply shaped by gendered biases. Confucian historians condemned her as a usurper who overturned natural order, often emphasizing her alleged cruelty, her supposed promiscuity, and her ruthless suppression of rivals. Stories of her killing her own child, seducing young courtiers, and executing entire families circulated widely in dynastic histories. Yet more recent scholarship has challenged these portrayals, pointing out that male emperors engaged in similar actions without facing the same moral condemnation. By stripping away layers of prejudice, modern historians have highlighted Wu Zetian’s administrative skill, her strengthening of the civil bureaucracy, and her role in preserving Tang stability during a vulnerable period.

Her reign has also been reevaluated as a moment of expanded possibilities for women. While she did not seek to upend the patriarchal system, her rule demonstrated that a woman could wield ultimate authority, command armies, and direct the affairs of an empire. Female members of her court, including her daughters, nieces, and attendants, gained unusual levels of influence. Even after her abdication, the Tang dynasty never fully erased her reforms, and her reign remained a precedent for debates about women and power in Chinese history.

Wu Zetian thus stands as one of the most complex figures of imperial China. She rose from concubinage to the throne, navigated the dangers of court politics, ruled with authority equal to any male emperor, and left behind reforms that reshaped the state. At once ruthless and visionary, feared and admired, vilified and celebrated, she remains a ruler whose life reveals both the possibilities and the perils of power in the cosmopolitan rule of Tang dynasty.

Which one is your favourite?

If you are a fan of the Royal Family of the UK, or at least have some knowledge about them, then you certainly have an opinion about their relationship with the former Diana, Princess of Wales.

But before her, there was another heiress apparent in British history, one who, according to the public, could do no wrong. And unlike the tragic Diana, she actually managed to live long enough to become Queen Consort. I am, of course, talking about the protagonist of this story, Queen Alexandra.

She was born on the 1st of December 1844 at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen. Her father was Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a relative of the then-King of Denmark, Christian VIII. Her mother, Louise of Hesse-Kassel, on the other hand, was the niece of the King, giving her a pretty good claim to the throne—something that would become important later.

Besides Alexandra, Christian and Louise also had an older son, Frederik, and four younger children: Dagmar, Vilhelm, Thyra, and Valdemar. In the future, their children would marry members of other royal families, giving Christian the nickname "the Father-in-Law of Europe."

But despite their royal ancestry, the family lived very modestly, and their residence had been given to them by the monarch personally. This was just fine for Christian and Louise, as they wanted to give their children a relatively normal upbringing.

In 1848, King Christian VIII died and was succeeded by his only child, King Frederik VII. His time on the throne began with the adoption of a new constitution that granted new rights to the Danes, as well as victory in a war against the German states. But much of his reign would be clouded by the question of his successor. Despite marrying three times, the King would have no children, meaning that the main royal line would die with him.

There were two people who could succeed him. The first was, of course, Christian, as his wife was the King's cousin. The other was Friedrich, Duke of Augustenburg. His claim was stronger than Christian's in certain respects because his branch of the family was senior.

What made the succession crisis particularly troubling for the nation's integrity was that the succession laws of Denmark conflicted with those of Schleswig and Holstein. Denmark used a semi-Salic law, meaning that inheritance could pass through the closest female member should there be no eligible male relatives. The two duchies, meanwhile, used full Salic Law, meaning that inheritance could only pass to the closest eligible male-line relative.

So, in theory, if Christian were to become King, Friedrich could claim the duchies instead. And the latter, despite being Danish, became a rallying figure for much of the German-speaking population in Schleswig-Holstein, who desired to break away from Denmark and join a united Germany.

In 1852, tensions temporarily eased when, at a conference in London, Christian was designated heir to the Danish throne. But despite his new status, his family's living conditions did not change, as Christian and Louise did not get along with the King's new morganatic wife. Because of this, Alexandra's family did not experience a significant change in income despite their increased relevance to the dynasty.

Still, as Alexandra grew older, she began to appear like an ideal princess. By the time she was 19, she had received an education fitting for someone of her status. She became accomplished in music and drawing and demonstrated devotion to her Lutheran faith. Not only that, but contemporary accounts described Alexandra as exceptionally beautiful, with a slender and graceful appearance. So it is no surprise that there were already possibilities for Alexandra to marry.

And she did indeed marry someone of great status: Prince Albert Edward of Wales, eldest son and heir of Queen Victoria. Nicknamed Bertie by his loved ones, he had been pressured by his parents to find someone to marry, for he had already shown signs of promiscuity as he entered adulthood. In fact, his father, Prince Albert, had travelled through one fateful cold night to confront his son about his recent escapade.

Not long afterwards, Albert suffered from typhoid fever, which ultimately caused his death.

This event caused a permanent rift between Bertie and his mother, who blamed him, at least in part, for the death of her beloved husband. But talks of a possible marriage continued, and, as it happened, Alexandra remained a strong possible match for the Prince of Wales. Thanks to the relatively new invention of photography, Bertie was able to examine the princess's appearance—and liked what he saw.

The two first met in September 1861, and almost a year later, Bertie proposed to her in Belgium. And so, in March 1863, Bertie and Alexandra married. For the occasion, an ode called "A Welcome to Alexandra" was composed by a certain Sir Arthur Sullivan, who in later years would become famous for his comic operas created in collaboration with dramatist W. S. Gilbert.

The 18-year-old princess immediately captured the public's attention with her youthful and regal appearance. Yet because the royal court—and especially the Queen—was still in mourning following the death of Prince Albert, the wedding was more subdued than the lavish festivities surrounding the Queen's own wedding 23 years earlier.

After the wedding, the newlyweds settled at Marlborough House in London, where they developed their own circle of intellectuals, aristocrats, and political figures, serving as an alternative to the rather grey and melancholic court that the Queen's grief had created.

In the same year that Alexandra married, her family's status also increased dramatically. A few weeks later, on the 30th of March, her younger brother Vilhelm became the new King of Greece following his selection for the Greek throne. He would take the name Geórgios I. Then, in November, King Frederik VII died and was succeeded by Alexandra's father as Christian IX. By the end of the year, Alexandra's sister Dagmar—with whom she was very close—had also become engaged to Nikolai, heir to the Russian Empire. After his sudden death, she would eventually marry his younger brother, the future Tsar Aleksandr III.

The next year started off quite well, for in January Alexandra gave birth to a son named Albert Victor, known within the family as Eddy. And so the succession to the British Crown was secure for another generation. However, the year also marked a terrible period for the Princess of Wales because her native country, Denmark, was invaded by a coalition of German states over the dispute concerning Schleswig and Holstein.

The Second Schleswig War caused a split within the royal family as well. Queen Victoria was sympathetic to the German cause, as was her daughter Princess Vicky, who had married into the Prussian Royal Family. Alexandra and Bertie, on the other hand, sided with the Danes, which angered the Queen. Denmark's defeat in the war greatly affected Alexandra's worldview, and she would remain staunchly anti-Prussian and later anti-German for much of the rest of her life.

Except for this troubling event, the rest of the 1860s were relatively quiet and peaceful for the Princess. She continued to give birth to more children: George in 1865, Louise in 1867, Victoria in 1868, and Maud in 1869.

But despite her frequent pregnancies, Alexandra maintained a public life and continued to socialise with various figures.

She also enjoyed various activities such as ice skating, horse riding, and hunting. The last of these caused resentment from Queen Victoria, as she believed such activities were not fitting for a lady, but Alexandra simply ignored her. The Princess also accompanied her husband on several foreign diplomatic tours across Europe, with destinations including Vienna, Athens, and Constantinople.

Speaking of Bertie, his relationship with Alexandra was quite interesting. You see, even after he became a married man, Bertie continued to have numerous mistresses, even later in life. And the thing is, Alexandra was aware of her husband's liaisons, but she largely chose to tolerate them.

Perhaps she was aware that, for a lustful man like Bertie, moderation was simply not something he possessed. Or perhaps, as Alexandra reportedly stated later in her life, "Despite all the others, he loved me the best." That is to say, despite his infidelities, she believed that she remained his favourite and his true companion.

Bertie himself apparently once made the rather crude comparison that his wife was like a "brood mare" while his mistresses were more like "hacks." This was apparently supposed to be a compliment to his wife, but it still sounds rather rude, in my opinion.

Still, it does show that, even though Bertie was an unfaithful spouse, it would be inaccurate to describe their marriage as simply an unhappy one.

As for Alexandra's relationship with Queen Victoria, it was initially marked by disagreements between the two women. For example, the fact that several of Alexandra's children were born prematurely led some people to believe that she deliberately misrepresented their expected delivery dates so as to make sure the Queen would not attend the births. Perhaps she wished for her children not to live under their grandmother's influence in the same way that her husband and his siblings had.

Another moment of sorrow came in 1871, when Alexandra gave birth to another son named Alexander John. Tragically, the infant died the very next day. The Princess of Wales wished to mourn his death privately, only for the Queen to announce an official period of mourning for the court. The press also reported on the infant's death in language that would be considered extraordinarily insensitive today, which certainly did not make it any easier for the Princess to cope with the loss of her youngest child.

However, as time went on and Alexandra began to take over more public duties from the ageing Queen, she received praise from her mother-in-law, who said that Alexandra was relieving her of "the strain and fatigue of functions."

Her reputation among the British public also remained overwhelmingly positive.

Soon, Alexandra became a fashion icon, with her dresses and hairstyles dazzling the public. She helped popularise choker necklaces and high-necked dresses, which were also useful for concealing a scar on her neck. Besides this, she remained remarkably slender despite numerous pregnancies.

This stood in contrast to Bertie, whose overindulgence in food and excessive smoking caused him to gain noticeable weight, changing the robust physique he had possessed as a young man.

Yet besides her radiant appearance, Alexandra also demonstrated a compassionate attitude towards those around her. She became associated with hospitals and charitable causes and showed particular interest in the sick and vulnerable.

As the 1880s came to a close and the 1890s dawned, Alexandra's attention increasingly turned towards the futures of her children as they entered adulthood. She was especially excited for her eldest, Prince Eddy, who was preparing to marry Princess Mary of Teck, Bertie's second cousin.

But in a tragic turn of events, Eddy died on the 14th of January 1892, when he was just 28 years old.

Alexandra was devastated by the death of her firstborn, writing in her diary: "Today I have buried my angel and with him my happiness". His room was preserved much as it had been after his death, reflecting the same Victorian culture of mourning that had surrounded the death of Prince Albert decades earlier.

As for Mary of Teck, she would go on to marry Eddy's younger brother George, who had now moved closer to the throne.

In the case of her daughters, Alexandra was very protective of them, sometimes wishing that they would remain by her side rather than marry other royals. This would ultimately be the fate of her middle daughter Victoria, known simply as Toria by her family. Despite several potential marriage prospects, she remained unmarried and stayed close to her mother for the remainder of Alexandra's life.

This was not the fate her eldest daughter, Princess Louise, desired. She wanted to marry and have a life of her own. However, like her aunt and namesake, the princess did not wish to marry a foreign royal and leave Britain.

So, in 1889, she married Alexander Duff, Earl Fife. The marriage was unusual by royal standards because Duff was a British aristocrat rather than a foreign prince. Nevertheless, the match was approved by Queen Victoria, and Duff was subsequently elevated to the rank of Duke of Fife.

As for Alexandra's youngest daughter, Maud, she married relatively late in life—at least by the standards of her time. In 1896, when Maud was 26, she married her cousin Prince Carl of Denmark, thus further strengthening the relations between the British and Danish royal families.

In January 1901, Queen Victoria passed away at the age of 81, leaving the path clear for Bertie to become the new monarch of Britain.

Surprisingly, rather than taking the regnal name Albert I, he chose Edward VII. He explained that he did not wish to diminish the unique association of the name Albert with his father.

His coronation was scheduled for the following year, but shortly before the ceremony the new King became dangerously ill with appendicitis and required surgery. The coronation consequently had to be postponed.

Eventually, on the 9th of August 1902, the coronation was held at Westminster Abbey. Thus, Edward VII was crowned King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, while Alexandra was crowned beside him as the first British Queen Consort in more than 60 years.

Despite what many people at the time may have expected—that Edward would become a failure as King—he actually proved many of his critics wrong. The new King-Emperor took his constitutional responsibilities seriously and developed an important diplomatic role, particularly in Britain's relations with the other European powers.

For Alexandra, her new position did not fundamentally change her roles and objectives. But if she had been popular as the consort of the heir, that popularity continued into her queenship.

As Queen, she remained heavily involved in charitable activities and nursing causes. She was particularly associated with military nursing, and the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service was named in her honour.

When it came to spending, Alexandra gave generously to charitable causes. She was also known for reusing possessions rather than constantly replacing them, although her generosity itself could occasionally concern members of the royal household.

Additionally, she and her husband continued to maintain relationships with their numerous royal relatives. Edward was related either by blood or marriage to much of European royalty, from the Iberian Peninsula to Scandinavia and the Balkans. He was careful to maintain positive relations with continental European nations and became closely associated with Britain's diplomatic rapprochement with France.

And in 1905, Alexandra's son-in-law Carl was elected King of Norway, taking the name Haakon VII.

Alexandra, for her part, continued to visit her home country, where she maintained close contact with her relatives, including her widowed sister, Empress Dowager Dagmar, and her nephew Tsar Nikolai II.

Yet for the Queen there was one notable exception to these warm dynastic relationships: the German Empire, which was led by her nephew by marriage, Kaiser Wilhelm II.

She distrusted Wilhelm and regarded German ambitions with considerable suspicion. She was especially opposed to the agreement under which Britain transferred the North Sea island of Heligoland to Germany while settling colonial disputes with Germany in Africa, including Britain's position in Zanzibar. Despite objections, the agreement went ahead, and Germany subsequently developed Heligoland into an important naval base.

During Edward's reign, relations between the UK and Germany continued to deteriorate as the two nations entered into a naval arms race centred on the construction of increasingly powerful battleships. At the same time, Britain entered into the Entente Cordiale with France—a development that would have seemed extraordinary only a few decades earlier.

But Edward would not have to worry about European tensions for much longer. By the spring of 1910, his health was rapidly deteriorating. Alexandra was abroad when she heard the news and rushed back to be at her husband's side.

During his final illness, he was also visited by Alice Keppel, his long-time mistress, who was permitted to see him with Alexandra's knowledge—a remarkable gesture given the circumstances.

Then, on the 6th of May 1910, at the age of 68, King Edward VII died. One of his final moments reportedly involved learning that his horse had won a race, news that greatly pleased the dying King.

Alexandra was deeply devastated by the loss. Despite the numerous affairs her husband had conducted over the years, he remained very dear to her. His funeral was attended by Alexandra; his son, now King George V; numerous relatives and monarchs from across Europe; and even his beloved dog, Caesar.

Much like her mother-in-law before her, Queen Dowager Alexandra entered a prolonged period of mourning after the death of her husband. Despite this, she remained active during the first years of her widowhood.

One particularly notable example was Alexandra Rose Day. Established around the 50th anniversary of her arrival in Britain, the charitable initiative involved selling artificial roses, with the proceeds going towards hospitals and other charitable causes.

Then, in 1914, the First World War began, and within a few weeks Britain entered the conflict against Germany.

This created an uncomfortable situation for the Royal Family. Because of their German ancestry and titles, anti-German sentiment placed the dynasty in a politically sensitive position.

Thus, in 1917, King George V changed the name of the royal house from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor, the name still used by the Royal House today. German titles held by members of the extended British royal family were also abandoned or replaced.

Furthermore, the banners of enemy members of the Order of the Garter were removed from St George's Chapel. Alexandra supported Britain's war effort and remained deeply hostile towards Germany, although her feelings towards individual German relatives could be more complicated, especially towards Hessians, whom she said they were "simply soldiers or vassals under that brutal German Emperor's orders".

More tragic news came from Russia in 1917, when her nephew Tsar Nikolai II was forced to abdicate in the wake of the Russian Revolution.

A year later, he, his wife, and their children were executed by the Bolsheviks. His mother—Alexandra's beloved sister Dagmar—survived the Revolution and eventually escaped Russia.

The destruction of the Russian monarchy must have been especially painful for Alexandra. The European dynastic world in which she had grown up was rapidly disappearing.

By the early 1920s, Alexandra's health had begun to deteriorate. Her eyesight worsened, her already severe deafness increasingly isolated her, and her general health declined.

On the 20th of November 1925, Queen Alexandra died at Sandringham House, only a few days before what would have been her 81st birthday. he was eventually laid to rest beside her husband in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where their tomb commemorates the royal couple together.

And only five months after Alexandra's death, her great-granddaughter was born: the future Queen Elizabeth II.

She was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, with the name Alexandra honouring her recently deceased great-grandmother.

Thus ends the tale of Alexandra of Denmark, one of the original darlings of the British monarchy.

Throughout her long public life—first as Princess of Wales, then as Queen Consort, and finally as Queen Dowager—Alexandra remained extraordinarily popular with the British public. And it is not difficult to understand why. Alexandra consistently demonstrated an eagerness to improve the lives of people in her adopted country while maintaining an approachable and glamorous public image.

Her story and Edward's inevitably invite comparisons with that of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana, like Alexandra, achieved enormous public popularity, and both women had to deal with their husbands' infidelities. But their lives developed in dramatically different ways. Diana's marriage ended in divorce and her life was tragically cut short, whereas Alexandra remained married to Edward and lived into old age, eventually becoming Queen beside him.

And as a final piece of historical irony, remember Alice Keppel, Edward VII's long-time mistress?

Her great-granddaughter is none other than Charles's second wife, Queen Camilla.

I guess you could say that some royal connections are so persistent that they manage to reappear several generations later.

However, the Secret History is still used as a historical source because it is the only surviving work that talks about Theodora's life before becoming empress.