Princess Beatrice Of Saxe-Coburg And Gotha

Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, born Beatrice Leopoldine Victoria on 20 April 1884 at Eastwell Park, Kent, was a member of the British royal family and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria through her father's male line. Her father was Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her mother was Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, the only surviving daughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia and Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.

Beatrice was baptized at Eastwell House on 17 May 1884. Her godparents included Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, her paternal aunt; the Duchess of Albany, her paternal uncle's wife, represented by her mother; and William I, German Emperor, represented by her father. She spent much of her childhood in Malta, where her father served in the Royal Navy. Following the death of Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1893, her father inherited the duchy after Prince Ernest's successor, Prince Albert of Prussia, renounced his claim; the family then moved to Coburg.

In her early years, Beatrice was known as "Baby Bee" within her family. She was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her paternal cousins, the future King George V and Queen Mary, in 1893. Her sister, Queen Marie of Romania, later described her as a highly intelligent child who, despite her mother's love and care, frequently outwitted her family and often had her own way.

In 1902, Beatrice was romantically linked to Grand Duke Michael of Russia, the younger brother of Tsar Nicholas II. They exchanged letters in English, and he nicknamed her "Sima." Their correspondence ended in 1903 due to restrictions against first-cousin marriages by the Russian Orthodox Church. Beatrice experienced heartbreak and was sent to Egypt to recover. She maintained correspondence with Michael until 1905. Subsequently, there were rumors of her potential marriage to Alfonso XIII of Spain; however, he married Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg in 1906.

Beatrice attended Alfonso XIII's wedding in 1906, where she met Alfonso de Orleans y Borbón, Infante of Spain and the 5th Duke of Galliera. Despite objections from the Spanish government related to religious differences, Beatrice and Alfonso married on 15 July 1909 in Coburg. The couple resided in Coburg until 1912, when they were permitted to return to Spain and her husband's rank as Infante was restored. In 1913, Beatrice converted to Roman Catholicism.

During King Alfonso XIII's marriage, he engaged in extramarital affairs and allegedly made advances toward Beatrice, which she rejected. In 1916, she and her husband were expelled from Spain under the pretext of diplomatic missions, although rumors suggested their expulsion was due to personal misconduct. They returned to Spain in 1924.

They had three sons: Alvaro Antonio Fernando, born 20 April 1910; Alonso María Cristino Justo, born 28 May 1912; and Ataúlfo Carlos Alejandro Isabelo, born 20 October 1913. Their son Alonso died in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War.

The family moved to England during the Spanish Civil War, where their sons received education at Winchester College. Later, they returned to Spain to reside at an estate in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The Spanish Civil War and the subsequent fall of the monarchy resulted in significant financial loss and the exile of King Alfonso XIII. Their middle son, Alonso, was killed during the conflict.

Princess Beatrice died on 13 July 1966 at her estate, El Botánico, in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. She was the last surviving child of Prince Alfred and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna at the time of her death. Her husband, Prince Alfonso de Orleans y Borbón, died nine years later in 1975.