I find it quite sweet that Edward had such success in Paris. The fact that he wanted to be active in foreign politics and finally got his change and succeded is a bit of an happy ending for the man.
Theturtleowl He promoted improved relations between Britain and France and he instigated the break up of Treaty relationships between Russia and Germany which significantly contributed to the breakout of WW1. Edward VII was a mischief-maker who was puppeteered by the owners of the World Financial System.
I'm surprised they didn't mention his oldest son Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale passing away at all in this 2 part program. King Edward VII died May 6, 1910 BUT his oldest child and heir to the throne died before him on January 14, 1892. This was a MAJOR event in King Edward VII's life, that should've been included (In my opinion anyway - history seems to forget about him a lot) Prince Albert Victor passed away of influenza when he father was still the Prince of Wales, and his mother Queen Victoria was alive and ruling. King Edward VII was quoted as saying "Gladly would I have given my life for his" (Also as a side note his mother Alexandra never fully recovered from his death either. She kept his room in which he died in as a shrine of him) Other than that little side note, I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary! Thank you for uploading it +MyDigitalRealm
God Bless Him. Considering he grew up (mostly) unloved By his mother and even BLAMED for his father's death, I think he turned out pretty well. Wish he could've stuck around a little longer. The ones with the biggest hearts; the kindest ones are always the first to go. :-(
It's easy to cast stones... I see him and her as tragic figures. You have to take into account that he was basically an abused hyper sensitive child with undiagnosed ADD who spent the whole of his life compensating for the awful upbringing his well-meaning but unbelievably thick parents bestowed upon him. Alexandra was just another victim. She grew up in a completely different environment and so wasn't damaged like him... His story was the exact opposite. imagine yourself spending first 21 years of your life in what was basically a hard-labor prison, being told all the time you're no good and you won't amount to anything, and then being married without your consent to a woman who, as everyone is happy to point it out to you, is clearly your superior. Again, they were both tragic victims of that german thick head Albert and his phrenologist "expert".
the monarchy of England must be remain through out life because most of foreigner people enjoy the history and tradition of royalty .the monarchy of England not only love by English people also love by other world too .this is only family which present the very useful tradition and progressive monarchy system.also this old system show the British contribution in culture civilization in the world..i wish to visit England from long time only to see the heritage of this great history of English monarchy .the present world got development in the presens of the English monarchy so i love it
he said "much as Prince Charles has been waiting for his mother to depart this life so that he could become king." I think that says something very different than he is waiting for her to die. It is a statement of fact. Charles must wait for his mother to depart this life before he can become king, unless of course she abdicates. Knowing, however, that she devoted the entirety of her life, whether it be short or long, to her duties, death appears to be the only option. Nothing rude in this.
They say a picture speaks a 1000 words. Well shortly before Victorias death, all the members of all the royal familys in Europe related to Victoria gathered for a family portrait photograph in England. Now Victoria of course was seated front row centre. Wilhelm was seated front row directly to Victorias right. Edward, rear row far right, and in the photo every person is looking forward at the camera, except Edward who is staring down at his mother and nephew with a look of utter disdain.
It's interesting. I came to this biography from one which said Edward VII was a layabout people only supported at his funeral because they wanted a party. Truth resists simplicity I guess.
@Rommeljnr I disagree. I think there might have been some personal resentment on his part of his nephew, maybe because Wilhelm became a monarch before Edward and assumed full power while Edward languished behind his mother, who would not so much as allow him to see state papers. But his British kin, other than his grandma, didn't like him because he was, as his aunt Alexandra called him, an "ass." His own mother didn't much care for him.
I'd like to come to the defence of Piers Brendon here. He is a superb historian. I urge anyone with an interest in broadening their minds to read his epic "The Dark Valley: A Panorama of the 1930s". It's the best history book I've ever read, (along with Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel) and I've read a fair few in my time. Oh and I suspect he's probably completely right about Prince Charles, as he is about a great many other things. PS I'm not Piers Brendon.
1. The relationship between Edward and Wilhelm was complex and changed many times over the years. However, while WII often expressed feelings of superiority over EVII to others, on account of him only being a constitutional monarch, it's clear that WII was personally overawed by EVII and a little envious of him - particularly of his popularity as a public figure and statesman. WII had spent almost 15 yrs as regent giving speeches, dealing with monarchs & governments etc.
2. Yet almost everybody either disliked him or thought him incompetent incl. his own government and military. He was a petulant self obsessed oaf that was only heeded on the international stage because of Germany's military strength. EVII had his faults in his earlier years but he had managed to rise above them and became an accomplished statesman and the most respected European monarch of his day - something that WII wished desperately to be, but never succeeded in becoming.
3. At the 1904 meeting between the two men, senior German government officials and courtiers described EVII as "man of the world, ten times tried in the furnace, who had every move of the game at his finger tips'. They noted that, by contrast, WII was "an idealistic big child who had grown up with none but flatterers about him, in ignorance of the world" It was this kind of credibility / gravitas that WII craved and he resented EVII for having it.
Yes , Princess Alexandra of Denmark, was so very beautiful, and faithful to her husband, The Prince of Wales, Bertie, but do not forget, she was from Denmark. Danish women are very faithful, I know first hand, I lived in Denmark for 7 years.....
Kings should be real men. Not dandies and fluff. We don't care if he has a misstress because we like the drama and intrigue that goes with it. Why do you think we're so attached to soap operas, novellas anf such. The monarchy is the greatest show on earth. Drama, fashion, intrigue, mistresses, plots, love and passion. And what will happen next. Monarchy is the original drama soap opera if you like, just like in our own families. Republic people don't understand. It's not about politics and their dreary politics. That's why anti monarchist never gain any interest. They come across as killjoys, boring and anti British and something foreigners do. We love the monarchy and will never be without it
@89plainsman What do you might have been some personnel resentment? Did you watch the 1st part ? Victoria blamed Edward for Alberts death. She didnt allow him to see state papers because he was a loud mouth womanising bafoon. She didnt have much to do with him for 40yrs and Wilhelm spent every summer with her. What was Englands relationship with Germany like while Victoria was alive ?? How quick did that change the minute Edward was crowned?
10:35 Quite unimpressed that this historian would suggest that HRH The Prince of Wales is waiting for his mother to die. That is pure speculation. You have to have some really concrete evidence to suggest that a child is agitating for his or her parent's death. Death is final and painful, for goodness sake. One would expect an historian to have some more perspective than this.
It's a big disrespect to insist on the idea of princes wishing their mothers to die in order to become kings themselves. Being a prince is a much more comfortable position than dealing with the responsibiity of wearing a crown. Being a monarch implies lots of responsibility and it is a lifelong duty.
18:40 onwards .. complete and utter crap. Edward vii had a deep seated hatred and resentment towards his nephew , because he was a favourite of Queen Vicotria and was everything she had wished Edward was. Willhelm spent every summer holiday with Victoria and its recorded in her journals that he was the only memeber of her family that brought her joy after Alberts death. Does it make any sense that a English monarch moved to align its self with a republic against a monarch he was related to !
Please explain the English penchant for overusing "sort of". "He led this sort of miserable existence". It was either miserable or it wasn't!! This is tantamount to saying a thing or a person is "very unique". Unique is an absolute. There are no degrees of uniqueness, just as a thing is or isn't the way it is. This constant extra-grammatical use of "sort of" is ALMOST as irksome as Americans' constant misuse/devaluation of the word AWESOME. The Grand Canyon is awesome, shoes/purses are not.
Piers Brandon's comments about HRH the Prince of Wales 'waiting all his life for his mother to ermmm...depart this life' are not only deeply distasteful but also wholly inaccurate. Does he truly believe that either Edward VII or the Prince of Wales waited/waits impatiently for the demise of their much loved and respected mothers? What a stupid, nasty, little comment!
that was incredibly rude for Piers Brendon to assume that Prince Charles is waiting for his mother to die so he can be king. I do not get the sense that the Prince of Wales is as rapacious as this idiot man is painting him to be.
Piers Brendon! What a bum. How dare him make that cimment about Prince Charles. There has never been anything to suggest what he said is in any way true.
What a complete and utter load of rubbish you have just dribbled. You poms even after listening to this and hearing what a frosty relationship he had with his mother.. barley speaking for 40 years.. her making sure he was kept in the dark about diplomatic information , because he had a big mouth... You still want to believe Ed vii didnt have any resentment to his mother or to his nephew Wilhelm who had a close relationship with Vic.
I find it quite sweet that Edward had such success in Paris. The fact that he wanted to be active in foreign politics and finally got his change and succeded is a bit of an happy ending for the man.
Theturtleowl He promoted improved relations between Britain and France and he instigated the break up of Treaty relationships between Russia and Germany which significantly contributed to the breakout of WW1. Edward VII was a mischief-maker who was puppeteered by the owners of the World Financial System.
Very interesting documentary. Thank you for posting this.
Raising the flag was absolutely correct. The royal standard should never be at half mast. It had nothing to do with "mummy" issues it was protocol.
I'm surprised they didn't mention his oldest son Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale passing away at all in this 2 part program.
King Edward VII died May 6, 1910 BUT his oldest child and heir to the throne died before him on January 14, 1892. This was a MAJOR event in King Edward VII's life, that should've been included (In my opinion anyway - history seems to forget about him a lot)
Prince Albert Victor passed away of influenza when he father was still the Prince of Wales, and his mother Queen Victoria was alive and ruling. King Edward VII was quoted as saying "Gladly would I have given my life for his" (Also as a side note his mother Alexandra never fully recovered from his death either. She kept his room in which he died in as a shrine of him)
Other than that little side note, I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary! Thank you for uploading it +MyDigitalRealm
I can hardly blame Alexandra for the "public humiliation" of her extended trips abroad. He was asking for it.
God Bless Him.
Considering he grew up (mostly) unloved By his mother and even BLAMED for his father's death, I think he turned out pretty well. Wish he could've stuck around a little longer. The ones with the biggest hearts; the kindest ones are always the first to go. :-(
Weak men need to surround themselves with people and things. Strong men stand on their own.
He didn't say Charles wanted his mother to die, he said that Charles has to wait for his mother to die. Big difference.
wow! could bertie look like his mum anymore than that ?
Princess Alexandria was such a beautiful woman, I can't believe Bertie treated her like such shit.
It's easy to cast stones... I see him and her as tragic figures. You have to take into account that he was basically an abused hyper sensitive child with undiagnosed ADD who spent the whole of his life compensating for the awful upbringing his well-meaning but unbelievably thick parents bestowed upon him.
Alexandra was just another victim. She grew up in a completely different environment and so wasn't damaged like him... His story was the exact opposite. imagine yourself spending first 21 years of your life in what was basically a hard-labor prison, being told all the time you're no good and you won't amount to anything, and then being married without your consent to a woman who, as everyone is happy to point it out to you, is clearly your superior.
Again, they were both tragic victims of that german thick head Albert and his phrenologist "expert".
That was so good thank you!
the monarchy of England must be remain through out life because most of foreigner people enjoy the history and tradition of royalty .the monarchy of England not only love by English people also love by other world too .this is only family which present the very useful tradition and progressive monarchy system.also this old system show the British contribution in culture civilization in the world..i wish to visit England from long time only to see the heritage of this great history of English monarchy .the present world got development in the presens of the English monarchy so i love it
he said "much as Prince Charles has been waiting for his mother to depart this life so that he could become king." I think that says something very different than he is waiting for her to die. It is a statement of fact. Charles must wait for his mother to depart this life before he can become king, unless of course she abdicates. Knowing, however, that she devoted the entirety of her life, whether it be short or long, to her duties, death appears to be the only option. Nothing rude in this.
I don't think that Prince Charles is champing at the bit to see his mother die so he can be king.
They say a picture speaks a 1000 words. Well shortly before Victorias death, all the members of all the royal familys in Europe related to Victoria gathered for a family portrait photograph in England.
Now Victoria of course was seated front row centre. Wilhelm was seated front row directly to Victorias right. Edward, rear row far right, and in the photo every person is looking forward at the camera, except Edward who is staring down at his mother and nephew with a look of utter disdain.
Awww poor Bertie.
It's interesting. I came to this biography from one which said Edward VII was a layabout people only supported at his funeral because they wanted a party. Truth resists simplicity I guess.
@Rommeljnr I disagree. I think there might have been some personal resentment on his part of his nephew, maybe because Wilhelm became a monarch before Edward and assumed full power while Edward languished behind his mother, who would not so much as allow him to see state papers. But his British kin, other than his grandma, didn't like him because he was, as his aunt Alexandra called him, an "ass." His own mother didn't much care for him.
I'd like to come to the defence of Piers Brendon here. He is a superb historian. I urge anyone with an interest in broadening their minds to read his epic "The Dark Valley: A Panorama of the 1930s". It's the best history book I've ever read, (along with Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel) and I've read a fair few in my time. Oh and I suspect he's probably completely right about Prince Charles, as he is about a great many other things.
PS I'm not Piers Brendon.
1.
The relationship between Edward and Wilhelm was complex and changed many times over the years.
However, while WII often expressed feelings of superiority over EVII to others, on account of him only being a constitutional monarch, it's clear that WII was personally overawed by EVII and a little envious of him - particularly of his popularity as a public figure and statesman. WII had spent almost 15 yrs as regent giving speeches, dealing with monarchs & governments etc.
2.
Yet almost everybody either disliked him or thought him incompetent incl. his own government and military. He was a petulant self obsessed oaf that was only heeded on the international stage because of Germany's military strength.
EVII had his faults in his earlier years but he had managed to rise above them and became an accomplished statesman and the most respected European monarch of his day - something that WII wished desperately to be, but never succeeded in becoming.
3.
At the 1904 meeting between the two men, senior German government officials and courtiers described EVII as "man of the world, ten times tried in the furnace, who had every move of the game at his finger tips'.
They noted that, by contrast, WII was "an idealistic big child who had grown up with none but flatterers about him, in ignorance of the world"
It was this kind of credibility / gravitas that WII craved and he resented EVII for having it.
he didn't have an easy relationship with her
No country needs a king in the 20th century
Yes , Princess Alexandra of Denmark, was so very beautiful, and faithful to her husband, The Prince of Wales, Bertie, but do not forget, she was from Denmark. Danish women are very faithful, I know first hand, I lived in Denmark for 7 years.....
Kings should be real men. Not dandies and fluff.
We don't care if he has a misstress because we like the drama and intrigue that goes with it. Why do you think we're so attached to soap operas, novellas anf such.
The monarchy is the greatest show on earth. Drama, fashion, intrigue, mistresses, plots, love and passion. And what will happen next.
Monarchy is the original drama soap opera if you like, just like in our own families. Republic people don't understand. It's not about politics and their dreary politics. That's why anti monarchist never gain any interest. They come across as killjoys, boring and anti British and something foreigners do.
We love the monarchy and will never be without it
@89plainsman What do you might have been some personnel resentment? Did you watch the 1st part ? Victoria blamed Edward for Alberts death. She didnt allow him to see state papers because he was a loud mouth womanising bafoon. She didnt have much to do with him for 40yrs and Wilhelm spent every summer with her.
What was Englands relationship with Germany like while Victoria was alive ??
How quick did that change the minute Edward was crowned?
10:35 Quite unimpressed that this historian would suggest that HRH The Prince of Wales is waiting for his mother to die. That is pure speculation. You have to have some really concrete evidence to suggest that a child is agitating for his or her parent's death. Death is final and painful, for goodness sake. One would expect an historian to have some more perspective than this.
Bertie sounds like he was a horrible, spoiled person. Not deserving of being king as even his own mother recognized early on.
He charmed the pants off them? French women weren't allowed to wear pants then.
It's fairly easy to get the pants off of French women.
It's a big disrespect to insist on the idea of princes wishing their mothers to die in order to become kings themselves. Being a prince is a much more comfortable position than dealing with the responsibiity of wearing a crown. Being a monarch implies lots of responsibility and it is a lifelong duty.
18:40 onwards .. complete and utter crap. Edward vii had a deep seated hatred and resentment towards his nephew , because he was a favourite of Queen Vicotria and was everything she had wished Edward was. Willhelm spent every summer holiday with Victoria and its recorded in her journals that he was the only memeber of her family that brought her joy after Alberts death. Does it make any sense that a English monarch moved to align its self with a republic against a monarch he was related to !
Uuuuhhhhh. Wait.... the French were allowed to wear pants?
Absolutely horrendous! That's just ... unacceptable.
Leave it to a mo-ron you-tuber to make the jump from "wanted her to die" to "waiting for her to die".
Please explain the English penchant for overusing "sort of". "He led this sort of miserable existence". It was either miserable or it wasn't!! This is tantamount to saying a thing or a person is "very unique". Unique is an absolute. There are no degrees of uniqueness, just as a thing is or isn't the way it is. This constant extra-grammatical use of "sort of" is ALMOST as irksome as Americans' constant misuse/devaluation of the word AWESOME. The Grand Canyon is awesome, shoes/purses are not.
I have to agree; I'm not amused by his comment!
Piers Brandon's comments about HRH the Prince of Wales 'waiting all his life for his mother to ermmm...depart this life' are not only deeply distasteful but also wholly inaccurate. Does he truly believe that either Edward VII or the Prince of Wales waited/waits impatiently for the demise of their much loved and respected mothers? What a stupid, nasty, little comment!
HOW RUDE INDEED. INTOLERABLE.
that was incredibly rude for Piers Brendon to assume that Prince Charles is waiting for his mother to die so he can be king. I do not get the sense that the Prince of Wales is as rapacious as this idiot man is painting him to be.
Piers Brendon! What a bum. How dare him make that cimment about Prince Charles. There has never been anything to suggest what he said is in any way true.
What a complete and utter load of rubbish you have just dribbled. You poms even after listening to this and hearing what a frosty relationship he had with his mother.. barley speaking for 40 years.. her making sure he was kept in the dark about diplomatic information , because he had a big mouth... You still want to believe Ed vii didnt have any resentment to his mother or to his nephew Wilhelm who had a close relationship with Vic.