Edward VII

Full name
	Albert Edward

Edward VII
Edward VII
	Edward VII of the United Kingdom
King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India (more...)
	22 January 1901 – 6 May 1910
	9 August 1902
Imperial Durbar	1 January 1903
Predecessor	Victoria
Successor	George V
Born	9 November 1841; Buckingham Palace, London
Died	6 May 1910 (aged 68); Buckingham Palace, London
Burial	20 May 1910; St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Spouse	Alexandra of Denmark (m. 1863)
Issue; more...	Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale; George V, King of the United Kingdom; Louise, Princess Royal; Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom; Maud, Queen of Norway; Prince Alexander John of Wales;
Full name
Full name
	Albert Edward
House	Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Father	Prince Albert
Mother	Queen Victoria
Signature

Edward VII (9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was 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

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).

Edward VII Media

Portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1846
Edward and his entourage at Niagara Falls, 1860
The marriage of the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Windsor, 10 March 1863
Edward and Alexandra on their wedding day, 1863
London Bridge on the Night of the Marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, by William Holman Hunt (1864)
Edward (front left) in India, 1875–76
Edward (right) with his mother (centre); his niece Empress Alexandra of Russia (far left); her husband, Tsar Nicholas II; and their daughter Olga, 1896
Portrait by Sir Luke Fildes, 1901
Caricature in Puck magazine, 1901
Relaxing at Balmoral Castle, photograph by Queen Alexandra
Funeral procession of Edward VII, London, 1910

Other websites

Media related to Edward VII at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to Edward VII at Wikiquote
Works related to Edward VII at Wikisource