The Yellow Palace in Copenhagen is perhaps most famous as the birthplace of Queen Alexandra, the consort of King Edward VII, and her sister Dagmar. the consort of Emperor Alexander III of Russia.
Their parents, then known as Prince and Princess Christian (the future King Christian IX and Louise of Hesse-Kassel), were given the Yellow Palace as a residence, and their first child, Frederick, was born there in 1843. The following year, the future Queen Alexandra was born there in “a room overlooking the courtyard.”1 Alexandra was named for her mother’s sister-in-law, Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia, who had been pregnant at the same time as Louise. Tragically, both the Grand Duchess and her baby died during a visit to Russia in August. Baby Alexandra was christened at the palace, in a silver-gilt font used in the Danish royal family.
The family lived in the Yellow Palace mostly on Prince Christian’s army salary, and it was an economical household. The Yellow Palace was not far from the water, and Alexandra liked to watch the ships in the harbour.
In 1853, Prince Christian was selected as the heir presumptive to the Danish throne, and although this came with improved status and additional residences, the family continued to live at the Yellow Palace as well.
After Alexandra was confirmed in 1860, she was given her own bedroom at the Yellow Palace. She had previously shared a room with her sister Dagmar. Her new room was upholstered in blue and had her piano, worktable and a cabinet.2 When she left Denmark to marry the Prince of Wales, she said farewell to her former teachers during a private audience at the Yellow Palace.3
Alexandra’s younger brother Valdemar was the last royal to live in the Yellow Palace. It currently houses the Lord Chamberlain’s Office.
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