Prince Alexander of the Netherlands
| Prince Alexander | |||||
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| Prince of the Netherlands Prince of Orange-Nassau |
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| Born |
2 August 1818 Soestdijk, Netherlands |
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| Died | 20 February 1848 (aged 29) Funchal, Portugal |
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| House | Orange-Nassau | ||||
| Father | William II of the Netherlands | ||||
| Mother | Anna Pavlovna of Russia | ||||
| Full name | |
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| William Alexander Frederick Constantine Nicholas Michael |
Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau (William Alexander Frederick Constantine Nicholas Michael, Dutch: Willem Alexander Frederik Constantijn Nicolaas Michiel, Prins der Nederlanden, Prins van Oranje-Nassau; 2 August 1818 – 20 February 1848) was born at Soestdijk Palace, the second son to King William II of The Netherlands and Queen Anna Paulovna, daughter of Tsar Paul I of Russia. He was nicknamed Sasha within his family.
Prince Alexander was born on Sunday, 2 August 1818 at a quarter past ten in the morning. His birth was announced the next day in the Nederlandsche Staatscourant. To commemorate the birth of his second grandson William I of the Netherlands gave his daughter-in-law Anna Paulovna the Czar Peter House in Zaandam, which had been inhabited by her ancestor Peter I of Russia during his stay in the Dutch Republic. Prince Alexander was christened on the forty-sixth birthday of his grandfather, August 24, 1818 by the reverend Krieger in The Hague. The young Prince's paternal great-grandmother Wilhelmina of Prussia was present for the occasion. Alexander received the names of his maternal uncles Alexander I of Russia, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia, Nicholas I of Russia and Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia.
Alexander was educated together with his brother William III of the Netherlands, who was only eighteen months his senior. Their father, the Prince of Orange, thought the physical education of the boys particularly important. As such they spent much time outdoors. The Prince of Orange actively parttook in the upbringing of his children. On the 22nd of October 1822 Anna Paulowna wrote to her brother Constantine 'the two eldest are big boys and are receiving their first lessons. William started to teach them to read a year ago and now they have been entrusted to the care of a tutor who comes everyday to teach them. Papa teaches them Geography.' The Princes William and Alexander later continued their studies at Leiden University, but neither of them showed a particular interest in academics. Alexander did develop an interest in Numismatics From early childhood on Alexander was his parents' favourite son. They saw him as more fit to rule than his brother William. Alexander had inherited his father's easy going nature. He had a large group of friends and even managed to get on reasonably well with his sister-in-law Sophie of Württemberg. The latter had a difficult relationship with her in-laws, in particular with Anna Paulovna. Alexander was also known for his sense of humour, as he once appeared for a costume ball dressed from head to toe in shining armour. Alexander was the first member of the House of Orange to have his photograph taken, and he was also the first to own a bicycle.
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