Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Marie Alexandrovna, Duchess of, 1853-1920

Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia; later Duchess of Edinburgh and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Russian: Мария Александровна; born 17 October [O.S. 5 October] 1853, Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, St. Petersburg, Russian Empire; Died 24 October 1920 (aged 67), Zürich, Switzerland; She was the sixth child and only surviving daughter among the eight children of Emperor Alexander II of Russia and his first wife Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, née Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine; Maria was educated at the Russian court under the strict regime of her governess, Countess Alexandrine Tolstoy; In August 1867, while the Imperial family was at Livadia Palace, in Crimea, Mark Twain met Maria Alexandrovna and her parents. The famous American writer described her as "blue-eyed, unassuming, and pretty". As many contemporaries did, Twain noticed the influence that the young grand duchess had over her father; married Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; The wedding was celebrated in great splendour, at the Grand Church of the Winter Palace on 23 January [O.S. 11 January] 1874. Queen Victoria was represented by her eldest son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and his wife Alexandra, Princess of Wales, sister of Tsarevna Maria Feodorovna of Russia. The Queen's eldest daughter, Victoria, and her husband Frederick, Crown Prince of Germany, were present as well; In March 1887, the Duke relinquished his command of the Mediterranean Fleet, and the family moved to Coburg. Their main residence was the Palais Edinburgh, where the Duchess held court. Her husband, occupied with his naval affairs, was away most of the time. Responsibility for the education of the couple's five children fell upon the Duchess. She was a strict, but devoted mother who made sure to be the most important person in her children's lives. Between August 1890 and June 1893, the Duke was stationed at the Royal Navy's base in Devonport. Maria Alexandrovna did not care for the Admiralty House, her husband's official residence, and only made rare visits to Devonport with her children; Children: Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Marie, Queen of Romania; Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia; Alexandra, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg; Princess Beatrice, Duchess of Galliera