Princess Alice (1843 – 1878) was the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Unfortunately, she was the first of nine to die. Victoria outlived three of her children. How horrible.

She had a typical (ha) royal childhood until, of course, her father came down with Typhoid Fever in 1861 when Alice was just 18 years old. Alice was said to have nursed her father throughout his illness up until the day he died.

While the family was still in mourning over Albert’s death, Alice married the German Prince Louis of Hesse. Needless to say, the wedding was not exactly a celebration. Even Queen Victoria described it as being more like a funeral than a wedding. ouch.

From caring for her dying father, Alice was very involved with women’s causes and nursing. Her contributions during the Austro-Prussian war were quite brave– she worked out in the field hospitals even through her pregnancies.

She had seven children with Louis, including Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia (born as Princess Alix of Hesse). Alexandra, as you may know, married Nicholas II of Russia and was murdered with her entire family in 1918. Kind of glad Alice wasn’t around for that.

Alice’s youngest son Friedrich “Frittie” died after falling out a window in 1873 (he had hemophilia), Poor girl never really recovered. As a result of the loss, she became quite attached to her other son, Ernest, and youngest daughter Marie.

In 1878, almost the entire family came down with Diptheria. Alice died shortly after (baby Marie dying first, age 4), her last words being “dear papa”. Sad, sad story.

I’m going in the other room to cry now.