Edward VII and Alice Keppel
“My great-grandmother was your great-great-grandfather’s mistress, so how about it?”
Those are the words that Camilla Shand (later Parker-Bowles) supposedly spoke to Prince Charles the first time she met him. I don’t know if it is true, but it ought to be if it isn’t, because it’s a great line.
Camilla’s great-grandmother was Alice Keppel, wife of Colonel Hon. George Keppel. Alice conducted several affairs with prominent men, always increasing her social status. Alice met Albert Edward, the future King Edward VII, in 1898. He was 56. She was 29. Despite a 28-year age difference, she became his mistress and remained so until his death.
It was said that Alice knew how to cure the King’s moods and she was an accomplished bridge player, which appealed greatly to Edward. Although he had another mistress, Agnes Keyser, at the same time as Alice, Alice was the one who kept him in good humour.
It was Alice that the king’s wife, Alexandra, allowed to visit his bedside when Edward lay dying. Although Alexandra disliked Keppel’s annual appearance at the Cowes regatta, she did appreciate her discretion. When Edward asked for her on his death bed, Alexandra reluctantly sent for Alice and allowed her to stay until Edward lost consciousness.
Although Edward had many mistresses it is clear that Alice filled more than just the role of mistress for him. The very fact that it was Alice that tamed his mood swings and who he asked to see before he died shows this. As for Alice, it is unknown how she felt about Edward. 
One of her daughters was to remark that the marriage of Alice and George Keppel was one that was a “companionship of love and laughter”.
It has been suggested that Alice’s daughter Sonia might have been Edward’s child. Sonia was Camilla’s great-grandmother. Were she Edward’s offspring, that would make Charles and Camilla second cousins, once removed. It seems unlikely though, as Edward never treated her as his child and she was said to greatly resemble George Keppel.
But even so, perhaps there is something about the connection that brings destiny into the marriage of Charles and Camilla.
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By » Royal Anecdotes - Royal Secrets Past and Present on August 7th, 2006 at 9:01 am
Unlike her Great granddaughter Alice was extremely discreet and respected Queen Alexandra enough to keep him happy and not break up a marriage. Although the times were different and Edward had prior mistresses Alice it seem saw no need to scheme and plot her way into a position that may damage the monarchyand apparently never spoke ill off The Queen.
By Trudie on August 8th, 2006 at 6:50 am
When Alice Keppel heard about Edward VIII abdicating to marry Wallis Simpson, she remarked “things were done better in my day”.
And it was a different day, wasn’t it? Marriages, especially royal marriages were made based on many criteria but love was not foremost amongst them. Edward VIII was perhaps a little ahead of his time in choosing love over duty, but until then duty came first and extramarital affairs were common, accepted and even expected.
In our modern day, we hope to see love matches, such as Prince William and Kate Middleton and it doesn’t hurt that she is considered suitable. Perhaps Charles was simply caught between tradition and social change. Whatever the reason, he didn’t think it possible then but finds it so now. Perhaps all would have been smoother if he had gone with his inclination then instead of trying to acquiesce to duty.
I agree that the affairs of Edward VII were not so public or embarrassing as Charles’ affair with Camilla, but then, Alexandra had no affairs public or private. The old system of discreet extramarital affairs and marriages of suitability but no love, worked fairly well for kings but hardly for their spouses. On the other hand Diana had several affairs herself and so, in a case of two wrongs, there can’t be a right.
By Ned on August 8th, 2006 at 8:56 pm