𝓔𝓶𝓶𝓪

Princess Alice of the United Kingdom died in 1878 at age 35 from diphtheria, a highly contagious illness she caught while nursing her sick family. Her young daughter Marie had passed away from the same disease weeks earlier. While trying to comfort her grieving son, Alice gave him a kiss that likely infected her. Alice's death shocked the public because it happened on December 14th, the exact same date her beloved father, Prince Albert, had passed away exactly 17 years earlier. The tragic coincidence hit the royal family hard, and ordinary people mourned her deeply. Even though there were concerns about spreading the sickness, some of Alice’s British relatives defied travel restrictions to say their goodbyes at her burial in Darmstadt. Following her death, Alice’s grieving mother, Queen Victoria, took a very active role in the lives of her motherless grandchildren. Victoria stepped in to help raise and guide the kids, especially Alice's youngest daughters. Alice's legacy of caring for others lived on through these children, particularly through her daughter Alix, who later became the last Empress of Russia.

Prince Joachim was born on December 17, 1890, at the Berlin Palace. As the sixth and youngest son of Emperor Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Victoria, his arrival brought a happy and bustling dynamic to a growing household. His parents were relieved by the safe delivery, and his older brothers were excited to have a new playmate. The birth on December 17th meant a quiet, freezing winter day across the city of Potsdam and Berlin. Despite the biting cold, word of the new royal baby spread quickly, and the public reacted with joy, celebrating the continued growth of the imperial family. His parents, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Victoria, were delighted to welcome another healthy boy to their large family. Because Joachim was their sixth child, the parenting pressure was a bit different than with their first, allowing them to feel more relaxed and overjoyed. His older brothers—who ranged in age from toddlers to young boys—were equally excited to welcome a brand-new little brother to their pack.