Maria Alexandrovna Romanova (1853-1920)

Russian and British Royalty. She was the Duchess of Edinburgh and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Born in Tsarskoe Selo, she was the only surviving daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and Maria of Hesse. She married Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh on January 23, 1874 at the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg. The couple made their public entry into London on March 12. Marie was thought to be haughty by the British, and her father's insistence that she be styled "Her Imperial Highness", thereby placing her above the Princess of Wales, infuriated Queen Victoria. Furthermore, Marie seemed to resent that the Princess of Wales took precedence over her, the daughter of the Tsar. Alfred and Marie's marriage was never a very happy one, but they had six children: Alfred, Marie, Victoria, Alexandra, Beatrice, and a stillborn son. Marie became the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha when her husband inherited the vacant duchy in 1893. As the consort of a sovereign German duke, she was finally above the Princess of Wales in rank. After Alfred's death in 1900, the dowager duchess continued to live at the ducal estate of Schloss Rosenau. Marie died in Zurich, Switzerland at the age of 67.

Bio by: Kristen Conrad