me in the
following years. Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert, afterwards
Prince of Wales, was born on June 3, 1865; Princess Louise Victoria
Alexandra Dagmar, afterwards Duchess of Fife, on February 20, 1867;
Princess Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary on July 6, 1868; and Princess Maud
Charlotte Mary Victoria, sometime to be Princess Charles of Denmark, on
November 26, 1869. In 1871 Prince Alexander John Charles Albert was
born, but only lived for one brief day.

As these children came one by one they found a most happy home circle
and a devoted mother. In all their little amusements and games the
Princess took part; in their training and education she took a watchful
share; in their lives as a whole simplicity was made the guiding
principle, as it had been in the Royal family of the past generation.
From all accounts which are open to us she delighted much more in the
nursery than in society. Dr. William Jenner saw the Royal children
whenever necessary but the "coddling" so often seen in modern homes was
unknown at Sandringham. The Prince believed as much in simplicity of
bringing up as did his wife and, by special order, the Household and
servants never used the prefix of "Royal Highness" to the children but
addressed them as Prince Eddy, or Princess Louise, or whatever the name
might be. The little girls, as their father always called them, had
their tea with the nurses and were given few toys and never allowed to
accept presents. No fuss was made over the little accidents inevitable
to childhood and in every way life was kept devoid of state formality,
or anything that would breed a sense of childish self-importance. When
the Prince and Princess were away from home, as they frequently had to
be, letters were daily exchanged with the head nurse. The result of this
general system and of the later plan of making the young Princesses more
and more companions of their mother and the boys, as far as
circumstances would permit, of their father, created and maintained at
Sandringham one of the most pleasant home circles in all England. An
illustration of the spirit in which domestic anniversaries and incidents
were approached may be found in lines composed by the Princess, on one
occasion, for Prince George when the family were commencing to celebrate
the birthday of the husband and father. The thought was admirable even
if the poetry was not quite perfect:

"Day of pleasure, brightly dawning,
Take the gift of this