Battenberg Children, Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of Wight
A copy of a photograph from the 'Ryde Album' at Osborne House. It shows four of Queen Victoria's grandchildren, they are the children of Prince Henry of Battenberg and her daughter Princess Beatrice. They are Prince Alexander (1886-1960), Princess Ena (1887-1969), Prince Leopold (1889-1922) and Prince Maurice (1891-1914). This is probably a mourning photograph, commemorating the death of their father. They are all wearing black and looking at a photograph frame that Alexander is holding, it is most likely a picture of their father. He died of a fever (malaria) whilst serving with the Britsih Army out in West Africa in 1896, aged only 38. Tragically Prince Maurice, seen here aged 4, also died in the army. He died in 1914 in the first battle of Ypres at the start of World War One, aged only 23.
