Prince Alexander - Character Study

Alexander was born 25 August 1851. One year before his birth his older brother Maurits had died of meningitis. Possibly the only reason Alexander’s parents found each other, in a short period of reconciliation, was their sadness over losing Maurits. Whatever the case, Alexander was conceived around Christmas.

Alexander was from birth on a sickly, nervous and shy child. Both his parents found him an ugly baby, with his father saying: “Foei, wat een lelijke jongen” (Damn, what an ugly boy) and he took pleasure from telling his wife how lacking and weak her son was. His mother meanwhile wondered if she was punished for attaching too much value to beauty.

It was soon decided his mother would raise him and her husband let her to it distancing himself from his youngest born son.

When Alexander was growing up it not only became clear how nervous and shy he was, he also turned out to be a clever and sharp minded boy. Undoubtly his mother encouraged him in developing his mind and she was a great influence on the boy. Alexander’s liberal opinions found birth in that period, when he spent most of his time with his mother.

The war between his parents, that had been going on long before Alexander was born, was only slightly tempered by the fact his parents didn’t share their lives together anymore. Since Alexander grew up with his mother he would easily choose his mother’s side in fights with his father. Not that his father ever sought his affections. Obviously, Alexander’s relationship with his father was far from close and would only grow more hostile as time went on.

Alexander grew up to be a clever man. His cleverness can still be found in some letters and the two brochures he wrote. Also in recollections of people he’s said to be a sharp minded and developed man.

Beside clever Alexander was also stubborn. One example is his not being present at the openening of the political year after he became heir aparent to his father. He explained in one letter and the two brochures he was too sad about the losses he had suffered (death of his mother 1877, and brother 1879) he couldn’t be present. That was in 1879. However, Alexander never went to the opening after his brother’s death. From an account from a minister I’ve got the impression that in the end even Alexander didn’t believe in his reasons to stay away anymore.
Another example is the unrest when Alexander became a candidate to become “Grootmeester Nationaal” (Grandmaster- National) of the freemasons. Alexander threw himself in that discussion with gusto.

A more painful proof of his stubborness is his holding on to the past. Alexander never managed to give the death of his mother and brother a place. He felt those losses deeply and that made him even more sad and melancholic, which made him feel the losses even deeper. In other words, Alexander lived in a vicious circel he didn’t want to and couldn’t break free from.

Alexander is most of the time a friendly and sympathetic man. However, if he feels something is not right he would speak his mind. One example is his reaction to a young lady writing a letter in French, which in those times was normal. Alexander wrote her back telling her she could write a letter in Dutch or not at all.

The above mentioned situations are also examples of Alexander’s principles and the way he dealt with those. Only when it concerned more personal matters, like the fact he didn’t seem to be able to come out of grieving, he would retreat and not contact anymore. That his old uncle Frederic found out. His uncle, only worried about his way of living, tried to encourage him to change his ways. Alexander ignored him and they lost contact somewhat. Alexander regretted that when his uncle died not long after their differences. It didn’t take him long to overcome that.

Nothing is known about Alexander’s ambitions. Not because his health wasn’t very promising and after becoming heir aparent he locked himself up in his palace. He kept up with news and developments, because he was aware of his duties as heir aparent, but the general public never saw anything of that. To the outside world he was just a reclusive.

In summary, Alexander was a clever, sharp minded, well developed, (over-)sensitive and fragile person.

Alexander died 21 June 1884 at age 32, today 129 years ago.