Princesses on the Wards: Royal Women in Nursing through Wars and Revolutions

The first study of queens and princesses in wartime nursing, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II

Royal ladies have never been afraid to roll up their sleeves, work in wards and field hospitals, and help in the operating theater, despite their sheltered upbringing. Indeed, through wars and revolutions in Russia, Greece, Spain, Romania, Belgium, and Britain, their experiences were no different than those of thousands of other nurses. Beginning with two daughters of Queen Victoria, Princess Alice and Princess Helena, this book tells their stories and the difficulties queens and princesses faced while carving a worthwhile role in an age when the place of a well-born woman was considered to be in the home. From Empress Alexandra of Russia and Queen Marie of Romania to Princess Marina Duchess of Kent and Princess Alice of Greece (mother of the Duke of Edinburgh), all set an example of service and duty well beyond that considered necessary at the time. Here, their involvement in nursing and the lengths they went to is detailed for the first time.