The Story Of Princess Alice: The Royal Family's Best Kept Secret | Before They Were Royal | Journal

A truly remarkable, rarely-told story of the Queen's mother-in-law and Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenburg. A woman born into a life of privilege in Windsor Castle, in the presence of her great-grandmother Queen Victoria, her extraordinary life would be defined by struggle, tenacity and an indomitable generosity of spirit. She was born deaf and diagnosed with schizophrenia, yet she would learn to read lips in four languages and dedicate her life to helping others. Serving as a nurse on the frontline during World War II, sheltering Jewish refugees during the Holocaust and founding an order of nursing nuns in Greece, before finally coming to live at Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II.
This definitive documentary sheds new light on the stranger-than-fiction story of Princess Alice, through rarely seen archive, and interviews with those who know her remarkable story best. It will also explore how her parenting and experiences shaped the modern British monarchy through her son Philip, and her own relationship with her daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II.

[@lisaharrod8386]

A deaf polyglot?! The woman was a genius! What an extraordinary individual, and what an extraordinary life she lived. She lived through such sweeping, historical change and upheaval. The loss and sacrifice would break an ordinary person. And a true beauty...

[@kathleendavis4194]

More people need to know this incredible woman's full story. Far too often one only hears about the mad princess Alice, which is so unfair!

[@pattimaeda6097]

Being able to Lip read four languages - impressive

[@DonnaStevens-uo9vp]

I never realized how much Anne the Princess Royal looks like her grandmother , Princess Alice

[@melindaflick631]

I think Anne also looks like Mary of Teck. I watched a video about her yesterday.

[@DMCM84]

Princess Alice was a TRUE ROYAL. She acknowledged her privilege and used that privilege to help people in need. She sold her royal jewels to help the poor. May her soul rest in peace

[@pageribe2399]

One doesn't have to be Royal by blood to be Royal of character!

[@DMCM84]

@@pageribe2399 - but the reality is SHE WAS A ROYAL and didn’t have to sell all her jewels to help the needy BUT SHE DID. Plus one cannot be royal without being born a royal or marrying into a royal family so I have no idea what gibberish you’re talking about.

[@PlatinumIrishrose]

​@@DMCM84 Wow. You are very rude. I liked their comment. (Are you on your period or going through menopause or does being rude just come naturally to you?)

[@PlatinumIrishrose]

​@@pageribe2399 Here! Here! This is so true. ❤

[@robnyer8427]

She was and still is the Royal Family’s greatest asset. Her outstanding fearless work should be talked about more. She was a remarkable and gracious person.

[@harriettedley9078]

This woman was a bright intelligent star in the royal family and was kept in the shadows. She was deaf and learned four languages and to read lips in all. She went through tremendous hardships and had basically a nervous break down and was treated like a pariah by her own family. I would truely love to see a movie based on her life as she was amazing and should go down in history as a true heroine.

[@skontheroad]

Did you watch the episode of the Crown about her? It was very well done! I have enjoyed watching it many times (I have a little obsession with the History of the Royals, lol!) I ADORE her and her story! Fascinating!

[@dianadeluca8500]

I would have loved to know her personaly. What a mith!!!!!!

[@skontheroad]

@@dianadeluca8500 A mith??? I will be in Israel, hopefully in April, and want to visit her grave this trip! I will lay a flower on her grave for you!

[@annbsirius1703]

​@skontheroad I love that episode as a tribute to Alice, but the whole Phillip was ashamed and didn't want her there wasn't true and sadly the reporter printing her story also wasn't. I wish that had happened because people might have made more notice of her death.

[@nicoleb5625]

Strange to say “before she was royal” when she was born at Windsor Castle in the presence of Queen Victoria and a Princess from birth.

[@hollywilson3907]

She was born a Serene Highness and was elevated by marriage to a Royal Highness.

[@stephanieh.777]

One part of her mental breakdown while in Paris was not mentioned: Her husband abandoned her with the children while he was out hobnobbing and philandering; the one person that should have been an emotional support to her was off doing his own thing.

[@skontheroad]

Yes! It must be part of another documentary I have seen. While he was philandering, he decides to commit her and send her off when Philip is not home. (And possibly is arriving home seeing her dragged off, at only 5 years, very confused...). She was treated by the not yet famous Dr. Sigmund Freud (whom she speaks well of later on!), who tries all sorts of treatments on her. THAT was likely what made her condition (whatever it was!) much worse! She runs away and gets as far as the train station, but they find her and drag her back.... again, not the best for her mental illness (or why she "breaks up" with Prince Andrew and starts dating Jesus....). It was all very sad. "The Crown" DID do a good job on her story. I reco.mend watching it, even if one doesn't watch the Crown (not necessary in order to follow the episode). She was a wonderful, lovely woman!

[@stephanieh.777]

@@skontheroadActually it was her mother who had her committed; Philip was 9 at the time...

[@tamijoiskewl]

Like Chuck and Camel face?

[@babettestaiger5856]

What a horror! I see mental violence and trauma affecting several generations of the Royal Family. No wonder Prince Harry is so concerned about mental health. Princess Diana is not the first exemple.

[@jhn146]

@@skontheroad Infamous Freud whose ideas are rejected by most these days just as Carl Jung's demonic occult-led ideas should be rejected. Jung gave himself a 60year mental breakdown trying to reconcile good and evil which can never be done. Good and evil must always be separated.

[@kima3565]

A woman that rose above circumstance to devote her life in service to others.

[@skontheroad]

"Alice rose to the challenge!" THAT was the key! Had it been anyone else, the story may have had a very different ending!

[@rosemarymonty5399]

Why does every Princess have to be compared to Diana! They stand on their own merit.

[@Queencobra979]

Absolutely 💯 percent correct.

[@annemosbergen3951]

I agree.

[@junesmallwood4921]

Imagine being born death and yet learned to read lips in two languages ... a nurse, a caregiver, a mother, and rescued a Jewish family. An angel in heaven

[@pageribe2399]

Tough lady! And, strong!

[@SuperTweezy5]

Deaf, not death.

[@xTighNaBein]

I thought it was four languages. Very impressive.

[@arxsyn]

Like Helen Keller remarkable

[@sharionsadler4597]

What an amazing woman ❤ The royal family are lucky to count her as their own.

[@strattonskier7229]

This documentary makes me feel so very sad for Prince Philip. All these years we heard nothing of Prince Philip’s mother, swept under the rug, not a glamorous enough person to be show cased as an incredible human being. My sincere regrets to Prince Philip, may he rest in peace with my total respect to him and his mother.

[@leemarie7724]

When you learn about the true character of the "Queen Mum" you have to wonder how the British people could put up with such arrogance...not to mention how much money she wasted on her parties and what nots

[@skontheroad]

I am going to visit her grave this spring, when in Jerusalem. I will place a flower on her grave for you (if you would like!).

[@leemarie7724]

Very thoughtful. Thanks. @@skontheroad

[@SubCultureVulture702]

What about Phillip would not speak up for his mother? He seemed to get his way more often then not. And she seemed to do as she pleased other then when they locked her up in the nut house. She persisted and got out of there. These people don't need anyone feeling bad for them, especially Phillip.

[@dianadeluca8500]

Prince Philip hated his mother, cose She remembered him how a REAL royal shoud be. So they cover all her Life under a veil.

[@user-cp8tw7qi4j]

Odd …interesting a totally deaf woman who hears voices in her sleep. There are so many amazing women in history, sadly history only seems to want to respect the deeds of men. Princess Alice looks so powerful.

[@user-vi5vy3kr2w]

THE BEST QUEEN IN HUMANITY.. too sad the British crown never acknowledged her greatness and TRUE KINDNESS.. Unselfish, moral, Kind and a Christian ❤

[@anahitaghvanyan1152]

Doing so would put them into comparison with her and make their vanity too obvious.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

After WW2 most people in UK just wanted to look ahead. However, royals and nobles with relatives who had served with the Nazis (Germany) in WW2 were still a sore subject; as were the antics of the Duke of Windsor once word got out just how sympathetic he was towards Hitler.

[@HopeS68]

I would LOVE to see a movie of her real life, indeed I would.

[@francespulman9094]

What a wonderful story of this amazing encouraging women God Bless her. Rest in Peace Princess Alice🙏🙏

[@nancyhammons3594]

The mental power needed to master a total of 4 languages by just reading lips is astonishing. This woman was a marvel.

[@justsayin8893]

princess ann looks like alice as well as having her stoic personality

[@skontheroad]

I was just thinking the exact same thing!! The eyes, right??

[@joshuatrees797]

What a LIFE! Princess Alice's story is fascinating on its own, and also gives explanation to so much more.

[@kimberlyatwood5154]

Awesome lady !!! It should be a movie !!!! ❤ faithful Christian ✝️ I’m so glad that they let her get her final resting place in Jerusalem!!!

[@jhn146]

Good to hear the real story of Princess Alice instead of the false mischaracterizations spewed out before.

[@fazepandacrew2156]

Beautiful I think this was what made Philip get on with it. God bless

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Agree. He must have gotten his inner strength from his Mum.

[@maryg3143]

This is a much better telling of the story of Princess Alice. The first one I saw a few years ago was brief and showed only pictures of her in her habit at Windsor Castle. Her life story according to them was that she was mainly a recluse walking around in a habit smoking and not at all interested in family. There was nothing about her birth or how she helped people, including the Cohen family, but that she was considered mentally insane. It was terrible account of her. I am glad to know the rest of her story and how she overcame so many obstacles in her personal life and went on to be a hero for those who had absolutely nothing. I am sure she was spicy at times but she was deserving of respect and honor. Thank you for telling her story in a much better, more informative way.

[@lesleymcshanemitchell9651]

Philip was ashamed of her. Any Kindness she received at the Palace the Queen gave it. Princess Alice was a true Christain. Kudos to her

[@jhn146]

Then shame on the memory of Philip for that false shame he placed on his mother.

[@lesleymcshanemitchell9651]

It was the Era And Don't forget He Was All but abandoned by his Father And the family

[@annbsirius1703]

That's not true. He was very proud of her. Stop believing everything on The Crown. I love the episode bubbikins, but the whole drama that Phillip didn't want her there was totally made up for dramatic purposes.

[@denisefelton5207]

The extreme stressers on her mind of her family's exciles and threats to her husband's life potentially triggered her mental illnesses. In today's psychology Bipolar I / Bipolar II would be diagnosed most likely and treatments for not barbarian as in her lifetime. A brave lady with such a sad back story who overcame momentous obstacles. Her humanitarian contributions and legacy are equal to any in the house of the British Royals. R.I.P. 🙏

[@elluc1510]

How you know she had a mental disorder ? Even if she had she was more helpful than others ..so......

[@maeve4686]

Why keep mentioning her beauty, when her inner beauty, goodness & humanity are what defined her ?

[@janicebrowningaquino792]

How lovely to hear all these details about her life. It touched my heart.

[@sandrabarnhouse672]

Such a remarkable woman! It's a shame she was kept a secret. But being a woman of God she probably preferred it that way. Extreme beauty, extreme intelligence, extreme faith, even after all she had been through...no wonder she radiates some ethereal quality even in her childhood! Thank you for this video!

[@WholeBibleBelieverWoman]

She was a truly admirable woman. Such a pity that her own family only worried about "what other people would think."

[@here_we_go_again2571]

That was par for the course in those days. Psychology and Psychiatry were new and people thought of mental illness (as well as alcoholism) to be personal failings or that something was wrong with the family bloodline.

[@user-nt6vr8en4v]

People’s were so blessed to have Princess. Alice❤❤ Never I had known about her life as princess ? But Why the Royals keep it A secret? !!!

[@gr8fuldeb699]

Wow she was really amazing. So sad that she did not get the recognition of this. I cannot believe what Sigmund Freud suggested. What a quack!!! That poor woman.

[@user-di3fb6np4t]

Μια όμορφη δυναμική γυναίκα....τα προτερήματα της μεγαλύτερα από τα ελαττώματα της.....

[@lindalanish9720]

I only knew that she was put in an asylum and was mentally ill. After hearing this brief biography of her life, i am not so sure most of us would come out in our later years as competent as she was in her later life. She sounds like a true humanitarian without knowing she was a true humanitarian. I would have loved to have known her and listen to her life story told in her own words. What a beautiful lady with a beautiful ❤️❤️❤️ heart.

[@carolynfletcher2434]

Princess Alice’s Legacy should be known to the world. After hearing this, I admire the Royal Family even more for their sincere humanitarian works. I hope they make Alice’s story known throughout their travels!

[@johncotner5206]

She's a Saint 🎉

[@annduke5573]

Fascinating story of a great woman.

[@leemarie7724]

What is amazing to me is that the Queen Mother was such a snob that Prince Philip from his bloodlines was looked down on by her. Typical British snobbery and arrogance

[@valaki469]

Yes, it is indeed.

[@paulschlotthauer3742]

The Queen Mother, although the daughter of an earl and a descendant of the ancient kings of Scotland, was born very much a commoner, and her mother-in-law, Queen Mary, who also looked down on Alice and Philip, was the granddaughter of a morganatic union and was at birth a mere Serene Highness, not a Royal Highness, so it was indeed quite nervy of both of them to criticize Philip's lineage. Queen Mary was only the great-granddaughter of King George III and was in fact considered semi-royal when she married. She actually would have been ineligible for marriage into some of the continental royal families at the time. Philip, on the other hand, could be said to have been more royal than his wife and definitely was more royal than his mother-in-law. Not only was he, like his wife, descended from Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark, but he was also the grandson of King George I of Greece; the grandnephew of Alexandra, the last Russian tsarina; and the great-great grandson of Tsar Nicholas I. Through him the current and future British monarchs can now claim direct descent from the Romanovs. He was also much more cosmopolitan than the British royals, and could speak fluent German as well as French (KZbin has several interviews with him conducted in those languages). He was very much underestimated both at the time of his marriage and later on.

[@annapacana1409]

Before watching this documentary I researched Princess Alice's lineage right from Queen Victoria. She was the fourth generation and Prince Philip was the fifth. Never knew Prince Philip was a third cousin of QE II. Whew! What an amazibg discovery. Btw I am not European so i really dont know much of their history.

[@linasepulveda60]

💯🇨🇱🇺🇲

[@donkay594]

Princess Anne looks so much like her grandmother Alice. Both are gorgeous women. Enjoyed watching this special on Princess Alice.

[@joebertdaineramos7835]

Salute Pryncess Alyce!

[@maryannstout7600]

What a remarkable woman! I would love to see a movie made to celebrate her life.

[@katysummer9418]

Great story to serve others than just living in a palace and being nicely dressed. There is nothing wrong by having your own thoughts and doing something useful and fullfilling.

[@buddhidev7877]

She was the one of the kind. Such an incredible person. Her story should be portrayed in a film,

[@JoyceAnderson-wq5oc]

What a lady, what a life, what a honor and privilege to have known her.

[@kristibbradshaw]

She is one of my favorites.

[@johnleos7722]

She is , was and always be a saint and a true Greek. Unlike the current false royals with money today who prance about with medals and fake titles. There are no Greek royals period. She, Princess Alice was a true Greek and a royal helping and dedicating her life to the impoverished Greeks at the time.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Agree. Princess Alice loved her adopted country and lived her adopted faith (Orthodoxy) with love and dignity towards her fellow citizens.

[@JacquelineMMayo]

I believe she was an extraordinary woman.

[@anthonytroisi6682]

Queen Alexandra was also deaf. The Mountbatten men were very good-looking.

[@janetsides901]

It has always irritated me that people go on about The Queen Mother being so great,she never in my opinion can be as amazing as Princess Alice.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Each woman had her own strengths and served their respective countries with dignity.

[@Neratzoula]

What a gem

[@user-qq8it5if6y]

She was a wonderful woman.

[@geetachhabra3115]

What a story! Thank you.

[@terri348]

She was an extraordinary woman!

[@Lonesome__Dove]

Princess Anne resembles Alice so much IMO

[@Tawadeb]

Agree

[@dipaschall]

This breaks my heart. It makes me understand the family much more. Wow so much tragedy.

[@judyivie2215]

What a beauty princess Alice was.

[@MustAvoidScurvy]

I think I need to rejuvenate my interiors 😅 Alice had the most interesting life story! I only can hope that she was happy through all

[@davidemessina9876]

Such an amazing woman

[@linasepulveda60]

❤💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯🇨🇱🇺🇲

[@user-ct9nm8lq5v]

Speaks volumes of "that family" 😳

[@HopeS68]

She was an incredible woman of God. 💜 The strength is just amazing. And yes, she was married to God. It's who she was.

[@fatgrl1935]

She was absolutely stunning as a young princess!

[@jeanelizabethterry7583]

This poor woman. Freud was wrong about more than that. She was a lovely caring woman treated brutally. Where was her husband? So sad. And to lose her daughter that way! I admire her. And we all want a relationship with Jesus Christ. I suspect they misinterpreted that too

[@trudyreinholtz9427]

Her family was horrible to her

[@rosemarymonty5399]

Battenberg changed to Mountbatten to distance the Royal Family from Germany in the First World War.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Also Teck to Cambridge and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor. (all in 1917) Queen Mary (wife of George V) was Princess Mary of Teck. She had two brothers who were British citizens and who served in the British army.

[@annbsirius1703]

I love that the story of her aunt Ella was given attention. Empress Alexandra was also her mother's sister and while her murder and her husband and children's murders were horrific and understandably what most people know about, it always bugs me that Ella gets overlooked.

[@user-mq8qy6cn8x]

I feel so for the people who had mental illness back before medications and the knowledge of today. So, so sorry for them.

[@sallypettit7156]

Shame Netflix for betraying Anne in the wedding wearing a dreary nun outfit.

[@acaciablossom558]

41:40 how insane is it that she has been putting herself in danger for Greek soldiers and citizens for decades and STILL she had to fear being harmed in yet another coup? Human beings are disgustingly fickle.

[@Imjetta7]

Fascinating.

[@patriciamonayao3039]

Inspiring to all people.

[@m.fazlurrahman5854]

Princess Alice: no ordinary princess and no ordinary life; she was a nun before she gave birth of her 1st child, then served Hemingway and fulfilled Florence Nightingle, as a child she wandered around the Garden and for a brief period of time took the shoes of Alice in wonderland.

[@rcgkreations]

Awesome story!

[@lunah5668]

Amazing woman. Fearless and more then anything a woman with a purpose to do humanitarian work. Non of the nonsense of this worthless princess of today.

[@s.avelar.7979]

I have a relationship with JESUS ❤. SHE WAS AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING, GOD BLESS HER. 🙌.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Thank you for a well-done documentary.👍😊 (subscribed) Princess Alice of Battenberg (1885 - 1969) is one of my favorite royals.❤ I have always admired her for the way she responded to her adopted country and its people. I can see where the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh got his inner strength. I think that Alice's obituary was par for the course for women of her day; unless one was a queen regnant. It was all about one's famous husband or son with a quick mention of your other offspring (But Alice's daughters being married to Nazis, I can see why they were not included, even as late as 1969) I was happy to see some of Charles' German relatives at his coronation. Born a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria she married a prince, Andrew, of the Danish-Greek royal family (3rd of 4 sons of King George 1st of the Hellenes) I am glad that she is buried next to her aunt, Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, in Jerusalem.

[@janetgeller7272]

Indeed, truly ❤

[@nikitasmarkantes5046]

Ήταν Κυρία σε όλα της. Κρίμα που οι συμπολίτες μου αγνοούν την ύπαρξη της...

[@annatheofylaktou4236]

Τάιζε τα ορφανά στους δρόμους, μετά απο τον πόλεμο. Ήταν Αγία γυναίκα 🙏

[@pathamm5834]

Princess Alice was a beautiful woman & very courageous, it’s sad that her boy son turned out to not love her the way he should have as his mother . Her husband was a heartless being & probably the cause of 90 % of her problems …..why did they think sigmund freud was just a great man ? Princess Anne , the Princess Royal does look a lot like her grandmother Alice,more than anyone else in the RF.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Philip loved her. But they were living on different planets (so to speak)

[@TheWinterDaughter]

I think the Princess Royal takes after her quite a lot...in looks and disposition. No one harder working than Princess Anne...

[@nyckolaus]

magnificent lady

[@carolynmills513]

This remarkable woman is what all royals should work to achieve. Ive always wondered that Prince Philip was ashamed of her because of her mental health instead of proudly recognizing her selflessness and amazing achievements.

[@skontheroad]

Who are we to judge...? Did you see the Crown episode about her? So well done! And I hope it was somewhat true...???

[@linasepulveda60]

I don't think is shame, didn't know everything ❤🇨🇱🇺🇲

[@annbsirius1703]

No! He wasn't ashamed! They may have swept her mental issues under the rug, but Phillip was proud of her and wanted her to come to Britain before she finally had to. I enjoy The Crown, but they're making a dramatic tv show, and not entirely accurate!

[@elluc1510]

Well done that youbwatched the Crown ! You learned a lot

[@rumak2331]

Thanks for hindi subtitles 🎉

[@jmquindo4121]

God bless princess alice!

[@p.sch.3922]

First of all... Princes Alice of Battenberg ,Great Granddaughter of Queen Victoria due to marriage with Andreas of Greece Sonderburg Glücksburg Princess of Greece was more Royal as the Queen Mother. Means your title here is a bit wrong... before they where Royal is nonsens...

[@anahitaghvanyan1152]

And is disrepect lowering her from what she was. Afraid that world will realize she's as royal as Queen of England Elizabeth? Unfair

[@Stitchwitchstitch]

Oh Lordy, as soon as I heard “took the case to the father of psychoanalysis” I knew it was going to get worse 😖.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Yep Freud was a sexual sicko!

[@WendyColeArt]

Not many royals act truly royal. She was the daughter of King Jesus.

[@joannaandroulaki4168]

Such a wonderful woman..such a Saint in her own way !!! R.I.P. ( p.s. Greek history is not well said or correct, the true facts must be told !!)

[@barbarawitos100]

księżniczka Alicja to bohaterka nie jak co po niektórzy z rodziny królewskiej

[@helenstewart2085]

Prince Louis looks like his great grandfather, Prince Philip.

[@mprkg]

Very creepy that Phillip and Elizabeth cousins with many common relatives

[@DaisyChain3339.]

That's how most of the world married since the dawn of time. Grow up and learn something.

[@user-gk9wn4bz2p]

Wow can't wait til princess Anne's Queen ❤ so like ur mama x

[@user-gk9wn4bz2p]

The voice the beauty

[@anahitaghvanyan1152]

And at that time mental houses were torture houses. Literally so. Poor princess

[@hanginlaundry360]

Horrific being put in the hands of Freud!!!

[@jeannelipham2583]

"Before They Were Royal?" Really? Royal family of Greece.

[@Gancanna]

Also British royal family. I remember a story about Prince Philip being given a tour and filled in on the history of Windsor Castle like he was clueless. Reportedly, he told the person, "Yes, I know, my mother was born here."

[@kiliipower355]

@@Gancanna Yes, I remember. A documentary about him. He said that after his engagement to Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace was "explained" to him by a very condescending servant. And he countered: "My mother was born here and grew up here"

[@here_we_go_again2571]

@@Gancanna Gotta luv Prince Philip!

[@junocaracowa9907]

❤❤❤

[@user-gu8jm7qz4i]

Waiting for her movie

[@MarieJackson-sp3be]

I think she was one of the best British royals. I also think she was channeling Jesus, something quite a few people do today without fear.

[@daphnewerahiko4741]

totally agree

[@user-ng4uu1db2y]

❤❤❤😊

[@SomewhataMystery]

They still showed her over time just her story behind it secret.