Rebellious Facts About Alice Roosevelt, The Ruthless First Daughter
Alice Roosevelt was one supremely naughty girl—especially for the daughter of a President.
One of the most beautiful women and most raucous socialites of her time, Alice lit up newspapers around the world with her antics, driving her father Theodore Roosevelt wild. Only, it wasn’t all harmless fun.
Behind the doors of her stately homes, Alice hid dark secrets that only saw the full light of day after her end.
1. Her Birth Was A Tragedy
If you’re wondering why Alice Roosevelt turned into a wild child, look no further than the hour of her birth. Although she was the daughter of future President Theodore Roosevelt and his wife, banking heiress Alice Lee Roosevelt, the little baby was in for an immediate tragedy. Just two days after her birth—on Valentine’s Day 1884, no less—Alice’s grandmother died of typhoid fever. And this was just a prelude to the horror to come.
2. She Lost Her Mother At A Painfully Young Age
Believe me when I say that Alice was born with a lot of baggage. That’s because, mere hours after Grandma Roosevelt passed, Alice’s young mother also died in the bloom of her youth, succumbing to kidney failure that no one had even known existed. No sooner had she drawn her first breaths than Alice was a harbinger of doom. Oh, but it got ten times worse.
3. Her Father Abandoned Her
As if it wasn’t enough to have your grandmother and mother drop dead within hours of your birth, Alice’s father then dealt her a heartbreaking blow. He had loved his young, beautiful wife dearly, and now couldn’t even stand to be in his daughter’s presence after the tragedy. He immediately escaped to his remote North Dakota ranch, while sending Alice to live with her Aunt Anna for years on end. And that wasn’t all.
4. There Was One Taboo Subject In Her Life
Theodore Roosevelt was so torn up, he wouldn’t even call his little girl by her name, since “Alice” was also the name of her late mother. Instead, he called her “Baby Lee” and almost never mentioned Alice’s mother again, period.
Alice herself followed suit: She avoided using her own name as well, calling herself “Mrs. L” in adulthood.
A dead mother, an absent father, and a whole bunch of repressed feelings. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Answer: EVERYTHING.
.jpg){kind=link}