The Story of Princess Alice: Not that much of a fairytale?

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Among the myriad of untold stories scattered throughout history, lies that of Princess Alice– one that is deeply disturbing and leaves you wondering. Depicted in the popular television series, ‘The Crown’, the case of Princess Alice of Battenberg paints a grim picture of Psychotherapy and ethics in psychological research in the early 20th century. Alice, born in 1885, suffered a major disadvantage in life: she was deaf. At the age of 18, through her marriage with Prince Andrew of Greece, she became a part of the Greek Royal Family. It was during the Balkan Wars that Princess Alice volunteered as a nurse, assisting at on-site operations and setting up field clinics. Her experiences in healthcare were described as ‘gruesome’, the effects of which began to gradually show. Those around her advised her to take a break from service; however, she refused to. As a result, her health declined. In today’s times, the symptoms she showed would indicate PTSD, and sleep deprivation. 

During an unstable period of familial exile in the 1920s, she showed the first signs of a nervous breakdown. She reported encounters with and fantasies about God, referring to him as her ‘lover’. A more appropriate, modern term for these experiences would be ‘delusions’. After much investigation, she was diagnosed with ‘schizophrenic paranoia’ and soon institutionalized first in Berlin, then Switzerland. This is where, due to the sexual and religious nature of her fantasies, Sigmund Freud, a prominent physician and psychoanalyst of his time, took an interest in Alice’s case. Freud additionally diagnosed her with Hysteria, eventually forcing her to undergo multiple ovarian X-rays despite her protests. Through these X-rays, he wanted to induce menopause to reduce her libido (or sexual drive). Electroshock therapy was non-consensually used on her, with Freud claiming this to be the cure for Hysteria. However, Alice’s mental state showed little to no signs of improvement.

The time she spent in these institutions was not only futile but also kept her from raising her son- Prince Philip- for several long years. After being deinstitutionalized, she moved back to Greece and devoted herself to social work. Unwaveringly humanitarian, she lent shelter to a Jewish family during the Second World War, protecting them from horrors she had been a primary witness to. Towards the end of her life, she retired to being a nun. She passed away in 1969, after donating all her material possessions to the needy.

Although the story of Princess Alice’s life has inspired many others to ignite the spark of humanity within themselves, it has a darker side to it. A modern-day analysis of her experiences in mental institutions and sanatoriums allows us to question the ethics involved in psychological treatment. Firstly, the Sanatorium that Alice was admitted to was one that did not specialize in psychiatric disorders. According to a later published paper, it catered to ‘the admission and treatment of patients suffering from various illnesses with the exception of physical deformities, sexually transmitted diseases, and mental patients’(Nobus, 2020). Additionally, Alice consented to neither the X-rays nor the Electroshock Therapy performed on her. Today, this lack of informed consent would not only be considered highly unethical but also have significant legal consequences. Alice was also said to have been an advocate for her sanity, pleading discharge from these institutions during treatment to various doctors, all of whom dismissed her. Modern protocol on discharge from a psychiatric ward involves considering a patient’s inputs and conducting pre-discharge interviews and tests; none of which was done in this case. This point highlights the stark change in healthcare procedures throughout the last century or so. Unfortunately, the large number of unethical practices that Princess Alice was exposed to caused her to alienate and distance herself from her loved ones. For years after her discharge, she lived a nomadic life, traveling throughout Europe. Her disturbing experiences caused a flip in personality, depicted by her sudden decision to become a nun and live in isolation. We now understand that trauma is capable of doing so, and the switch in her personality may have been influenced by her untreated PTSD.

All in all, the complexities of this case leave us wondering- what would have changed if the right ethics were followed? Would she have recovered, partly, if not entirely? Thus, even a surface-level analysis of this case highlights the importance of ethics in healthcare and allows us to build upon the blocks of past ethical failures to make sure that in the future, no more patients have to live through what Princess Alice once did.


About the Author


Masumi Pradhan

Sub-head at the Psycreative Column

First-year student, B.Sc. Applied Psychology, NMIMS


Inquisitive and ambitious, Masumi Pradhan- born and brought up in Mumbai- believes in constantly exploring and nurturing her creative side, taking on new projects every opportunity she gets. Currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from SDSOS, she hopes to inspire other writers and artists around her while holding a light up to topics and ideas rarely spoken about on the daily. If not painting or writing about everything under the sun, you’ll find her listening to her favourite music artists. Her most valued skills include communication and leadership, which she plans on honing further through exposure and experience in years to come.


REFERENCES:

Nobus, D. (2020). The madness of Princess Alice: Sigmund Freud, Ernst Simmel and Alice of Battenberg at Kurhaus Schloß Tegel. History of Psychiatry, 31(2), 147–162. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957154x19898597 

Westenfeld, A. (2022, April 18). The Crown Hints that Princess Alice Was Treated By Sigmund Freud. The Full Story is Incredible. Esquire. https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a29849066/princess-alice-sigmund-freud-true-story-the-crown-season-3/ 

Disability Rights Texas. (2021, August 10). Discharge Rights of Patients in Inpatient Mental Health Facilities. https://disabilityrightstx.org/en/handout/discharge-rights-of-patients-in-inpatient-mental-health-facilities/ 


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