The perfume was said to capture the combined scent of the flowers carried by Princess Alexandra down the aisle: orange blossom, white rosebuds, lily of the valley, orchids, and myrtle. Each flower held symbolic meaning in the language of the era—orange blossom for purity and eternal love, white rose for innocence, lily of the valley for sweetness and humility, orchid for rare beauty, and myrtle for marital fidelity. Together, they formed not only a romantic bridal bouquet but also a fragrant allegory of ideal womanhood as imagined by Victorian society. Guerlain’s interpretation of this blend transformed these floral ideals into an elegant perfume that exuded both purity and sensuality—qualities that mirrored the public image of the young princess herself.
The year 1863 fell within the height of the Second French Empire, a period of grandeur, refinement, and technical innovation in the arts. Paris was the epicenter of fashion and luxury, and perfumery was fast becoming a defining element of personal style. Women wore gowns with tightly cinched waists, voluminous crinolines, and rich fabrics trimmed with lace and ribbons. The romanticism of floral perfumes mirrored the ideals of femininity celebrated in fashion, art, and literature. In this cultural context, a perfume named Bouquet Princess Alexandra would have resonated deeply with women who aspired to elegance and refinement, allowing them to share in the grace and prestige of a beloved royal figure.
To the 19th-century woman, wearing Bouquet Princess Alexandra was a way of embodying the spirit of modern royalty—delicate, poised, and dignified. The scent’s floral oriental (floral amber) structure likely combined the luminous sweetness of its white flowers with a warmer, resinous base—possibly amber or vanilla—to give it richness and longevity. The result would have been a soft, luminous fragrance with both freshness and depth, bridging the innocence of bridal white flowers with the sensual warmth of oriental notes.
At the time of its release, the concept of a “bouquet” perfume was well established, yet Guerlain’s version stood apart due to its royal association and the refinement of its composition. Many perfumeries across Europe created their own Bouquet Alexandra, but Guerlain’s stood at the forefront of elegance and prestige. The fragrance aligned with prevailing trends in perfumery—romantic florals imbued with natural essences—while also elevating them through artistry and symbolism. As perfumery evolved later in the century, and synthetics began to supplement or highlight natural materials, Bouquet Princess Alexandra remained a testament to Guerlain’s mastery in translating human emotion and historical moment into fragrance—a delicate union of love, beauty, and timeless sophistication.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Bouquet Princess Alexandra is classified as a floral oriental fragrance for women.
- Top notes: bergamot, orange blossom, cassia
- Middle notes: carnation, rose, rose geranium, lily of the valley, orchid
- Base notes: myrtle, ambergris, vanilla
Scent Profile:
Bouquet Princess Alexandra unfolds like the opening of a royal bridal procession—each note unfurling with stately grace and romantic delicacy. Its first impression is luminous and regal, evoking the soft light of a spring morning through the veil of a young bride. The bergamot rises first, sparkling and elegant, sourced likely from the sun-drenched groves of Calabria in southern Italy where the world’s finest bergamot is cultivated. The oil from this fruit’s peel is rich in linalyl acetate and limonene, compounds that lend a bright, citrusy freshness tempered by a floral-green softness. This effervescent opening awakens the senses—crisp yet smooth—announcing refinement without ostentation.
Interwoven with the bergamot’s glow is the creamy, honeyed sweetness of orange blossom, distilled from the delicate white flowers of the bitter orange tree, likely sourced from Tunisia or southern France. Tunisian orange blossom oil, in particular, is prized for its lush, narcotic warmth balanced by a dewy freshness. Naturally rich in linalool, nerolidol, and methyl anthranilate, it radiates a tender femininity that feels both innocent and sensual—an olfactory embodiment of bridal purity. Cassia, the soft bark from the cinnamon tree, lends an unexpected whisper of spice—sweet, warm, and slightly powdery. Its cinnamaldehyde content imparts a faintly balsamic, almost golden glow that lifts the citrus and florals, hinting at the exotic warmth to come in the base.
The heart of Bouquet Princess Alexandra blooms like a wedding bouquet held close to the heart. The carnation unfurls first, its clove-like spiciness owing to eugenol, which gives it a peppery, full-bodied warmth that feels both vintage and vivacious. It is joined by the timeless rose, likely the opulent Bulgarian damask variety, known for its high citronellol and geraniol content, giving the perfume a deep, velvety richness that evokes silk and devotion. Rose geranium—a botanical cousin of the rose from Réunion or Egypt—adds a green, lemony brightness, balancing the intensity of the true rose and enhancing its natural radiance with subtle minty undertones.
The tender sweetness of lily of the valley lifts the heart into a celestial space. While this delicate flower cannot be extracted naturally, early perfumers in Guerlain’s time recreated its dew-bright freshness through the use of aldehydes and hydroxycitronellal, a molecule that imparts a clean, green floralcy. Its shimmering transparency contrasts beautifully with the sensual bloom of orchid, a flower often rendered through accords rather than true extraction. The imagined scent of orchid—creamy, faintly powdery, with a touch of vanilla and balsamic depth—adds a sophisticated exoticism that reflects the luxury and refinement of its royal namesake. Together, the heart notes create a lush, multi-petaled harmony: soft yet structured, radiant yet dignified.
As the perfume settles, the base reveals its quiet majesty. Myrtle, with its resinous-green and faintly herbal aroma, evokes wreaths of myrtle traditionally worn by brides—a symbol of love and immortality. Its freshness bridges the florals above with the warmth below, where ambergris lends an ethereal, oceanic smoothness. This precious material, once found floating on the waves of the Atlantic, adds a soft, animalic undertone that enhances every preceding note, binding them with its subtle salt-sweet sensuality. Modern interpretations of ambergris rely on synthetics such as ambroxan or cetalox, which beautifully capture its musky, skin-like radiance—allowing the composition to glow long after the florals fade.
Finally, a veil of vanilla—likely from Madagascar—settles over the composition, its vanillin molecules exuding warmth, sweetness, and comfort. This base note gives the perfume a lingering creaminess, transforming the floral bouquet into something tactile and enduring, like the memory of a silk gown brushed with scent.
In Bouquet Princess Alexandra, every note seems to echo the symbolism of its inspiration—the purity of citrus and white flowers, the passion of roses, the devotion of myrtle, and the serenity of amber and vanilla. It is a fragrance that captures both the innocence and splendor of a royal wedding, suspended in a timeless harmony of light, warmth, and grace.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued, date unknown. Still being sold in 1886.
