The Many Scandals of Alice Roosevelt

June 17, 2022

Referring to his teenage daughter, Alice, President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “I can either run the country or I can attend to Alice, but I cannot possibly do both.” He had good reason to believe this. As presidential children go, Alice Roosevelt was one of the most scandalous. She had the same bold, boisterous, adventurous spirit that her famous father had, but she lived during a time when women were supposed to be demure rule followers. 

Colorized portrait of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, circa 1900s. (Photo by Fotosearch/Getty Images).

Alice Roosevelt, however, broke the rules. She smoked, drank, had affairs, danced seductively, and, in short, lived her life the way she wanted, much to the delight of the newspaper gossip columnists who loved to report on her scandalous antics. Let’s take a colorized look at the unusual life of Teddy Roosevelt’s oldest daughter.

A Tragic Start to Life

Alice Lee Roosevelt was born on February 12, 1884, to Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee. Just two days later, the infant Alice lost her mother and paternal grandmother, who both died on the same day in the same house. Teddy Roosevelt was so distraught over the deaths of his wife and mother that he left the baby Alice with his sister, Anna, who was called Aunt Bamie, and spent the next two years living the cowboy life in North Dakota. Roosevelt’s sister was intelligent and outgoing, just like her brother. Alice Roosevelt later remarked that Anna would have been a great president had she been born a man. Teddy Roosevelt waited until he was remarried before he regained custody of Alice. Her years with Aunt Bamie left a lasting impression on young Alice.

The Stepmother

Alice Roosevelt often butted heads with her new stepmother, Edith Kermit Carow. She still relied on her Aunt Bamie for guidance and structure. Alice was rebellious and headstrong. At one point, her stepmother suggested sending Alice to a private, conservative school for girls, Alice responded telling her father, “If you send me, I will humiliate you. I will do something that will shame you.” 

Thrust into the Limelight

Portrait of Miss Roosevelt. Photograph showing Alice Roosevelt Longworth, half-length portrait, facing front. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

When President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became the next president of the United States. This suddenly thrust the 17-year-old Alice Roosevelt into the limelight, and she loved it. She made her official social debut in early 1902 at a ball to which she wore a pretty blue gown. The media dubbed the shade ‘Alice blue’ and it became the latest fashion trend of the day. It was so popular that there was even a well-known song called ‘Alice Blue Gown’ that was written about Alice Roosevelt. The American public loved her and she was referred to as Princess Alice.

A Wild Child

In the early 1900s, there were very specific rules for women in society. Alice Roosevelt took delight in breaking these rules. She smoked cigarettes in public. She drank openly. She gambled. She even rode around in cars with men – shocking. She has a pet snake that she bought with her to party and wore it wound around her arm.

During a visit to Paris, Alice Roosevelt reportedly attended 350 balls, 300 parties, and more than 400 dinner parties in a 15-month period. At a party in Rhode Island, Alice caused a stir when she stripped down to her lingerie and danced on top of a table.

A Diplomatic Trip

In 1905, Teddy Roosevelt sent his daughter, Alice, to join 23 U.S. congressmen, seven senators, several diplomats, and business owners on a diplomatic trip to Asia. Traveling by ship, the group made stops in Japan, China, Korea, and the Philippines. Although Alice got cozy with one of the congressmen, Nicholas Longworth, during the voyage, she openly flirted with most of the other men on board the ship. She famously jumped into the ship’s swimming pool fully clothed and coaxed Congressman William Bourke Cockran to join her.