Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Alice Roosevelt Longworth – Life, Personality, and Wit

Discover the unconventional life, sharp humor, and political role of Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1884–1980), daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, Washington socialite, writer, and political insider.

Introduction

Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth (February 12, 1884 – February 20, 1980) was an American socialite, author, and political personality, best known as the only child of President Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt.

Often nicknamed “Princess Alice,” she defied expectations of women in her era by wielding social influence, speaking her mind, and shaping Washington political culture with her irreverence, style, and sharp tongue.

Her life blends the personal and the political, the glamorous and the provocative. In understanding Alice, we see a woman who turned her pedigree into power—often in surprising ways.

Early Life and Family

Alice Lee Roosevelt was born in Manhattan, New York City, on February 12, 1884.

After her mother’s death, Theodore Roosevelt was deeply grief-stricken and distant; he often concealed or avoided references to his late wife.

When Theodore Roosevelt remarried h Kermit Carow in 1886, Alice gained a stepmother and several half-siblings (Theodore III, Kermit, Ethel, Archie, Quentin).

Youth, Education & Early Public Role

Alice’s adolescence coincided with her father’s rising political career (governor of New York, then presidential contender), and she became a presence in public life even before adulthood.

In 1901, following President McKinley’s assassination, Theodore Roosevelt assumed the presidency. Alice, then a young woman, was catapulted into national attention.

Her style contributed to a fashion trend: her debut dress color became known as “Alice blue,” and inspired the popular song “Alice Blue Gown.”

Alice was bold and mischievous. She once threatened, when asked to attend a conservative finishing school:

“If you send me I will humiliate you. I will do something that will shame you. I tell you I will.”

She also interjected herself into politics and diplomacy early: during her father’s presidency, she traveled on “The Imperial Cruise” with congressional and diplomatic delegations to Asia, and she famously jumped into a ship’s pool fully dressed, dragging a congressman (and future husband) into the water with her.

Public attention followed her everywhere, and she learned early how to convert celebrity into influence.

Married Life, Scandals, and Political Persona

In February 1906, Alice married Nicholas Longworth III, a Congressman from Ohio who later became Speaker of the House.

Their marriage was often turbulent. Alice’s outspokenness, public life, and personal affairs put strain on it. She bore one daughter, Paulina Longworth (1925–1957), who is widely believed (through later released diaries) to have been fathered by Senator William Borah, with whom Alice had a long affair.

Alice’s humor was famous—her barbs, quips, and insults circulated in Washington gossip and newspapers.

She was also politically active, often commenting, advising, or maneuvering behind the scenes. She opposed her cousin Franklin Roosevelt politically, campaigned for Republican causes, and later shifted some alliances, including supporting Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater in 1964.

She kept friendships with political figures across party lines—she was close to Richard Nixon, who reportedly considered her one of the most engaging conversationalists he knew.

Later Years & Death

In her later years, Alice endured health challenges: she fractured a hip in 1955, underwent mastectomies for breast cancer (first in 1956, then again in 1970).

She also outlived her daughter: Paulina committed suicide in 1957, deeply affecting Alice.

Alice remained a fixture in Washington social and political life well into old age. She was known to have met 16 U.S. Presidents during her lifetime—an extraordinary span of proximity to power.

She died on February 20, 1980, in her home on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., at age 96, from emphysema and pneumonia, compounded by chronic illnesses.

Personality & Influence

Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s enduring legacy rests in her persona as the quintessential Washington insider—equal parts society queen, political gadfly, and cultural raconteur.

She combined sharp intellect, wit, media savvy, and social capital. She was never content to play a passive role. Rather than fade into the background as a political wife, Alice used her voice and presence to shape conversations.

Her influence was subtle but pervasive: advisors, senators, presidents, journalists—many recognized the power of her networks, her gossip, and her capacity to host salons that shaped opinion and alliances.

She also challenged what women of her era were “allowed” to do. By claiming the public stage, speaking frankly, flirting with scandal, and refusing to be tamed, she expanded the notion of what a politically engaged woman could be.

Finally, her wit lives on—as one of Washington’s great quoters, her lines have passed into lore, echoing in books, pillows, biographies, and essays.

Famous Quotes of Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Below are a selection of her characteristic, sharp-witted remarks:

• “If you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me.”

• “I have a simple philosophy: Fill what’s empty. Empty what’s full. And scratch where it itches.”

• “You can’t make a soufflé rise twice.”

• “My father always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding and the baby at every christening.”

• “He looks as though he's been weaned on a pickle.”

• “The secret of eternal youth is arrested development.”

• “I live by three rules: I eat when I’m hungry, sleep when I’m tired and scratch where I itch.”

These lines showcase her irreverence, self-awareness, and refusal to conform to polite social norms.

Lessons from Alice Roosevelt Longworth

From Alice’s life and style, we can draw meaningful lessons:

1. Own your voice. Even as a woman in a male-dominated political world, she asserted her perspective unapologetically.

2. Leverage social connections ethically. She used salon culture, relationships, and presence to engage politics on her terms.

3. Humor is power. Sharp wit can disarm authority, reveal hypocrisy, and grant a measure of protection in politics.

4. Blend public and private ingeniously. She merged autobiography, gossip, and activism fluidly.

5. Don’t fear scandal. She embraced the disquiet her life provoked—rather than retreat from it.

Conclusion

Alice Roosevelt Longworth was not merely the daughter of a president. She became a political force, social luminary, and cultural phenomenon in her own right. Her boldness, intellect, and irreverence changed how we think about influence, personality, and the role of women in political life.

Her life invites us to ask: how much of our voice are we willing to claim? How does humor sharpen or unsettle power? And how do we live publicly without losing ourselves?

Explore her autobiography Crowded Hours, her correspondence, and read her quips—and enjoy a figure who turned a life of privilege into one of remarkable autonomy and enduring curiosity.