Queen Victoria's diary entry on Nicholas and Alexandra's visit to Balmoral, dated September 22, 1896

In 1896, Nicholas and Alexandra, along with their infant daughter Olga, went on a tour across Europe, making both state visits to other heads of state and private visits with relatives. On September 22 of that year, they went to visit Alexandra's grandmother Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (1819-1901) at her estate at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The Queen wrote of their arrival in her diary.

Source:

mashkaromanova on Tumblr.

https://mashkaromanova.tumblr.com/post/187877718495/arrival-of-nicholas-nicky-ii-and-alexandra

The diary entry:

I was standing at the door, & Nicky got out first, whom I embraced, & then darling Alicky, all in white, looking so well, whom I likewise embraced most tenderly. She went round & shook hands with everybody who was standing in the Hall. A very smart Cossack had previously arrived & was at the door. ...

The dear Baby was then brought in, a most beautiful child & so big, after which Nicky & Alicky went to their rooms & I quickly dressed for dinner, to which we sat down a little before 9. It was a family one: Nicky, Alicky, Bertie, Arthur & Louischen, Beatrice, Georgie & May, George Cambridge, Thora & Franz Jos, all the Princes being in uniform. ... It seems quite like a dream having dear Alicky & Nicky here, if only dear Liko were still with us, who would have been so delighted & so active!

Above: Illustration of Nicholas' and Alexandra's arrival, by Amédée Forestier.

Above: Alexandra kisses her grandmother, illustrated by John Percival Gülich.

Above: Nicholas, Alexandra and Olga with Queen Victoria and the future King Edward VII.