https://www.rct.uk/sites/royalcollection.org.uk/files/ra_qm_prv_cc1_93.pdf
via tiny-librarian on Tumblr
https://tiny-librarian.tumblr.com/post/151026622472/letter-from-george-duke-of-york-to-his-wife
Nicholas and Alexandra's cousin George, Duke of York, the former Prince of Wales and future King George V of the United Kingdom, wrote this letter to his wife Mary "May" of Teck, Duchess of York, describing Nicholas and Alexandra's wedding in St. Petersburg on November 26, 1894.
The letter:
Antichkoff Palace
St Petersburg
Monday Nov 26th/94.
My own darling sweet May
Many thanks for yr letter of the 22nd just received. The wedding is over & everything went so well, not a single hitch anywhere. Alicky looked lovely & was so dignified & graceful only through the ceremony. They are both as happy as they can possibly be, I never saw two people more in love with each other: I told them both that I could not wish them more than that they should be as happy as you & I were together. Was that right? The wedding took place in the Chapel in the Winter Palace, a most impressive but sad ceremony, it only lasted about ¾ of an hour, poor darling aunt Minny behaved beautifully & she kept back her tears in a wonderful way. After they were married [they] drove back to this Palace where they are going to stay, they got a tremendous ovation from the crowds in the streets. And at this moment there is still an enormous crowd in front of the house, several thousands & they are still cheering, they have been several times to the windows & the people cheered tremendously, it reminded me of our wedding very much.
Luckily it has been fine & bright & every body is in holiday costume, a real ray of sunshine in the middle of the deep mo[u]rning. Now everybody will go away as everything is over; but now is the time that poor aunt Minny will begin to feel & realize her terrible loss, fancy today is her birthday & such a sad one, but in years to come she will always be able to think that it is less sad as it is Nicky’s wedding day. They have both got the most beautiful presents you ever saw, mostly jewellery, but I have not seen them all. Aunt Minny has given her 5 rows of lovely large pearls, they cost £17000, (because Mama told me so) Nicky gave her one row twice as big & two tiaras & several more things, I never saw such magnificent things.
My darling sweet Tootsums I have been thinking so much of you today, oh, if you only know how I love love you my precious one & how I long be with you again, I shall count the hours till we meet. God bless you my own sweet wife with a kiss for your lovely little face from yr ever most loving & devoted husband.
G.
I can’t write well today I am rather tired.
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra on their wedding day during the ceremony.
Above: George and Mary on their wedding day in 1893.
Above: Marie "Minny" Feodorovna, who had just been widowed a couple of weeks before her son's wedding upon the death of her husband, Tsar Alexander III.
No comments:
Post a Comment