Source:
Advice to my grand-daughter: Letters from Queen Victoria to Princess Victoria of Hesse, edited by Richard Hough, 1975
The letter:
Osborne Feb 2 1887
Darling Victoria
It is impossible for me to tell you what a shock your letter gave me! Indeed I felt quite ill — for I am so deeply hurt at Irene's conduct towards me which is neither kind grateful or straightforward. I spoke to her on the subject not long before she left, and she said "I don't say it is never to be, only don't bind yourself before he goes away on a long voyage — but say you cannot as yet give a promise." And she assured me again and again that she would never do that! How can I trust her again after such conduct? Loving her as I do, treating her and you all as my own children and having to a great extent acting a mother's part to you all and been so very intimate with her, this want of openness has hurt me deeply. The least she could have done would be to telegraph at once to me: 'Henry is coming after all'. But to learn it from the papers first is too much........ It reminds me of Ella's and Serge's marriage (which I grieve over as much as ever) and that you were made to announce it to me as (I suspect) no one else liked to do it, just as she had declared she would not accept him!! ........ It is too bad to act in that way. I dare hardly hope for better things for lovely Alicky tho' I still have lingering hopes left there!
Above: Alix.
Above: Queen Victoria.
Above: Victoria.
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