Alix's letter to Queen Victoria, dated October 14, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 302 to 304, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Neues Palais, Darmstadt
October 14th 1893
My darling Grandmama,
I cannot tell You how delighted and surprised I was when the post brought me a letter from You last night and I hasten now to send You my very tenderest thanks. How happy Ella must have been at Balmoral with You, beloved Grandmama, and how You must miss her now. I am glad that You like Serge and Paul, they are such dear, good boys and so devoted to each other.

What has delighted me to hear is that Ella has succeeded in persuading Louie to see Dr. Reid, as I feel sure he will be successful and I hope will be able to influence her. I am anxious to know what his oppinion is of her. She herself was sure that Scotland would do wonders and as she had made up her mind that it would cure her, no wonder it may, as imagination has got a good deal to do with her health at this present moment. I do hope and pray that she may get well as it is not only for her health I fear, but for her character. I am sure You will be able to do much with her and certainly sooner will she obey You than her parents.

The house will be so full next week as Uncle Christian and Aunt Helena are still here and Thora comes for two nights before going to Aunt Vicky. Uncle goes out shooting daily and I think enjoys it. I walk with Aunt in the morning and drive her in the afternoon, and in the evening we all go to the Theatre.

I cannot tell You how terrible it was for me at first going to the Theatre again, and not having my precious [illegible] near my. Why, night after night we used to sit there to-gether and he enjoyed it, oh, so much. There are always little things I long to tell him or ask his advice about and I have not got him. Oh, sweet Grandmama dear, You who loved him too so much can imagine how too terribly I miss him, and the longing for him gets always stronger and stronger. But I must not speak to You about sad things. You have had to suffer enough, and the sorrows of others must not worry You, only when I write to You, I say everything that comes into my head, as You have always been my second Mother, for which God bless You, my Darling.

How dear of You to ask us to spend Xmas with You, but alas it is an impossibility as Ernie cannot get away then. It is a great disappointment to us not to be able to spend Xmas with You, but alas it can't be arranged. Ernie must be here, as there are always Dinners that have to be given and people he has to see and things to arrange. But darling Grandmama, I wonder whether You would allow us to come instead about the 16th of Feb., when all would be over here and he could easiest get away. Would it suit You, may we come. We long to see You and are terribly sorry not to come this year. I hope you will forgive us for not coming, but Ernie really cannot leave and especially not this year as he will have to receive more people. It would have been so much nicer than remaining here all alone, but we must not grumble as it does not make it any better.

We are in the Palace now again and there is always so much to arrange when one has been away the whole summer, that one does not know where to begin. The weather is fine but fresh and the leaves are turning so yellow — the woods look lovely with all the bright colours. But I must not bother You any longer now with this letter and I hope You will forgive us for not coming.
With fondest love and kissing Your dear Hand most tenderly,
I remain, Beloved Grandmama, Ever Your very loving and dutiful Child
Alix

Above: Alix.

Above: Queen Victoria.

Alix's letter to Xenia, dated September 3, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 301 to 302, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Sept 3rd 1893
Душка Ксеніи,
I suppose that you will be in Denmark by this time, amusing yourself with all the Cousins. I envy them being able to see you, whilst I have to content myself with a photograph. I am sending you one done of me last year, some think it like, some horrid. Ernie is still not able to walk, but he goes for drives, or he's wheeled about in his bath chair in the garden.

The Cousins have gone to play lawn-tennis and have been abusing me for writing, so I shall have to join them soon and you must be content with a short epistle.

After great heat, we have now cold, damp weather. Yesterday we went to Homburg to pay Aunt Vicky a visite, and saw Uncle Bertie and Anastasie. I hope the manœuvres were amusing in Russia. We are going on the 14th to ours at Friedberg and intend to ride out to them. Here the roads are lovely, and I ride usually at 7 and come in for breakfast.

If a group is done of you all at Fredensborg, I wonder whether you would send me one; I should like it so much. What fun you must be having there, all to-gether.

Do give your Geschwister my love, and Toria and Maud. Do you play still a great deal? We have been having lots of music, as a Violin player, a Herr Wolff (a Dutchman) whom we often heard in England, stayed with us for 8 days. I used to accompany him and it was a great delight, though at first most frightening.

But now I must be off, otherwise the others will grumble.
A good fond kiss,
Ever, sweet Chicken dear, yr very loving old
Alix

God bless you! Send me a line if you have a spare moment, do please.

Above: Alix.

Above: Xenia.

Notes: "Душка Ксеніи" = "Darling Xenia".

Geschwister = siblings.

Alix's letter to Queen Victoria, dated August 1, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 300 to 301, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Jagdschloss Wolfsgarten
Aug 29th 1893
My darling Grandmama,
I have been waiting until now before writing to You, as I was sure that in the first days of Your grief, you would not care to receive letters. But my thoughts and prayers were with you. Poor dear Grandmama, how terribly sad You must have been when the news of poor uncle's death reached You, as it must have brought back so many sad remembrances of the bygone. I wish I could find words to tell you how very much I feel for You, especially after myself having gone through such a terrible time last year. But where people no longer can give comfort, then one will find it in God. I am sure being in beautiful Scotland will help to make You feel less sad and the good air will I hope do You good.

What a pleasure it will be for Ella and Serge to go to Balmoral — and for Louie too. It is so nice having the dear Child here, though her looks frighten one. My great hope is that going back to her old house and seeing all her Relations and old friends will make her feel better and more sensible. She is terribly homesick.

Thora arrived here on Sunday and is full of the delightful time she spent at Osborne. Herr Wolff was here for eight days, which was a great delight to us all as he plays too beautifully. It reminded me so much of Balmoral last year. I accompanied him often and it was a great pleasure, though at first frightening as I had never done it before.

Now at last the weather is a little cooler for the heat has been quite terrible. Ernie gets wheeled out every afternoon in a bathchair wh makes a nice change for him. But as yet he is not allowed to walk.

But I think I ought to be saying Goodbye now, as I do not wish to bother You with a long letter, only I felt that I must send You a few lines to tell You how deeply I feel for You in Your grief.

God bless You, my own precious Grandmama, and may He be a comfort and strength to You. Kissing Your dear Hand most tenderly, I remain, Ever Your very loving, dutiful and devoted Child,
Alix

P. S. Ernie and the Cousins sends You their very best love.

Above: Alix.

Above: Queen Victoria.

Note: Queen Victoria's brother-in-law, Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, had passed away on August 22, 1893.

Alix's letter to Queen Victoria, dated August 1, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 299 to 300, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Wolfsgarten
August 1st 1893
My darling Grandmama,
I am sending You these lines to tell You that Ernie is getting on nicely and that the Dr is quite satisfied. I hope that not before long he may be able to be put on the sopha, as lying always in the same position is most tiring. Poor boy, it is a great difference for him after the gay time in England, but he is most good and patient. He sleeps and eats well, wh is a great thing.

Since a few days we have had cold, rainy weather, such a change after the heat.

I have just heard from Victoria, who says they will be at Jugenheim on Thursday. I am so glad as she has been away so long. Aunt Julie and Franzjos came to tea yesterday and they seem to have enjoyed their visite to Paris.

Kissing Your dear Hand most affectionately, I remain Ever Your very loving deeply devoted and dutiful Child
Alix
Ernie sends much love

Above: Alix. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

Above: Ernie.

Above: Queen Victoria.

Alix's letter to Xenia, dated July 24, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 298 to 299, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Wolfsgarten
Понедѣльникъ July 24th 1893
Darling Xenia,
It is such a century ago that I last heard from my dear little Chicken, that I must send you a few lines to enquire how you are.

Ernie has returned from England, he enjoyed his stay there so much. How did Nicky like it?

I hear Aunt Alix is going to Denmark, are you going to meet them there this year, or do you go in '94? I wish we could meet once again, though I believe I should scarcely recognise you as a grown up lady.

The heat is great, we have been in the garden watching wasp's and hornets' nests being burnt, there are such quantities this year. We play a good deal lawn tennis and I ride generally before breakfast or drive four in hand, wh is such fun.

I wonder what you are doing with yourself, do send me a line some times if it does not bore you too much to write to the old Hen.
With a good tender kiss and love to the others, I remain,
Ever yr very loving old
Alix

I have got again a sweet little squirrel, three tortoises and the parrot. Have you good news from the Weeping Willow? You must excuse this dull letter, but the heat has made me quite ramolie. Do write and tell me what you are all doing. For the present we are stopping here. Jagdschloss, Wolfsgarten, Post Egelsbach, Hessen.

Bless you!

Above: Alix.

Above: Nicholas.

Above: Xenia.

Notes: Понедѣльникъ = Monday.

ramolie = exhausted.

Alix's letter the day after her twenty-first birthday to Queen Victoria, dated June 7, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 297 to 298, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Kranichstein
June 7th 1893
My darling Grandmama,
Please accept my very warmest thanks for Your dear, kind letter full of good wishes and for the beautiful turquoises which will be most useful. It was really too good of You to give them to me. I received many nice presents and a quantity of beautiful roses.

I am glad that the 6th is past, as it brought too many recollections of happy bygone days with my beloved Papa still. How terribly I miss him, I think You well know darling Grandmama and on such a day more than ever.

We still have fine, warm weather, though these last days we had several thunderstorms.

I hear that Aunt Louise is going to Balmoral. I hope the change of air will do her good as I fear she has not yet got over the effects of the influenza she had in Italy.

We fish a good deal, which is quite an amusing occupation. I fear I must say Goodbye now as we are expecting a visitor to luncheon.
With received thanks and kissing Your dear Hand most tenderly, I am, Dearest Grandmama, Ever Your very loving, devoted, dutiful Child
Alix

Above: Alix. Photo courtesy of TatianaZ on Flickr.

Above: Queen Victoria.

Alix's letter to Queen Victoria, dated June 2, 1893

Source:

Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 1: Princess of Hesse, 1872-1893, pages 296 to 297, by George Hawkins, 2023

The letter:

Darmstadt
June 2nd 1893
Darling Grandmama,
Many loving thanks for Your dear letter I received yesterday. It is too kind of You asking me to come to the Wedding, but I fear it is impossible as we have been absent so much this year already and as Ernie cannot stop very long in England, the journey would be scarcely worth the while for me, would it, and then it is so expensive also. A gentleman does not need so much luggage and really our journey to Italy and Ernie's official ones and Berlin were very expensive. Excuse my writing so openly but I thought it was only right You should know the reason of my not accepting Your awfully kind invitation and hope You will not mind it and let me come perhaps next year with Ernie.

The Tableaux must have been quite charming which the Children arranged as a surprise for You on your Birthday, thanks so much for sending the programme.

We have come to town to-day for Ernie's audiences but are stopping at Kranichstein since Thursday — we have been rowing on the pond and fishing. The weather is still delightful — sunny and warm.

Thanking You again many times for asking me to dear Georgie's Wedding, I remain, Beloved Grandmama, Ever Your deeply loving, devoted and dutiful Child
Alix
Ernie sends You his fondest love.

Above: Alix.

Above: Queen Victoria.

Note: Prince George, Duke of Teck (the future King George V) and Princess Mary of Teck were married on July 8, 1893.