Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians

DEATH OF PRINCE HOHENLOHE

Buckingham Palace, 25th April 1860.

My dearest Uncle,—I write to you on this paper to-day, as it is our good Alice's birthday—her seventeenth! She is a good, dear, amiable child, and in very good looks just now. Her future is still undecided, she is quite free, and all we wish is a good, kind husband—no brilliant position (which there is not to be got), but a quiet, comfortable position.

Bertie returned last night delighted with his tour, and with our beloved old Coburg, in spite of snow. I will tell him to give you an account of it. He made a very favourable impression there. He gives a good account of dear Stockmar too.

Many, many thanks for your dear kind letter of the 20th, with the enclosure from dear Charlotte, whose happy, contented disposition is a great blessing.

I was sure you would grieve for poor, dear, honest Ernest Hohenlohe; Feodore feels it dreadfully, and writes beautifully about it. Thank God! she has every comfort in her second son, Hermann, who—by an arrangement made last year with the eldest and poor Ernest—has the entire management of everything; Charles has a certain income and Weikersheim; while Hermann has Langenburg and the management of everything else; he naturally leaves the Austrian Service.

We are too delighted to hear that you are, D.V., ready to come by the 2nd of June; it will be so great a pleasure, and to dear Mamma too, who is unberufen wonderfully well. She is here again since yesterday, and will stay till the 2nd. Clém was quite astonished at her looks. The poor Queen will be seventy-eight to-morrow. She is very tolerably well.

How well do I remember that speech of Oscar's in the carriage. It certainly took us all in....

I fear I must end for to-day. With Albert's affectionate love, ever your devoted Niece,

Victoria R.

Bertie was much pleased with little Louise.

Footnote 18: The Prince of Wales had been spending a week at Coburg and Gotha, which he had not previously seen.

Footnote 19: Prince Ernest died on the 12th of April, and was succeeded by his second son Hermann.

Footnote 20: A small town in Würtemberg, and part of the estate of the Princes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Footnote 21: Elder child of the Duke of Brabant (now King Leopold II.).