Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians

Osborne, 31st July 1860.

My dearest Uncle,— ... I venture now to confide a secret to you—the details of which you shall hear verbally from us when we have the happiness of seeing you in October. It is that our surmises respecting Louis of Hesse have turned out to be true, and that we have reason to hope that this affair will be in due time realised. The feelings are very reciprocal on both sides, though nothing definitive will be settled till the young people meet again, probably later this Autumn (but not in Germany). Please do not say anything about it to any one. Your very great kindness and affection for our children has induced me to mention this to you, who moreover saw the first dawning of these prospects.

Dear Mamma starts to-day for Edinburgh—sleeping to-night at York. With Albert's affectionate love, ever your devoted Niece,

Victoria R.

Footnote 31: Prince Louis of Hesse, afterwards Grand Duke Louis IV.