Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians

RETURN OF PRINCE ALFRED

Windsor Castle, 13th November 1860.

My beloved Uncle,—...Here we have the happiness of having our dear Alfred back since the 9th, who gives very interesting accounts of his expedition, and has brought back many most interesting trophies, splendid horns of all those wonderful animals, photographs, etc. He is grown, though very short for his age, but I think less so than his brother at the same age. Major Cowell gives an excellent report of him in every way, which, as you will readily believe, makes us very happy. He is really such a dear, gifted, handsome child, that it makes one doubly anxious he should have as few failings as mortal men can have. Our poor Bertie is still on the Atlantic, detained by very contrary winds, which those large vessels with only an auxiliary screw and only eight days' coal cannot make any way against. Two powerful steamers have now gone out to look for him and bring him in....

With Albert's affectionate love, ever your devoted Niece,

Victoria R.

Footnote 43: Major (afterwards Sir John) Cowell was appointed as Tutor to Prince Alfred in 1856. He was then a Lieutenant of Engineers, and had been Adjutant to Sir Harry Jones at Bomarsund and before Sebastopol.