From Queen Victoria to the German Crown Princess – 24 August 1887

From Queen Victoria to the German Crown Princess – On the train after Basingstoke, 24 August 1887

Darling, Beloved Child, I must write you a few lines and say how truly grieved I was to part from you again.¹ I only pray it may not be very long. The older one grows, especially at my age, one feels it more and more. To feel that this memorable time, this large family meeting, is all over is sad. And to part from you, knowing you in the midst of such uncertainty and difficulties, though thank God, without any real cause for alarm, distresses me doubly. Only be firm. Don’t on any account let Fritz² go to Potsdam or Baden, or take those two useless doctors with you who will counteract all Mackenzie’s treatment. He must write a letter which can be shown to the Emperor and, if necessary, the wicked man.³

I feel very sad to have parted from you. I can hardly believe it. It was nice to see the five cousins so happy together. I could not go out this afternoon and was soon then so hurried. You would have been amused to see me take my tea with little children ⁴ alone in my room, only two good Indians waiting on me. They follow tomorrow. The welcome tomorrow at dear Balmoral will be full of very vorherundjetze (then and now) feelings, such kind, true, loving ones, who would have rejoiced to see it and join, are no longer in this world.

I hope you will get this tomorrow or next morning. How beautiful the evening was! And now there is a lovely moon. Forgive this writing, but the train shakes.

1. The Crown Princess came over to England for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee
2. The Crown Princess’s husband who was to die of throat cancer the following year
3. Otto von Bismarck – Chancellor of the German Empire
4. Four of her grandchildren