QUICK WORK: A Queen Falls In Love

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 25, 15 December 1939, Page 10

QUICK WORK: A Queen Falls In Love

Radio Talk On Victoria's Romance On October 10, 1839, Queen Victoria welcomed the brothers Ernest and Albert, of Saxe-Coburg. On October 12, she found Albert’s beauty most striking, and himself very fascinating. On October 15 he seemed perfection, she loved him more than she could say, she felt very, very happy, and thought it would be best if they were married early in the following February. It happened, of course, almost exactly 100 years ago. The centenary was noticed by a talk from 1YA on Sunday, December 10. Here is the talk, which quotes the Queen’s letters upon her engagement;

\ X 7HILE a loving bond existed between young Queen Victoria and her uncle, King Leopold of Belgium, it was something more than a pleasure trip that brought him to England in September, 1839. The outcome of their many intimate conferences at Windsor was that the Queen agreed to a visit from her two cousins, the Princes Ernest and Albert of Saxe-Coburg. On October 10 the brothers arrived, carrying as a delicate hint of the purpose of their mission, a letter of commendation from Uncle Leopold. Naturally Victoria kept Leopold posted, and writing to him on October 12, the Queen said: " My Dear Uncle: "The dear cousins arrived at halfpast seven on Thursday, after a very bad and almost dangerous passage, but looking both very well, and much improved. Having no clothes, they could not appear at dinner, but nevertheless débuted after dinner in thei neglige. Ernest is grown quite handsome; Albert’s beauty is most strik-

ing, and he is so amiable and unaffected — in short, very fascinating; he is excessively admired here. The Granvilles and Lord Clanricarde happened just to be here, but are gone again to-day. We rode out yesterday and danced after dinner, The young men are very amiable, delightful companions, and I am very happy to have them here; they are playing some Symphonies of Haydn under me at this very moment; they are passionately fond of music." Three days later the Queen followed up this letter to Uncle Leopold with another, in which she wrote: " My Dearest Uncle: "This letter will, I am sure, give you pleasure, for you have always shown and taken so warm an interest in all that concerns me. My mind is quite made up — and I told Albert this morning of it; the warm affection he showed me on learning this gave me great pleasure. He seems perfection, and I think I have the prospect of very great happiness before me. I love him more than I can say, and I shall do everything in my power to render the sacrifice he has made (for a sacrifice in my opinion -it is) as small as I can. He seems to have a very great tact — a very necessary thing in his position. These last few days have passed like a dream to me, and I am so bewildered by it all that I know hardly how to write; but I do feel very, very happy. "Tt is absolutely necessary that this determination of mine should be known to no one but yourself, and Uncle Ernest — till the meeting of Parliament — as it would be considered otherwise neglectful on my part not to have assembled Parliament at once to have informed them of it . . . Lord Melbourne, whom I of course have consulted about the whole affair, quite approves my choice, and expresses great satisfaction at the event, which he thinks in every way highly desirable. Lord Melbourne has acted in this business, as he has always done towards me, with the greatest kindness and affection. ,

~ We aiso Think It Detter, and Aibert quite approves of it, that we should be married very soon after Parliament meets, about the beginning of February; and indeed, loving Albert as I do, I cannot wish it should be delayed. My feelings are a little changed, I must say, since last Spring, when I said I couldn't think of marrying for three or four years; but seeing Albert has changed all this. "Pray, dearest Uncle, forward ‘these two letters to Uncle Ernest (to whom I beg you will enjoin strict secrecy, and explain these details, which I have not time to do) and to faithful Stockmar. "I think you might tell Louise of it, but none of her family. I should wish to keep the dear young gentlemen here till the end of next month. Ernest’s sincere pleasure gave me great delight. He does so adore dearest Albert. Ever, dearest Uncle, your devoted Niece, "Victoria R." Toward the end of the month King Leopold, who had sent sympathetic replies to his niece, was written to again, and in this letter the Queen again made reference to the royal engagement and said: "As Parliament has nothing whatever to say respecting the marriage, can neither approve nor disapprove it (I mean in a manner which might affect it), it is now proposed that, as soon as the cousins are gone (which they now intend to do on nag 12th or 14th of November, as time presses), I should assemble all the Privy Councillors and announce to them my intention... "Oh, dear Uncle, I do feel so happy! I do so adore Albert! He is quite an angel, and so very, very kind to me, and seems so fond of me, which touches me much, I trust and hope I shall be able to make him as happy as he ought to be! I cannot bear to part from him, for we spend such happy, delightful hours together."