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“I ever look back to my childhood and girlhood as the happiest time of life.”—(13th June, 1869.)

PRINCESS ALICE, as she is ever called in England, was born at Buckingham Palace on the 25th of April, 1843. She was the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort. At her christening, which took place at the Palace on the 2d of June, she received the names of Alice Maud Mary. Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester, niece of King George III., and sister-in-law to the Duchess of Gloucester, was one of her godmothers, and her Royal parents chose the name of Maud, which is the same as Matilda, on account of its being an old English name borne by the Empress Maud, and other British princesses. The name of “Mary” was chosen because the little princess was born on the Duchess of Gloucester’s birthday.

The Archbishop of Canterbury officiated at the christening. The sponsors: the reigning King of Hanover, Ernest Augustus; the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester, sister-in-law to the Duchess of Gloucester, niece of George III.; and Feodora, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, half-sister to the Queen.

The christening was, as the Queen herself told her uncle, the King of the Belgians, when writing to him on the 6th of June, “a very imposing ceremony. Nothing could have gone off better, and little Alice behaved extremely well.”[1]

Though twenty-two years only have passed since the wholly unexpected death of Prince Albert deprived the Queen of her devoted husband, the Royal children of a most loving and beloved father, and the whole nation of one of its wisest counsellors, his life, in the admirable biographical memorial by Sir Theodore Martin, forms already part of history, and by it we are enabled to form a just estimate of the perfect character and great intellectual abilities of the Prince, whom his daughter, Princess Alice, revered through life as her highest ideal.

Prince Albert, the second son of the then reigning Duke of Coburg, was the very picture of manly chivalrous beauty. He was very young, not yet twenty-one years old, when he became the Consort of the Queen of England, who was only three months older. But by his strength of character and rare energy of intellect, combined with a thorough self-control and an unswerving devotion to the duties of his position, he succeeded in gaining the love and esteem of a nation which, though it keeps watch over its rights and privileges with peculiar jealousy, knows also how to show great generosity, when once it has learnt to trust and to love.

With his wonderful power of mastering new and difficult subjects he made himself familiar with the history and policy, the social and agricultural conditions, the industries and commercial relations of his adopted country. In his position of intimate confidential adviser to the Sovereign he showed the greatest tact, and gained the affection and respect of the Ministers who succeeded one another at the head of affairs; whilst the more he became known the more his genuine worth was appreciated by the nation at large.

Chief of all, two nations have acknowledged with grateful admiration, that under his influence there grew up in the midst of the most brilliant Court in Europe a domestic family life, so perfect in its purity and charm that it might well serve for a bright example to every home in the land. Whilst sharing with the Sovereign all the labors and cares of state, the Prince made suitable changes and practical arrangements in the Royal Household, and, by steadily adhering to principles which he had at once recognized as the best, he succeeded in making life happy and peaceful to all around him. Thus it was that the Royal Family of England, whether residing in the splendid palaces at Windsor, in London, or at Osborne, the lovely country seat in the Isle of Wight, or at Balmoral, surrounded by the sterner scenery of the Scotch Highlands, was enabled to enjoy a life of perfect tranquillity amidst the political tempests of the most turbulent decade of our times.

The childhood of the Princess Alice was a very happy one, and much favored by circumstances. When she was a year old, her father mentioned her as “the beauty of the family,” and as an extremely good and merry child. Her mother adds, “she was a very vain little person.”

She developed naturally. At first she was not thought to be so highly gifted as later years proved her to be. Her father often used to speak of her as “poor dear little Alice,” as if he had to take her part. She soon became a great favorite with all around her. Lady Lyttleton, who up to 1851 was entrusted with the supervision of the Royal children, and to whose pen we owe so many accounts of that happy family life, writes as follows on the little Princess’ fourth birthday:

“Dear Princess Alice is too pretty, in her low frock and pearl necklace, tripping about and blushing and smiling at her honors. The whole family, indeed, appear to advantage on birthdays; no tradesman or country squire can keep one with such hearty simple affection and enjoyment. One present I think we shall all wish to live farther off: a live lamb, all over pink ribbons and bells. He is already the greatest pet, as one may suppose.

“Princess Alice’s pet lamb is the cause of many tears. He will not take to his mistress, but runs away lustily, and will soon butt at her, though she is most coaxy, and said to him in her sweetest tones, after kissing his nose often, ‘Milly, dear Milly! do you like me?’”

One of the main principles observed in the education of the Royal children was this—that though they received the best training, of body and mind, to fit them for the high position they would eventually have to fill, they should in nowise come in contact with the actual Court life. The children were scarcely known to the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting, as they only now and then made their appearance for a moment after dinner at dessert, or accompanied their parents out driving. The care of them was exclusively entrusted to persons who possessed the Queen and Prince Consort’s entire confidence, and with whom they could at all times communicate direct. The Royal parents kept themselves thoroughly informed of the minutest detail of what was being done for their children in the way of training and instruction.

After the first years of childhood were past, the Royal children were placed under the care of English, French, and German governesses, who, again, were under a Lady Superintendent, and accompanied the children in their walks and watched over them during their games.

To the lessons in foreign languages, music and drawing were soon added, for which the young Princess showed a decided talent.[2] “Her copybooks were always neatness itself, and she wrote a very pretty hand.” “Fresh, blooming, and healthy, escaping most of the illnesses of childhood, cheerful, merry, full of fun and mischief,” she delighted in all bodily exercises, such as gymnastics, skating, etc. Above all, she was passionately fond of riding and of horses. She preferred playing with her brothers, and was bold and fearless as a boy. With all this, however, she soon showed proofs of real kindness of heart and of tender consideration for others. “I remember well,” a former dresser of the Queen’s relates, “meeting the Royal children playing in the corridor, and, as I passed on, the Prince of Wales making a joke about my great height, the Princess said to her brothers, but so that I should hear it: ‘It is very nice to be tall; Papa would like us all to be tall.’” “Her kindness of heart showed itself in all her actions when a child. Whenever she in the least suspected that anybody’s feelings had been hurt, she always tried to make things smooth again.” “At Christmastime she was most anxious to give pleasure to everybody, and bought presents for each with her own pocket-money. She once gave me a little pincushion, and on another occasion a basket, and wrote on a little card with a colored border (always in German for me) ‘For dear Frida [now Madame Müller], from Alice’ and brought it to me herself on Christmas Eve. I felt that she had thought how much I must have missed my home that day.”

The, first journeys on which she, with her elder sister and brother, was allowed to accompany her parents are vividly described in the Queen’s Journal. They were those to Ireland, in 1849, and, in 1850, to the Highlands; and to the beauty and grandeur of Highland scenery she remained through life an enthusiastic devotee.

Her intellectual faculties and the deeper qualities of her character did not, in her case, as, indeed, generally happens with high-spirited, healthy children, develop very early; but almost from the first she showed those qualities of disposition which win all hearts and lend a charm to daily life.

Little theatrical pieces performed by the Royal children on festive anniversaries in the family—partly, too, with a view of gaining facility in foreign languages—were the field in which the young Princess decidedly distinguished herself. No child ever performed the part of the High Priest Joad in Racine’s “Athalie,” with more dignity, and with a more pleasing intonation; and a more delightful German Red Ridinghood[3] than the Princess never appeared upon the stage.

Of one of these performances, given in honor of the Queen and Prince’s wedding-day in 1864, Baroness Bunsen gives the following description in her biography of Baron Bunsen. A tableau representing the Four Seasons had been studied and contrived by the Royal children. “First appeared Princess Alice as the Spring, scattering flowers, and reciting verses, which were taken from Thomson’s ‘Seasons’; she moved gracefully, and spoke in a distinct and pleasing manner with excellent modulation, and a tone of voice sweet and penetrating like that of the Queen.”[4]

It was during these years that Princess Alice formed her warm friendship for the Princess Louise of Prussia, now Grand Duchess of Baden, who records her first impressions of the young Princess in the following words:

“She was at that time most graceful in appearance—charming, merry, and amiable; and though always occupying a subordinate place to her very gifted and distinguished sister, there never was the least semblance of a disagreement. Alice’s cheerful disposition and her great power of observation showed themselves very early in the pleasantest manner, and she had a remarkable gift of making herself attractive to others. Her individuality was less decided and prominent than that of her sister, and she had a special charm of childhood grace. Our walks and drives together, the life in the schoolroom, the games in the corridors, or in dear old Baron Stockmar’s room—these and all the pleasure and enjoyment of being together with the two sisters will ever remain amongst the happiest and most lasting of my recollections.”

The opening of the First Great Exhibition in 1851—Prince Albert’s own creation—was the occasion of a visit of the Prince of Prussia (the present Emperor of Germany) and his family to the English Court. This visit was repeated in 1853. Meanwhile an active correspondence had sprung up between the young friends, in which Princess Alice took a most active part.

“Alice was now drawn more into the circle of the grown-up members of the family; but, in spite of this, she retained all the fascination of her charming graceful ways. A great vein of humor showed itself in her, as well as a certain sharpness in criticising people who were not congenial to her. Many a little conflict took place in the schoolroom; but while the individualities of the sisters became more and more distinct, their happy relations to one another remained unchanged. She was a great favorite with her brothers and sisters, though they knew she was fond of mischief.

“To a naturally engaging manner quite exceptional joyousness and power of showing affectionate emotion imparted an especial charm, which revealed itself in the fine lines of her face, in her graceful movements, and a certain inborn nobleness and dignity. Her attachment to my parents, ‘Uncle Prussia’ and ‘Aunt Prussia,’ was truly touching.”

In 1855 Princess Alice had her first serious illness—scarlet fever—caught from her younger sister, Princess Louise. She recovered easily, but for some time afterward a certain delicacy was observable. The accounts at that time are unanimous in describing the peculiarly sweet development of her disposition, and the manifestation of a true womanly interest in the works of charity and mercy. The feeling of acting independently for the good of others had been aroused in many ways in the Royal children. The Swiss Cottage at Osborne, in like manner, with its museum, kitchen, store-room, and little gardens, was made the means of learning how to do household work, and to direct the management of a small establishment.

The parents were invited there as guests, to partake of the dishes which the Princesses themselves prepared; and there, too, each child was allowed to choose its own occupation, and to enjoy perfect liberty.

The life in the Highlands, free from the restraint of Court life, brought the Royal children into closer contact with the humbler classes, and called into play their sympathies for the poor.

They were permitted to visit the humblest cottages—nay, even encouraged to do so. There it was, no doubt, that a feeling of pity for and an ardent desire to help the poor, the sick, and the needy, were first aroused in the Princess. We know how these early impressions led in later life to her founding some of the noblest and most beneficent institutions.

The blessings of a happy family life,—which generally those only are allowed to enjoy who live in happy obscurity from the great world,—were fully appreciated by the Princess, as we may see from her later letters, abounding in gratitude to her parents and brothers and sisters, and from the frequent references which she makes to this period of her life.

The visits of the grandchildren to their beloved grandmother, the Duchess of Kent, old in years but young in spirit, at her residences at Frogmore (near Windsor), and Abergeldie (near Balmoral), had a peculiar charm for them.

The first excursion the Princess made out of her native land was to Cherbourg,[5] when, with her brothers and sisters, she accompanied her parents. The lovely scenery about Cherbourg has become familiar to us through the descriptions given by the Queen.

A great change in the life of the Princess took place through the engagement of the Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia. Hitherto the Princess had in a great measure shared her sister’s studies and artistic occupations, and had had the same companions, taking quietly and naturally the second place. Now her sister’s departure for a new home wrought an entire change in her life, throwing upon her, as it did, new responsibilities as now the eldest daughter at home, and placing her in a new position in relation to her parents, and particularly to her father, whose constant care it was to imbue her with that sincerity and earnestness of purpose without which, to use his friend Baron Stockmar’s words, “it was impossible to fill one’s position in life happily, worthily, and with dignity.”

The closer intercourse with her father laid the foundation of that deep and intelligent love of plastic art and of music, for which she had already as a child shown a decided talent. Her appreciation of all that was best in the arts was fostered by the many treasures by which she was surrounded at Windsor Castle, and also by prosecuting her studies and practice in music along with the Prince Consort.

The many great and stirring events of those years, the disturbance of Europe through the Revolutions of 1848 and 1849, and the Crimean war, took place when the Princess was already old enough to feel their gravity; and served to awaken and foster the keen interest which she took in later years in all political occurrences.

Another great European conflict was approaching, just about the time of her Confirmation, which took place on the 21st of April, 1869. Besides having been prepared for it by the Dean of Windsor (the Hon. and Very Rev. G. Wellesley), the Prince Consort himself had given the Princess instructions, as he had previously done to the Princess Royal, from “A manual of Religion and of the History of the Christian Church,” by Carl Gottlieb Bretschneider (formerly, “General Superintendent” in Gotha). The Prince’s object in this was to encourage her in serious thought, and in independent reflections on religious questions.

The ceremony of the Confirmation, which was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, had barely been concluded, when the news arrived of the threatened invasion of Sardinia by Austria, which finally ended in the Austro-Italian war, so disastrous to Austria, of 1859.

The Queen makes the following remarks on this event, in a letter to her uncle, the King of the Belgians:

“***But this did not in the least disturb our dear child’s equanimity. She was in a most devotional state of mind—quiet, gentle, self-possessed, and deeply impressed by the importance and solemnity of the event. She answered admirably at her examination, and went through the ceremony in a very perfect manner.”[6]

Not long before this the Queen had given her own opinion of her daughter in the following words:

“She is very good, gentle, sensible, and amiable, and a real comfort to me. I shall not let her marry as long as I can reasonably delay her doing so.”[7]

In June 1860 the Queen and Prince Consort received numerous guests at Windsor Castle for the Ascot races, amongst others the King of the Belgians and the two Princes, Louis and Henry of Hesse, the sons of Prince Charles of Hesse and nephews of the reigning Grand Duke. After they had left England, the Prince Consort mentioned to his valued friend Baron Stockmar, that there was no doubt that Prince Louis and Princess Alice had formed a mutual liking, and that he quite expected it would lead to further advances from the young Prince’s family.

Judging by the favorable impression which the manly and attractive Prince of twenty-three had made, the probable result was eagerly looked for.

Before long a letter from Princess Frederick William from Berlin announced that she had been in communication with Prince Louis’ mother, Princess Charles of Hesse (cousin of the Prince Regent of Prussia), who had informed her of her son’s great admiration for her sister. It was arranged that, after the journey of the Queen and Prince Consort to Germany that autumn, the young Prince should pay a second visit to England; and leave of absence for him was to be obtained from the Prince Regent of Prussia.[8] This was done, and he arrived at Windsor Castle in November. On the 30th of November the Queen wrote as follows in her Diary:

“***After dinner, whilst talking to the gentlemen, I perceived Alice and Louis talking before the fireplace more earnestly than usual, and when I passed to go to the other room, both came up to me, and Alice in much agitation said he had proposed to her, and he begged for my blessing. I could only squeeze his hand and say ‘Certainly.’ and that we would see him in our room later. Got through the evening working as well as we could. Alice came to our room ***agitated, but quiet. ***Albert sent for Louis to his room; he went first to him and then called Alice and me in. *** Louis has a warm, noble heart. We embraced our dear Alice, and praised her much to him. He pressed and kissed my hand, and I embraced him. After talking a little, we parted; a most touching, and to me most sacred, moment.”[9]

As this was entirely a marriage of affection, the happiness of the “young people” was very great.

Prince Louis stayed over Christmas, which this year seemed brighter to the whole family, from the accession of what her father termed “a beloved newly-bestowed full-grown son.” “Our dear Bridegroom,” as the Prince Consort calls the young Prince, left on the 28th of December. The parting was tearful, but full of hope, as he was to return in the spring.

During the first happy weeks after her engagement, Princess Alice had spent the greater part of her evenings with her beloved grandmother, the Duchess of Kent, either reading or playing on the piano to her, as the Duchess’ health did not allow of her dining at Windsor Castle.

The Duchess’ condition had become worse during the first months of the new year (1861), and she died on the 16th of March at the age of seventy-four, in the presence of her beloved and loving daughter, whose happiness and affection had been the joy of her life, and also of her equally beloved son-in-law, and the Princess Alice. On this sad occasion, which she felt most deeply, Princess Alice showed the comfort and help she was fitted to be to her family in times of sorrow and anxiety.

The Queen communicated to Parliament in a “Message” the contemplated marriage of the Princess. The announcement was received with general satisfaction. When, shortly afterward, the question of the Princess’ “settlement” was laid before the House of Commons, the dowry of 30,000l., with an annuity of 6,000l., was voted without a dissentient voice. “She will not,” writes her careful father, “be able to do great things with it.”

In May, Prince Louis arrived at Osborne on a visit. Soon after, however, he fell ill with the measles. Prince Leopold caught them from him, and was very seriously ill.

In the following month the whole family were for the last time together, including the two sons-in-law[10] and the two grandchildren from Potsdam.

Prince Louis paid another visit to England in September, when he took part in those delightful expeditions in the Highlands, which were to be the last the Prince Consort made.[11]

In December, in the midst of preparations which he was making for Princess Alice’s future household, and for a journey of her brother, Prince Leopold, to Cannes, the Prince Consort fell ill. Princess Alice was often with her father during his illness, reading to him, and in intimate communication with her mother. Soon, however, the illness developed into low fever, and the Prince, worn out by over-work and anxiety, had not strength to resist it, and died peacefully on the 14th of December, in the presence of the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Princesses Alice and Hélèna. During the days of unspeakable sorrow which followed upon the death of the Prince Consort, it was Princess Alice above all who was a real support to her broken-hearted mother. The unanimous opinion of eye-witnesses as to what the Princess went through and achieved at this time is truly astonishing.

“Herself filled with the intensest sorrow at her beloved father’s death—and what a father! what a head of a family! what a friend and adviser to his wife and children!—she at once took into her own hands every thing that was necessary in those first dark days of the destruction of that happy home. All communications from the Ministers and household passed through the Princess’ hands to the Queen, then bowed down by grief. She endeavored in every way possible, either verbally or by writing, to save her mother all trouble. The decision to leave Windsor for Osborne directly after the Prince’s death, according to the urgent wish of the King of the Belgians, and which it was so difficult and painful for the Queen to make, was obtained by the Princess’ influence.”

The gay, bright girl seemed all at once to have changed into the thoughtful woman.

“It was the very intimate intercourse with the sorrowing Oueen at that time which called forth in Princess Alice that keen interest and understanding in politics for which she was afterward so distinguished. She also gained at this time that practical knowledge for organizing, and the desire for constant occupation, which in her public as well as in her private life became part of herself. The Princess suddenly developed into a wise far-seeing woman, living only for others, and beloved and respected by the highest as well as by the lowest.[12]

It was at this time that the Times said of the Princess:

“It is impossible to speak too highly of the strength of mind and self-sacrifice of the Princess Alice during these dreadful days. Her Royal Highness has certainly understood, that it was her duty to be the help and support of her mother in her great sorrow, and it was in a great measure due to her that the Queen has been able to bear with such wonderful resignation the irreparable loss that so suddenly and terribly befell her.”

The young “bridegroom” did not remain absent in those days, but arrived without delay.

A touching trait is told by the same near relation of the Princess whose memorandum has just been quoted. As she was placing wreaths and flowers on the dear dead Prince, and both knelt down near him, she said in a heart-rending voice, “Oh! dear Molly, let us pray to God to give us back dear Papa!”

The letters published in this volume will show that the feeling of that irreparable loss never left her through life, and our impression cannot be a false one, that it was this loss which brought out the deep earnestness of her character, and which made her feel that life was no light thing, but a time of probation to be spent in earnest work and conscientious fulfilment of duty.

She felt it to be a sacred duty to foster the recollections of her girlhood, and to carry out the principles with which her father had embued her, whether in the cultivation of art and science, the encouragement of art manufactures, of agriculture and general education, in the tasteful and practical arrangement of her own house, in bettering the conditions of the lower and working classes by improving their homes and inculcating principles of health, economy, and domestic management. In short, in every way open to her, did the Princess try to walk in her father’s footsteps, and so to do honor to his memory.

It is but natural that during the first weeks of her first great sorrow, and of her many new duties, the thought of her own future should have been put into the background. The preparations for her marriage, however, as well as for her household were continued, according to the known intentions of the Prince Consort. The marriage was solemnized at Osborne on the 1st of July at one o’clock. The Archbishop of York performed the ceremony in the absence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was prevented by illness from being present.

Besides her sorrowing mother, the Crown Prince of Prussia, all her brothers and sisters, the parents and brothers and sisters of the bridegroom, and a number of princely relations were present. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, in the place of her father, led the bride to the altar, whilst the bridegroom was accompanied by his brother, Prince Henry. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Queen withdrew to her room. The guests left the Isle of Wight in the afternoon, whilst the newly-married pair went with a small suit to St. Clare, near Ryde (belonging to Colonel and Lady Catherine Harcourt), where they remained three days.

On the 9th of July, Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse left England, accompanied by the fervent prayers and good wishes of a devoted people, who never forgot what their Princess had been to them in their hour of trouble.

What they felt found apt expression in the following sonnet, which appeared in Punch at the time: