Victoria & Alexander
Spring 1838. Twenty years
old Prince Alexander Nikolaevich made preparations for
the tour. After touring around Russia, Emperor of Russia
Nicolas I decided to let the entire Europe see his son.
Plans were made for summer - fall of 1838, and the
Emperor hoped to take Alexander to England, too.
From Victoria's journal, 07/19/1837, after
coronation."I gave audience to various foreign
Ambassadors, amongst whichwere Count Orloff sent by
Emperor of Russia to compliment me. He presented me with
a letter from the Emperor of Russia to compliment me. He
presented me with a letter from the Empress of Russia
accompanied by the order of St. Catherine all set in
diamonds (I, of course, as generally do every evening,
wore the Garter).
But the real goal of young Prince's parents was to get
him married. The Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich, Hear
Presumptive to the Russian Throne, have been in the state
of the sexual rise. From the age of fifteen, he flirted
with Ladies-in-Waiting, and at the present time he was in
love with his mother's Lady-in-Waiting, charming Polish
girl Olga Kalinovskaya, and Olga answered his feelings.
During 18-19 centuries, two spheres -Catholic and
Protestant - of the Royal marriages existed in the
Europe, and marriages as a rule were concluded inside
appropriate sphere. Catholic Princes and Princesses did
not want to convert to another faith. So Russian Imperial
Family engaged marriages with numerous candidates from
German Royal Families, such as Vurtemberg, Baden, Saxons,
Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussian, Mecklenburg-Shverin, and so
on. German Princes and Princesses, when they married into
the Russian Imperial Family, easily converted into
Orthodox Faith, and it was allowed for Russian Princesses
to keep their faith as long, as they wanted.
The Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich left Russia in late
spring of 1837. He was accompanied by his mentor, famous
Russian Poet Vasily Andreevich Zhycovsky, court doctor
Erokhin, Count Orloff, and the bunch of friends. Count
Orloff was responsible for communications with the young
Prince's parents. Separated from the girl he loved,
Alexander suffered a lot. On his way he
refused to participate in Court's events such as balls,
official dinners, parades and so on. In Hanover Alexander
did not even walk out of his residence during six days,
pretending to be ill. But after this, he visited Court
Theatre and danced at Court Ball.
A severe cold caught in Copenhagen developed into
bronchitis. All further plans came to the temporary
standstill. In early August, Alexander visited Ems and
spent two months there to heel his bronchitis.
French traveler Marquis de Kustrin have seen Russian
Grand Duke at Ems, famous spa resort, and left a
description: "Russian Grand Duke Alexander is twenty
years old. He is tall, and he has excellent complexion.
His type is more German than Russian. His eyes express
kindness. He looks like a Ruler, and his manners are very
nice and polite. People obey him only they love him, not
that they scare of him. Without any exception, Alexander
is the most remarkable model of real Sovereign I have
ever seen."
After spas, young Prince traveled around Italy for about
three month, then he came to Vienna, where he was warmly
greeted by Emperor Ferdinand and Chancellor Prince
Metternikh, very influential European politician. After
that, the Grand Duke traveled through German Duchies to
the Hague to stay with Anna Pavlovna, his aunt. Picked up
cousins, Princes of Orange, aunt's Anna sons, party
shipped to London.
European History could been changed during month
long stay of Grand Duke at Quinn Victoria. THEY FELL IN
LOVE!!!
From the first moments of Victoria's ruling, the question
of expected husband was discussed. Different suitors from
all the courts of Europe visited London. But Victoria
rejected all proposals. Even her future husband Albert
Sax Coburg Gota seemed not to be nice and interesting
after his first visit, the same as other candidates.
Countess Liven, Russian Ambassador's wife, wrote to one
of Victoria's Ladies-in-Waiting, that Alexander is the
most charming of European Princes, that it is very hard
to imagine more handsome young man, that he has beautiful
face and very pleasant manner of speaking. Victoria was
highly intrigued. As for the Grand Duke, Count Liven, the
Ambassador, told him that Queen Victoria is beautiful,
elegant, charming girl with deep blue eyes, white teeth
and a slightly open mouth…
At the end of April, Alexander arrived.
Very interesting detail - Victoria's full name was
Alexandrina Victoria, and she was named Drina in the
family. Emperor Alexander I, at the time of her birth the
most famous and influential Ruler in Europe, Conqueror of
Napoleon Bonaparte, christened her.
Queen Victoria wrote to the King of Belgium that the
Grand Duke was coming: ' at last …I shall put myself
out of my way in order to be very civil to such a great
personage.' (Quinn's Victoria Letters, First Series,
vol1, p.162)
Victoria and Alexander were very distant cousins. They
shared ancestor some generations ago.
Young, handsome Alexander was 'a great success'. The days
were crowded: Woolwich, Richmond, Oxford, Epsom and
Ascot, one day was spent in the British Museum, and
several visits to were made to the Westminster.On 10th
May Queen gave a Ball at Buckingham Palace.'It fell on a
very Hot evening, and the ball 'began dully and heavily',
as Victoria wrote to Lord Melbourne, Prime Minister, her
friend and advisor, but it became 'animated after supper
and went on till 3:15 A.M…. The Tsar's son was
certainly irresistible…but the Tsar is not a person to
be trusted or encouraged…There were some gloomy faces
to be seen… and the Duchess of Gloucester looked
cross…'.The Queen, having open the ball with her guest,
also gave him the last dance. 'I think we are great
friends already and get on very well…. I like him
exceedingly…(p.172).
The next evening Alexander went to the theatre and sat in
the Queen's box 'for at least half an hour', according to
V.I.Zhukovsky. Queen invited him to spend three days in
Windsor. Alexander has become very excited about
Victoria. He discussed his feeling with aide-de-camp, who
passed the conversation to the Count Orloff, responsible
for the trip.
Journal, May 27, 1839
'I saw the Grand Duke (Alexander of Russia, afterwards
the Czar Alexander II) arrive [at Windsor] at 20 min. to
7. He bowed up to my window…. We dined in St. George's
Hall, which looked beautiful. The G-d led mein…. I
really am quite in love with the Grand Duke; he is a dear
delightful young man. At a little after 12 we went into
the dining room for supper; after they danced a Mazurka
for ? an hour, I should think nearly; the Grand Duke
asked me to take a turn, which I did (never having done
it before) and which is very pleasant; the Grand Duke is
so very strong, that in running around, you must follow
quickly, and after that you are whisked round like in a
Valse, which is very pleasant. After this we danced (what
I had never ever seen before) the 'Groossvater' or
'Rerrant', and which is excessively amusing; I danced
with the Grand Duke, and we had such fun and laugher… I
never enjoyed myself more. We were all so merry; I got to
bed by a ? to 3, but could not sleep till 5.
Victoria was completely charmed with the Grand Duke. Some
notices about Alexander's age showed her thoughts about
him as a potential husband. She noted in her Diary: 'He
is only one year older,'"
Young people have met every day and they became closer
and closer. One day Victoria asked Alexander to visit her
privately. After long conversation they made long
horseback ride. Two days later Victoria gave ball at
Buckingham Palace exclusively for Grand Duke and his
escort. Alexander was in love, and discussed his feeling
with aide-de-camp, who passed the conversation to Count
Orlov, responsible for the trip. Matter was considered as
potentially unwanted, and Emperor Nikolay I ordered to
leave Great Britain.
Lord Melbourne was a man Victoria trusted. He was
Russophile and considered this marriage as desirable with
conditions of the refusal of the Russian throne and the
acceptance of the title of Prince Consort. But it was
impossible for the Grand Duke.
Lord Melbourne told Queen Victoria that the Grand Duke is
not in a good health, meaning she needs to get a
healthier husband to produce healthy children. Alexander
was made busy with parades, receptions, and visiting
places of interests. Victoria left London for Windsor.
Both of them now recognized that the marriage was
impossible. Unfortunately, young people sacrificed deep
and sincere feeling and future happiness to their Royal
duties.
Journal, May 28, 1839
'The Grand Duke talked of his very fine reception here,
and said he would never forget it 'Ce ne sout pas
seulement des paroles, je vu assure, Madame,' he said,
but it was what he left, and that he never would forget
these days here, which I am sure I shall never also, for
I really love this amiable and dear young man, who has
such a sweet smile'.
May 29, 1839 last reception took place. Victoria wrote: '
I said all this excitement did me good. ' But you may
suffer afterwards,' he [Lord M.] said; 'you must take
care of your health, - not to fall into bad health; you
complain of that lauquor increasing, and dislike of for
exertion; now it would be a dreadful thing for you, if
you were to take a dislike for business', which I assured
him I never should. ' You led rather unnatural life for a
young person,' he continued; it's a life of a man.' I did
feel it sometimes, I said…. I then went to the little
blue room next to my Dressing-room, were Lord Palmerston
brought in the Grand Duke to take a leave. The Grand Duke
took my hand and pressed it warmly; he looked pale and
his voice fattered, as he said, 'les paroles me manquent
pour exprimer tout ce que je sens'; and he mentioned how
deeply grateful he felt for all the kindness he met with,
that he hoped to return again, and that he trusted that
all this would only tend to strengthened the ties of
friendship between England and Russia. He then pressed
and kissed my hand, and I kissed his cheek; upon this he
kissed mine [cheek] in a very warm affectionate
manner…. I felt so sad to take leave of this dear
amiable young man, whom I really thing (talking jokingly)
I was little in love with.
Journal, May 30 1839
' They played the Grand Duke's and my favorite
quadrilles, called 'Le gay Loisir', which made me quite
melancholy, as it put me so in mind of all, and I left
sadly the change. Talked to Lord Melbourne of my feeling
to change and of it's being so seldom that I had young
people of my own rank with me; of my having so disliked
the idea of the Grand Duke coming, and that now I was so
very very sorry at his doing. 'Very often the case,' said
L.M. ….Talked of the strange feeling when all the
excitement was over, and that I feared I would feel the
difference of not being able to have this sort of dances;
L.M. said I could have them sometimes in London, though
we agreed the difficulties; but certainly here; but I
observed there must be many young people then,' said
L.M., and so nice, I observed. I said a young person like
me must sometimes have young people to laugh with.'
'Nothing so natural,' replied Lord Melbourne with tears
in his eyes.'
Aide-de-camp wrote in his memories that the Grand Duke
was very sad when he left London. Aide-de-camp also
noticed that, if the Grand Duke would propose, Queen
Victoria would accepted.
It was a month which could change the current flow of
European history.
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