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Beloved mama: Private correspondence of Queen Victoria and the German Crown Princess, 1878-1885
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January 12, 2018
The final book of 2017 and appropriate. 2017 was my year of Queen Victoria (15 books), after my Madame de Stael spree of 2016 (10 books). This is the 5th out of 6 volumes of letters between Queen Victoria and her eldest daughter, Vicky, Empress of Prussia and I am sad that I am finished with all these, but cheered to see other volumes available between her sons and grandchildren I might pick up next or all her diaries are online, and I'm a little curious if they have the same force and emotion as there is between Victoria and her favorite child.
A startling note at the beginning--in the 2,000+ of pages of letters that Victoria sent to her daughter during this 7 year period, "the extraordinary thing to notice is that although the Queen--in these family letters--was writing hurriedly there are very few "scratchings out" and virtually no spelling mistakes. I think that I remember only one in the seven years covered by this volume." I guess not that surprising because I recall letters in earlier volumes from the Queen back to her daughter scolding her for misspelling whatever word, but it's nice to know she totally lived up perfect spelling.
A great deal happens in these 7 years. Mostly death. Vicky's favorite child, Waldemar, dies. Alice, the daughter she bitched about the most for being vain but then heroically dies ("the fatal kiss"). My main complaint, one that should have a star removed from this rating--and as good of a job as he's done with these volumes, shame on the editor--the 39 page letter Vicky wrote on the news of her sister's death gets edited down to under a paragraph. I definitely think a longer extract was deserved there and am surprised. Vicky's continued persecution by Bismark, her evil son future Kaiser Wilhelm, and terrible in-laws. The death of the Prince Imperial in Africa. John Brown dies of "an attack of the same horrid erysipelas"--and never look that up, the pictures are terrible. Victoria's hemophiliac smart son Leopold trips down the stairs and dies. Czar Alexander assassinated (important since upcoming Czar was Bertie's brother-in-law). Gordon.
After reading these letters though, I've ordered a few books on Empress Eugenie and the biography I'm currently reading hasn't quite gotten up to Prince Imperial's death yet--I'm interested in how it covers it though I already see a number of discrepancies between content and these letters. After reading some biographies of Queen Victoria, I noticed that some of the authors asserted she had no female friends, but reading these letters (written 2-3 times a week + telegrams) blatantly untrue. If anything the circle of people both women knew was vast (I suppose being forced to attend lots of dinners and functions make it inevitable you meet lots of people), but one name that has popped up since volume 1 is Empress Eugenie. I wonder if in part it stems from self insecurity--both women believed themselves ugly and were very matter of fact and dispassionate on how they judged themselves and others--but they both appreciated beauty. Though it's interesting how standards have changed a bit--reading pages upon pages of peans on Eugenie's beauty, both in biographies and in these letters and how she was most "beautiful woman in Europe," and all I see is Peter Jennings or Harry Langdon in a tiara.
Neither women liked Napoleon III, but both adored Eugenie, who was probably Victoria's best friend. While both women on principle disliked France, both also spoke French fluently, visited it often, absolutely loved Paris, French theater, books--and I've been amused to see that when one criticizes France too much in one letter, the other back is full of reminders of all the things in France they like. Which mostly was Eugenie, who played charming host to all their triumphant visits to Paris (which always seemed to go smoothly)--although in a way you could argue they might not have seen her as French, her being half Scottish nobility (traced it back to Macbeth) and half Spanish, although both always include lots of French laden quotes in letters about her. After the Franco-Prussian War and the ultimate ousting of Napoleon III, Eugenie retired to an estate close to Victoria and for a time moved in with her at Osborne House.
The death of her only son was a scandal when it happened--that Victoria ordered it or covered it up or had some sort of sneaky machinations going on--when in these letters shows how upset she was personally (she really liked the Prince and ticked he was at risk to begin with) and for Eugenie. Those passages from Victoria read almost like a movie and it shows that her plans were pretty much in accord with Eugenie (I've noticed a certain fondness for Bonaparte in letters before):
"She had a little sleep last night--but still can take no food. I hope to see her again tomorrow. The dear Remains may be expected in a month and there will be an immense demonstration. I will let you know all the details as I know the interest you take in the poor, dear, unhappy Empress. I think it a great misfortune for I always hoped and thought he would have come back some day as Emperor, and be a very good one with all his love for England."
That bolded part is BANANAS. How come other books haven't highlighted Victoria's thoughts on what she wanted for France and thought could maybe happen (a Bonapartist Restoration!)? Instead, as both women grumble about in these letters, the tabloids of the day tried to hype some Benghazi scandal about the whole thing (although Victoria was furious and the man ultimately responsible for the whole affair was knocked down and died soon after in disgrace) and some sort of feud between Eugenie & Victoria.
There are many heart rending pages by Victoria about the Prince's gruesome death ("She cried very much at times--but could speak of all--only at moments she could not go on. When I begged her not any longer to call me Madame and Majeste but Soeur she burst out crying. She cannot eat. A sort of nervous contraction of the throat prevents her from swallowing. She can only take fluids--neat milk and rum but she has some sleep. How willingly I would do anything for her but of what avail is it? Nothing can bring back in this world her precious child. It is now believed that very likely two 'friendly Zulus' led them purposely into this field advising them to unsaddle and rest! They have not been seen again. Uncle George [head of Army] is in great distress about it").
As to fake news, obviously a problem in Victorian times. Many letters reference bad newspaper articles, hoax news about themselves, which sources could be trusted. The lies perpetuated back then flourish to this day. In the biography on Eugenie I am currently reading (Imperial Charade: A biography of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, nineteenth-century Europe's most successful adventurers) mentions several times on how pro-Catholic Eugenie was and what a tool she was for the ultamontanes, but according to Victoria in these letters is one big fat lie: "As regards to the dear Empress E., I can give you one instance of total misapprehension and of how her name was made use of. It was repeatedly said she belonged to the clerical and ultramontane party which I have always denied as I seldom saw anyone less priest-ridden than she was and is. Well this is utterly untrue and she herself said that she could not understand how that could have been said. She never goes to Mass but on Sunday (excepting on very exceptional occasions). And the English R. Catholics have been hardly civil to her! So much for that."
For those who like cats, be prepared to be very sad at the half dozen letters about the torture/murder of Vicky's cat, who was shot, hung, and nose cut off for kicks by a passing soldier. ("I am foolishly fond of cats as you know. I shall not take another pet certainly. People here are so brutal with poor dogs and especially cats. They think nothing of ill-using and killing them and I cannot bear it.") When Queen V. was like WTF, the letter back explained the aftermath of Vicky's terrible life in Prussia: "The man was neither punished nor reproved. Count Eulenberg only laughed, and Willie [the Kaiser] (who does not understand a sentiment for pets) thought it was laudable zeal, as cats might harm pheasants, so I got very little sympathy."
More visits by Tennyson ("So very kind and felt for me. His is a great and good mind. But he thinks the world darkened and I can't deny that it is--though I have faith it will come right").
Primary sources really are the way to go. It's nice to prep yourself with a few biographies so you have basic background info and can play spot-the-lies, but nothing is really as satisfying as the inside scoop, which in these private letters to mother and daughter, not intended really for public view (and there were all sorts of drama all the way from Vicky's death to WW2 in regards to safekeeping them) as these. And I think it gives a very different view on both women. With Vicky, it's the tragic what-could-have-been tale, like so many women in history, who plays the straight man to her mother--not as many jokes, invested in children, art, science, nursing, Italy, and German political news--and Victoria's action packed letters back. As for Victoria being remembered as arch-conservative, I think she defies boxes--in these letters they talk about gentrification, pamphlets on working housing and rising real estate princes and how action had to be taken--how capital punishment was wrong and should be forbidden--upper class needed to be taxed more because dissolute anyways and working class had it hard enough. Just going by these letters, it's amazing how close to like Elizabeth Warren Queen Victoria's views 150 years ago were. Which again makes a person shiver to how close to the right we've drifted or how false of a view we might have of both women.
I'm very glad I read these 6 volumes laid out here for ease, because they can be hard to track down. a penny one month on Amazon, $150 the next if you try to track them down:
Dearest Child Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The Princess Royal, 1858 1861
Dearest Mama: Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The Crown Princess Of Prussia 1861 1864
Your Dear Letter: Private Correspondance of Queen Victoria and the Crown Princess of Prussia, 1865-1871
Darling Child: Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The Crown Princess Of Prussia, 1871 1878
Beloved Mama: Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The German Crown Princess, 1878 1885
Beloved & Darling Child. Last Letters between Queen Victoria and her Eldest Daughter 1886-1901
A startling note at the beginning--in the 2,000+ of pages of letters that Victoria sent to her daughter during this 7 year period, "the extraordinary thing to notice is that although the Queen--in these family letters--was writing hurriedly there are very few "scratchings out" and virtually no spelling mistakes. I think that I remember only one in the seven years covered by this volume." I guess not that surprising because I recall letters in earlier volumes from the Queen back to her daughter scolding her for misspelling whatever word, but it's nice to know she totally lived up perfect spelling.
A great deal happens in these 7 years. Mostly death. Vicky's favorite child, Waldemar, dies. Alice, the daughter she bitched about the most for being vain but then heroically dies ("the fatal kiss"). My main complaint, one that should have a star removed from this rating--and as good of a job as he's done with these volumes, shame on the editor--the 39 page letter Vicky wrote on the news of her sister's death gets edited down to under a paragraph. I definitely think a longer extract was deserved there and am surprised. Vicky's continued persecution by Bismark, her evil son future Kaiser Wilhelm, and terrible in-laws. The death of the Prince Imperial in Africa. John Brown dies of "an attack of the same horrid erysipelas"--and never look that up, the pictures are terrible. Victoria's hemophiliac smart son Leopold trips down the stairs and dies. Czar Alexander assassinated (important since upcoming Czar was Bertie's brother-in-law). Gordon.
After reading these letters though, I've ordered a few books on Empress Eugenie and the biography I'm currently reading hasn't quite gotten up to Prince Imperial's death yet--I'm interested in how it covers it though I already see a number of discrepancies between content and these letters. After reading some biographies of Queen Victoria, I noticed that some of the authors asserted she had no female friends, but reading these letters (written 2-3 times a week + telegrams) blatantly untrue. If anything the circle of people both women knew was vast (I suppose being forced to attend lots of dinners and functions make it inevitable you meet lots of people), but one name that has popped up since volume 1 is Empress Eugenie. I wonder if in part it stems from self insecurity--both women believed themselves ugly and were very matter of fact and dispassionate on how they judged themselves and others--but they both appreciated beauty. Though it's interesting how standards have changed a bit--reading pages upon pages of peans on Eugenie's beauty, both in biographies and in these letters and how she was most "beautiful woman in Europe," and all I see is Peter Jennings or Harry Langdon in a tiara.
Neither women liked Napoleon III, but both adored Eugenie, who was probably Victoria's best friend. While both women on principle disliked France, both also spoke French fluently, visited it often, absolutely loved Paris, French theater, books--and I've been amused to see that when one criticizes France too much in one letter, the other back is full of reminders of all the things in France they like. Which mostly was Eugenie, who played charming host to all their triumphant visits to Paris (which always seemed to go smoothly)--although in a way you could argue they might not have seen her as French, her being half Scottish nobility (traced it back to Macbeth) and half Spanish, although both always include lots of French laden quotes in letters about her. After the Franco-Prussian War and the ultimate ousting of Napoleon III, Eugenie retired to an estate close to Victoria and for a time moved in with her at Osborne House.
The death of her only son was a scandal when it happened--that Victoria ordered it or covered it up or had some sort of sneaky machinations going on--when in these letters shows how upset she was personally (she really liked the Prince and ticked he was at risk to begin with) and for Eugenie. Those passages from Victoria read almost like a movie and it shows that her plans were pretty much in accord with Eugenie (I've noticed a certain fondness for Bonaparte in letters before):
"She had a little sleep last night--but still can take no food. I hope to see her again tomorrow. The dear Remains may be expected in a month and there will be an immense demonstration. I will let you know all the details as I know the interest you take in the poor, dear, unhappy Empress. I think it a great misfortune for I always hoped and thought he would have come back some day as Emperor, and be a very good one with all his love for England."
That bolded part is BANANAS. How come other books haven't highlighted Victoria's thoughts on what she wanted for France and thought could maybe happen (a Bonapartist Restoration!)? Instead, as both women grumble about in these letters, the tabloids of the day tried to hype some Benghazi scandal about the whole thing (although Victoria was furious and the man ultimately responsible for the whole affair was knocked down and died soon after in disgrace) and some sort of feud between Eugenie & Victoria.
There are many heart rending pages by Victoria about the Prince's gruesome death ("She cried very much at times--but could speak of all--only at moments she could not go on. When I begged her not any longer to call me Madame and Majeste but Soeur she burst out crying. She cannot eat. A sort of nervous contraction of the throat prevents her from swallowing. She can only take fluids--neat milk and rum but she has some sleep. How willingly I would do anything for her but of what avail is it? Nothing can bring back in this world her precious child. It is now believed that very likely two 'friendly Zulus' led them purposely into this field advising them to unsaddle and rest! They have not been seen again. Uncle George [head of Army] is in great distress about it").
As to fake news, obviously a problem in Victorian times. Many letters reference bad newspaper articles, hoax news about themselves, which sources could be trusted. The lies perpetuated back then flourish to this day. In the biography on Eugenie I am currently reading (Imperial Charade: A biography of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, nineteenth-century Europe's most successful adventurers) mentions several times on how pro-Catholic Eugenie was and what a tool she was for the ultamontanes, but according to Victoria in these letters is one big fat lie: "As regards to the dear Empress E., I can give you one instance of total misapprehension and of how her name was made use of. It was repeatedly said she belonged to the clerical and ultramontane party which I have always denied as I seldom saw anyone less priest-ridden than she was and is. Well this is utterly untrue and she herself said that she could not understand how that could have been said. She never goes to Mass but on Sunday (excepting on very exceptional occasions). And the English R. Catholics have been hardly civil to her! So much for that."
For those who like cats, be prepared to be very sad at the half dozen letters about the torture/murder of Vicky's cat, who was shot, hung, and nose cut off for kicks by a passing soldier. ("I am foolishly fond of cats as you know. I shall not take another pet certainly. People here are so brutal with poor dogs and especially cats. They think nothing of ill-using and killing them and I cannot bear it.") When Queen V. was like WTF, the letter back explained the aftermath of Vicky's terrible life in Prussia: "The man was neither punished nor reproved. Count Eulenberg only laughed, and Willie [the Kaiser] (who does not understand a sentiment for pets) thought it was laudable zeal, as cats might harm pheasants, so I got very little sympathy."
More visits by Tennyson ("So very kind and felt for me. His is a great and good mind. But he thinks the world darkened and I can't deny that it is--though I have faith it will come right").
Primary sources really are the way to go. It's nice to prep yourself with a few biographies so you have basic background info and can play spot-the-lies, but nothing is really as satisfying as the inside scoop, which in these private letters to mother and daughter, not intended really for public view (and there were all sorts of drama all the way from Vicky's death to WW2 in regards to safekeeping them) as these. And I think it gives a very different view on both women. With Vicky, it's the tragic what-could-have-been tale, like so many women in history, who plays the straight man to her mother--not as many jokes, invested in children, art, science, nursing, Italy, and German political news--and Victoria's action packed letters back. As for Victoria being remembered as arch-conservative, I think she defies boxes--in these letters they talk about gentrification, pamphlets on working housing and rising real estate princes and how action had to be taken--how capital punishment was wrong and should be forbidden--upper class needed to be taxed more because dissolute anyways and working class had it hard enough. Just going by these letters, it's amazing how close to like Elizabeth Warren Queen Victoria's views 150 years ago were. Which again makes a person shiver to how close to the right we've drifted or how false of a view we might have of both women.
I'm very glad I read these 6 volumes laid out here for ease, because they can be hard to track down. a penny one month on Amazon, $150 the next if you try to track them down:
Dearest Child Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The Princess Royal, 1858 1861
Dearest Mama: Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The Crown Princess Of Prussia 1861 1864
Your Dear Letter: Private Correspondance of Queen Victoria and the Crown Princess of Prussia, 1865-1871
Darling Child: Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The Crown Princess Of Prussia, 1871 1878
Beloved Mama: Private Correspondence Of Queen Victoria And The German Crown Princess, 1878 1885
Beloved & Darling Child. Last Letters between Queen Victoria and her Eldest Daughter 1886-1901
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