Queen Victoria’s journal: The visit of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna (formerly Princess Alix of Hesse), 22nd September- 3rd October 1896

22nd September:

“A pouring wet day, the worst we have yet had, most unexpected after yesterday. — Heard on getting up, that the Imperial Yacht was in sight of Leith. — All the children lunched with us. — Heard of Nicky & Alicky’s safe disembarkation, & of their departure from Leith. — Took a short drive in a closed carriage with Thora & Harriet Phipps, & went to Abergeldie, where we saw the Connaught girls & Drino, who has moved over there. — Went down soon after ½ p. 7 into the visitor’s rooms & waited there till we heard the church bells ringing & the pipes playing. Punctually at 8, the procession reached the door. The escort of Scots Greys came first, then the pipers & torch bearers, & finally the carriage containing Nicky, Alicky, Bertie & Arthur. I was standing at the door, & Nicky, got out first, whom I embraced, & then darling Alicky, all in white, looking so well, whom I likewise embraced most tenderly. She went round & shook hands with everybody who was standing in the Hall. A very smart Cossack had previously arrived & was at the door. We all went into the Drawingroom & Nicky’s suite came in, Count Woronzoff Dashkoff, Pce Gallitzin & Count Benckendorff. The dear Baby was then brought in, a most beautiful child & so big, after which Nicky & Alicky went to their rooms & I quickly dressed for dinner, to which we sat down a little before 9. It was a family one: Nicky, Alicky, Bertie, Arthur & Louischen, Beatrice, Georgie & May, George Cambridge, Thora & Franz Jos, all the Princes being in uniform. Georgie, May & George C. came over from Glen Muich, where they are staying. – It seems quite like a dream having dear Alicky & Nicky here, if only dear Liko were still with us, who would have been so delighted & so active! – Heard this evening that the Sirdar had crossed to the other side, where the Dervishes were expected to make a stand, & the fighting would probably take place today or tomorrow.”

23rd September:

“The morning was again hopelessly bad & the day continued wet till late in the afternoon. – Only dear Alicky breakfasted with us & the dear sweet Baby was brought in. – Remained at home in the morning. – We lunched in the Dining room. – Nicky, the others, & some of the gentlemen went out for a deer drive in the Abergeldie woods. – Late in the afternoon, took a short drive with dear Alicky, & it was quite fair. Had tea on coming home, & it seemed quite like old times seeing her sitting there. – To-day is the day on which I have reigned longer, by a day, than any English Sovereign & the people wished to make all sorts of demonstrations, which I asked them not to do, until I had completed the 60 years, next June. But notwithstanding that this was made public in the papers, people of all kinds & ranks, from every part of the Kingdom, sent congratulatory telegrams & they kept coming in all day. They were all most loyally expressed & some very prettily. – We were 22 at dinner: Nicky & Alicky, Bertie, Arthur & Louischen, Thora, Franz Jos, Monr de Staal, Jane C., Mlle Wasiltschikoff (Alicky’s lady) Lady Lytton (in attendance on her) Ct Woronzoff Dashkoff, Prince Gallitzin, Ct Benckendorff, Monr Dubreuil Eschapper (Nicky’s Secy) Ld Pembroke, Victor Churchill, Col: Carington, Col: Alexander of the Scots Greys, Gen: Stanley Clarke, & Col: Davidson. – After dinner I had some little talk with Monr de Staal about public affairs, & he said it would be a very good thing if I spoke to Nicky on all the important points. I also spoke to those of the Russian gentlemen who had not dined & who came into the Drawingroom afterwards. – Had the satisfactory news from the Sirdar that he had occupied Dongola & that the Dervishes had all fled on seeing the army approach.-”

24th September:

“A fine day. – Out with Thora. – A large luncheon, to which, besides ourselves in the house, Georgie & May, Louise & Mc Duff came. – At a little after 4 dear Alix arrived with Victoria, having landed today at Aberdeen, after having had a frightful passage from Copenhagen. She only remained a short time with me. – Drove with Beatrice & Louischen & went as far as the old Castle of Braemar, where we turned & came back to the Dantzig for tea. Nicky, Alicky, Bertie, Arthur, Thora & Franz Jos joined us there. It was a fine, but cold evening. Nicky & Alicky drove back with me, & I said a few words to him about Turkey & Armenia, saying his own Ambassador at Constantinople had told Sir P. Currie that he hoped some agreement would be come to with England whilst Nicky was here, as affairs were very critical & some catastrophe was dreaded. Nicky said he quite saw this & would see what he could do, though it was most difficult. I remarked that if England & Russia went together there must be peace, & something ought to be done to bring this about. – George C., Ld & Ly Glenesk, Ct Pahlen, (Secy of Russian Embassy) Jane C., Mons de Staal, Ct Woronzoff Dashkoff & Ld E. Clinton dined with us. The Russian gentlemen, the ladies & some of our gentlemen came in after dinner.”

29th September:

“Rather dull early, but became fine later & continued so till the evening, when it began to rain. – Was photographed with Nicky, Alicky, little Olga & Bertie. Then took a short turn with Beatrice, Alicky & Louischen. – Saw Ld Salisbury for a short while after luncheon & talked over all the important subjects, which we had before discussed. There is the very important question of the Straits, about which he will try to do what he can to meet Nicky’s views. As regards the Sultan, he saw that Nicky was rather less in favour of deportation, than he had been at first. But he seemed favourable to a consultation between the Ambassadors of the Powers & their respective Governments as to what could be done. Then if we agreed to inform the Sultan of our decision, & he refused we must make him do so by force. Nicky had also spoken to him of an Extradition Treaty between England & Russia, which does not exist at present, & which was much desired. – Alix, little Louise, Maud & Charles came to luncheon. – Drove with Alix to the Dantzig, where we took tea with all the others. Then took leave of Alix & her children, who were returning to Mar. – Alicky & Nicky drove home with me & I talked a little about politics & what Ld Salisbury had said to him. – Besides Alicky, Nicky, Arthur, Louischen, Beatrice, Thora, & Franz Jos, the following dined: Jane C., Mlle Wasiltschikoff, Ly Lytton, Harriet P., Sir Allan & Ly Mc Kenzie, Ct Benckendorff, Monr Dubreuil Eschapper, Ld Salisbury, Ld Pembroke, Col: Davidson & Sir J. Reid.”

1st October:

“A beautiful day, bright & warm. – Nicky breakfasted with us & was much better. – Out with all but Arthur & Franz Jos, & went up Craig Gowan. – The dear fat beautiful Baby was brought in as usual, towards the end of luncheon, & sat playing on the floor with Maurice. – Drove with Beatrice & Louischen round by Bowman’s Moss to the Glen Gelder Shiel, where we were joined at tea by Alicky, Nicky, Thora & Franz Jos. Nicky & the latter had walked the whole way. – Jane C., Edith L., Harriet P., C’ Benckendorff L$ Pembroke, L$ E. Clinton, Gen: Chapman (commanding the Forces in Scotland) & Col: Davidson dined. The other Ladies & Gentlemen came in after dinner.-”

2nd October:

“Fine, but a very windy morning. – We were all occupied after breakfast in looking at some curious & interesting old things, some extremely pretty which are being sold by an old Italian, Signor Volpe, who used to teach Leopold. – Out with Alicky & Beatrice. It was fine & warm. – Nicky & Arthur were absent from luncheon, having gone out stalking. – Drove with Alicky & Thora, by the Middle Glen Beg Drive, & back to M° Intosh’s house for tea, where Beatrice, Louischen & Franz Jos joined us. It had become very windy & rather stormy looking. – Went to see the dear Baby in its bath. She is a splendid child & so merry & full of life. – Afterwards Nicky came to my room & I had a very satisfactory conversation with him. He is strongly against deposing the Sultan, which he considers would be very risky & I agree, but he does not object to the various Ambassadors consulting together, & reporting as to what necessary measures should be taken to prevent further massacres. If the Sultan should refuse to agree to what is decided on, then force would have to be employed. With regard to my remark on Russia’s present great intimacy with France, Nicky told me that Russia finding herself isolated, owing to the Triple Alliance which was formed behind her back, she formed an alliance or treaty with France, but purely military & defensive. If one or other should be attacked, they should help one another, but not in the event of one of them attacking anyone else.”

3rd October:

“Dear little Maurice’s birthday. God bless & protect him. – A lovely morning. – Nicky & Arthur breakfasted with us. – At 12 went down to below the Terrace, near the Ball Room, & were all photographed by Downey by the new cinematograph process, which makes moving pictures by winding off a reel of films. We were walking up & down & the children jumping about. Then took a turn in the pony chair, & not far from the Garden Cottage, Nicky & Alicky each plan a tree. – In the afternoon drove out with them, alas! for the last time, & went to Invercauld & back by the Balloch Bhui. It was rather showery & dark. Took tea with them on coming home. – We dined en famille, including Daisy & Patsy, at ¼ to 9, & soon after dinner took leave of the Russian lady & gentlemen. The latter were in uniform as also were ours. At 10 dear Nicky & Alicky left to my regret, as I am so fond of them both. Arthur & Louischen went with them & are going abroad. The girls remain here. Went to the door to see our dear visitors leave. There were again the Highlanders bearing torches, but no pipes.”

http://www.queenvictoriasjournals.org/
© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2012 © Bodleian Libraries © ProQuest

The life of Princess Alix of Hesse, Later Alexandra Feodorovna