elegance of history blog: History geek, avid reader and art lover. Here you will find random bits of history, book reviews and musings on art, literature, manners, life, music and anything else that interests me.
A few days before King William IV of England died, his niece and heir, Princess Victoria, received a letter from her maternal uncle, King Leopold I of the Belgian. It contained some friendly advice on how to behave once on the throne: Laeken, 17th June 1837 My beloved Child,—… I shall to-day enter on the
In a letter to her niece, Princess Victoria, Leopold I of the Belgians remembers the unfortunate King of France Charles X and muses on the injustices history, newspapers, and ignorant politicians do to royals: Laeken, 18th November 1836 … Poor Charles X. is dead, it is said of the cholera. I regret him; few people
In 1919, King Albert I of Belgium, his wife Queen Elizabeth, and their son Crown Prince Leopold, boarded the “George Washington” ship. They were going to the United States for a state visit. Pierre Goemare, who travelled with the royal family, left us a first-hand account of their journey. As has often been said before,
On 14th December 1861, Queen Victoria lost Prince Albert, the love of her life. A few days later, on the 20th, the Queen poured out her grief in a letter to their uncle, King Leopold Of Belgium: Osborne, 20th December 1861 My own dearest, kindest Father,—For as such have I ever loved you! The poor
King Leopold I of the Belgians advised his niece, Queen Victoria, to study history: Laeken, 18th October 1834 My dearest Love,—I am happy to learn that Tunbridge Wells has done you good. Health is the first and most important gift of Providence; without it we are poor, miserable creatures, though the whole earth were our
On 2nd May 1816, Princess Charlotte of Wales married her soulmate, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield. Robert Huish, in his Memoirs of Her late Royal Highness Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, shares a very detailed account of the event: The following were the preliminary arrangements for the royal nuptials, the ceremony to be as public as
On 9th August, Leopold I, King of the Belgians and Queen Victoria’s maternal uncle, married Louise Marie, Princess of Orleans, daughter of King Louis Philippe of France. A few weeks later, Leopold wrote about Louise to his niece: Laeken,10 31st August 1832 My dearest Love,—You told me you wished to have a description of your
In a letter to his niece, Queen Victoria, dated 3rd June 1853, King Leopold I of the Belgians shares his impressions on the Austrian Emperor, Francis Joseph. Here’s an excerpt from the letter: The young Emperor* I confess I like much, there is much sense and courage in his warm blue eye, and it is
The July 1816 edition of the Repository Of Arts, Literature, Fashions, Manufactures &, contains an interesting article on the education, hobbies and personality of Prince Leopold Of Saxe-Coburg, who had recently married the heiress to the British throne, Princess Charlotte Of Wales. The unfortunate princess would die the following year, shortly after giving birth to
Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld could have become British Prince Consort instead than the first King Of The Belgians. His first wife was Princess Charlotte of Wales, heir to the British throne and their marriage was a love match, something very rare among royal couples. Sadly, their union was also very brief. Princess Charlotte died about
