te to you a line to tell you, first, that on the 15th I wrote
to all the Royal Family announcing the event to them, and that they
answered all very kindly and civilly; the Duchess of Cambridge
and Augusta, with the Duke and George, came over on purpose to
congratulate me yesterday; secondly, that the marriage is to be
_publicly announced_ in an Open Council on the 23rd, at Buckingham
Palace, where I am going to-morrow. I return here _after_ the Council
on the 23rd. I am so happy to think I need not then conceal my
feelings any longer. I have also written to the King of Hanover and
the Landgravine,[65] and to all our relations abroad. I hope, dear
Uncle, you will not have _ill-treated_ my dearest Albert! I am very
anxious to hear from him from Wiesbaden. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 65: Princess Elizabeth (1770-1840), daughter of
George III. and widow of the Landgrave Frederick Joseph Louis
of Hesse-Homburg.]

[The following extracts of letters from the Queen to Prince Albert
were written partly in English and partly in German. The English
portions are printed in italics, the German, translated, in ordinary
type. These letters are all written in terms of profound affection,
which deepened very shortly into complete and absolute devotion to the
Prince.]

_Queen Victoria to Prince Albert._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _21st November 1839._

... It is desired here that the matter should be declared at Coburg
as soon as possible, and immediately after that I shall send you the
Order.[66]

_Your rank will be settled just before you come over, as also your_
_rank in the Army._ Everything will be very easily arranged. Lord
Melbourne showed me yesterday the _Declaration_, which is very simple
and nice. I will send it you as soon as possible....

_Lord Melbourne told me yesterday, that the whole Cabinet are strongly
of opinion that you should NOT be made a Peer._ I will write that to
Uncle....

[Footnote 66: The Garter.]

[Pageheading: THE RELIGIOUS QUESTION]

_22nd November 1839._

... Lord Melbourne has just been with me, and greatly wishes the
Declaration to be made at Coburg as soon as possible. _He also desired
me to ask you to see if you can ... a short History of the House of
Saxe-Coburg, who our direct ancestors were, and what part they took in
the Protestant, or rather Lutheran, religion; he wishes to hear this
in order to make people here know exactly who your