August, Queen Victoria had first met and been charmed by her future
daughter-in-law at the Laacken Palace of the King of the Belgians. The
Danish people were naturally delighted at the news, and, poor as they
were in a national sense, they at once subscribed a total sum of L8,000
to constitute what was called the People's Dowry. This the Princess
accepted with cordial thanks to the nation, but asked that a substantial
portion of it be allotted to provide a dowry for six poor girls whose
weddings should take place on the same day as her own.

THE COMING OF THE PRINCESS

Meantime the English people were expressing their pleasure at the news
in various ways. The House of Commons voted the Prince of Wales a yearly
income of L40,000 and his bride-to-be L10,000 for herself. Including the
L40,000 from the Duchy of Cornwall this made a reasonable sum, while
Sandringham and Marlborough House were allotted as Royal
residences--requiring, however, much remodelling and improvement.
Preparations of the most elaborate and splendid sort were made to
welcome the lovely Danish Princess and into these arrangements the whole
people seemed to throw themselves with mingled excitement and pleasure.

In the little Copenhagen palace this turmoil was hardly known; the
preparations certainly were not comprehended; and the quiet family were
preparing in the most simple way for the great occasion--not the least
excitement of the moment being the fact of their all going to England
together. The wedding day was fixed for the 10th of March, and a few
days before this the Princess left Denmark for her new home; passing
over carpets of flowers strewn in her way by pressing and cheering
crowds of affectionate people; receiving addresses everywhere, and
smiles and tears and good wishes from simple peasants, who had decorated
even their hedgerows and who made the departure look like a triumphal
procession. Then King Frederick VII., presented her with a necklace of
diamonds and a facsimile of the Dagmar Cross--that precious relic of
early days and of the first Christian Queen of Denmark.

The Princess arrived in the Thames on board the _Victoria and
Albert_--which had been escorted from Flushing by a squadron of
war-ships--on the morning of March 1st, and was welcomed at Gravesend by
an outburst of enthusiasm which literally astounded her. A stately and
formal reception she had, of course, anticipated but the splendour of
what actually appeared, the