QV to EF 31 mar 1858: '"And pray don't forget inquiring about the young princess of Hesse (Anna). We must look out for princesses for Bertie--as his wife ought not to be above a year or 2 younger than him, therefore 14 or 15 now, pretty, quiet, clever and sensible. Oh! if yo wold find us one!"
QV to EF 21 April 1858: " I wish I could see and hear more about the young princess of Hesse. Her age would be just the thing."
QV to EF 18 Dec 1860: "We are anxious to know as much about Princess Elizabeth of Wied and Anna of Hesse as possible, I think future choice of Bertie must lie much between them. o gave a very favourable report of Anna afer you saw her at Darmstadt last year (which I have lately read over). Did you find her improved this year or not? Has she a good complexion and figure--is she quick and inelligent as dear Louis is? You know, dearest, we must feel very anxious about this choice and the beauty of Denmark is much against our wishes. I do wish somebody would go and marry her off--at once. If Bertie could see and like one of the others first then I am sure we should be safe."
EF to QV 26 Sep 1861: "I see that Alix has made an impression on Bertie, though in his own funny, undemonstrative way. He said to me that he had never seen a young lady who pleased him so much...She was not shy. I never saw a girl of sixteen so forward for her age: her manners are more like 24...She is so simple and unaffected and quite unaware of her charms....Princess Christian said...that Augusta [Cambridge] is very much against the thought of Bertie marrying Alix as she is jealous of everybody..."
QV to EF 15 Oct 1861: "What you say about bertie and that lovely young Princess is so true--so sad adn the prospect a melancholy one! Still we must not despair. In his way he is occupied with her...which I think a good sign."
QV to EF 19 April 1862: "Respecting Dagmar, I do not wish her to be kept for Affie; let the Emperor have her....Considering the outcry there sin Germany about this marriage [Bertie & Alix]...that to go and make Affie, the future Duke of Coburg, take the other sister would be really courting abuse and enmity. Another reason against the thought of it is that dear Papa, even in A. of H.'s [Anna Hesse] case (before he had seen her, and before he knew she would not suit) thought her being Louis' sister an objection as too much of one family. And yet a brother and sisteris a very different thing to two sisters. I think therefore, dearest, Dagmar should be entirely dropped and the mother encouraged to give her to the future Czar if that will secure Alix....The young princess of Altenburg [Marie] wold be a very good match for dear Affie--as well as the Hanoverian [Frederica] and possibly the eldest Weimar [Marie] may turn out less ugly. There is also the young Princess of Wurttemberg for him; never mind equality of age. How many marry people of the same age?"
