‘I imagine it will be a very small, informal party,’ Princess Mary Adelaide said, ‘for your Aunt Lenchen and Uncle Christian are not the world’s best party-givers. Both of them are homebodies. The only contribution Christian makes to any social activity is to take his glass eye out and replace it with one of a different colour. I remember ten years or so ago, at Osborne House, he showed Ducky, Missy and Alicky his entire glass-eye collection. Aunt Marie told me Missy had nightmares for weeks.’

In reply to a letter May sent to Alicky, telling her of Eddy and Hélène’s romance, of Eddy’s new title and of Marie-Louise’s imminent birthday party, Alicky had written:

Dearest Kindred Spirit,

So glad you told me Eddy has found happiness with someone who truly loves him and that he isn’t going to have to settle for one of Granny Queen’s loveless arranged marriages. I know it caused a lot of hurt to his confidence when he carried out Granny Queen’s wishes and proposed to me, and when I didn’t accept him.

As for Uncle Christian and his glass-eye collection, I remember that incident so well! It was at that particular Osborne family get-together that you and I became Kindred Spirits – and that we became Kindred Spirits with Willy, although I have to admit that the Kindred Spirit thing with Willy is very hit-and-miss and I haven’t seen him since last year, when Irène and Heinrich’s baby boy was christened.

Marie-Louise sent me an invitation to her birthday party and although I count her a very dear friend and would have loved to come to England and meet up with her (and with you), it just isn’t possible, as Papa is not very well at the moment and relies on me very heavily.

And now I want to let you into a very great secret. I have made friends with a lady who can contact those who are in the spirit world, and she has contacted my mama. Mama has sent a message to me asking that I never forget my confirmation vows, and so I have now become a very good Lutheran and go to church through the week, as well as on Sunday; and, as Mama did, I visit local hospitals and orphanages and give what help I can to the poor. I am so happy knowing that, in doing so, I am pleasing Mama.

The letter had gone on to say that Ernie was under increasing pressure to find a suitable bride; that Alicky knew, with all her heart, that Nicky was her one true love; and that so far Waldemar – Irène and Heinrich’s little boy – was showing no signs of having inherited the family bleeding disease.