I do wish you had been a guest at Vicky’s wedding to Louis, for then I wouldn’t have to be writing such a long letter telling you all about Papa’s wedding to Madame de Kolémine and of the uproar that followed it, although there would have been no uproar at all, if Ernie hadn’t spilt the beans. However, he did, and it was as if the world had ended. Kindred Spirit Willy’s grandfather refused to stay another night in Darmstadt. He said he’d never heard anything more disgraceful in his life than a widower marrying on the same day, and in the same chapel, that his eldest daughter had married; and of course, being the Kaiser, when he left, all our other Hohenzollern relations left with him. Willy wasn’t there – did I mention that? His not being there was perhaps a good thing, as Papa announced Ella’s engagement to Sergei Romanov at the wedding breakfast and everyone would have been looking at Willy to see his reaction, and he would have been terribly upset and would have hated people seeing how upset he was.

Anyway, no one in Darmstadt was upset at Papa marrying Alexandrine (‘Alexandrine’ is Madame de Kolémine’s Christian name), because she’s been Papa’s special friend for a long time and we all love her – even Ernie, who spoilt things by giving away their secret (although I don’t think he realized how much of a secret it was meant to be). Once he had told one person, the news spread like wildfire and, when Granny Queen heard of what Papa had done (I think it was her lady-in-waiting, Lady Ely, who told her), Aunt Beatrice said Granny Queen was so angry that she feared for her life. What happened next was that Granny Queen instructed Uncle Wales to speak with Alexandrine and, when he did, he told her that her marriage to Papa was to be annoulled (I think that’s how it’s spelt).

An annoulled marriage means that it’s as if it’s never happened. I’m sure Papa didn’t want his marriage annoulled, but Madgie (my governess) says that Granny Queen isn’t Queen Empress for nothing and that Papa should have realized what the outcome was going to be. I’ve stopped crying now, but I cried for ages and ages after Alexandrine said goodbye to Vicky, Ella, Irène and me – and she had to say goodbye. Uncle Wales was implacable about that. She didn’t say goodbye to Ernie, but I expect that was because if it hadn’t been for him, she and Papa would have been able to keep their secret for a little longer.