In September, 1880, the Crown Princess had the joy of welcoming back Prince Henry from his voyage round the world, and the marriage of Prince William took place in February, 1881, amid universal rejoicings.
The Crown Princess’s influence on the artistic life of Germany was shown by a little incident connected with her eldest son’s marriage. On the occasion of the wedding the town of Berlin decorated the streets in a particularly original and beautiful way, and other Prussian towns gave the young people as a wedding present a really artistic table service. The Crown Prince exclaimed: “And whom have we to thank that such things can be done by us in Germany to-day? Not least my wife!”
In the following March, when the Crown Prince was in Russia attending the funeral of Alexander II, who had been assassinated by Nihilists, the Princess received an anonymous threatening letter, informing her that her husband would also fall a victim to the Nihilists in the next few hours. She was in a dreadful state of agitation until reassuring telegrams arrived.
A son was born to Prince and Princess William on May 6, 1882, and the old Emperor William telegraphed to the Crown Prince: “Praise and thanks to God! Four generations of Kings living! What a rare event! May God shield the mother and child!”
In November of the same year, the Crown Princess had a curious conversation with Prince Hohenlohe, who thus records it:
“It may be that Christian consolation does not suffice one, but it is better to keep this to oneself and think it over. Plato’s dialogues and the ancient tragedies she finds very consolatory. Much that she said was true. But she is too incautious and hasty in her verdicts upon things which are, after all, worthy of reverence.”
CHAPTER XVI
SILVER WEDDING: THE CROWN PRINCE’S ILLNESS
THE Crown Prince and Princess now looked forward to celebrating their silver wedding on January 25, 1883.
The festivities were rather dashed by the sudden death, only four days before, of Prince Charles of Prussia, the Emperor’s brother. The old Prince had never liked his English niece, and it was whispered in the diplomatic world that he had much preferred to die before rather than after the celebrations in which she was to be so conspicuous a figure!
Preparations for commemorating the anniversary with due honour had been made for fully a year before, and money was being collected for various presentations, when it was intimated that the Crown Prince and Princess wished the subscriptions to be devoted to public and philanthropic objects. This made a great impression, and the central committee raised the large sum of £42,000, mostly in quite small contributions. It was presented to the Prince and Princess on February 16, with the request that it should be used for charitable purposes chosen by their Imperial Highnesses.