The plans for our house have come, and even the simplest is far above what we poor mortals can build.
November 6th.
* * * Yesterday, Mrs. Combe, widow of George Combe and daughter of Mrs. Siddons, came to see me and was with me some time. She is a clever, amiable old lady. It gave me such pleasure to see and talk with her. Will you tell Sir James Clark so, as she is an old friend of his.
[1863].
Each visit to her old home seemed to give fresh life to Princess Alice, and it can therefore be easily understood how great her happiness was at being again under her mother’s roof and care, there to await the realization of her fondest hopes.
It was also a great comfort to the Princess to spend the first anniversary of her father’s death with her family around her.
On the 18th of December, 1862, the remains of the Prince Consort were placed in a temporary sarcophagus, in the centre of the newly-erected mausoleum at Frogmore in the presence of the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold, and Prince Louis of Hesse.
Prince Louis occupied much of his time during his long stay in England in making a number of interesting visits to the chief industrial centres, and to military arsenals and depots.
Princess Alice met with a carriage accident on the last day of the old year, which happily was followed by no bad consequences.