Wellington.
Footnote 34: The Duke of Sussex being Grand Master of England, and Master of the Lodge of Antiquity.
Footnote 35: The body lay in state at Kensington, and was eventually buried, as the Duke had desired, in the Kensal Green Cemetery.
Footnote 36: See ante, p. [478], note 33. The marriage took place, by special licence, at Lady Cecilia's house in Great Cumberland Place.
Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.
22nd April 1843.
My dearest Niece,—I am just come back and feel very anxious to know how you are, and beg at the same time to offer to you my most affectionate condolence on the melancholy event which has taken again another member of our family from us. Pray do not trouble yourself with answering this note, but let me hear how you feel, and whether you will like to see me to-morrow or at any time most convenient to you.
I feel deeply our new loss, which recalls all the previous sad losses which we have had so forcibly, and I pray that it may not affect you too much, dearest Victoria, and that you will not suffer from the shock it must have been to you. I was not in the least aware of the danger and near approach of the fatal end, and only yesterday began to feel alarmed by the accounts which I had received.
I have been with the poor Duchess of Inverness on my way to town, and found her as composed as possible under the sad circumstances, and full of gratitude to you and all the family for all the kindness which she had received. I pity her very much. It must be her comfort to have made the last years of the Duke's life happy, and to have been his comfort to the last moment.
I wish you good-night, dearest Niece, and beg you to give my best love to dear Albert, and to believe me most devotedly your most affectionate Aunt,