Buckingham Palace, 15th July 1851.
The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter. She has no objection on this particular occasion to knight the two Sheriffs, this year being so memorable a one.
But the Queen would wish it clearly to be understood that they have no right or claim to be knighted whenever the Queen goes into the City.
On the occasion of the opening of the Royal Exchange the Sheriffs were not knighted....
We regret to hear of Lord John's continued indisposition.
Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell.
THE DANISH SUCCESSION
Osborne, 25th August 1851.
The Queen wishes to draw Lord John Russell's attention to the enclosed draft, which she does not think can go in its present shape. We argued in innumerable despatches that the choice of the successor to the Danish Crown was entirely an internal question for Denmark, in which foreign Powers could not interfere. Here, however, it is laid down that the German Diet has no right to treat the succession in Holstein (a German State) as an internal question, as it ought to be decided on—not according to the German law of succession, but according to the interests of Europe. Nor is it true, as stated in the despatch, that the Duke of Augustenburg has no claim to the Danish Crown. His mother was the daughter of Christian VII. and of Queen Matilda.