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19 February 1905 — Cumberland Lodge, Old Windsor, Berkshire | |
Sunday. 19th [February 1905]. We did not go out in the morning but we drove to Windsor for evening service in St George’s Chapel wh is always a joy. The music is fine & the place has a solemn & antique look & one feels that many historical things have taken place there. There was much talk about the state of things in Russia—& the awful murder wh had just occurred of the Grand Duke Serge. Everyone feels for the Gd Dss who is a pretty gentle creature. I remember their coming to tea with me some time ago at Venice & how I admired her—& what a bad countenance I thought the Gd Duke had—a narrow head—pale long face with eyes too close together. No one seems to regret him. Princess Victoria tried to sustain the opinion that the Czar is not so bad a man as the authors of lately published books make out and Prince Christian said it was useless to denial that the Czar was weak & cruel. Pss Victoria said she had been some time in Russia when a marriage was on the tapis for her wh happily did not come off. She had always found the Czar & Czarina kind & nice and the Dow. Empress was very hard & cruel to her & constantly told her she ought to leave & that she disliked the English influence! When I said I wondered how she cd be sister to our good gentle Queen she said they were totally different in character & the Dow. Emp. resembled her gd mother who had been a hard & intriguing woman. I returned to London from Cumberland Lodge on Monday 20th & had a dinner party at wh came Blanche & Edward, Lord & Lady Robert Cecil, the D. & Dss of Somerset, Lady Borwick & Monty. | |
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