Darling Ernie: Letters to Prince Ernst Ludwig of Hesse & by Rhine from his sisters 1878 – 1892

by Mark Grinsted

The Darmstadt archives of the Hessian House Foundation (Hessische Hausstiftung) contain over two hundred and fifty letters which Ernst Ludwig received from his four sisters in the years 1878 to 1892. This is the first complete English-language edition of these letters. Despite being German princesses, the sisters were at the same time Queen Victoria’s granddaughters and therefore generally wrote to their brother in English. The few letters which they wrote in German have been published here in the original German together with an English translation. The same applies to German words or expressions which the sisters often included in their English letters.
The letters begin in 1878 with the outbreak of diphtheria in Darmstadt and the death of the children’s mother, Grand Duchess Alice, Queen Victoria`s second daughter, and end in 1892, shortly before the death of the children’s father, Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine.
They provide interesting, authentic insights into the everyday life of the Grand Ducal Trips to England or Scotland to visit their grandmother Queen Victoria, or to Russia to visit the Tsar's family, trips to Italy and Malta, the engagements and weddings of the three elder princesses, but also first-hand accounts from St. Remo, where in 1888 the future German Emperor Friedrich III (married to Queen Victoria’s eldest child) hoped for relief from his throat cancer.
While Ernst Ludwig succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine in 1892, his sisters, thanks to their marriages, also each played important Victoria as wife of the British First Sea Lord, Louis of Battenberg, and grandmother of the late Duke of Edinburgh; Ella as wife of the Governor-General of Moscow, and later a saint of the Orthodox and Anglican Churches; Irène as sister-in-law of the German Emperor Wilhelm II; and Alix in her tragic role as Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Russian Tsarina.

551 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 8, 2022

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one writes letters anymore. But historical letters can be fascinating reading. These letters were written to Ernst Ludwig of Hesse, grandson of Queen Victoria, by his sisters, one of whom became the tragic last Tsarina of Russia, one who became the grandmother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, another who became a Grand Duchess of Russia & was brutally murdered by Bolsheviks, & one who married a German Prince & sadly found herself an enemy of her own family during the World Wars. But all that was in the distant future.
Many books have been written about these people, but this one is different because it's in their own words. Their personalities come across in their writings, & they are revealed, not as historical royal personages, but as real people whom I wish I could have known.
In this book we meet them as children and teenagers, a close knit family much like any other. We read about their every day activities, their visits to Queen Victoria, & what life was like for young people in those days. It's sweet to see how much they all care for each other.
If you're at all interested in royalty, I highly recommend this book. The author has done an amazing job of meticulous research, & I found his footnotes to be exceptionally helpful.
Thank you, Mark Grinsted, for this outstanding work - a real treasure!

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. Took off one star for the proofreading - some silly mistakes and footnotes that were still partially in German rather than English.

[Luv Lubker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book of letters showing more of the relationship between these siblings.

[:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and professionally done. Impressively formatted.