Princess Sunshine
A sense of obligation had always been strong with her, and thus it was difficult for Alix not to dedicate her life to being the new Grand Duchess of Hesse, a constant aide and companion to her brother. However, the emotional struggles of losing her father had been almost too much, and she was nearing a breakdown. In 1892, Queen Victoria took her into the Buckingham. The Queen secretly hoped that young Alix would find a match in England, perhaps from one of the young men at the Queen‘s own court. What Victoria did not know, however, was that Alix and Nicholas had been corresponding by letters since their last meeting in 1890. Alix remained loyal to her heart. But, despite the glory she found in it, her budding love was yet another reason for inner turmoil -- she loved the Tsarevich and thought he loved her back, but she was deeply Lutheran while the wife of the Russian Tsar would have to be of the Orthodox faith. Ella had become Orthodox after marrying Grand Duke Sergei, though for the wife of a Russian Grand Duke conversion was not a requirement. Alix, not fully familiar with the oriental mysticism and pageantry of the Russian Orthodox Church, was torn. She could not decide.
Events hastened her decision. In the fall of 1893 her brother Ernest became engaged to their first cousin, a daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh. At the last moment before the wedding, news came of the Russian Tsarevich’s upcoming arrival. They met, and love conquered. On April 20th, 1894, Princess Alix of Hesse and the Russian Tsar-to-Be were engaged.
Anna Vyrubova, a close personal friend, writes: “It was a real love-match -- one of those ideal unions that seem to belong to fairyland, and tales of which are handed down through the ages. Their love grew with their life together, drew them ever closer, and never abated.”
Alix sent an elated letter to an old nanny, stating that she was “happy more than words can express, after these five sad years!”
In all her other correspondences we see the same words repeated -- unendlich glucklich -- supremely happy.
*** CHECK BACK SOON FOR THE ARTICLE ON TSAR
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