THE PRINCE THANKS ROYLE FOR A REVOLVER LEOPOLD (George Albert, 1853-1884, 4th Son of Queen Victoria, Duke of Albany, a haemophiliac, died after an accident on 28th March in Cannes)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed, to his physician Arnold Royle thanking him for his "letter of good wishes and for the charming revolver, with which (the revolver, not the letter) I hope one day to shorten some fellow creature's life; your's perhaps if you talk too much about Rajpootana or Kurmerbunds [sic] (I don't know how to write the beastly word). I send this to Boyton, as I presume you are there by this time, usurping my place. I'm glad you succeeded in recruiting your worn out body at Eastbourne, & being all day 'in the open air'. It is very warm ... but the rain it raineth everyday ... To-day I walked for a quarter of an hour with a stick, & do not yet feel any ill effects from it. I hope to see you at Buckingham Palace ... perhaps you will not have any special engagements that week? By the bye when are you going to be raised to the supreme degree of an M.M. [Master Mason] mind you learn up your questions well for the occasion ... I see I have written quite as illegibly as you do usually, but the pens here are so vile ... Have you seen 'Eard yet? & are he (& Collins) still as severe & unchristian regarding the poor sinner, ready to throw stones at her? I fear I am immoral enough to prefer the Christian doctrine of mercy & charity to the stern Mosaic code ...", 4 sides 8vo., on black edged Osborne headed mourning paper, 9th April

Arnold Royle was the Prince's personal physician from 1876 until the Prince's death from a cerebral haemorrhage in 1884. The Queen appointed him a Groom of the Privy Chamber in November 1884, some months after Prince Leopold's death.
Prince Leopold's sister, Princess Alice (1843-1878) Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine died at Darmstadt on the 14th
December 1878, on the 17th anniversary of her father, Prince Albert's death. Princess Alice was the mother of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Tsar Nicholas II.
Autograph Letters from Prince Leopold are rare.
Sir Robert Hawthorn COLLINS (1841-1908) was Private Tutor to Prince Leopold, and later Comptroller of his household.

Item Date:  1877

Stock No:  40569      £975

             Add to Wish List     Order/Enquire