Clean and crisp ALS signed “A. E.,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.5 x 7, Coworth Park, Sunningdale letterhead, June 20. In a letter to Sir Charles Knoll, Edward writes, in full: “The contents of yr letter rec: this morning have given me the greatest pleasure. I have heard from Lucy Sylvia (?) & Xtopher. The latter ought (?) indeed be most grateful to his sister in law for having induced her husband to give him an allowance of 1000 pounds a year! & I hope he will show his gratitude towards her in every possible way….Sir Tutton (?) is most difficult to manage just now (?), so I was indeed agreeably surprized at so happy a solution. You must also be very glad as you have worked so hard & so long in Xtopher’s interest. Today it proved incessantly at the Races—but it was lovely yesterday.” In fine condition.
Written at Coworth Park near the Ascot Racecourse, Edward acknowledges that he received the "greatest pleasure" upon reading Knoll's letter that Christopher Sykes had received a 1000-pound yearly stipend from his brother Tatton. Sykes was the younger son of Sir Tatton Sykes, a popular breeder of thoroughbred race houses. From 1865-1892, he served as a Conservative member of Parliament in the House of Commons where he gave few speeches and became friends with Edward as Prince of Wales. He lavishly entertained the prince at his two homes while Edward made him the butt of his practical jokes and even humiliated him by pouring a decanter of brandy over his hand. Keeping up with the Prince of Wales and his entourage nearly bankrupted Sykes who was forced to sell Brantingham Thorpe and his London home in 1890. When Edward was made aware of his friend's imminent bankruptcy by Sykes' sister-in-law at Marlborough House, the future king helped to arrange that all his friend's obligations were met. Two years later the MP lost his parliamentary seat, but after his death in 1898, Edward installed a tablet to his memory at Westminster Abbey. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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