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Lot #239
Kaiser Wilhelm II Autograph Letter Signed on the Death of His Mother, Victoria, Princess Royal

“The void in our family is terrible…especially if one cannot call oneself anymore 'the child’”—intimate letter from the last German Emperor, grieving the death of his beloved mother, Victoria, Princess Royal

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Estimate: $2000+

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Server Time: 3/19/2025 08:54:30 AM EDT
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Description

“The void in our family is terrible…especially if one cannot call oneself anymore 'the child’”—intimate letter from the last German Emperor, grieving the death of his beloved mother, Victoria, Princess Royal

ALS in French, signed “Guillaume,” one black-bordered page, both sides, 5.75 x 4.5, embossed royal stationery card, August 17, 1901. Handwritten letter to famed Parisian aristocrat Elisabeth de Riquet of Caraman-Chimay, expressing his sadness on the death of his mother, Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In part (translated): “It was expected for a long time but the blow which hits us is no less painful. But one must humble the will of God, who called her to be with him. The void in our family is terrible…especially if one cannot call oneself anymore 'the child.’” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original black-bordered mailing envelope, addressed in the hand of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the reverse flap of which contains much of the original black wax seal.

Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa (1840–1901) served as the German Empress and Queen of Prussia as the wife of Frederick III for only a few months; her husband died in 1888, 99 days after his accession. As the eldest child of the British monarch, she was created Princess Royal in 1841 and was briefly heir presumptive until the birth of her younger brother, the future Edward VII. In 1890, the young Kaiser Wilhelm II had dismissed longtime Chancellor Bismarck, assuming direct control over his nation's policies. He then embarked on a bellicose 'New Course' to enhance Germany's status as a leading world power. During his reign, the German Empire acquired new territories in China and the Pacific, as well as became Europe's largest manufacturer.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autographs and Artifacts Featuring Civil War and Abraham Lincoln
  • Dates: March 14, 2025 - April 09, 2025





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