o the
practice.]

[Pageheading: THE SPANISH MARRIAGE]

_The Prince Albert to Lord Aberdeen._

_20th July 1843._

MY DEAR LORD ABERDEEN,--The Queen and myself have been taken much
by surprise by Lord Howard de Walden's despatch marked "most
confidential." The opinions of the Portuguese Court must have entirely
changed. Although we have not heard anything on the subject, we are
fully convinced of the correctness of Lord Howard's statements and of
his conjectures. We are both pleased to see the view which he takes,
and the good opinion he has of our little cousin. The Queen thinks
it right that you should inform Lord Howard that the possibility of a
marriage between Prince Leopold[50] and the Queen of Spain has been
for some time a favourite thought of hers and mine, and that you
thought that this combination had some advantages which hardly any
other could offer. But that the matter had been and was treated here
as one purely and solely Spanish, in which we carefully abstained from
interfering with, and that we leave it to work itself out or not by its
own merit.

That you wished him to take the same view, but not to lose sight
of it, and to report to you whatever he might hear bearing upon the
subject. Believe me, etc.,

ALBERT.

[Footnote 50: Son of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, and
brother of the King of Portugal. See _ante_, p. 378, and
_post_, p. 486. (Ch. XI, Footnote 11; Ch. XII, 'The Spanish Marriage')]

_Queen Victoria to the Duchess of Norfolk._

DEAR DUCHESS,--I write to inform you that I have named your
successor,[51] who is to be Lady Douro.[52] The great regret
I experience at your leaving me is certainly diminished by the
arrangement which we have agreed upon together, and which will still
afford me the pleasure of having you occasionally about me. I trust
that the Duke's health will admit of your taking your waiting in
September, but think it right to tell you that we shall probably at
that time be making some aquatic excursions in our new yacht, and
consequently be from home the greater part of your waiting.

With the Prince's best regards to yourself, and mine to the Duke,
believe me, always, yours very affectionately,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 51: As Bedchamber Woman.]

[Footnote 52: Elizabeth, daughter of the eighth Marquis of
Tweeddale, afterwards Duchess of Wellington. She died in
1904.]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._