[Gutenberg 51290] • Memories of the Kaiser's Court

MEMORIES THE KAISERS COURT ANNE TOPHAM WITH BIXTBKN Il UBTXtATXONB NEW DODD f MEAD AND COMPANY 1914 1114 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE L ARRIVAL AT THE PRUSSIAN COURT . . I II. HOMBURG-VOR-DER-HOHE .... 22 III. THE NEW PALACE 46 IV. DIVERSIONS OF THE KAISERS DAUGHTER . 66 V. CHRISTMAS AT COURT .... 88 VI, BERLIN SCHLOSS 110 VIL DONAU-ESCHINGEN AND METZ . . .129 VIII. EDUCATION 149 IX, THE BAUERN-HAUS AND SCHRIPPEN-FEST . 163 X. ROYAL WEDDINGS 184 XL WILHELMSI10HE. . . t . XIL CADINEN XIIL ROMINTEN 243 XIV, THE KAISER AND KAISERIN . . . 262 XV, CONCLUSION 282 INDEX 305 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE GERMAN EMPEROR IN ENGLISH ADMIRALS UNIFORM. Photo, E. Bleber, Berlin. FACING PAOft THE KAISERS DAUGHTER, PRINCESS VICTORIA LOUISE NOW DUCHESS OF BRUNSWICK AT THE AGE OF NINE 16 Photo, T. H. Volgt, Homburg. AUGUSTA VICTORIA, GERMAN EMPRESS, WITH HBR DAUGHTER 26 Photo, Sandau, Berlin. THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS WITH MEMBERS OF THBX FAMILY, TAKEN AT THE NEW PALACB, WILDPARK . 56 Photo, Sdk aad Kunt e Potsdam. THE MARMOR PALAIS, HEAR POTSPAM . 68 Photo, Neue Photographisch. Gefidltedteft, Berlin THE KAISER AND HIS Two ELDEST GRANDSONS, PRIKCSS WlLHELM AND LOUIS FER0INAN0 OF PRUSSIA Photo, SeUe and Kuntw, Potsdam. THte EMPBROR AND EMPRESS, THEIR DAXTOHTBR AN TIB THREE SONS OF THE CROWN PRINCE ., 123 Photo Sdle and Kluntue, Potsdam. THE KAISERS HUNTING-LODGE AX ROMINTEN, E4St PRUSSIA, 4Si THE CROWN PRINCE AND HIS HEIR, PRINCE WILIIELM 156 Photo, SeHe and Kuntce, Potsdam, THE KAISER AND HIS ELDEST GRANDSON . 172 Photo, SeUe and Ktintaie, Potsdam. THE BRIDAL CARRIAGE, USED AT THE STATE ENTRY INTO BERLIN OF ALL ROYAL BRIDES, . . .190 Photo, Franz Kiiliu, Berlin. DlNING-HALL AT ROMXNTEN, HUNG WITH TROPHIES FALLEN TOTHE EMPERORS GUN 222 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii FACING PAGE THE KAISER EXAMINING ANTLERS, BEHIND HIM STANDS PRINCE DOHNA OF SCHLOBITTEN, . . .250 Photo, A. Topham. THE CROWN PRINCE AND PRINCESS WITH THEIR FOUR SONS, PRINCES WILHELM, Louis FERDINAND, HUBERTUS, AND FRIBDRICH . . . . . . 280 Photo, . Bieber, Berlin. THE PMPERORS DAUGHTER, TAKEN ON THE DAY WHEN SHE WAS MADE COLONEL OF THE DEATHS HEAD HUSSARS 298 Photo, A. Topliam. THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BRUNSWICK . . . 302 Photo, T. H. Voigt, Frankfort, MEMORIES OF THE KAISERS COURT CHAPTER 1 ARRIVAL AT THE PRUSSIAN COURT TOWARDS the middle of August 1902, or a very hot, dusty, suffocating day, I was travelling, the prey of various apprehen sions, to the town of Homburg-vor-der-Hohe where the Prussian Court was at that time ir temporary residence. Thither 1 had been summoned, to join it in the capacity of resident English teacher to the young nine-year-old Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia, only daughter of the Emperor and Empress ol Germany. A stonny night-passage of eight hours on the North Sea, followed by a long train-journey through stifling heat lasting till five oclock in the afternoon, naturally affects any ones spiritual buoyancy, and it was with a distinct feeling oi digression that I at last descended from the train on to the platform of Homburg station, I confidently rxpcdnd that a carriage would be wailing for me, but nothing in the least re 2 MEMORIES OF THE KAISERS COUHT sembling a royal equipage is to be seen. There is only a row of those shabby, time-worn, open droschkies, harnessed to attenuated, weary-look ing horses, which, even since the advent of the taxi into the social conditions of the Father land, still maintaina precarious, struggling exist ence in most German towns. I am a helpless stranger, with a very limited knowledge of the German language as applied to porters and cabmen, and consequently very much at the mercy of these functionaries, As my luggage is plainly addressed to the Konigliches Schloss the group of officials who surround me, all talking together in strident tones, are most anxious that I should get there as soon as possible...