The Engagement
Waldemar had just resolved Sophie’s marriage issue when he encountered a new problem.
“Your Highness. When will I be able to receive the engagement ring?”
Alix had expressed her wish to receive a ring after witnessing Sophie’s engagement to Ruprecht of Bavaria.
Waldemar answered that it would be after his debut in high society.
In fact, the engagement ceremony was essentially the same as a debut in high society, and Waldemar had no desire to host such a grand event.
Alix showed her disappointment in letters several times after Waldemar rejected her request.
“Then I’ll have to wait for a very long time.”
“Alix, you’re still young.”
“Being young is not a reason. Everyone already knows me as Your Highness’s wife.”
Alix was uneasy about not having an official title, even though she was known as Waldemar’s wife.
She was confident in Waldemar’s affection, but marriage required more than love.
It needed politics, family ties, and luck.
Alix wanted to firmly secure their relationship before external circumstances could become variables.
“Alix, let’s take a moment to think calmly. Engaging at a good time with everyone’s congratulations isn’t bad at all.”
“What if the situation changes? Then what do I do?”
Alix wanted the future guaranteed like Sophie’s marriage.
Seeing that Alix had no intention of backing down, Waldemar proposed a compromise.
“Then, let’s skip the grand event.”
Waldemar suggested holding a simple family ceremony instead of an engagement ball or formalizing it.
This level was acceptable for Waldemar to bear.
“As long as I can have the engagement, I’m fine with that.”
Alix was ready to be satisfied with just the engagement ceremony.
What was important to her was the certainty of their future, not a grand event.
In early May 1886, Waldemar visited Hesse with the Crown Prince’s couple, Wilhelm, excluding the siblings.
From Hesse, Princess Elisabeth who had married, her husband Sergei Grand Duke, Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Louis of Battenberg, and others all attended.
The ceremony was held as planned in a simple meal setting.
Amid all the family watching, Waldemar stepped forward and announced the fact of his engagement to Alix.
“Dear family members, today I would like to inform you that I have decided to take Alix as my future wife.”
Waldemar turned and approached Alix, kneeling.
“My reason has lost its light before your beauty, Alix. My heart has been yours since long ago. From this oath today, I wish to share my life and dreams with you. Beloved Alix, my goddess, will you accept my oath?”
Alix covered her mouth for a moment at Waldemar’s exaggerated proposal.
Her face, which was already snow-white, had turned bright red.
“Alix, you need to answer.”
Princess Elisabeth encouraged her, and the other sisters chimed in with a few words.
Under their urging, Alix nodded shyly after a long time and expressed her acceptance.
“I will gladly accept Your Highness’s oath. Because I believe in the warm affection and devotion you have shown. So, I will also swear to you. From this moment, Alix will only think of you, devote her love only to you, and become your companion, only for you.”
When Waldemar extended his hand, Alix took his arm and linked it with his.
At that moment, they became true betrothed.
The attendees laughed and exchanged jokes.
“Sis, how does it feel to be an adult now?”
“Sis, you still need to be teased a bit before accepting. It’s too easy.”
Waldemar, with Alix’s arm linked, responded to the jokes in place of the fiancée.
Alix felt warmth from Waldemar’s actions.
My betrothed is, as expected, loving me.
After swearing their marriage, Waldemar and Alix exchanged the prepared rings and mementos.
Waldemar gave one of the matching rings, and Alix gave a valuable gold pocket watch.
The family watched the scene with delight.
“Congratulations, Waldi.”
“Congratulations, Sis.”
“Thank you.”
They walked around thanking the family who attended while linked arm in arm.
Since it was an informal ceremony without fixed procedures.
They danced lightly to celebrate the engagement at the meal table.
Both Waldemar and Alix had learned dancing through education and were not complete beginners.
While the two young people danced, the family watched, sipping their drinks.
“Shall we dance a song too?”
Prince Heinrich did not refuse Princess Irene’s suggestion.
“If Her Highness desires.”
Heinrich took Princess Irene’s hand and joined the stage.
“What about us?”
In the end, after a few more pairs danced, the engagement party ended with a simple ball.
After dancing, both Alix and Waldemar were drenched in sweat.
“You seem to have gotten too excited.”
Alix said with an excited expression.
“Sometimes you need days like this.”
Alix wanted to dance one more song, but Waldemar thought it was not allowed.
Her dress was already soaked with sweat, so Alix had to change clothes.
“Look at your outfit now.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Alix realize her state and hide behind Waldemar.
When Waldemar gave a signal, Alix’s maid noticed and covered Alix with her own body, taking her to another room.
Princess Victoria, the Crown Princess, who had been watching the people dancing happily, noticed Alix’s absence and looked puzzled.
“Where has your fiancée gone?”
“She went to change clothes for a moment.”
Only then did the Crown Princess understand the situation and laugh.
“How do you feel after becoming engaged to Alix?”
“Of course, happy.”
Waldemar gave a perfect answer.
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“Thanks to Mother supporting your relationship with Alix.”
“Yes.”
The Crown Princess recalled the moment she had rejected Wilhelm and Elisabeth’s relationship.
If she had allowed their relationship then, would her son’s relationship have turned out like this?
She unconsciously bit her lip.
Alix soon returned in new clothes.
She naturally linked arms with him and walked around talking with the family.
The one who had the most conversations was Alix’s father, Ludwig IV of Hesse.
Ludwig IV did not demand much from Waldemar.
“Don’t make Alix cry in the future.”
It seemed easy, but it was a very difficult request.
Alix was a girl who could shed tears with just one letter due to her rich emotions.
In reality, but Waldemar’s answer was predetermined.
“I will definitely do so. Your Highness.”
“Prince, now you should call me father-in-law.”
“Yes, father-in-law.”
Waldemar also heard one word from Ernst of Hesse.
“Now our sister has no one to take except Your Highness. Since you have brought Alix here, you must take full responsibility till the end.”
“I promise.”
“Good. I trust Your Highness’s credit and entrust my sister to you.”
Alix blushed every time the family passed words to Waldemar without saying a word.
But she had heard all the conversations.
Those promises, the words of love given for the engagement.
Alix felt as if her heart would burst at any moment.
Happy.
The engagement ceremony ended as dawn approached.
Since this engagement was not an official event, the Hohenzollerns left Darmstadt the next morning.
Waldemar also bid farewell to the fiancée among the departing family.
Alix answered with a hug instead of words.
“Then, I’ll wait until Your Highness comes back again.”
“Okay.”
The next day after the Hohenzollerns returned to Berlin, the Hesse and Hohenzollern families announced the engagement of Waldemar and Alix through the regional newspapers of Berlin and Hesse.
This news spread quickly to the German high society.
“Even though I thought we’d wait a few more years, I was worried that the prince might lose his fiancée.”
“I wonder. I’m curious how Alix Princess looked that made the prince so flustered.”
Noblewomen came up with countless speculations about Alix’s beauty, who had tied the prince to her life at a young age.
Some said Alix was a tremendous beauty like Maria Theresa, and others said the prince’s taste was unique.
Due to the speculations they poured out, an event that couldn’t be laughed at occurred.
It was because someone who heard about Alix’s beauty broke into the Darmstadt Palace in Hesse.
The intruder, caught by the security, explained that he had just broken into the palace out of curiosity about Alix’s appearance, and had no intention of harming anyone or stealing things.
“Really. I just came to see Princess Alix.”
“You’re spouting nonsense.”
A noble princess of the House of Battenberg would show her face to a vagabond she had never seen before?
The Hesse side handled the problem by quietly sending the vagabond away, fearing that it might become a scandal.
Thanks to this incident, Alix began to have many more people following her than her other siblings in Hesse.
Waldemar also experienced an unexpected event.
The day after Waldemar held the engagement ceremony, he received a gift from Wilhelm II.
Wilhelm II had not attended the engagement ceremony because he didn’t want to use the same dining table as Victoria, the Crown Princess, but he hadn’t completely ignored his younger brother’s significant life event.
The gift Wilhelm II sent was a thick envelope.
“10,000 marks?”
Considering that a worker’s salary was around 40 to 60 marks, it was definitely not a small amount.
Does this mean to buy a jewel with it?
Waldemar was a little surprised by his brother’s goodwill.
In the past, he wouldn’t have done such formal actions.
Has something changed in his thinking? Or has he been listening to my actions through the conservatives?
Either way, it seemed that Bill’s thoughts about him were different from before.
Waldemar put the envelope his brother gave into his pocket.
I will remember the goodwill.
Of course, only for 10,000 marks worth.
Waldemar sent his thanks to Bill for 10,000 marks worth.