MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN—MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS ALICE. (Hansard, 3 May 1861)

§ EARL GRANVILLE

My Lords, I rise for the purpose of moving an Address to Her Majesty in reply to Her Majesty's gracious Message. All matters connected with the provision for her Royal Highness which Parliament may think fit to make on further consideration of the Royal Message will be brought before your Lordships in a Bill for the purpose. I will now move your Lordships to agree in an answer to the gracious Message just received. Many of your Lordships are acquainted with the Princess Alice personally, 1477 and are aware that her mental and moral qualities are such as are calculated to ensure to her Royal Highness that domestic happiness which has fallen in so eminent a degree to the lot of her illustrious Mother and to her sister. My Lords, I think your Lordships will be pleased to be reminded that among the first of those Princes who came forward to maintain the cause of the Reformation was an ancestor of Prince Louis of Hesse. I am sure that your Lordships will willingly agree to this Address, because any matter connected with the domestic happiness of Her Majesty and her family will always be a matter of peculiar interest to your Lordships; and that you will the more concur in the present Address of congratulation and concurrence on consideration of the melancholy occasion on which your Lordships last presented an Address to Her Majesty. The noble Earl then moved— That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, to return Her Majesty the Thanks of the House for Her most gracious Communication of the intended Marriage between Her Royal Highness The Princess Alice and His Grand Ducal Highness Prince Louis of Hesse, to express their Satisfaction at the Prospect of an Alliance which they doubt not will contribute to the Happiness of Her Majesty, and of Her Royal Highness, and to assure Her Majesty that the House will immediately proceed to the Consideration of Her Majesty's gracious Message in such a Manner as shall demonstrate the Zeal, Duty, and affectionate Attachment of this House to Her Majesty, a just sense of the Virtues and Merits of Her Royal Highness, and a due Regard to the Dignity of the Royal Family.

§ THE EARL OF DERBY

My Lords, I am convinced from the deep interest which your Lordships feel in everything that concerns the happiness of Her Majesty and the Royal Family that your Lordships will agree to the Address now proposed with the same unanimous assent, but with a much greater degree of satisfaction than you recently gave to an Address which you have lately presented to Her Majesty on a recent melancholy occasion. My Lords, the intended marriage just announced may not be one of so brilliant a character as that contracted by the eldest sister of the Royal Princess, but it was founded, as my noble Friend has truly said on the best of all securities for wedded happiness—an intimate personal acquaintance between the parties and a mutual affection and esteem. I sincerely trust that this marriage will be productive, both to the illustrious Princess and her consort, of the same happiness which has been for so many years enjoyed by Her Majesty, and 1478 which I believe is also enjoyed by her eldest daughter. I am quite satisfied that your Lordships will cheerfully concur in making such provision for the Princess and her consort as the other House may think fit to vote; and I have no doubt that the other House would act with due and proper liberality on this occasion. I have only to express my hope (which I am sure will gratify my noble Friend), that the provision made by the other House will not in the slightest degree disarrange the Budget of the Chancellor of the Exchequer or add to the financial difficulties of the country. Your Lordships will, I am certain, cordially concur in any proposal that may come from the House of Commons, and I beg heartily to second the Motion.