AMÉLIE, princesse d'Orléans, reine de Portugal... Lot n° 245

Set of 5 L.A.S.: "Amélie", dated from October 29, 1885 to September 8, 1886, addressed to her aunt Princess Clémentine de Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha (1817-1907), 23 pages, on headed paper from the rue de Varenne (residence of the author's father, the Comte de Paris), the Château d'Eu and her monogram under a crown, text in French, good condition. Paris, undated (late July 1885): "My dear Aunt, by the time this letter reaches you, you will long since have received Papa's dispatch announcing my marriage. My respectful affection for you is so deep, you have always shown me so much kindness, that I cannot help but associate you intimately with the greatest event in my life. I'd like to talk to you at length about what interests me so much. I haven't forgotten how precious your advice and affection have often been to me, and I have only one regret, that of knowing you are so far away from me. I would also like to say that I am very happy with my parents' choice; the Duke de Bragance combines all the serious qualities I so much wished to meet. In marrying him I become your niece once again, but I do not believe that my affection and devotion to you can increase. Would I dare, my dear aunt, to ask you to kindly preserve for me the affection you have shown me so many times and which will always be precious to me. My father has telegraphed all the aunts and uncles, the Emperor and Archduchess Marie. I'll write to Aunt Louise as soon as I have a minute. I would be very grateful if you could, if you have the opportunity, to announce my marriage to Archduchess Elisabeth, whose kindness to me I have not forgotten, to Stephanie, to Marguerite, to Charles-Louis, to Archduke Wilhelm, to the Stephans and if possible to Hilda, to Louis-Victor, not forgetting Archduke Albert; in short, to everyone I have known during my stay in Vienna. I would also like to thank you for your letter of June 29th, which interested and amused me. I was delighted to read about the Hofball in the Tremden Blatt. Aunt Clotilde must have looked superb in her yellow satin toilette. Please, my dear aunt, tell her about me, that I think of her very often and that I would be very happy to see her again. Please announce my marriage to Mariska, whom I haven't seen for a long time, but for whom I still have great affection. Farewell, my dear aunt, please don't forget me with Uncle Ferdinand, telling him that I will respect him doubly from now on, and asking him to always keep his affection for me (...). I am very anxious to announce my marriage to Joseph, for whom I have always had great affection." - October 6, 1885: "(...). I am sure, my dear aunt, that you were also very saddened by the death of our poor king [Alfonso XII of Spain]. It's awful, you think you're dreaming when you think about it. And it happened so fast, so quickly. We had known he was unwell for a long time, but we were far from expecting this terrible blow. Poor Queen Christine [of Spain, born Archduchess of Austria] is to be pitied, what a sad and worrying future. I would be very grateful if when you see Archduchess Elisabeth [mother of Queen Christine of Spain] you would tell her how much I share her pain, I dare not address her directly, but I have not forgotten her kindness to me and my sympathy for her is deep. I hear that two of her sons are currently in Madrid. I learned of Charles-Etienne's marriage to Therese of Tuscany with great astonishment, recalling the conversation that followed lunch at the Palais de Cobourg. Thérèse's knees have probably rounded since then. I hope Archduke Albert is happy! From what Bon-Papa wrote, poor Crista didn't share this satisfaction. Antoine's wedding is set for February 10. My parents are planning to go and I'm thinking of accompanying them. But as everything will be sad (...) I'm sure, my dear aunt, that you're not taking care of him and I'd like to be with you to scold you and force you to be careful. Uncle Gusty has also told you that Uncle Ferdinand has left the Linz garrison. I'm due to spend a few days in Cannes around the 15th of this month. My parents are godparents to the new little Caserta, and Mother has asked me to represent her at the christening. I bid you farewell, my dear aunt, and ask you not to forget me with Uncle Ferdinand. My parents send me their respectful regards for you (...). A thousand regards to the Baroness de Pach". - October 29, 1885: "My dear aunt, I don't want to let the New Year begin without coming to offer you my most tender wishes. Please allow me to