Edward attends requiem for sister

Aigist 11, 1901

King Edward VII arrived in Kronberg today to attend a requiem service for his late sister, Victoria, the Empress Friedrich. Kronberg's streets were lined with throngs of crowds and soldiers, according to the New York Times. The British ambassador, Sir Frank Lascelles, was the first to arrive at the church. He sat down facing the wreath-covered coffin. Opposite him were four soldiers holding the standards of the Empire of Prussia and the Dowager Empress. The congregation included the Dowager empress' youngest surviving brother, the Duke of Connaught, and the Duke of Cambridge. At 4 p.m., a muffled drum roll announced the arrival of Kaiser Wilhelm II and King Edward VII. Wilhelm II escorted Queen Alexandra into the church and Edward followed with the Kaiserin, Auguste Viktoria. Princess Victoria was accompanied by Crown Prince Wilhelm. Their Majesties sat in the pew to the left of the chancel, which was the pew that was used by the Dowager Empress.
Other family members who attended the funeral included Prince Adalbert of Prussia, Prince and Princess Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe, the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Greece and their children, the Grand Duke of Baden, Prince and Princess Karl of Hesse and the Prince Reuss.
"After the last strains of music died away," King Edward and Queen Alexandra placed a wreath upon the coffin. He remained standing in front of the coffin for several moments, and then left the church. Both he and Queen Alexandra were "deeply affected while placing the wreath on the coffin and shed tears."
Edward and his older sister, Victoria, were born a year apart. Victoria was the eldest of Queen Victoria's nine children. She was born November 21, 1840. On January 25, 1858, she was married to the future Emperor Friedrich III. Their eldest son, Wilhelm, is the present Kaiser. The Dowager Empress died at Kronberg on August 5.