Romantic front cover engraving from 'The Graphic' showing Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, skating with his bride, the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia. The Prince travelled to St. Petersburg for the wedding which was held at the Winter Palace on January 23rd 1874. This picture is accompaned by a poem; 'Smoothly as the ice track bears them, Smooth may glide their future life, While two empires' love declares them, Happy Prince and Happy Wife!' Although the wedding was celebrated and reported in great detail by the ILN papers, in reality, Queen Victoria had reservations about a union with the Russian royal family and the Duchess, who was used to the splendour of the Russian court, was considered haughty by London society.