Kaiser Wilhelm's Address to Queen Victoria

Kaiser Wilhelm's Address to Queen Victoria
by Wilhelm II

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Given in August 1889, while visiting England. Queen Victoria was Wilhelm II's grandmother. Translated in 1904 by Dr. Louis Elkind, for his book "The German Emperor's Speeches" published by Longman Publishing.

123816Kaiser Wilhelm's Address to Queen VictoriaWilhelm II

I beg to express my sincerest thanks that your Majesty has been graciously pleased to accept the position of honorary Colonel of the Royal Prussian Regiment of the 1^st Dragoon Guards. My Army is proud of the fact that, by means of this appointment, it is allowed to number among its officers the Ruler of the greatest naval power in the world. Above all, however, the hearts of the officers and men of your Majesty's regiment beat more proudly at the thought that they belong to a regiment which has the honour of being called The Queen of England's Own.

One reason why I have selected this regiment is because in the course of its history it has won well-earned laurels by its discipline in time of peace and by its heroic conduct in war, this being particularly the case in the last campaign at Mars-la-Tour. A second reason is because it is the only cavalry regiment in the Prussian Army in which my lamented father underwent his training as a cavalry officer.

I do not for one moment doubt that the officers and men of the Prussian Regiment of the 1st Dragoon Guards, The Queen of England's Own, are conscious of the high honour which has been bestowed upon them, and that they will at all times make every effort to continue to be worthy of it.