Page:Sketch of the life and character of His Royal Highness the late Duke of York (1).pdf/6

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6 The King, in his speech on the opening of Parl- ament, on the 31st January, 1792, communicat al to both Houses the important change which hal taken place in his family, and invited the Commons to consider of the means of enabling im to keep his engagements with his brother o russia. The House, in consideration of his ma timonial connexion, voted him an annuity o 1.25,000, in addition to his then income o L.12,000. a-year. The marriage of His Royal Highness with fuis amiable Princess took place at Berlin on the 29th of September 1791. On the arrival of the Royal party in England, they were re-married as St James's on the 24th Nov., and on the 230 0 December received at court. The Duchess was nearly four years younger than her husband, in person she was below the ordinary female stature and of an extremely delicate figure; her cont- plexion was fair, her hair light, her eye-lashes long and nearly white, and her eyes blue. By the Duchess His Royal Highness had no issue. From his earliest age His Royal Highness was destined to the profession of arms, the study of which formed an essential part of his education In pursuance of this object, and for the acquire- ment of the French and German languages, he was sent by the late King to the Continent, in the year.1780, and continued abroad until 1787 his established residence during that period being Hanover, from whence he made excursions to various parts of Germany, visiting Vienna, Berlin, and other capitals, and also attending the reviews of the immortal Frederick, and acquiring a minute knowledge of the theory and practice of Prussian tactics, at that period considered the model for the imitation of every military man.