to

her majesty queen alexandra

madam,

your majesty in so readily consenting to accept the dedication of this humble volume, has only added one more to the long list of gracious favours, that i have constantly received at the hands of your majesty, ever since the day on which i was fortunate enough to commence my service, as equerry-in-waiting to the late king edward.

the portion of this book that deals with that period, relates something of the manifold activities of that monarch, and, as regards myself, is the time of my life to which i look back with the greatest pleasure, both on account of the honour it was personally to serve so illustrious a sovereign, and also because of the great and unvarying kindness that was extended to me by my beloved master and the members of his family.

it has been a labour of love to write of those days, and has given me an opportunity of expressing, however inadequately, some of the gratitude that i feel towards those, who made the years that i spent in his majesty’s household, the happiest of my life.

i have the honour to remain, madam,

always your majesty’s devoted servant,

seymour fortescue.