A watercolour composition study for Chevalier's large oil painting of the wedding ceremony of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess Marie, daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia (see RCIN 404476): in three sections (main picture plus two small inserts with figures).The three parts of the service that are captured followed the betrothal ceremony, with the entrance of the bride and groom, and the exchange of rings explained with the addition of two flaps labelled ‘1st and 3rd part of ceremony’: they were the ‘crowning’ (when nuptial crowns were held over the heads of the bride and groom by the groomsmen, Prince Arthur and Grand Dukes Alexei, Vladimir and Sergei, brothers of the groom and bride); the procession around the Analogion (Gospel lectern) and the blessing at the end of the ceremony. Signed and dated

This watercolour of the Orthodox Ceremony in the Palace Cathedral of the Winter Palace was sent by the Duke of Edinburgh to his mother, Queen Victoria, on 28 January 1874: ‘I hope to be able to send with this by tomorrow’s messenger two sketches by Chevalier & in one of the Greek ceremony, by using the little additional strips you will be able to follow the different parts of the service.’ The Queen received the watercolours on 2 February and recorded in her diary: ‘Endless letters including another from Augusta S. & one from Affie, who sent me 2 very clever little sketches by Chevalier of the 2 marriages’.

Part of the protracted negotiations for the marriage contract involved matters of faith, and the Grand Duchess being able to continue the practice of her Orthodox faith, the faith of any children and the marriage ceremonies. As a result, two services, one Orthodox and one Anglican, were performed. For the Anglican service, a temporary chapel was created in the Alexander Hall of the Winter Palace, and the service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster (see RCIN 920785). In advance, he promoted the idea that, for the marriage to be legally valid under the terms of the Royal Marriages Act, the Anglican chapel in the Winter Palace had to be temporarily declared to be British sovereign territory. This view was rejected by Lord Selborne (1812–95), the Lord Chancellor, who reminded the Lord Chamberlain that a legal marriage contracted under foreign law was valid in the United Kingdom and, as such, as the marriage was legal in Russia, so it was in Britain.

The services were described by the ambassador: 'The Greek service was performed with its impressive effect; the deep tone of the choir, the thrilling force of the chorus, the magnificent dress and jewelled ornaments of the priesthood [...] gave an imposing and solemn effect to the ceremony. After the termination of the Greek Service the procession moved to the Salle [...] for the performance of the Anglican Ritual.' (The National Archives, FO 83/834)

Text adapted from Russia, Royalty & the Romanovs, London, 2018