'My dear Sir Robert, I write to you on a matter in respect to which I cannot but take a strong personal interest, after the communication upon it with which I have been honoured by the Queen. In the course of an audience of Her Majesty yesterday, Her Majesty spoke to me of the position in Austria, and particularly in society at Vienna, of her uncle the Duke Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg. I have no doubt that Aberdeen will write to you upon this subject, but I must add to his my own earnest request that you must use whatever influence you can, as the Queen's representative at the Court of Vienna, to procure for the Duke that position and that respect to which I cannot but feel that he is entitled, as well from his own character and personal pretensions as from the relation in which he stands to the Queen and to Prince Albert. Surely it would be right to treat him not as a Hungarian nobleman, but as the uncle of the Queen of England. Whatever be the ordinary usages and rules of etiquette of the Court of Vienna or the society of Vienna, which probably is mainly influenced by the example of the court, the special relation of the Duke Ferdinand to the Queen might, I should hope, without creating any embarrassing precedent, justify an exception from the ordinary observances. The Queen, very naturally and very justly, feels warmly upon this point. Pray do all that you can, both through your influence with Prince Metternich, and above all by the example of your own conduct towards the Prince and deference and respect for him on all public occasions, to effect the object which Her Majesty has in view. From the constant assurances which I have received from Prince Metternich of his friendly feeling and personal regard for me, and from my conviction of their sincerity - I have on my part feelings towards him which I have not towards any other public man in Europe to whom I am personally a stranger and you may say to him that I shall be personally obliged by his kind attention to this subject. You may say to him also that if any distinguished foreigner were here, standing towards the Emperor of Austria in a relation similar to that in which the Duke Ferdinand stands towards the Queen, the court of London and the whole society of London would, with the utmost satisfaction, waive all ordinary rules of precedency, and mark their sincere and cordial respect for the Emperor by every degree of personal attention and deference to a relative. Believe me, my dear Sir Robert, Most faithfully yours, Robert Peel' 7 sided. Size is 230mm x 180mm. Condition is quite good. Light folding creases and light age toning.