You just struck a very old faded memory, something is coming back to me regarding Princess Victoria, but I must have been very young at the time. Was there a rumour at some time that she was "professing?" Was there any truth in this?

Also, while on the subject of connections in high places, I also once heard that Elvis Presley's aunt professed! Anyone heard this one??? 1/97 Elizabeth Coleman

I also heard something about Elvis and the "Truth." It was about how he knew it from a young school friend or something and rejected it. I really do not remember the whole story, but it is interesting that fragments of it were repeated half way around the world. I would be interested if anyone knows about this also. 1/97 Roger Stip

I spent a lot of time researching Princess Victoria at the UC Berkeley library years ago (not that any history books said a word about her and the2x2's). I've also got copies of 30 or so of her letters in her own handwriting to the workers, including to Cooney, plus a couple of old accounts from England about her involvement with the "Truth", which may or may not be totally reliable.

She was the daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Her brother became King George V, the grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II. She had two sisters, Louise and Maud (who became Queen of Norway). She was a cousin of both Nicholas and Alexandra of Russia (the last czar and czarina), and was related in some fashion or other to nearly all the royals of Europe. She never got married; she had two suitors she liked, but was forbidden to marry either (not royal enough). During a court ball when she was in her 20's, she tripped on her gown while dancing and hurt her back to such an extent that she never again had to take part in palace dances, which must have been convenient after she professed. She and her brother King George were very close and she called him every day of her life. She died in 1935, and he died a few months after.

There was a professing serving girl in Buckingham Palace, Daisy Bassett, who often did the hairdressing of both Victoria and her mother Queen Alexandra (of Denmark). She had plenty of time to talk with Victoria, and got her interested to such an extent that the princess would often go out into Hyde Park in a carriage with drawn drapes to hear the workers speak -- apparently they had open-air meetings there (at Speaker's Corner, I wonder?) The workers knew who it was, because sometimes she would have a letter passed over to Cooney, whom she referred to as "the man of God". She never actually got to go to any regular meetings, though in some of her letters she speaks about how much she hopes she will get permission to go to a convention in Ireland, where she wouldn't attract so much attention. She never got to, though -- after all, one of the titles of royalty is "Defender of the Faith", so it would have been scandalous if rumors were spread that a princess had left the Church of England.

Anyway, Princess Victoria had a sad, lonely, and rather empty life in spite of her royalty. Her mother wanted her in constant attendance, and wouldn't let her have a life of her own. A worker said she was like a sponge, wanting to soak up everything they said. She was 49 when she first met the workers, and is definitely considered to have professed, though she never did so formally in a meeting. After the palace officials found out about her interest in this new religion, they tried to put a stop to her correspondence with the workers (Ed Cooney, Maggie Patton, and Emily Rudell) which had gone on for three years. Poor Daisy, the servant girl, was accused of being a spy, a very serious charge (this was during WW1) and was frequently called in before the palace council, was trailed by Scotland Yard, and even was warned by the Archbishop of Canterbury not to go to meetings. She eventually had a nervous breakdown from all the harassment and died. The princess lost contact with everyone soon after that. The stories that she was banished don't seem to be true though -- one of my accounts says she had to go live in seclusion in a castle on the Isle of Wight, but I haven't seen any evidence of that in history books. After her mother died, when Victoria was 57, she was finally able to leave the Palace, and retired to a country estate, TheCoppins. She wrote letters to workers from there also, but they are lost. She died about 10 years later -- "Abide with Me" was sung at her funeral. She was well liked by the people, though they saw little of her. She was known for her generosity and charity, though she had also had the reputationin the palace of being a sour old maid (understandable). The newspaper said there was a great crowd of people outside the church where the funeral was held -- I wonder if some were Friends?

Her letters contain many spiritual thoughts, but also speak of discouragement and fear -- at the end of one short one, she says "I write under difficulties." She usually used symbols instead of Daisy or Cooney's names, to protect them. Sometimes apparently letters from the workers never reached her after Daisy could no longer sneak them in, though she continued to write out. She tells of how she had permission to go to some meetings if she waited 6 months. She literally counted the days in her letters: "I am to come to the meetings in 5 and a half months" etc. But she never got to go, and neither could she go to the Irish convention. She always signed herletters "VW" , which stood for Victoria, Princess of Wales.

As for other royalty: once when the present Queen Elizabeth was in some town in Germany, the British citizens living there were invited to a banquet in her honor. A sister worker, Jean Mansfield, went and was able to spend some time talking to her about the work there. Also, the Queen Mother often used to go visit a country store near the royal castle Balmoral in Scotland run by an ex-sister worker. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands is also known to have talked for some time to a professing man -- he was a boat captain, and was put in charge of touring her around once to view some great flood damage. She asked him how he got the courage to go out on the stormy seas, so that was his opening to tell her about his belief.

As for the Elvis question, even though my sister and mother said they never heard anything about it, I have for years. Supposedly it was his grandmother in Tennessee who was professing. But since my Mom is from Elvis's home town and my aunt went to high school with him, I'm sure if there was any truth to the rumor we would have heard something definite. Besides, I went to convention for 20 years in the southern states and never met the lady or knew anybody else who ever had either.

Other notable people or events with 2x2 connections (rumors maybe): someone said Billy Graham had sat next to a worker on a plane and they had talked at length to each other. Rita Hayworth is said to have had some connection or other, I have no idea what. The Lockerbie plane crash landed in some professing people's field. And Charlie Goodnight, the notorious Texas rancher/cattle baron/gangster/murderer actually professed; I heard that first-hand from the worker he professed through, Melvin Leen in California. He told me that when someone asked him once about his new religion, old Charlie said, "I don't know what they call this church, but it's a damn good one." 1/97 Galen

RE Princess Victoria - TTT, PO BOX 620343, Oklahoma City, OK 73162-0343 distributes the letters Princess Victoria wrote the sister workers and the various accounts of her learning about "the truth." Item #111 is $3.00 which includes shipping in USA. (Additional cost for shipping to other countries.)

In regard to your post about famous people professing I have heard the Elvis Aunt story many times.

Also that members of Johnny Cash's band joined the truth.

One of the members from the Band Chicago spent the sometime with Eldon Tenniswood’s niece in a snow storm and recognized the Truth as the only way.

Have also heard rumors that many others have had connections with the truth thru their families.... 1/97

I'd always heard things about Billy Graham & the 2x2s. It was always more along that line that he KNEW this was the right way. I also had heard things about Johnny Cash attending gospel mtgs. or some such. Also I seem to remember something about former Vice President Hubert Humphrey & some connection to meeting. I think I also heard some rumors about Elvis. I guess the thing that really catches in my throat about this whole thing is sorta like the prayers we used to hear about being SO VERY thankful that we alone were in the ONLY right way & the prayers we prayed for those just wandering this dark world seeking the light that we so fortunately had!! I guess we've all known some very miserable people who were very troubled & in despair about all sorts of things. But how many well-adjusted, happy, normal Christian friends & neighbors did we know while we professed? It really bugs me to think I was hoodwinked to believe this all those years. 1/97 Joetta

Yes I can recall my mother telling a story about Billy Graham - some worker spoke to him and he said something like - he wouldn't be able to live like that. 1/97 NZ

I believe you posted something about the Johnny Cash thing. First of all the man was NOT a member of Johnny's band. His name was Gene Pierson from Jacksonville, Illinois. Gene's connection with Johnny Cash was. . . he was a fan and somehow did some autobody work on Johnny's limos. When Gene heard the "truth" he was convinced that Johnny would come to meeting. In the past Gene and Johnny had had many conversations about God and religion etc. Both were not impressed with "the churches". Well, Johnny was not interested when Gene went to visit. Yes, Gene did have a guitar from Johnny and they played together in Johnny's home. But he was not a band member. Isn't it funny how stories get started??!!!! 2/97 Anonymous