▁Queen ▁of ▁Pr uss ia ▁and ▁the ▁dece ased ▁Grand ▁Duch ess ▁Natal ia ▁Alex e iev na ▁( Wil helm ina ▁Louis a ▁of ▁H esse - D arm stadt ) ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁first ▁sp ouse ▁of ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁Paul ▁of ▁Russia . ▁Thus , ▁an ▁al liance ▁to ▁Pr uss ia ▁and ▁several ▁German ▁royal ▁houses ▁they ▁were ▁closely ▁related ▁to ▁would ▁be ▁a ▁benef icial ▁outcome . ▁After ▁favor able ▁impress ions , ▁Catherine ▁invited ▁Princess ▁Louise ▁and ▁her ▁younger ▁sister ▁Freder ica , ▁who ▁later ▁became ▁Queen ▁of ▁Sweden , ▁to ▁Russia . ▁In ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 7 9 2 , ▁the ▁two ▁sister s ▁arrived ▁in ▁St . ▁Petersburg . ▁ ▁The ▁Em press ▁was ▁delight ed ▁by ▁Louise , ▁finding ▁her ▁a ▁model ▁of ▁beauty , ▁charm , ▁and ▁hon esty . ▁Louise ▁herself ▁was ▁attract ed ▁to ▁Alexander ; ▁he ▁was ▁tall ▁and ▁hand some . ▁At ▁first , ▁Alexander ▁was ▁sh y ▁with ▁his ▁future ▁b ride ▁— ▁very ▁young ▁and ▁in ex per ien ced , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁know ▁how ▁to ▁treat ▁her ▁— ▁and ▁she ▁mist ook ▁his ▁reserve ▁for ▁dis like . ▁However , ▁the ▁young ▁couple ▁soon ▁grew ▁fond ▁of ▁each ▁other . ▁" You ▁tell ▁me ▁that ▁I ▁hold ▁the ▁happiness ▁of ▁a ▁certain ▁person ▁in ▁my ▁hands ", ▁she ▁wrote ▁to ▁Alexander . ▁" If ▁that ▁is ▁true , ▁then ▁his ▁happiness ▁is ▁assured ▁forever … ▁this ▁person ▁lov es ▁me ▁tender ly