Queen Marie had since her marriage been on terms of warm friendship with the young Duchess's parents and their family. She was pleased at her son's prompt decision. She drove in the early morning hours to the palace of Duke Max and the Duchess Ludovica. Nothing had occurred to prepare the Duke or his wife for what was about to happen, but they were proud at the unexpected offer of marriage. One of their daughters was an empress, [11] they had seen another of their daughters a queen. [12]; now the youngest of them, and the one nearest her mother's heart, would have her place on the throne of Bavaria. The young Duchess, too, gave her consent without hesitation. Eye-witnesses have, however, declared that her face, otherwise so fresh, became exceedingly pale when she promised the Queen-mother to marry her son. At nine o'clock Ludwig himself arrived. An hour later the formal engagement was celebrated. The news, which was rapidly spread through the capital on this morning, became certainty in the evening. On the 22nd of January, 1867, there was given at the Hof Theater a new play by Benedix. The King was present at the performance. After the conclusion of the first act, the Queen-mother came in. She and her son walked across to the ducal box, where Sophie was sitting with her youngest brother, and together they fetched the young girl to the "Imperial box," where she seated herself between the two. There are still alive in Munich elderly persons who remember the memorable night when the Princess walked in on Ludwig's arm, and gracefully bowed to the public. The Duchess was born on the 22nd of February, 1847. She was often to be seen in the Bavarian national costume, which was very becoming to her; and she was considered by many to be better-looking than the Empress Elizabeth, who was celebrated for her beauty. A light blue dress of silk clung this evening to her slender figure. Her hair, which was almost too thick and abundant, was dressed in plaits. Her face was radiant and pure. A pair of unfathomable blue eyes, with dark lashes, looked up at the King. On the 29th of January the engagement was officially announced to the Chamber, which voted an address of congratulation. It concluded with the following words: "May all the blessings which a married life can give grow forth in abundance from the alliance which it is your Majesty's intention to contract, to the happiness of your Majesty, to the prosperity of the royal house, to the blessing of the country!" The deputation was not granted an audience; it had to content itself with congratulating Ludwig and his betrothed on the 6th of February at a court ball.