Victoria, who became German empress in 1888, perceived a deficit in Feodora's upbringing and gradually became concerned about the girl's physical appearance and mental development, describing the thirteen-year-old as possessing "sharp pinched features" and an unusually short stature. Feodora also cared little for her studies, preferring instead to discuss fashion. Her grandmother, who placed a high value on education, blamed insufficient parental guidance for the girl's lack of studiousness, commenting that the "atmosphere of her home is not the best for a child of her age... With Charlotte for an example, what else can one expect... Her parents are rarely ever at home or together... She hardly knows what home life is!"