Victoria Eugenie was close to her grandmother Queen Victoria. She reflected that "having been born and brought up in her home, Queen Victoria was like a second mother to us. She was very kind but very strict, with old fashioned ideas of how children must be brought up." When Victoria Eugenie said, "I think it is time for us to go to bed," Queen Victoria corrected her. "Young woman, a princess should say, 'I think it is time for me to retire. Queen Victoria wrote that "I love these darling children so, almost as much as their own parent" and referred to Victoria Eugenie as "the little treasure."