Queen Victoria (11 page)

Up to this time her mother had been the Queen’s constant companion. But on the 13th of April Her Royal Highness removed to Ingestre House, Belgrave Square. Here the Duchess lived till after the death of the Princess Augusta, when she moved to Clarence House, St. James’s, which for the rest of her life was her London home. At the same time Frogmore House, which became vacant from the same cause, was also assigned to the Duchess, who, when the Court was at Windsor, came over almost daily to lunch or dine with the Queen.

Easter, 1840, was spent at Windsor, and for the first time the Queen and Prince received the Sacrament together in St. George’s Chapel. “The Prince,” the Queen says, “had a very strong feeling about the solemnity of this act, and did not like to appear in company either the evening before or on the day on which he took it, and he and the Queen almost always dined alone on these occasions.” The Queen notes this strong feeling on the part of the Prince more than once in her Journal for 1840 and 1841. On another occasion a few months later, about Christmas time, when they again took the Sacrament in the private chapel at Windsor, she says, “We two dined together, as Albert likes being quite alone before he takes the Sacrament; we played part of Mozart’s Requiem, and then he read to me out of the
Stundeti
der
Andacht
(Hours of Devotion) the article on
Selbsterkenntniss
(Self-knowledge).”

On the 23rd of May, the Queen and Prince went to Claremont to keep Her Majesty’s birthday in private. This continued to be the Queen’s custom till 1848, when Claremont was given up to the exiled royal family of France. In later years the birthday was passed at Osborne, but since 1861 the Queen has usually spent the day at Balmoral.

On the 10th of June, 1840, an event occurred which created intense excitement throughout the country. While the Queen and Prince were driving in the afternoon along Constitution Hill on their way to Hyde Park, a young man named Edward Oxford advanced within a few yards of the carriage, and fired a pistol at the Queen. He missed his aim, but, as the carriage proceeded on its way, the would-be assassin called out, “I have another,” and discharged a second pistol, again without effect. The Queen’s first thought was for her mother, and changing her route to Belgrave Square, the Duchess of Kent heard of the attempt and of her daughter’s safety at the same moment.

On leaving Ingestre House and driving through the Park on their return to the Palace, the Queen and the Prince were received by an immense crowd, which had collected on hearing-the news, with enthusiastic demonstration of loyalty and rejoicing at the escape of their sovereign. The trial of Oxford for high treason was held in the Central Criminal Court on the 8th of July. The jury returned the verdict of “Not guilty on the ground of insanity,” and the prisoner was therefore ordered to be detained during Her Majesty’s pleasure. After thirty-five years’ imprisonment at Bedlam and Dartmoor he was released on condition that he would emigrate to Australia.

About the same time, the prospect of an heir to the throne rendered it expedient to provide for the possibilities of the death of the Queen, and of a prolonged minority. The question of a Regency had therefore to be considered. The Queen in her Journal says: “A Council of Regency was first suggested; but when Lord Melbourne spoke to the Duke of Wellington, he immediately answered for himself, ‘that it could and ought to be nobody but the Prince.’” A Bill for the purpose was brought in and passed with only one dissentient voice, that of the Duke of Sussex. On the 2nd of August the Prince writes: “The Regency Bill has passed safely through all its stages, and is now conclusively settled… It is very gratifying that not a single voice was raised in opposition in either House, or in any one of the newspapers.” And this was more gratifying, as Lord Melbourne told the Queen it was entirely owing to the golden opinions the Prince had won everywhere since his arrival. “Three months ago,” Lord Melbourne said to the Queen, “they would not have done it for him”; adding, the Queen writes in her Journal, “with tears in his eyes, ‘it is entirely his own character.’”

On the 11th of August the Queen prorogued Parliament in person, and next day the Court left London for Windsor, where the Queen and Prince received the King and Queen of the Belgians, the Princess Hohenlohe and her children, and Queen Adelaide. A short visit was paid in September to Claremont at the time of the death of the Princess Augusta, in order to be away at the time of Her Royal Highness’ funeral, which, on account of the Queen’s health, the Prince could not attend.

On the 13th of November, 1840, the Court returned to Buckingham Palace, and there, on the 21st, the Queen’s first-born saw the light. In a letter to his father, on the 23rd, the Prince writes: “The little one is very well and very merry… I should certainly have liked it better if she had had a son, as would Victoria also; but, at the same time, we must be equally satisfied and thankful as it is. The rejoicing in the public is universal.”

“For a moment only,” the Queen says, “was he disappointed at its being a daughter, and not a son. His first thought was for the safety of the Queen, and during the time she was laid up, his care and devotion were quite beyond expression.”

During the Queen’s illness the Prince, who, in the previous September, had been introduced into the Privy Council, saw the ministers, and transacted all necessary business for her. From the very first, the Queen, on the advice of Lord Melbourne, had communicated all despatches on foreign affairs to the Prince, who, writing to his father, says, “I think I have already done some good. I always commit my views to paper, and then communicate them to Lord Melbourne. He seldom answers me, but I have often had the satisfaction of seeing him act entirely in accordance with what I have said.” Again, in 1841, when the Eastern Question was approaching a crisis, the Prince writes; “I study the politics of the day with great industry. I speak quite openly with the Ministers on all subjects, so as to gain information… And I endeavour quietly to be of as much use to Victoria in her position as I can.” The Prince had, in fact, already qualified himself to render the Queen invaluable service in the political crisis that was now rapidly approaching. On the 23rd of June, 1841, Parliament had been dissolved. But the elections went against the Government, who, on August the 28th, were defeated in the new Parliament by a majority of 91, in the debate on the Address. Two days later the Ministry resigned. In thus resigning, Lord Melbourne had the consolation of feeling that he left a devoted, sagacious, and permanent counsellor at the Queen’s side. “For four years,” he said, “I have seen you every day; but it is so different now to what it would have been in 1839. The Prince understands everything so well, and has a clever, able head.” The Queen, as she records in her Journal, saw Lord Melbourne before he left the Castle, and was much affected in taking leave of him. “You will find,” he said, “a great support in the Prince: he is so able. You said when you were going to be married that he was perfection, which I thought a little exaggerated then, but really I think now that it is in some degree realised.” And a few days afterwards, writing to King Leopold, Her Majesty says: “I cannot say what a comfort and support my beloved Albert is to me - how well and how kindly and properly he behaves. I cannot resist copying for you what Lord Melbourne wrote to me about him, the evening after we parted. He had already praised him greatly to me before he took leave of me. It is as follows: ‘Lord Melbourne cannot satisfy himself without again stating to your Majesty in writing what he had the honour of saying to your Majesty respecting His Royal Highness the Prince. Lord Melbourne has formed the highest opinion of His Royal Highness’s judgment, temper, and discretion, and he cannot but feel a great consideration and security in the reflection that he leaves Your Majesty in a situation in which Your Majesty has the inestimable advantage of such advice and assistance. Lord Melbourne feels certain that your Majesty cannot do better than have recourse to it whenever it is needed, and rely upon it with confidence.’ This naturally gave me great pleasure, and made me very proud, as it comes from a person who is no flatterer, and would not have said it if he did not think so or feel so.”

The same impression of ability was made by the Prince, in the early years of his married life, on the succeeding Minister. Sir Robert Peel, writes Lord Kingsdown in his
Recollections
(quoted by Sir Theodore Martin), “when he introduced me to him in 1841, said that I should find him one of the most extraordinary young men I had ever met with. So,” adds Lord Kingsdown, ‘‘it proved his aptitude for business was wonderful; the dullest and most intricate matters did not escape or weary his attention; his judgment was very good; his readiness to listen to any suggestions, though against his own opinions, was constant; and though I saw his temper very often tried, yet in the course of twenty years I never once saw it disturbed, nor witnessed any signs of impatience.”

On the 10th of February, 1841, the first anniversary of the marriage of her parents, the infant Princess Royal was christened at Buckingham Palace. A new silver-gilt font had been provided for the occasion, richly ornamented with the arms of the Princess and her father and mother - a font which has always since been used for royal baptisms to the present day. The water used on the occasion was brought from the river Jordan. The ceremony was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was assisted by the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of London and Norwich, and the Dean of Carlisle. The sponsors were Queen Adelaide, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess of Kent, the King of the Belgians, the Duke of Sussex, and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who was represented by the Duke of Wellington. The names, “Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa,” were given to the infant by Queen Adelaide. Prince Albert wrote to the Dowager-Duchess of Gotha, “The christening went off very well; your little great-grand-daughter behaved with great propriety and like a

Christian. She was awake but did not cry at all, and seemed to crow with immense satisfaction at the lights and brilliant uniforms, for she is very intelligent and observing. The ceremony took place at half-past six P.M. After it there was a dinner, and then we had some instrumental music. The health of the little one was drunk with great enthusiasm.”

It was in this year that the Queen had the great satisfaction of seeing Prince Albert placed at the head of the Royal Commission, appointed to promote and encourage in the United Kingdom that study of the fine arts for which a unique opportunity was afforded by the building of the new Houses of Parliament. To fill such a post the Prince was exceptionally fitted. King Leopold in his “Reminiscences,” in writing of his own father, says, “His great love and knowledge of everything connected with the fine arts was inherited by Albert. No one else in the family possessed it to the same degree.” The chairmanship of this Commission brought the Prince into connection with the leading public and literary men of the country, and he followed up the connection with characteristic energy and ability. By constant and unremitting labour he was able to influence, more than any single man, the movement which, from this date and through the Great Exhibition of 1851, raised the artistic level of the country from the depths in which it had previously stagnated.

At this time the Queen and the Prince were both practising the art of etching, under the able tuition of Mr., afterwards Sir Edwin, Landseer, one of the few English artists of the day of brilliant and original genius. In quantity their work was necessarily limited by the pressure of important business; but in quality it was excellent, and the precision of drawing and neatness of execution in the plates, which were all bitten in under their own supervision, have always excited the admiration of those who possess, or have seen, these interesting productions.

On the 9th of November, 1841, a male heir was born to the throne. The event was announced by a Gazette Extraordinary, dated “Buckingham Palace, November 9th. This morning, at twelve minutes before eleven o’clock, the Queen was happily delivered of a Prince, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, several Lords of Her Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council, and the Ladies of Her Majesty’s Bedchamber being present. This great and important news was immediately made known to the town by the firing of the Park and Tower guns; and the Privy Council being assembled as soon as possible thereupon, at the Council Chamber, Whitehall; it was ordered that a Form of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s safe delivery of a Prince be prepared by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, to be used in all churches and chapels throughout England and Wales, and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, on Sunday the 14th of November, or the Sunday after the respective ministers shall receive the same. Her Majesty and the infant Prince are, God be praised, both doing well.” Successive bulletins confirmed the glad news of the convalescence of Her Majesty and of the health of the Prince. The only drawback to the national rejoicing was the serious illness of the Queen Adelaide, who lay in a very critical state, from which, in the course of a time short, she happily recovered.

The news of the birth of the Prince nowhere created more excitement and satisfaction than in the City of London, where the citizens were engaged in celebrating the inauguration of their chief magistrate, and the Lord Mayor and the authorities immediately proceeded in great state to the Palace to tender their loyal congratulations to their Sovereign. The Prince, who was born Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay, was shortly afterwards created, by letters patent, Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester.

The Queen’s recovery was so rapid that, on the 6th of December, the Court removed to Windsor. “We arrived here
sains
et
saafs
,” writes the Queen to King Leopold, “with our awfully large nursery establishment yesterday morning. I wonder very much whom our little boy will be like. You will understand how fervent are my prayers, and I am sure everybody’s must be, to see him resemble his father in
every
,
every
respect, both in body and mind! Oh, my dearest uncle, I am sure if you knew how happy, how blessed I feel, and how proud in possessing such a perfect being as my husband, and if you think that you have been instrumental in bringing about this union, it must gladden your heart!” Again, on the 14th of December, the Queen continues, “We must all have trials and vexations, but if one’s
home
is
happy
then the rest is comparatively nothing. I assure you, dear uncle, that no one feels this more than I do. I had this autumn one of the severest trials I could have, in parting with my government, and particularly from one kind and valued friend, and I feel even now this last very much: but my happiness at home, the love of my husband, his kindness, his advice, his support, and his company make up for all, and make me forget it.”