Queen Victoria, a biography

Front matter

0° o V

A

A t^o^

II 1824 1827

1828,

Settlement at Kensington ....

Fraulein Lehzen . .

Appointment of a preceptor

The Princess's teachers

Homely life at Kensington

May 19. Sir "Walter Scott's visit

23 24

1828 Knowledge of her rank .

1829 Country excursions . . 1826 Visit to George IV. 1827, Jan. 5. Death of the

Duke of York . . 1829, May 28. The Princess and the Queen of Portugal ....

Queen Victoria's sympathy with Portugal .

xu

III Heie To The Ceown

1830, Jione 26. Death of

George IV. and accession of William IV. . 29

Heir - presumptive to the crown . . ,29

Appointment of a governess . . . . 30

1831, Sept. 8. Absence from

William IV. 's coronation . . . .31

Prince Leopold's removal to Belgium . . 32

William IV.'s treatment of the Princess . . 33

The Princess's earlytravels . . , . 33

1832 Tour in Wales . . 85 Visits to the nobility . 35 Nov. 8. At Oxford . . 36 Hospitalities at Kensington . . .37

1833 Tour on the south coast 37

1834 Delight in music and the

drama . . . .

1835 At Ascot

July 30. Her confirmation . . . .

Further visits to the nobility .... 1836, May. First meeting with Prince Albert .

Other possible suitors .

Widening of the breach with William IV. . .

Aug. 21. The King and the Duchess of Kent at Windsor 1887, May 24. Coming of age

State ball in her honour

Visits the Royal Academy ■ . . .

William IV.'s last communication to his

39 40

IV The Accession To The Theone

1837, June 20. Death of William IV 48

The Queen's accession . 48 Lord Melbourne's first

audience . . .49

The first council . . 49

The proclamation . , 51

The second council . 51

Her name as sovereign . 52

1837 Dissemination of the

name Victoria . , 52

Public sentiment regarding her . . 53

Peel on her inexperience . . . . 53

The hopes of Sydney- Smith and Lord John Russell . , .54

THE TUITION OF LOED MELBOUENE

1837 The Queen and Hanover 56 The Queen and the criminal law . . . 57

1837 Lord Melbourne's instruction , , .58 His career . . . . 58

XUl p His opinions and cha-

AGE

PAGE

1837 Her foreign advisers . 64 racter ....

Baron Stockmar . . 64

The private secretary-

The Baroness Lehzen . 66 ship . . . .

The Duchess of Kent . 66

The Queen's preference

Public ceremonials . 67 for the Whigs .

First speech from the

The formation of her throne . . . . 67 household . . .

VI The Civil List And Colonial Affairs

1837 . Removal to Buckingham Palace . . 69 Aug 21. Opening of Victoria Gate, Hyde Park . . . . 70 At the Pavilion, Brighton 70 Private life . . .70 Innovations at Buckingham Palace . . . 71 Foreign guests . . 72 Attitude to her kinsfolk . . . . 72 Court etiquette . . 73 The general election . 74 Tory attacks on the

Queen . . . . 74 Whigs affect suspicion

of a Hanoverian plot . 75 Whigs' small majority . 75 Nov. 9. At the Guildhall banquet . . 77

1837, Nov. 20. Opening of her

first Parliament . . 77

The Civil List . . 77 The hereditary Crown

lands . . . . 78 William IV.'s income . 78 The duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall . 79 The first settlement . . 79 Civil List pensions . 80 Radical criticism . . 80 Provision for Duchess

of Kent ... 81 The Queen pays her

father's debts . 81 The British Empire in

1837 . . . .82

The revolt of Canada . 83

Lord Durham's mission 84

His recall . . . . 85 The colonial policy of

self-government . . 85

VII The Coeonation Anb The Crises Of 1839

1838, June 28. The coronation ....

The ceremony in the Abbey . . . .

The want of rehearsal .

Close of the celebrations 1838-9 The Queen's speeches

in Parliament . 1889 Crises of 1839 . .

1839 The episode of Lady

Flora Hastings . . 93

Outcry in the press . . 94

Lady Flora's death . 94

Hostility to the Court . 95 May. First ministerial

crisis . . . .95

Melbourne's resignation 96

XIV

1889 The Queen resists

change in household 97

May 10. The Queen's letter to Peel. . . 98

Melbourne's cabinet reconsiders its position 99

His reconstructed ministry ... . 100

Admission of Queen's error

Tory attacks on Queen

General effect of the the the bedchamber crisis . . 102

VIII Maeeiagb

1839 Adoption of penny postage .... 104

Unreadiness to marry . 105

King Leopold's choice of Prince Albert . . 105

Stockmar's co-operation 106

English courtiers and German princes .

Her sense of isolation .

Oct. 10. Arrival of Prince Albert . .

Oct. 15. Engagement to him

Nov. 20. The public announcement . . 109

107 108

108 108

Daniel O'Connell's congratulations . . 110 Public criticism . . Ill The Queen's demands . 112 Melbourne's dilemma . 113 Ministerial proposals . 113 Obduracy of the House

of Commons . . 114 The Queen's irritation . 115 Difficulties with the

House of Lords . . 115 The Prince's precedence 115 The Queen's warrant . 116 The Prince's attendants 116 Feb. 10. The marriage ceremony . . .117

IX Prince Albert's Position

Prince Albert and his wife ....

His character and influence on the Queen .

Popular dislike of the Prince . . . .

The Prince's ultimate position

Obstinacy of the public prejudice . . .

Changes in the palace .

The withdrawal of the Duchess of Kent

Departm'e of Baroness Lehzen . . , .

Stockmar remains at Court. . . .123

118 118

119 121

122 122

1840 June 10. First attempt

on the Queen's life . 123 June 12. The concert at

Buckingham Palace . 124 Approaching birth of an

heir . . . .125 The Eegency Bill . . 125 The nomination of

Prince Albert . . 126 Nov. 21. Birth of Princess Eoyal . . . 127 1841, Feb. 10. The baptism 127 1840 Political anxieties . . 127 The Prince and foreign

policy . . . . 128 Palmerston at the Foreign Office . 128

XV

PAGE

1840 His impatience of the

Prince's counsel . . 129 Mehemet Ali and Turkey . . . .130 Political crisis with

France . , . . 130 Divisions in the cabinet 131

1841 Palmer ston's trium-

phant action , . 181

PAGE

1841 Defeat of Melbourne's

Ministry . . . 132

Jime. The Queen at

Oxford . . .133 Her sympathy with

Whig ministers . . 133 Defeat of the Whigs at

the polls . . .184

X

SIK EGBERT PBBL'S ADMINISTRATION

1841 The Queen's regrets . 135 Attg. Acceptance of

Peel's ministry . . 135 Cordiality between the

Queen and Peel . 136 Change of attitude to

the Tories . . . 137 Nov. 9. Birth of the

Prince of Wales . 137

1842 General rejoicings . . 138 The sponsors . . 138 The King of Prussia . 138 Popular fear of German

preponderance . . 139

Inconvenient display of loyalty at Brighton . 139

The London season . 139

The introduction of railways . , , . 140

June. The Queen first travels by rail . .141

May 30. Second attempt on her life . . . 141

July 3. Third attempt on her life . . . 142

New legislation for her personal security . . 142

Chartist agitation . . 143

Aug.-Sept. First visit to Scotland . . . 144

Her Scottish hosts . 144

Her affection for Scotland . . . . 144 1844 Second visit to Scotland 145 1842 The Queen and Peel . 145

The disruption of the Scottish Church . . 146 1848, Jan. The murder of

Edward Drummond . 146

The Queen and Aberdeen . . . 147

1843 Prince Albert's growing

influence . , . 147

April 21. Death of the Duke of Sussex . .148

June 5. Baptism of Princess Ahce . . 148

The surliness of the King of Hanover . . . 149

Sept. The Queen's visit to Louis Philippe . 150

Question of a regency . 151

At the Chateau d'Eu . 151

The Queen in Belgium . 153

Oct. First visit to Trinity College, Cambridge . . . 15S

Nov.-Dec. At Drayton Manor . . . . 154

At Chatsworth . . 154 1844, Jan.id. Death of Prince

Albert's father . . 155

Jitne. Visit of Tsar Nicholas I. . . 155

The Queen and the Irish Union . ... 156

The Queen on parliamentary obstruction . 157

Peel threatens resignation . . , . 157

E'oreign affairs . . 158

Aug. 6. Birth of Prince Alfred . ... 158

Oct. Louis Philippe's visit to Windsor . 158

Oct. 28. The opening of the Eoyal Exchange . 159 1845 Visits to the nobility . 160

Jan. At Strathfieldsaye 160

Jan. At Stowe . . 160

First meeting with Disraeli . . . .161

XVI

XI The Queen And I'ree Trade

PAGE

1845 The parliamentary ses- Biou . . . .

The Queen and the Maynooth agitation .

Court entertainments .

Aug. Queen's first visit to Germany

The King of Prussia's welcome . . .

Prince Albert's precedence

Aug. 19. At Eosenau .

Second visit to Louis Philippe

The Queen's delight at visiting Coburg . .

Peel and the corn laws 165

The Queen's support of Peel . 166

162 163

163 164

164 164

PAGE

1845, Dec. 6. Peel's resignation . . . . 167

Lord John Eussell summoned . . . 167

Negotiations with Lord John . . . . 168

The Queen's dread of Palmerston . . 168

Lord John' s pertinacious appeals . . . . 168

Peel's return to power . 169 1846 The Queen's support of

Eegrets for his difficulties 171

June 26. His fall . . 171

May 25. Birth of Princess Helena . . 171

The Queen's enthusiasm for free trade . .172

XII The Spanish Marriages

1846, July. Lord John's first

ministry . . . 173 The Queen and Lord

John . . . . 173 His colleagues . . 174 Macaulay at Court . . 174 Difficulties with Pahner-

ston . . . .175 The Spanish marriages 176 The Chateau d'Eu

agreement . . 176

1846 Prince Albert and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg . . . .177

Queen Christina's interference . . . . 178

Family conference at Windsor . . .178

Palmerston's rash despatch . . . . 179

French retaliation . 179

The Queen's indignation 180

XIII The Year Of Revolution, 1848

1847 The ' season ' of 1847 . 182 Prince Albert Chancellor of Cambridge . 182 lMl,July. At Cambridge . 183 Third visit to Scotland . 184 1848 Louie Philippe's dethronement . 184 xvii

PAGE

1848 The Queen's treatment

of him . . .185 Welcome to his sons . 186 Revolution in Germany 186 Mar. 18. Birth of Princess Louise . . . 186 Chartist menaces . . 187

1848, May 13. Princess Louise

claristened . . . 187 Anticipated defeat of

the Government . 187 Sept. 5. Parliament prorogued . , . . 188

XIV Pbivate Life And Eecebations, 1848-54

1848 First stay at Balmoral . 189 Music and drama at Court . . . .190 1842, July. The Queen and

Mendelssohn. . . 190 Actors and actresses at

Court . . . .193 The drama at Windsor . 193 The Queen and Charles

Kean

. 194

1842 Patronage of art . . 194 Education of the children . . . . 195 The Queen's dislike of London . . .197 1844 Acquisition of Osborne . 198 1848-52 Acquisition of Balmoral . . . . 199 Modes of life at Balmoral and Osborne . 199

XV Ireland And Loss Of Friends

1849 First visit to Lreland . 201

State of the country . . 201

Arrival at Queenstown . 202

Oc^. 30. Last royal water

pageant . . . 203

1848 Nov. 24. Death of Lord

Melbourne . . . 203 1850, July 3. Death of Peel . 204

1850, Aug. 26. Death of Louis

Philippe . . .204 1849-50 Two assaults on the

Queen . . . . 205 1850, May 1. Birth of Prince

Arthur . . ,205 The Queen's robust

XVI The Dissensions With Palmbeston

Differences with Palmerston . . . . 207

Prince Albert's antagonism . . . .207

Their respective attitudes towards Italy . 208

Their respective attitudes towards Prussia 209 Palmerston's ofEences . 210 The Queen's private correspondence . . 211 1847 The appeal of the Queen

of Portugal . . 211

XVlll

PAGE

Letter to the King of 1850

Prussia . . . . 212

Palmerston's obduracy . 213

Popularity of Palmer- ' 1851

Eton's policy . . 214 j

The Queen's demands , 214 I

Prince Albert on

merston Fresh dissensions Papal aggressions .

Ministerial crisis Recall of Lord John

Pal-

PAGE

216 216 217 218 218

XVII The Geeat Exhibition And Palmbrston's Fall

1851 The Great Exhibition . 220 Court festivities . . 222 The Queen at Liverpool

and Manchester . . 223 Nov. 18. Death of King

Ernest of Hanover . 223 Palmerston and Kossuth 223

1851 Palmerston and Napoleon III. . . . 224 Dec. 19. Palmerston's

fall 224

Prince Albert's elation . 225 The peril of dismissing a minister . , . 226

XVIII LORD ABERDEEN'S MINISTRY

1852, Feb. Palmerston's venge .

Lord Derby's first Government , . .

Inexperience of its members ....

Early impression of Disraeli . . . .

July. Defeat of Derby's Government

Second visit to Belgium 230

Neild's bequest . . . 230

Sept. 14. Death of the Duke of Wellington .

Nov. 18. His funeral

Dec. 17, Lord Derby's resignation

The Queen's desire for a coalition ministry

227 228

230 231

Her appeal to Aberdeen 232

1852 Coalition of Peelites and

Liberals. . . . 233

Aberdeen's Whig colleagues . . , 234

The Queen's satisfaction . , . . 234 1853, April 7. Birth of Prmce

Leopold , . .234

Military preparations . 235

Aug. 30. Second visit to Dublin . . . 235 1852 Napoleon III.'s advances . . . 235

His matrimonial plans . 236

King Leopold's mediation between the Queen and Napoleon . 237

Napoleon's importunities . . . . 237

XIX XIX

THE OEIMEAN WAR

PAGE

1853 Quarrel with Russia . 289 Palmerston's resolute

views . . . . 289 The Queen's dread of

war . . . ,240 Attitude of foreign

sovereigns . . . 240

1854 Popular suspicion of

Prince Albert . . 241 The Queen's resentment 242 Feh. 28. War declared

with Russia .

The Queen and the

troops Hospitalities at Court June 10. Opening of

the Crystal Palace at

Sydenham

243 244

PAGE

1854 The Queen protests against lukewarmness about the war . . 245

Prince Albert at St.

Omer . . . . 245

Aug. 12. The Speaker harangues the sovereign for the last time 246

Anxieties aboiit the war 247

Oct. 25. Battle of Inkerraan . . . 247

Nov. 5. Battle of Balaclava . . . . 247 1854-5 The winter and its

hardships . . . 247 1855, Jan. 29. Lord Aberdeen's

XX Triumph Op Palmeeston And Napoleon III

1855 The Queen's renewed

dread of Palmerston . 249

Her appeal to Lord John . . . .249

Palmerston's omnipotence . . . .

Feh. 15. The Queen accepts Palmerston

Wounded soldiers . .

Napoleon offers to go to the Crimea .

The Queen's distrust of her political associates . . . .

AprillG. Visit of Napoleon in. .

His agreeable demeanour 253

250 251

1855 Hia welcome by the

people . . . 263

The Queen on the irony of royalty . . . 254

She reproves Lord John 254

May 18. First distribution of war medals .

The Emperor's invitation ....

Aug. 20-7. The Queen in Paris . . . .

Her brilliant welcome .

First meeting with Bismarck

Success of the Paris visit

25£

256 257

Relations with Napoleon 259

XX

XXI The Peace

OP PARIS

PAGE

PAGK

1855,

Aug. The fall of Sebaa-

topol . . . .260 Sept. 29. The Princess

The Victoria Cross July 14. The Duke of Cambridge Comman-

Royal's engagement . 260 der-in-Chief . . .

Hostility in England . 260

Court festivities .

Views of Prussian

May 9. Ball at Buckstatesmen . . . 261 ingham Palace . .

Nov. Victor Emanuel

Eeception of Sir Fenvisits the Queen . 262 wick Williams and

She discourages him . 263

Florence Nightingale

1856,

March 80. The peace of

Paris . . . . 268 General rejoicings . . 264

Domestic hospitalities .

Nov. Death of Prince

Leiningen,the Queen's

April 16. First visit to half-brother

Aldershot . . . 264

XXII INDIA AND THE PRINCESS ROYAL

1857 Approach of the Indian mutiny

March. Palmerston's defeat on China question . . . ,

April 14. Birth of Princess Beatrice

April 30. Death of the Duchess of Gloucester 270

May. Grant to the Princess Eoyal . .

Brilliant festivities at Court ....

Public functions . .

Eoyal guests .

Jwie 25. The title of Prince Consort . .

Eolations with Napoleon III. . . ,273

272 272

1857 Differences about the

Balkan peninsula . . 274 Aug. 19. Prince Albert

and the Queen visit

Cherbourg . . . 275 The Indian mutiny . .275 The Queen's urgency of

counsel . . . 276 Sept. Fall of Delhi and

relief of Lucknow . 277 Nov. Death of the

Duchess de Nemours 277 1858, Jan. 25. Marriage of the

Princess Eoyal . . 277 Palmerston and the

Orsini conspiracy . . 278 Feb. 19. Palmerston's

XXI

XXIII The Resettlement Oe India

PAGE

1858, Feh. Lord Derby's

second cabinet . . 281 Aug. Second visit to

Cherbourg . . .282 Aug. Tour in Germany 283 At Birmingham and

Leeds . . . . 284 The first submarine cable 284 The resettlement of

The Queen's objections to the Grovernment Bill . . . . 285

PAGE

1858 Her personal interest

in India . . . 286

Her sympathy with the natives . . . . 286

Her attitude to her Indian subjects . . 287

Final form of the Queen's proclamation 288

The Order of the Star of India . . . . 288

The Queen's sense of imperial responsibility 289

XXIV THE queen's EBAES OP NAPOLEON III

1858, I^ov. 9. Majority of the

Prince of Wales . 291

1859, Jan. 27. Birth of the

Queen's eldest grandchild (afterwards the German Emperor, WiUiam II,) . . . 291

Her appeal for peace to Napoleon III. . .292

Napoleon's intervention in Italy . . . . 292

April. Austria declares war on Italy . . 293

Napoleon at war with Austria . . . ■ 293

The Queen's anxiety respecting Prussia . 294

Her efforts to localise the war . . . . 294

April 1. Lord Derby's resignation . . 295

296 297

1859, June. She sends for

Lord Granville . .

Her confidence betrayed

to ' The Times ' .

Lord John's obstinacy .

Palmerston again Prime

Minister . . .

Difierences with Lord

John on the Italian

question . . . 298 The peace of Villafranca 298 The Queen's quarrel

with her ministry . ■ 298 Struggle for Italian unity 299 Anger with Napoleon . 300 1860 Heated protests against

her ministers . . 300

The Queen and the

Commander-in-Chief . 301 xxu