The Queen's Husband

Chapter XII A LONG HOLIDAY FOR THE BARONESS

The baptism of the new baby was an important occasion because the child was the heir to the throne. The chief sponsor was to be the King of Prussia who had travelled to England to fulfil his role. Albert met the King at Greenwich and travelled with him to Windsor where the Queen was waiting to receive him. Victoria had always been delighted to entertain guests particularly when the entertainment was a grand ball; and a grand ball it must be to be worthy of Frederick of Prussia.

The King turned out to be charming. Although as tall as Albert he was very fat; he was going bald and his whiskers were very sparse, the Queen noticed; but his charming manners and obvious desire to please made up for that.

He was very interested in everything he saw and was delighted with the children, particularly Pussy, whose health had improved a little and when she was well she was so very lively. The Queen insisted on his dancing a quadrille with her and although he told her that it was a long time since he had danced and he feared he cut rather a poor figure, he danced with the Queen and it was a very pleasant ball.

The real purpose of the visit though was the baptism, and as little Albert Edward was the heir to the throne it was decided that he should be baptised in a consecrated building. Hence instead of the palace baptism which had been the lot of the Princess Royal, this more important ceremony was to take place in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Albert Edward, the Queen was delighted to note, behaved perfectly, although he did not show Pussy’s intelligent interest in everything. (She would never forget Lord Melbourne’s amusing remark that the little Princess Royal was perfectly aware that everything was for her benefit); but of course the chapel was a beautiful setting and this was a far more grand occasion.

Albert, who was so musical, decided that there should be no anthem, although one had been specially composed for the occasion.

‘No,’ he explained to Victoria, ‘if we have a new composition everyone will be paying attention to that and discussing the merits of it. They are not here to criticise music but to rejoice in the birth of the heir to the throne. So there will be no anthem. We should leave the chapel on a note of triumph. I suggest the Hallelujah Chorus.’

‘But that is wonderful,’ cried the Queen. ‘We all know it and it is certainly triumphant music. Poor Mr Elvey is going to be very disappointed that his anthem is not sung, though.’

‘There will be plenty of occasions for us to hear Mr Elvey’s anthem,’ said the Prince. ‘There can only be one christening of the Prince of Wales.’

‘You are absolutely right, Albert,’ said the Queen; and she said afterwards how imposing the ceremony was. The music was particularly beautiful.

The absorption with the baptism meant that it was possible to put off telling Lehzen that it had been decided she should have a long holiday. The more she thought of it, the more Victoria wondered how she could ever do it. She kept postponing it, which meant that she found herself avoiding Lehzen’s company. Albert was aware of this and decided, as he had over the affair of the bedchamber ladies, that he must take action.

He found Lehzen alone one day and asked her how she was feeling. She was clearly not looking well, he told her, and he believed it was due to that attack of jaundice from which she had never fully recovered.

She replied that she was recovering and that she had so much with which to occupy herself that she did not notice her own slight indisposition.

‘The Queen is concerned about you,’ said Albert. ‘She is saying that you have never had a real holiday.’

The Baroness’s face softened at the mention of the Queen. ‘Her Majesty’s heart is very tender for those she loves. I am well enough. A spell at Windsor will make me completely well again.’

‘The Queen thinks you need a complete change. It must be years since you were in Coburg.’

‘Coburg! Is the Queen thinking of paying a visit? She has not mentioned this to me.’

‘The Queen could not of course leave the country. She was thinking of you.’

The Baroness gave a short sharp laugh. ‘Her Majesty knows that my place is by her side.’

‘Not if you are unwell and need to regain your strength,’ replied the Prince and left her.

The Baroness was alarmed. What did that mean? No, Victoria would never agree to banish her. Banish her? But he had said a holiday. Oh, but she knew his devious ways. Once let him get her away and he would try to keep her away.

She was not going.

She went to the Queen in the unceremonious way which their relationship had made possible.

‘I believe there is a plot afoot,’ she said.

The Queen rose to her feet. She raised her eyebrows. Really, it was true that Lehzen did take advantage of their affection. She knew of course what this meant and feeling very unhappy about it was immediately irritated with Lehzen who made her feel so.

‘Plot, Lehzen. What are you talking about?’

‘The Prince is trying to separate us.’

‘He – and I – are concerned for your health. We think a good long holiday is what you need.’

‘A holiday. What do I want with a holiday? My pleasure is serving you.’

‘That is the point. You have never had a change. That is why the Prince and I have decided you shall have a nice long holiday in Germany.’

‘In Germany!’

‘It is your home, remember.’

‘This is my home.’

‘Now, Daisy dear, do be sensible. You have often talked of your sister and brother in Bückeburg and said how you long to see them. There are your brother’s children too. You will be so happy to see them all again.’

‘And you are quite happy to do without me.’

‘My dear Daisy, I want you to be well and happy. Albert and I have talked it over. Everything will be settled for you. There will be no shortage of money. We want you to be happy, for I shall never forget all you have done for me.’

The Baroness was speechless. It was all arranged. She had thought she was winning this battle against the Prince, but this was his silent victory.

Victoria was happy. There was a new understanding between herself and Albert; she took a pride in her newly acquired humility; it pleased her – and Albert – that she should defer to him in almost everything. Albert was often in the nursery; Pussy’s diet was changed and she began to thrive. Albert was right, of course. The only sadness was poor Lehzen, who was subdued and unlike her old self. She did really treat me as though I were a child in the schoolroom, thought Victoria. It had to stop; and this is the best way of doing it.

Albert had exciting news just after little Albert Edward’s christening.

‘My brother is to be married,’ he said. ‘Dear Ernest!’

‘That is wonderful, Albert. Who is to be his bride?’

‘Princess Alexandrine of Baden.’

‘I do hope they will be as happy as we are because no one could have a more perfect marriage,’ said the Queen, cheerfully ignoring the storm which had only just subsided.

‘That would be asking a great deal,’ replied Albert fondly. ‘My stepmother wishes me to be present. She knows of course that you can’t.’

‘Oh, Albert, you will want to see your brother married, but I shall hate us to be separated.’

‘I shall not go,’ said Albert.

‘Dear Albert, but he is your brother and I know what ties there are between you.’

Leave Court, thought Albert, with Lezhen still there. Who knew what would happen in his absence? This was one of the most significant periods of his life, he was well aware; what happened now could affect the whole future. He would be a fool to go away and leave Victoria with Lezhen. It would be to retire from the battlefield on the point of victory. Besides, what of that terrible sea crossing which he loathed? That he would have endured; but he was certainly not going to leave Victoria until Lehzen had set out on her ‘long holiday’.

‘I shall not go,’ said Albert. ‘I am not going to leave you.’

‘My dear Albert, we must explain to Ernest. He will understand, I’m sure. I have a plan. Let us ask them to spend their honeymoon here. Ernest was here when we were married. He saw our happiness. Now we will suggest that he allows us to see his.’

‘That is a wonderful idea and worthy of my dearest love,’ said Albert; and the Queen glowed with pleasure.

‘When is the wedding to be?’ she asked.

‘The third of May at Carlsruhe.’

‘Then they must come here immediately afterwards.’

Albert said they should invite Ernest without delay.

‘I do hope that Ernest is quite well and er … fit for the marriage,’ he added gravely.

The Queen flushed. She knew Albert was referring to that most unpleasant indisposition Ernest had suffered from at the time of their marriage. It was the result of his brother’s ‘excesses’ Albert had told her. He feared that Ernest could be a little frivolous.

‘Now he is to be married he will be different,’ said the Queen. She looked adoringly at Albert. ‘My dear love,’ she cried fervently, ‘how glad I am that I chose you. Not that I had the smallest doubt in my mind once I had seen you.’

Albert said solemnly that they should be thankful to God for their good fortune … both of them.

The Baroness had been stunned by the manner in which she was being dismissed. A few months before she would not have thought it possible. She had been foolish; she had been deceived by the violence of the recent quarrels. She had not realised that in spite of these Victoria’s love for her husband had been growing deeper every day. She knew her beloved child. When she loved she did so whole-heartedly. The adored one became perfect in her eyes. Lehzen had once been so. But she should have been warned by the Queen’s relationship with Lord Melbourne, whom Victoria had openly adored. At one time everything Lord Melbourne did and said was right. How much more affection and devotion would she have for a husband. Lehzen had miscalculated. She had tried to oust Albert from his position and the inevitable outcome was that she was being ousted from hers.

She tried to visualise life without Victoria. It was impossible, she thought at first. Victoria was her child. Every day since she was five and had been put in her care every thought had been for her. How foolish she had been! If she had been prepared to accept Albert, if she had tried to make their life more smooth, she would not have been banished now. For banishment it was. Lehzen was no fool. A long holiday meant for ever. Her home would be over there not here. Perhaps she would pay a visit to the Queen. A visit … to her home! For her home was where her beloved child was.

But she must be realistic. She must not antagonise the Queen. If she accepted her fate stoically she would be asked back. They would write to each other. It would be so easy to lose everything now. She must hold on to something.

So she smiled sadly and made her preparations.

‘I have written to my sister,’ she told the Queen. ‘She wants me to stay with her. We shall be company for each other. My brother’s family will be pleased to see me, they say.’

The Queen smiled radiantly. ‘Oh, dearest Daisy, I am so happy. And your brother has children. You will love helping with them, I know. You are so good with children.’

‘Yes, I shall be very interested in them.’

‘And there is no need to worry about money, Daisy. The Prince says we must make quite sure that you never have to do that. The Prince is so good at arranging everything.’

Yes, thought Lehzen, he is very good at arranging to be rid of me.

‘I shall always love you,’ said the Queen emotionally.

‘There,’ said Lehzen, ‘we mustn’t cry, must we?’

The Queen was ready to laugh; it was the laughter of relief.

‘Always the governess, Daisy,’ she cried and kissed the Baroness fervently. ‘Always remember, Daisy dear, that I will do anything …’

Anything, thought Lehzen, but oppose the Prince’s wishes and allow me to stay.

Albert was teaching Victoria a great deal and one thing was what a good Prime Minister they had.

‘Peel is a dedicated statesman,’ he told her, ‘and we need such a man at the head of affairs.’

‘I shall always regret my dear Lord Melbourne,’ replied the Queen.

‘A charming fellow, of course, but not the calibre of Peel. To tell the truth, my love, Melbourne – whom I admire and respect in so many ways – excels more socially than politically. We need an adept politician at the moment.’

Victoria felt she should protest out of loyalty to her old Prime Minister but she was beginning to see that Albert was right. Albert, in his serious way, studied politics and knew what he was talking about. It was no use merely being charming and witty when some serious action was needed.

Albert had always liked Sir Robert Peel and because she was beginning to believe that Albert was almost always right, she looked differently at the new Prime Minister. It was amazing how he responded. Although he lacked Lord Melbourne’s grace he was quite charming, always so respectful and there was no doubt that he was a good man.

‘I never thought I could like Sir Robert,’ she told Albert. ‘But that is changed, thanks to you.’

Albert was very gratified and they seemed closer than ever.

The country was in great difficulties. Engaged in war in China, it had to contend with trouble in Afghanistan and the West Indies. America was indignant with England because of the practice of searching ships to discover whether they were carrying on the slave trade. This was merely to make sure that they were not British ships masquerading under the American flag, but the British were dangerously unpopular because of the practice. But of even greater concern was the trouble at home. Unemployment was great and growing; the price of food had risen and wages were pitiably low. People had left the country to flock to the towns and there was no work for them there, or the wages were such that they could only live at starvation level. Revolt was in the air. People were no longer in the mood to accept glaring inequalities. Rioting was breaking out in the coal mines of Wales and Staffordshire; the pottery district followed and there was trouble brewing in Lancashire. A strong force had to be kept in Ireland where a potato famine was threatened. The high taxes imposed there were causing dangerous dissatisfaction.

Unlike his predecessor, Sir Robert Peel withheld none of these facts from the Queen for the sake of her comfort.

He was a man of ideas and he was pleased to discuss them with the Queen – the Prince being present.

‘All these troubles are jeopardising the country,’ he said, ‘and we shall have to take drastic action. I have come to the conclusion that we can no longer expect the poor to bear the country’s burdens. We have to look to those in better financial circumstances. I am going to propose an Income Tax not to exceed sevenpence in the pound on all incomes over £150 a year.’

Albert nodded gravely and the Queen said: ‘That is an excellent measure. There must be no exemptions. I shall expect to pay as everyone else.’

Sir Robert smiled and said that knowing Her Majesty’s shrewd assessment of facts and her right-mindedness he had been certain of her support and that of the Prince on his measure.

Yes, the Queen was beginning to appreciate her Prime Minister.

Lord Melbourne was continuing to write to her in spite of Baron Stockmar’s disapproval; but the letters came less frequently and she was afraid that she often left his unanswered for days. It seemed that she was continually excusing herself on account of pressure of business or the arrival of visitors. How different from those days when she had upbraided him if she did not see him every day.

Now he wrote to her about the proposed income tax and told her that she should exert her royal prerogative and refuse to subscribe to such a scheme.

How different he was from Sir Robert, who was so realistic. Of course she wanted her subjects to know that if there were going to be unpleasant measures she wanted to share in them.

Lord Melbourne had kept her distressingly ignorant of social evils; he did it, she knew, because he hated to distress her, which was very kind, and she knew he was the most feeling of men but Sir Robert and Albert treated her as though she was a serious person, and naturally the Queen must know everything that is going on. She smiled tenderly over Lord Melbourne’s letter, ‘Dear Lord M,’ she said to herself. ‘He has become such an old man lately.’

It seemed an excellent idea to give a charity ball. What could be better, said the Queen, than to enjoy oneself and do good at the same time?

Even Albert – who disliked balls so much – agreed that this was an excellent idea. It was to help trade and as it was a bal costumé, Albert was to go as Edward III and she as Queen Philippa; the members of the Court would be dressed in the costume of that time. The Duchess of Cambridge had arranged to bring a party from her household which would be dressed as royal people and their courts from Spain, Italy and France. It was a grand occasion, thoroughly enjoyed by Victoria; and because of its success another ball was arranged to be given at Covent Garden in aid of the Spitalfields workers.

‘What an excellent – and delightful – way of helping trade,’ cried the Queen.

Albert said that it had been effective on this occasion but a habit should not be made of that kind of entertainment because the magnificent costumes and the gaiety did in a way draw attention to the different lives led by the rich and the poor.

Albert was absolutely right of course; but she did enjoy the dancing.

Albert thought it would be an excellent idea if her birthday was spent at Claremont where they could be quiet and enjoy the country. The country no longer bored her as it used to. There was so much of interest to be learnt and Albert was teaching her to enjoy the scenery and the wildlife. She feared she had been very ignorant of these things in the past.

‘Oh, it was the way you were brought up,’ said Albert, smiling tolerantly. ‘Not your fault in the least. But that will be remedied now. It is such fun to teach you these things and I must say, my love, that you are an apt pupil.’

Poor Lehzen, all the Queen’s faults were laid at her door; all her virtues had been inherited. Victoria was so comforted by the implication that she did not examine it very closely. Even the violent temper, so to be deplored and even now feared lest it should break out, was attributed to a lack of control during her formative years.

At Claremont there was a ball for her birthday. Even Albert realised that she could not be denied that, though in time he was sure she would realise the futility of such a pastime, and they danced in the gallery.

It was such a happy birthday, shadowed a little by the memories of other birthdays when Lehzen had been so happy arranging treats. And Lord Melbourne was not present either. Times changed. She was very kind to Lehzen, but not too familiar lest she thought there was to be a return to the old ways and her hopes should be raised, which would be cruel, for more and more Victoria was seeing how right Albert was and how really there was no place for Lehzen at Buckingham Palace.

She wrote to Lord Melbourne telling him about the birthday.

‘The Queen was grieved,’ she added, ‘that Lord Melbourne could not be there.’

It was a beautiful Sunday in June and the Queen and Albert were returning to Buckingham Palace from the Chapel Royal at St James’s. Crowds lined the Mall to see them pass; the Queen was quite popular now. The people were delighted with the babies and although they would never really like Albert who was still called ‘the German’, most people agreed that the devotion of the royal couple was an example to all. There was no longer slander about the Queen and Lord Melbourne; the Flora Hastings scandal had been forgotten.

Albert, looking very handsome in uniform, sat beside her nodding to the cheers.

‘The people seem very pleased with us today,’ he said.

‘They do,’ replied Victoria, turning slightly to bow to the crowd on her right.

Albert said suddenly: ‘Victoria, did you hear that?’

She turned to him. ‘What was that?’

‘I may have been mistaken,’ went on Albert, ‘but I am sure I saw someone take aim at us and heard a trigger snap.’

‘Albert!’

‘I may have been mistaken. No one seems to have noticed anything.’

She reached for his hand and gripped it firmly. ‘Can you see anything now, Albert?’ she asked.

‘Nothing unusual. It must have been a mistake.’

‘If it was someone planning to take aim he may still be lurking in the crowds.’

‘Behave as though nothing has happened. I shall be watchful.’

They were relieved when they reached the palace.

‘It must have been a mistake,’ said the Prince.

In the afternoon Sir Robert Peel, accompanied by the head of the police, called at the palace.

‘We have some disturbing news,’ said Sir Robert to Victoria and the Prince. ‘A boy named Pearse has told the police that while he was in the crowd in the Mall he saw a man who was standing close to him lift a pistol and point it at the carriage. He did not apparently fire. The boy heard him murmur to himself that he had been a fool not to do so.’

Turning pale Victoria looked at Albert, who said: ‘I must tell you, Sir Robert, I saw this man. I mentioned it to the Queen at the time. I thought that I might have been mistaken.’

‘This is no mistake,’ replied Sir Robert, ‘and I think every precaution will have to be taken, for this man may make the attempt again.’

A long discussion followed. Victoria was very alarmed. It was not the first time she had been shot at. It was a terrifying experience even when one escaped, but at least it was unexpected and all over before one realised that it was happening. The man might decide not to act again for months. They couldn’t stay in all that time.

At length it was agreed that Victoria and Albert should take their drives as usual. The equerries, Colonel Arbuthnot and Colonel Wylde, were called in and told what had happened; they were to ride very close to the carriage and one would watch the right-hand side of the road and the other the left; the drives would be taken at a faster pace than usual.

The Queen spent a sleepless night. She was frightened, she said. ‘For Albert what if you were to be killed.’

Albert said that would be better than that she should, but he trusted Sir Robert’s thorough precautions; the police would be out in force and at the first sign of trouble he would put himself between the Queen and the gun.

‘But that is exactly what I fear, Albert,’ she cried.

It was a very uneasy pair who drove out the next day. The Queen carried a parasol which was lined with chain mail and the carriage was surrounded by guards; the colonels rode very close to the carriage and the pace was brisk.

The sun shone hotly as they drove towards Hampstead; there were crowds of people about but that did not add to their peace of mind. The drive was almost over and Victoria, relieved to see the trees of Green Park, said to Albert: ‘But imagine, it could go on like this for months before he decides to make his second attempt.’

They were approaching the palace – on one side of them the park, on the other the garden wall – when Albert saw the man again but not before he had fired. The shot went under the carriage; they heard the shouts of ‘Get him! Catch him!’ as the horses were whipped up and the carriages rumbled through the gates of Buckingham Palace.

Albert took the Queen’s trembling hand and with his arm about her led her inside.

Sir Robert Peel reported to the palace immediately. The man had been arrested. He was a certain John Francis, a joiner by trade and twenty-two years old. When arrested he was truculent but this attitude soon changed when he was sentenced to death.

Victoria was distressed.

‘You see, Albert,’ she explained, ‘I cannot bear that people should hate me so much that they want to kill me.’

‘He was a madman.’

‘Perhaps, but he did it and sometimes I wonder whether there will always be these people who want me dead. It makes me very uneasy. All the same I do not like to think that he is going to die because of this.’

‘He deserves it.’

‘I am going to ask that his life be spared in any case.’

‘I know well your tender heart,’ said Albert, ‘but examples have to be made.’

‘That’s true. All the same I am going to ask Sir Robert what can be done about sparing his life.’

Sir Robert pointed out that the royal prerogative of mercy could not be exercised except under the direction of government but since the Queen felt so strongly on the matter, he would have the case considered.

The result was that John Francis’s death sentence was commuted to transportation for life.

Albert said that had John Francis been hanged as he so richly deserved it would not have entered the head of John William Bean to follow his example. Bean was four feet tall, a hunchback and therefore easily identified.

Since Francis had attempted to kill her, the Queen had become very popular and whenever she drove out crowds congregated to see her pass by.

She and Albert were driving to the chapel in St James’s Palace, when the hunchback pointed the pistol at them. A boy of sixteen named Dassett, with the help of his brother, seized the hunchback and shouted to the police. Thinking the deformed Bean to be only a child and his captors not much more, the police believed the affair to be a game and told the brothers to let the little fellow go. But the Dassett boys kept Bean’s pistol and showed it to another policeman. There could be no doubt that it was a dangerous weapon and, thinking the Dassetts had been seen to fire it and were pretending to be innocent, he was about to arrest them when their uncle – who had brought them to see the Queen ride by – hurried over and by this time others said that they had seen what had happened. When powder was found to be in the pistol the Dassett boys were commended and it did not take long to identify the hunchback, who was an assistant in a chemist shop, and he was promptly arrested.

Sir Robert, who was in Cambridge, came hurrying back to London on hearing the news and presented himself at Buckingham Palace.

When the Queen entered the room his emotion was so great at the sight of her that tears came into his eyes and he could not control his voice.

So deeply affected was the Queen that the somewhat frigid and formal Sir Robert could feel so deeply about her safety, that from that moment every vestige of the dislike which she had fought so hard to overcome disappeared. It was the constant tears in Lord Melbourne’s eyes which had made her so devoted to him and now she had discovered without a doubt that Sir Robert was just as kind and feeling a man and none the less sincere because he was not always proclaiming his devotion.

‘My dear Sir Robert,’ she cried, ‘we are once more safe.’

‘Ma’am,’ replied Sir Robert brokenly, ‘I must ask you to excuse me. For the moment …’

‘Albert and I understand,’ said the Queen warmly.

Although Sir Robert recovered his habitual demeanour he could not altogether hide his emotion. The law must be tightened up, he said, or these attacks might continue. It so often happened that an offence was committted and accompanied by a great deal of publicity and then someone else would attempt it.

Sir Robert never prevaricated as Lord Melbourne had, the Queen noticed. A Bill was immediately introduced into Parliament which set out that any attempts on the life of the Sovereign would be punishable by seven years transportation or imprisonment of three years, the miscreant to be publicly or privately whipped.

Bean was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment.

This, said Sir Robert, would deter people from thinking it was an afternoon’s amusement to take a shot at the Queen, for, he was convinced, this was not a serious attempt on her life. There was unrest throughout the country over the appalling social conditions but no one could blame the charming young Queen for this.

That was an eventful summer, with two attempts on her life, the imminent departure of Lehzen and so many visitors to be entertained. The Queen’s uncle Mensdorff had come over in June and had in fact been in the carriage behind the Queen’s and Albert’s at the time of the Francis affair; Uncle Leopold and Aunt Louise had paid a fleeting visit to be followed by Albert’s brother Ernest and his bride in July. In addition to all was the change in so many relationships. Lehzen was preparing to depart. ‘After so many years,’ she said sadly, ‘one collects so many belongings.’ The Queen’s presents to her – so numerous over the years – would all be taken and treasured until she died. There was a subtle understanding between them that this was goodbye. Lehzen knew that on the day she departed the palace would cease to be her home.

There was also the Queen’s changed relationship with her Prime Minister and her growing dependence upon Albert. She was now discussing everything with him and there had been scarcely any flaring up of temper, and then only over trivial things which she could very quickly laugh at with Albert.

Albert made a clean sweep in the nurseries and dismissed several of the nurses whom he said were incompetent or disrespectful. Lady Sarah Spencer Lyttleton, a lady of charm and efficiency, took charge and the Prince was pleased with her. Later he would examine the household management, but he would wait until Lehzen had left for now that he had gained his point he did not wish to be too hard on her. All he asked was that she slip quietly away and then he would begin introducing his reforms in earnest.

Albert was very happy to be with his brother. He and Victoria took the pair to Claremont but Victoria secretly believed that Ernest preferred the gaieties of London. It was an excuse to have a few balls to entertain them, but Albert was never really happy on these occasions and she supposed really they were rather superficial entertainments.

She was a little hurt by Albert’s grief when his brother departed and would have been so happy if he had not cared quite so much, but of course it did show what an affectionate nature he had and she could not expect Albert to forget his devotion to his brother – the companion of his childhood and early youth – because he had entered into the most perfect marriage with Victoria.

The Cambridges had always been antagonistic to Albert and Victoria had turned against them for this reason. Relations could be so tiresome. There was Uncle Cumberland who could not be content to be King of Hanover and was always making some criticism of his niece, simply because he thought she had what should be his, which was nonsense. There was no law in England against a woman ascending the throne and as Uncle William had said the people often preferred it. ‘Sailors will be more ready to fight for a bonny lass.’ Those were some of the last words Uncle William had spoken. But Uncle Cumberland thought differently. In fact until it had been proved that Francis and Bean were almost witless she had thought they might be agents of Uncle Cumberland, because in her youth there had been genuine scares that he was plotting against her.

It was not that she expected the Cambridges to plot against her. They would not dare do that. But they had wanted her to marry George Cambridge and they had thought they had had a good chance of bringing this about because in the old days George Cambridge (while his parents were in Germany) had lived with Aunt Adelaide and Uncle William and they had tried to make a match between George and Victoria. Being the King and Queen it might have seemed that they had a good chance of bringing this about. But, thought the Queen fondly, I had seen Albert.

They were most provoking, these Cambridges, always doing something to irritate her, mostly slighting Albert, so when she heard the scandal about George she could not help feeling a little pleased, which was very wrong of course. But they did give themselves airs.

It was whispered that the Duke of Beaufort’s daughter, Lady Augusta Somerset, was pregnant and that recently she had been very friendly with George Cambridge. As Lady Augusta was the Duchess of Cambridge’s lady-in-waiting George would see a great deal of her, and it was very likely that he was the father.

Albert, disclosing that he deplored any form of impurity, was horrified that it should exist within the family circle.

‘Your Court, my love, has been rather lax,’ he said, affectionately chiding. ‘I think that is something we shall be obliged to alter.’

‘Of course, Albert,’ she agreed.

‘You must invite the Duchess and express definite instructions that Lady Augusta is not included in the party.’

‘And what of George?’

Albert considered that it was difficult to exclude her cousin but in the circumstances necessary.

The Cambridges were furious. The Duchess demanded of the Queen why her son and lady-in-waiting should be treated in this way.

‘It is always those most concerned who are the last to hear of what is going on around them,’ the Queen told her.

‘I am completely ignorant of what Your Majesty suggests.’

‘Then I should ask your son … and lady-in-waiting. The Prince and I will not tolerate immorality at Court. There has been too much of it in the past. We have decided to take strong measures against it and these will be used even against members of our own family.’

‘This is a cruel mistake,’ said the Duchess, but the Queen lifted her shoulders and fluttered her fan.

The Duchess was not going to allow the matter to pass, particularly when both her son George and Lady Augusta assured her that the accusation was false.

‘The Queen is behaving as she did over Flora Hastings,’ said the Duchess. ‘When the honour of people has to be vindicated this sort of thing must be brought out into the open.’

The news leaked out to the press. The Cambridges saw to that. The Queen’s German husband was so pure, was the comment, that he could see evil where it did not exist.

Lord Melbourne was disturbed. Being an inveterate gossip himself he could see the implications of this affair far better than Peel could. It was an echo of Flora Hastings and they all knew what harm that had done. The Queen certainly did, for she had been taunted by the wronged woman for months afterwards. There had been two attempts at assassination; some parts of the country were in revolt against social conditions; people were hungry and dissatisfied; there was rioting in the Midlands. The Queen could not afford another Flora Hastings scandal and the best thing that could happen would be that Albert, who was accused of being the instigator of the gossip, should without delay apologise to the Cambridges and Lady Augusta.

This was very difficult and degrading, said Albert; but as it became clear that the rumour was without foundation he realised it must be done.

He did it rather brusquely and he and the Queen hoped that the matter would end there. But the Queen’s nights were disturbed by dreams of Flora Hastings rising from the grave to stand at the foot of her bed reproaching her.

She told Albert about it and recalled the pamphlets which were put into circulation at the time by malicious people. The one which haunted her most was that which was titled: ‘A case of Murder against Buckingham Palace.’

‘It was horrible, horrible,’ she shuddered. ‘I want no repetition of that.’

‘There will be none,’ soothed the Prince. ‘These rumours were without foundation but we are right to keep a close watch on the morals of the Court and, my dear love, we must continue to do so.’

Victoria agreed that they must. And the Cambridges continued to slight Albert whenever the opportunity arose.

It was September, the month when Lehzen was due to depart. Albert, with, as Victoria told herself, perfect understanding, realised the strain those last weeks would bring so he decided that he and the Queen should take a little holiday. The babies could be left behind and Lehzen was still in charge of the nursery. The change would do the queen good.

‘Shall it be Claremont?’ asked the Queen.

‘Oh, no,’ said Albert, ‘much farther afield. I have heard that Scotland is very beautiful.’

Scotland! The Queen had never thought of going so far but the idea was as she said very appealing and since Albert wished it they set off.

The tour was a great success. Her Majesty’s loyal subjects of the North were very pleased that she should visit their country. Edinburgh was a delight.

‘A unique city,’ cried the Queen.

The glens and the heather-covered hills delighted the Prince. They reminded him of home, he said, which was the greatest compliment he could pay them.

The Queen found them truly magnificent and determined to see more of this beautiful part of her realm.

It was such a joy to be with Albert who was the perfect companion. He was not always serious and did like an occasional joke. For instance when Lord Kinnoul received them at his country mansion and was so eager to show them the beauties of his estate he fell backwards in his enthusiasm and rolled head over heels down a grassy bank. Having got up he almost fell down another and would have done if Albert had not seized him in time. The Queen caught Albert’s eye and they could not help smiling and as Lord Kinnoul was none the worse for his fall it seemed a great joke. They talked about it when they were alone and as the Queen said in her account of this in a letter to Uncle Leopold they nearly ‘died of laughing’.

From Dalkeith they went to Perth, ‘most beautifully situated on the Tay,’ wrote the Queen; and on to Scone Palace, ‘fine but rather gloomy’. Then to Dunkeld and the Highlands.

Oh, the beautiful beautiful Highlands! She would always remember her first view of them and she would love them for ever. And what was most effective were the encampments of the Highlanders who were there, of course for the express purpose of paying homage to her. Dear people, in their kilts and their shields and swords. So romantic. What an excellent idea it had been to come to Scotland. She could never thank Albert enough for bringing her here. At Dunkeld Lord Breadalbane had brought out his Highlanders with a battalion of the 92nd Highland Regiment in honour of the royal visit.

How enchanting! She was delighted, and when she did not think of poor Lehzen back at the palace getting her things ready to leave she could be completely happy.

What a wonderful night that was, for as far as she could see from her bedroom window the bonfires blazed; the Highlanders danced their own dances by torchlight and the bagpipes played their strange and exciting music.

‘I have fallen in love with Scotland,’ said the Queen fervently.

She was delighted to have discovered this beautiful realm, but another discovery pleased her less.

She was once more pregnant.

Lehzen sat silently in her room. So this was the end. Tomorrow she was leaving the palace and that meant that she would in fact go out of Victoria’s life for ever.

A year ago this would have seemed an impossibility. How quickly life could change!

She could see clearly now where she had been wrong. She should never have attempted to make trouble between a husband and wife. She should have known that the Queen would be the most loyal of wives. But it was too late. She had to make a new life. There were young people where she was going – her brother’s children. Perhaps she could take them to her heart as she had taken Victoria. But there would never be anyone who could mean to her what Victoria had meant. She was philosophical now. She was getting old. She had had her day.

Her devotion to her dearest child was selfless and she could say with absolute sincerity that what she wanted more than anything was Victoria’s happiness.

She could never like Albert. He was stern, serious and prudish; he could never really enjoy life because he was so eager to do his duty, and one sensed that he felt there was something sinful in enjoying the good things of life. He would mould her to his way. She would change. She would always be sincere, deeply affectionate, loving to dance and gossip, the adorably human Victoria of the past, but he would change her.

It is time I went, said Lehzen.

She would see the Queen for the last time today. She would be calm; there must be no stormy parting and tomorrow very early she would slip quietly away. She did not want Victoria to be harassed by painful goodbyes.

Lehzen had gone.

The Queen was deeply affected. After all those years they had parted. She could not remember a time in her life when Lehzen had not been there.

In a way she was relieved. The last months had been a strain. And Albert would be so delighted. It was what he had always wanted; he blamed Lehzen for everything that had gone wrong; and it was true he had made her see the Baroness differently from the way she had before.

It was better that she went and the last thing Lehzen wanted her to be was unhappy – just as she herself longed for Lehzen to find peace and happiness with her family.

The end of a phase was always a solemn time. She wanted to recapture the spirit of those old days absolutely as they were then, not as she saw them now, and the best way of doing this was to read through some of her old journals.

She blushed a little as she read. Had she really felt like that about Lord Melbourne? She wrote of him as though they were lovers. She had been thoughtless then. It was all rather artificial really. That was not true happiness.

But reading the journals made her realise how contented she was with life.

‘Thank God,’ she said aloud, ‘that Albert has taught me what real happiness means.’