The Third George

The comic coronation

It was the day after the wedding. Charlotte sat at her mirror while her attendants prepared her for the levee. They were watching her curiously and she knew why. They would very much like to know what she thought of married life. Charlotte was by no means discontented with it. The King could scarcely be called a passionate lover but he was kind. That was what pleased her so much.

She had been dreading their first encounter and it had passed without undue discomfort; and she was now initiated into married life and knew what was expected of her and that if she could bear children she would be a successful Queen.

On waking she had immediately thought of the chief bridesmaid, for she was sure that the King had been thinking of her too, and no doubt wishing her in Charlotte's place. But she knew enough of the ways of Court to be aware of the fact that many a Queen had arrived in her new land to find her husband's mistress in possession of his affections. She did not believe Sarah Lennox was George's mistress; and she felt extraordinarily optimistic since her new intimacy with the King; she believed that now he was a husband he would soon stop hankering after that girl.

Her women were whispering together. There was one whom she had not noticed before; flamboyant and beautiful, though no longer young. The woman was saying: "And my Lord Hardwicke met His Majesty coming from the bedchamber and His Majesty seemed in good spirits. He said it was a very fine day; to which my lord replied with accompanying leer: "Yes, Sire, and it was a very fine night." At which His Majesty was not amused.”

The titter of laughter which followed this gave Charlotte an indication of the sort of joke these women were making although they spoke in English. She had however caught the words His Majesty for those were two with which she had already become familiar. I must learn English quickly, she thought. They must not be allowed to chatter so in my presence and I not know what they say. She asked the Marchioness who the lady was.

"It is Elizabeth Chudleigh, Madam, whom the Princess Dowager has appointed to serve you.”

"Pray present her to me.”

Elizabeth Chudleigh swept a deep curtsey. Her eyes seemed to be filled with mischief but how could Charlotte complain of that.

Elizabeth Chudleigh was thinking: My God, what have they given the poor boy now! I'll warrant he's thinking of pretty Sarah or perhaps his beautiful Hannah. What a tale I could tell little Crocodile-Mouth if I wished. Elizabeth was sure of herself. She had played her part in the Hannah Light foot affair, for the King Prince of Wales then, of course had confided in her and asked her help. Was it not Elizabeth who had found the rooms in the Haymarket where George had had those clandestine meetings with his Quakeress? What a part she had played in the elopement. And what great good it had brought her for that sly old matron, the Princess Dowager, would have dismissed her from Court long ago had Elizabeth not been in a position to work a little courteous blackmail. And Lord Bute was afraid of her too!

Well, Elizabeth was now deep in her own affairs; wondering how she was going to get the Duke of Kingston to marry her. He was her doting lover and she the mistress without whom he could not live but she had married Hervey and she would have to extricate herself from that entanglement somehow. In the meantime she was biding her time and waiting on the newly arrived Queen.

Poor child, thought Elizabeth. Should one warn her of the King's infatuation for the Lennox girl?

Should one tell her that if she were clever she could beat her mother-in-law at her own game? No.

Keep out, thought Elizabeth. The great project was how to become the Duchess of Kingston. Let the Queen look after herself.

"You have been serving the Princess Dowager, I presume," said Charlotte in French.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I think she chose me because the King himself has always honoured me by his interest in my welfare.”

"I am pleased to hear it.”

"You are gracious, Madam. I shall hope to serve you faithfully, for that is what His Majesty would wish.”

She is clever and wise, thought Charlotte. She is a woman of great experience. Did they say Miss Chudleigh. Odd that she had not married and become a Countess or Duchess. She would have to find out more about this intriguing woman. She was ready for the levee and left for the drawing room. There she found her bridesmaids assembled and was quickly aware of Sarah Lennox, looking fresh and lovely and as beautiful in her gown of velvet as she had in her white and silver bridesmaid's clothes with the circlet of diamonds on her head.

As her position warranted she took her place near the throne, by which Charlotte was standing, as one by one the peers and peeresses came to do homage to her. She felt suddenly alone because she could not speak English and once again she was determined to learn as quickly as she could. The Marchioness was announcing the names of the people as they approached the Queen; they then knelt and kissed her hand and swore allegiance.

"Lord Westmorland," said the Marchioness; and that nobleman came forward, peering from side to side for he was, the Marchioness whispered to her, almost blind.

Charlotte smiled at him kindly but he did not see her, and, to the outward consternation and secret amusement of all, he knelt and took the hand of Sarah Lennox who was standing close to the Queen.

"No ... no ..." hissed the Marchioness, while Sarah sprang back as though she had been bitten.

The Queen held out her hand and Lord Westmorland kissed it. Charlotte did not see the old man; she was aware only of the hush which had fallen on the assembly.

Charlotte had her first clash with her mother-in-law a few days later. She was preparing to take Communion and her ladies had put out all her new jewels, since this was an occasion when they believed she would wear them. The Princess Augusta, the elder of George's sisters, had come to her apartment to see her and so was present when Charlotte announced that she did not believe it was seemly to take Communion in a tiara and stomacher of diamonds.

"Why not?" Augusta asked in her peremptory way. Charlotte resented the Princess's attitude towards her, but as they were both speaking in French a language foreign to them both she could never be sure whether she had interpreted correctly.

"It does not seem to me to show proper respect.”

Augusta laughed; she had a harsh unpleasant laugh. She was resentful that George who was younger than she was should have married before her; and she had always thought it unfair that she, the first born, should have been a girl. This attitude did not endear her to Charlotte, though she was secretly amused that George had got a little Crocodile (it was a term which was being applied to Charlotte on account of that ungainly mouth of hers which everyone admitted did call the obnoxious creatures to mind) when he had set his heart on flighty Sarah Lennox.

Augusta had done all she could to foil that romance and she had often succeeded in discomfiting Madame Sarah; all the same this did not endear her to Charlotte, who was not only younger than herself, but above her in position, being Queen of England. And come from some wretched little state which no one had heard of before the suggested marriage, thought Augusta.

"We feel it would show a lack of respect to appear without them.”

"I do not believe the disciples wore jewels at the Last Supper.”

Impudent little crocodile, thought Augusta. So she would argue! "They had none. That's why.”

"I do not think jewels in keeping with the occasion," said Charlotte with a touch of that authority which she had displayed to her attendants on her way to London.

"And I shall continue in the way I have been brought up to believe is the right one.”

Augusta flushed angrily and asked leave to depart. This was given with alacrity, and once out of the apartment Augusta made haste to her mother's apartment.

"Charlotte is a most arrogant creature," she declared.

"She despises our customs and tells me she will keep to those in which she was brought up and which are so much better than ours.”

The Princess Dowager was alert. They would have to keep their eyes on Charlotte. The whole reason for marrying her to George was that they, she and Lord Bute, might keep their control of him.

"What is this?" she demanded.

Her daughter told her version of what had happened, and the Princess Dowager decided that something should be done. She went to the Queen's apartment just as Charlotte, simply clad without her jewels, was about to leave for Communion.

"But you are not going to Communion like that!" cried the outraged Princess Dowager.

"I am," answered Charlotte. Oh, yes, thought her mother-in-law, she is arrogant.

"No, my dear. We would consider that a direct insult to God.”

"I am sure He would not.”

So she was flippant, blasphemous. A very firm hand was needed. "My dear daughter, now you are here you will want to learn our customs. You will not want to offend people by behaving as you do in your brother's little dukedom.”

Charlotte flushed. "I cannot see what difference...”

"You will learn, my dear.”

The Queen replied: "I shall first of all learn the language.”

The Princess Dowager stood like a redoubtable old general blocking her way. The Queen was not going to pass. She saw Elizabeth Chudleigh and told her rapidly in English to bring Lord Bute to her without delay.

Elizabeth, smiling secretly, hurried off. Meanwhile Charlotte, flustered, uncertain, never having considered that she would have to face such a situation, was undecided how to act.

"Let us sit down," said the Princess.

"Where is your tiara? Pray fetch it," she said to one of the maids. It was brought and she put it gently on Charlotte's head.

"How becoming. Why it makes you pretty." The eyes which regarded Charlotte were as cold as a snake's. "I cannot think why you do not wish to wear the King's gift on every occasion.”

"It is charming," said Charlotte. "I have never possessed such jewels; but I do not consider them suitable to be worn at Communion.”

Lord Bute had arrived. He looked deeply concerned; he kissed the Queen's hand and that of the Princess Dowager. The latter's eyes softened at the sight of him; hard as she was where everyone else was concerned, she was soft for this man. Even now that they had been lovers for years her affection was apparent whenever she looked at him; it was in the inflection of her voice when she spoke to him.

"Lord Bute, the Queen wishes you to set her right on this little matter of custom. Lord Bute, my dear, things as the King thinks. They have never had a disagreement. He will tell you what should be done and you may believe him. Her Majesty wishes to go to Communion without her jewels. I have told her that she should wear them ... that it would be considered most unseemly if she did not. She would offend people here if they thought she was not paying due respect to God and religion. That is so, my lord, is it not?”

"It is assuredly so," said Lord Bute.

"I do not find if so," persisted Charlotte stubbornly. She was almost in tears, and angry with herself that she should be so over such a silly matter.

"I have told Her Majesty that she will learn our ways," said the Princess.

"She must not be despondent if she does not grasp them all at once.”

"I am sure Her Majesty will know our customs as well as we do ourselves... in a very short time.”

"In the meantime...”

"In the meantime," interrupted the Princess Dowager, 'you wish us to advise you. Rest assured, my dear daughter, that we shall be most happy to do so and save you from the embarrassment which would otherwise result.”

Charlotte continued to look stubborn. It did not improve her looks.

What a plain creature she is! thought Bute. I wonder George doesn't rebel. Serve her right if he makes Sarah Lennox his mistress. Not that that sly old Fox will allow that. A pox on these silly squabbles, but Augusta was right of course to take this stand. The girl must not have her head turned by hearing herself referred to constantly as the Queen of England.

"I will have a word with His Majesty," he told her benignly.

"I am sure when you hear his ruling you will be convinced.”

There was one thing Charlotte had been taught in her home and that was that she must obey her husband, and if the King said she must wear her jewels to Communion, then she must. She was distressed more because of the folly of the situation than anything else, and perhaps because in her heart she guessed that this was an indication. Her powerful mother-in-law and Lord Bute expected her to do as she was told. She looked at them defiantly. She would not go to Communion bejewelled or otherwise until she had heard what the King had to say.

Lord Bute found the King in his apartments. He went in unceremoniously. He wanted the King and everyone to realize the intimacy between them.

"A little difficulty between the Queen and your mother," he whispered. "I am certain that between us we shall quickly put it to rights.”

"A difficulty!" echoed the King.

"Yes, my dear Majesty ... a matter of jewels. The Queen feels she should not wear them and your mother feels she should.”

"Should it not be a matter for the Queen to decide?”

"This is for Communion. Perhaps an occasion for ceremony.”

"I... I should not have thought so.”

Bute was cautious. Here was a situation which he and the Princess Dowager had feared. If the Queen was allowed to have her own way she would quickly be advising the King and one of the first results of this would be to turn him from his mother. A matter of wearing or not wearing jewels was immaterial to Bute; but what was of the utmost importance was that the little Queen should not give herself airs, and that she must be made to understand that the Princess Dowager and her dear friend Lord Bute were the two who had guided His Majesty before his marriage and they intended to go on doing so.

"Your mother is of the opinion that it shows disrespect to religion not to wear the jewels and I agree with her.”

The King looked startled.

"And I have assured her that on consideration Your Majesty will share our view.”

"But Oh, these ladies! The Queen is charming. Perhaps she is no beauty but she is charming ...

charming ... and I am sure she has already fallen in love with Your Majesty. That I can well understand and should indeed be surprised if it were not so. But being in love she feels she can lead you. Oh, it is the way with women.”

"I have no intention of being led.”

"So I thought. Your Majesty has often remarked on the trouble which has come through kings being led by women and I can remember your saying on more than one occasion that you had no intention of allowing this to happen to you.”

"That's so. I should never allow any woman to persuade me from what I thought was right.”

"How fortunate this country is to have such a king. When I consider the last reigns ... No matter.

We have come safely through and I know you are going to command me to explain to her dear little Majesty that it is your wish that she wears the jewels. Not that... between ourselves … we see anything of great importance in this. But I know Your Majesty will agree with me that we must make it clear to the Queen that you are determined not to be ruled by her and that it is her duty to obey her husband." Before George could speak, Bute hurried on.

"This is a blessing, because in this very small matter we can set Her Majesty's feet on the right path. We can make known to her, so discreetly, Your Majesty's policy, for which knowing women I am sure she will respect you ... far more than if you were to give way and allow her to rule you.”

It all seemed a great bother about a small matter, George thought; but it was true that he was determined not to be governed by women; and Lord Bute was right as usual when he pointed out that Charlotte should be made aware of this in the beginning. Shortly afterwards the Princess Dowager had the satisfaction of seeing the Queen go to Communion in her diamonds.

**** It was some three weeks after the wedding, a glorious day and 22 September, the day fixed for the coronation. All along the route from the Palace to the Abbey scaffolding had been set up in the streets and high prices were demanded for seats in windows. London was eager to see the new King crowned; he was popular because he was young, had been born in England, looked and spoke like an Englishman and was the first English king they had had since James II; and because they had never cared for him and had sent him packing, they preferred to recall Good Charles's days when that romantic monarch had come back to England on his Restoration and made England merry. That was a hundred years ago and here was another, George, their king, newly ascended the throne and newly married. Of course they must come out on a glorious September day to shout their loyalty. And there was the Queen, too a German, not speaking English, which made them grimace. They were tired of Germans who couldn't or wouldn't speak English. But she was young and if she behaved herself they would accept her, for the King had chosen her in spite of the fact that he had had his eyes on Lady Sarah Lennox whom they would have far preferred. A lovely English girl was better than an ugly German one any day. Still, it was a coronation and a reign always meant new hopes of better times.

Charlotte awoke with a raging toothache and neuralgia. She decided not to mention this to Mademoiselle von Schwellenburg who was, she had to admit, becoming quite intolerable, setting herself up as the head of the women, making her own rule that no one should approach the Queen except through her. Charlotte would have to warn Schwellenburg that the English ladies would not like this at all. She had heard Miss Chudleigh make some retort to Schwellenburg which the latter did not understand. Nor did Charlotte but she guessed it was a witty quip by the manner in which the others laughed.

Miss Chudleigh and the Marchioness of Lome were outwardly very friendly, but Charlotte believed there was a certain animosity between them because the Duke of Hamilton, first husband of the Marchioness, had at one time been betrothed to Elizabeth Chudleigh. These two women were, Charlotte feared, somewhat light-minded. But Charlotte was in too much pain to think of them now. She lay in her bed dreading the moment when she would have to rise and prepare for the ceremony.

It came all too soon. Schwellenburg was bustling about her, talking in rapid German; this was an important occasion; only she should be in close contact with the Queen. Charlotte felt too weary to reprove her, but she guessed that before long she would have to do something about Schwellenburg. She stood quietly while she was dressed in the splendour of purple velvet and ermine; she hoped the coronet she would have to wear would not be too heavy; her poor head would not be able to support it, she was sure.

Her spirits rose a little as she drove through the streets to the Abbey with George beside her. Each day she felt more affection for him; she wanted to write and tell her family how content she was with her husband. He was so kind and had never hinted in any way that he was in love with another woman or had been before her arrival. She would like to tell them of her contentment. Her brother would not care; and how could she tell Christina when it would only make her regret her ill fortune the more bitterly; and if she told Ida von Billow it would be gossiped all over the Court in no time and come to Christina's ears that way. No, she must keep her contentment to herself.

George looked magnificent in his coronation robes; his face was flushed and his eyes seemed more blue than usual; he radiated purpose and that was what the people sensed; it was one of the reasons why they cheered him so loudly.

"God Save the King," they cried; and Charlotte had learned enough to know what that meant. And some said: "God save the Queen," She bowed and smiled at them and trusted the splendour of her garments made up for the plainness of her face. The solemn ceremony proceeded in the beginning without a hitch. There was Dr. Seeker, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in his cope of white and gold, informing all those who had gathered to witness the ceremony that he presented to them "George, the undoubted King of the realm'.

With him Charlotte walked to the altar where the large Bible lay open. Charlotte had rehearsed this part of the ceremony and had learned off by heart the words she would have to say.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this Kingdom and the Dominions thereto belonging according to the statutes in Parliament agreed on and the laws and customs of the same?”

The King replied, laying his hand on the Bible: "I solemnly promise so to do.”

Then it was Charlotte's turn. She was relieved that she managed to speak the words required of her. More questions followed and finally: "Will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain the laws of God, the true profession of the gospel and the Protestant Reformed Religion established by the law?”

Again Charlotte made her reply faultlessly, and retiring from the altar she seated herself while the King went to St. Edward's Chair for the anointing.

The coronet was heavy and her head ached uncomfortably; and she was glad when they went once more to the altar to take Communion. George said to Dr. Seeker: "Should I not take off my crown when offering homage to the King of all Kings?”

Dr. Seeker replied that he was unaware of the correct mode of procedure, and turned to one of the Bishops to ask his opinion. As the Bishop did not know either, the King said that he was sure it would be more becoming in him to remove his crown and he believed the Queen should take her coronet off. This, whispered the Archbishop, would disarrange the Queen's hair and he was sure that it was not expected.

"Well," said George, 'for this time we will regard Her Majesty's coronet as part of her costume and not as her crown.”

He then took off his crown and explained in German to the Queen what had taken place. Charlotte was astonished, because it was only a short while before that she had been commanded to wear her jewels when taking Communion. She wondered whether the King remembered this; and if so why she had been forced to wear her jewels on that occasion and he dispense with his on this.

Communion over, the King and Queen prepared to leave the Abbey and as they did so one of the biggest jewels fell from the King's crown. There was a shocked silence. A bad omen, it was whispered, if ever there was one. After an undignified scrambling to recover the jewel it was soon found; but all eyes seemed to be on the gap where it should have been and this incident cast a certain gloom over the proceedings.

This was the first of a series of mishaps. When the company led by the King and Queen arrived at Westminster Hall where the banquet was to be held, they found it in darkness. Lord Talbot, who was Lord Steward and, with the Earl Marshal, was in charge of the coronation, had thought it would be an excellent idea to have all the candles lighted simultaneously as soon as the King and Queen were at the threshold, and had arranged it should take place by means of flax fuses.

There was a gasp of astonishment as the royal couple stumbled into the darkness; and then it seemed to Charlotte that the hall was on fire. The jabbing of her tooth was so painful that she had to smother an exclamation. The candles were suddenly alight but pieces of burning flax hung in the air for a few seconds before they floated down on the guests. So the desired admiration was replaced first by startled fear and then relief when it was discovered that no one was injured.

The candles made a brilliant show and the smell of spiced meats and delicacies filled the hall. No one could eat of course until the King and Queen were served, and Charlotte saw that on the dais on which their table had been set, although it was glittering with glass and cutlery, chairs were lacking.

Lord Talbot and Lord Effingham, who was acting as Deputy Earl Marshall, were rushing round in a panic demanding chairs for their Majesties; but in spite of all the great efforts to provide a banquet such as those present would never forget, it was difficult to find two chairs suitable for the King and the Queen. Lord Effingham, wig awry, eventually hurried on to the dais, a chair in his arms, followed by Lord Talbot with another. These were set at the table and a sigh of relief went up throughout the hall for everyone was very hungry and the ceremonious serving of the King and Queen had to take place before they could eat.

"It would seem, my lord," said George mildly, 'that the arrangements for our coronation can scarcely be called efficiently made.”

Effingham muttered: "It is so I fear, Sire. It seems some matters have been neglected." He added more brightly: "But I have taken care that the next coronation will be regulated in the exactest manner possible.”

George burst out laughing, and told Charlotte what the Earl had said. Effingham was overcome with confusion and far more embarrassed than he had been over the lack of chairs. But the more George considered his remark the more it amused him. He called Lord Bute and insisted that Effingham repeat what he had said. This Effingham did, mumbling and growing more and more scarlet.

Meanwhile the Lord Mayor of London and the Aldermen of the City had discovered that no places had been laid for them, and the Mayor was declaring in a loud voice that he considered this a disgrace. He was the Lord Mayor of London and did my Lord Effingham and my Lord Talbot know that London was the capital city and bowed to no one ... not even kings. The biggest omission that could have been made was to fail to provide places for the Mayor and Aldermen.

Lord Effingham, escaping from the amused King, was obliged to face the furious Lord Mayor.

"My Lord Mayor," whispered Effingham, "I pray you leave quietly with your Aldermen. Some recompense shall be made...”

"There's only one recompense," retorted the Mayor. "And that is table places.”

"My Lord Mayor...”

"The City of London is giving a banquet to the King which is costing 10,000. Have you the effrontery, my lord, to tell me then that there is no place for the Mayor and Aldermen at the King's coronation banquet? The city will not have it, sir.”

Talbot came to the aid of the harassed Effingham and whispered that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen should have the table which had been reserved for the Knights of the Bath. Effingham was relieved and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen were satisfied. But then there were the Knights of the Bath to be faced and a similar scene was enacted with them. At length Effingham fitted them into other tables which caused such crowding that there was a great murmur of complaint to which derisive comments were added when it was discovered that there was not enough food to go round and that the incompetent organizers had miscalculated once more.

The most farcical incident of all was yet to come. It was the custom of the Lord Steward, in this instance the unfortunate Lord Talbot, to ride a horse into the hall and up to the dais and there pay his respects to the King and Queen. Talbot had intended to ride to the dais, make his gracious speech and then back the horse out of the hall keeping his face and that of the horse towards their Majesties. He had practised this in the empty hall; but this was a day of mishaps, and Talbot had forgotten that the horse had gone through his paces perfectly when the hall was empty but now it was full of chattering laughing grumbling people; it was lighted by thousands of flickering candles and was not the same comfortable spot by any means.

The horse and rider appeared in the hall. The horse seemed to take one look at the royal couple and turn his back on them; in vain did Talbot attempt to ride him to the dais; the horse would only turn and present his hindquarters. There was wild laughter throughout the hall, while the discomfited Talbot endeavoured to guide his horse up to the dais. It was with the greatest difficulty that he did finally bring the prancing animal to the edge of the dais; but by then everyone, including the King and Queen, were too convulsed by laughter to hear his loyal speech.

It was a farce of a coronation. Yet it was a coronation all the same. And from that day those about the king noticed a new resolution in his manner. The first to be aware of this was Lord Bute, and although he was certain of his hold on the King's affections and therefore was certain of his own powers, from that time he did begin to be a trifle uneasy.