The Queen's Husband (42 page)

The King of Hanover as usual caused a little uneasiness. He had always been extremely ugly, having lost an eye which gave him a most sinister aspect and this may have been due in some measure to the stories which circulated about him, but of course he had been involved in a murder case and he was very unscrupulous and he would have been King of England if Victoria had not lived to claim the throne.

He wanted to see the nursery and when Victoria saw him pick up The Boy in his arms and study him with his one penetrating eye she felt a shiver of alarm run through her. Oddly enough the child was not in the least perturbed and seemed to find this strange great-uncle interesting. Pussy, with her usual intelligence, regarded him curiously, but she showed no fear either. But Victoria could guess what Uncle Ernest was thinking when he held The Boy. This child would one day be King of England and everyone knew that this was a role Ernest had coveted beyond everything.

Soon the guests were departing. Victoria wept to see darling Feodora go and she remarked to Albert how sad it was that royal people had so often to leave their homes. Albert could agree wholeheartedly with that. She knew he often thought of his brother and father with the utmost affection.

Victoria would never say it to Albert but she did think that Albert’s family were not so worthy of his affection as they might be. His brother had led a rather wild life; they had been aware when he was staying with them of very unpleasant evidence of this. As for his father, he too had not been exactly moral and now he was worrying them to give him an allowance. They were so rich, he said, and he was poor. He did not understand what expenses the British Monarchy had to face.

Considering all this it seemed more wonderful than ever that Albert had turned out to be such a good man.

How fortunate she was in her husband.

Uncle Ernest’s visit triggered off a series of rather alarming incidents. People wrote anonymous letters threatening to kidnap the children. Others wrote warning that plots were afoot to do so. Most of them, said Sir Robert, were written by mad people, but one could never be sure.

The Duchess of Kent, to whom Victoria had now become reconciled (Albert wished it), now seemed to have changed her character. She adored the children and Victoria was constantly warning her about spoiling them, but it was gratifying to see the change in her since the departure of Sir John Conroy. She was very happy and always listened attentively to what Albert said, and no longer tried to manage her daughter.

The Duchess was now very concerned about the children’s safety and she was certain that her wicked brother-in-law, the King of Hanover, was a menace.

‘He would do anything to get the throne. He would not stop at murder.’

Albert thought that, while every precaution should be taken, it was unwise to make accusations without firm foundation.

‘Oh, you have no idea, dear Albert,’ said the Duchess. ‘You who are so good cannot conceive the wickedness of some people. When Victoria was a child he set about rumours that she was weak and sickly to prepare the people for her death. I knew that it was his idea to get some of his spies into Kensington and have her poisoned. I would not allow her to be alone for one moment.’ She looked ruefully at her daughter. ‘Oh, I know she didn’t always like it, but everything I did was for her good.’

‘I am sure of it, dear Mama,’ said Albert, so Victoria was becoming sure of it. ‘And don’t worry about the children,’ he went on. ‘I shall see that every precaution is taken.’

And he did so with his usual efficiency. The last thing he did before retiring was to examine all the locks in the nursery. Lady Lyttleton, whom he trusted, always accompanied him on this tour; and when everything was locked the keys were in his possession and no one could have them without asking for them.

It seemed hardly likely that the King of Hanover would be able to murder the Queen and her children all at one time, and if he had, it was a certainty that the people of England would never have accepted him; but the Prince was taking no risks with his family. Uncle Ernest was the bogy Napoleon had been to an earlier generation. At least it was true that he was staking a claim for Princess Charlotte’s jewellery which was in Victoria’s possession. It seemed dreadful, thought the Queen, to quarrel over jewellery, but if she passed over the gems to him she was going to find herself with hardly any ornaments to wear and so many of the ladies at Court could outshine her in that respect even now.

Not that jewels affected her very deeply. She did not greatly care for dressing up. The home life, the quiet pleasant evenings, the visits to the nursery and the company of dear Albert were so much more rewarding.

Alice was a good child, placid and fat, so she was playfully nicknamed Fatima. Pussy was still the favourite because she was undoubtedly going to be the clever one. She could already chatter amusingly and beside her, her brother seemed a dull, heavy child. He was no longer called The Boy, but Bertie. He was really rather naughty and quite backward. Pussy had ceased to be jealous of him. She had no need. She was constantly laughing at him for being such a silly.

As the months began to pass and as the unrest in the country had subsided somewhat Albert suggested that they take a trip in the new yacht, the
Victoria and Albert
.

‘You have always wanted to meet the King of France, and I am sure Louis Philippe would be delighted to see us,’ said Albert. ‘There is nothing like personal contact to bring about peaceful relations. If Sir Robert thinks it is a good idea we might make a little trip after the prorogation of Parliament.’

‘You mean go to France?’

‘The French family are at the Château d’Eu and we could be there in a few hours after leaving Southampton.’

Victoria thought this, like most of Albert’s ideas, wonderful.

Albert then began to work out the journey in detail, and what a great pleasure it was to see how he thought of everything!

They boarded the yacht as arranged, cruised about the Isle of Wight and the coast of Devonshire for a few days and then crossed to Tréport. On their arrival the King of France and the Prince de Joinville came out to the yacht by the royal barge to welcome them and they were rowed ashore in this. Crowds were there to welcome them and shout
Vive la Reine
.

Victoria was so happy to meet members of the French royal family. Among them was Aunt Louise – Uncle Leopold’s wife – who was the daughter of Louis Philippe and had come to Tréport so that she should be there during Victoria’s visit.

The King and Queen were charming, and the only sad note was the memory of the recent death of the Duke of Chartres, which had occurred when he was thrown from his carriage. The deep mourning of his widow, Hélène, was a constant reminder.

It was interesting to be shown the château – like a dream castle, said the Queen. The family portraits were impressive and the Galerie des Guises very grand indeed.

As for the chapel it was beautiful with its statues of saints and stained-glass windows.

The King was determined to make the visit a success. It was very important that it should be, Albert had told the Queen, and Lord Aberdeen, the English foreign secretary, agreed with him. For so long there had been bickering between the English and French.

‘It was their fault,’ said Victoria.

‘Oh, there are faults on both sides,’ answered Albert.

‘Uncle Leopold is inclined to blame us. But then as Lord Melbourne said he leans towards France. It’s on account of having a French wife, I suppose. Dear Louise, she is my favourite aunt.’

She did agree with Albert that it was an excellent way of bettering relations between the two countries. No one could be more charming than Louis Philippe, she was sure; and it was going to be very difficult after this visit to think of them as enemies.

Everywhere they went the people lined the roads to gaze at them and cry
Vive la Reine d’Angleterre
. It was most affecting, said the Queen, and how charming the women looked in their national costume. Such pretty caps and coloured aprons.

The visit was all too short, not more than five days and on the fourth the King arranged a pastoral entertainment. Char-a-bancs were waiting for them and Albert and Victoria went off in the first, sitting in the front with the French King and Queen. The Princesses sat behind and the rest of the party followed in other vehicles. Their destination was one of the King’s hunting lodges in the forest where a delicious
déjeuner
was eaten alfresco fashion. Albert was delighted to be in the country and the Queen was proud to notice how he astonished everyone with his knowledge of botanical subjects.

It was such a pleasant drive back to the château where in the Galerie des Guises a little theatre had been set up. The last evening was to be spent in watching two plays.

‘What a delightful finale,’ cried the Queen. ‘We must entertain our guests in this manner at Windsor.’ The first of the plays was serious and beautifully acted; the other was a comedy which, as the Queen said, sent her as well as the rest of the company into fits of laughter enough to kill one.

The next day they left and taking the Prince de Joinville with them, returned to England although they did not intend to stay more than a night or so before going on to Belgium to see Uncle Leopold.

They stayed at the Pavilion, which the Prince de Joinville thought was the strangest palace he had ever seen.

What joy it was to be under the same roof as Uncle Leopold, particularly as Aunt Louise had by this time rejoined her husband and was waiting to play the hostess in her husband’s palace as she had in her father’s. It was wonderful to see their children, of whom she had heard so much. She was particularly impressed by the little Princess Charlotte who was much the same age as Pussy, but, said the Queen, not so naughty.

Uncle Leopold was most affectionate and told them how he had planned their marriage when they were babies in their cradles and it was one of the great joys of his life to see how happy they were together.

‘I look upon you both as my children,’ he said; and they both solemnly assured him that he had been a father to them.

What a delightful trip that was! Uncle Leopold accompanied them on a tour of his most important cities – Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. There were wonderful art treasures to be seen in these fine old towns. The time passed so quickly when one was with loved ones, and all too soon they were at sea on the way home. Victoria wrote to her uncle from Windsor:

We were so happy to be with you, and the stay was so delightful but so painfully short. It was such a joy for me to be once again under the roof of one who has been a father to me …

‘Such a happy visit,’ said the Queen when they reached Windsor, ‘but I am most contented to
be home
with my dear, dear family.’

  Chapter XIV