Victoria Victorious: The Story of Queen Victoria (23 page)

It had been an excellent idea to stop the mourning for a day, I told Lord Melbourne. I was sure Uncle William would have approved of that; he had always been one who liked to enjoy life and he would be the last to want people to be miserable because he was dead. Lord Melbourne agreed with me.

A few days later I went on my first official engagement after coming to the throne. It was to open a new gate in Hyde Park in the Bayswater Road, which I christened Victoria. I enjoyed it. I did like seeing the people, but as I remarked afterward to Lord Melbourne, I hoped they would not get tired of seeing me.

“There seems to be no sign of that, Ma'am,” he said.

“Not yet. But they have not seen much of me. I am young, you see, and I may be Queen for a very long time.”

“I pray that may be so,” he said fervently; and I saw the tears in his beautiful eyes. Again I thought how fortunate I was to have him as my Prime Minister.

I said to him, “Later on, when there is less talk of mourning, I should like to give a small dance once a week. Not a big ball… just a little dance for friends. You know I love to dance.”

“We all love doing that which we do well,” he commented, which was a lovely compliment; and he thought that a weekly dance was a good idea.

“Perhaps we could have a band in the Palace to play for us before dinner and during it.”

“Another excellent idea!” declared Lord Melbourne. “I can see you are going to give the Court a more cultural standing.”

“You do think that is a good idea…really?”

“I think all your ideas are good.”

“What of riding on horseback to review the troops?”

“There have to be exceptions to all rules. It is a law of nature.”

“I believe you were really worried about my falling off.”

“It is long since you rode, and reviewing troops can be a long and tedious business.”

“I am going to ride every day when we get to Windsor, and I will show you that I am as good a horsewoman as I ever was.”

“I am sure you will be.”

“In August we shall go to Windsor.”

“Your Majesty knows that there is to be an election.”

I was alarmed. “You will still be the Prime Minister.”

“If we are returned to power, yes.”

“And if not?”

“Doubtless my place will be taken by Sir Robert Peel.”

“Oh
no
!”

“He is a very worthy gentleman… highly thought of.”

“I could not bear it if you were taken away from me.”

“Then we will do our best to get a majority.”

“I hate those Tories!”

“Some of them are very estimable gentlemen. It is not their fault exactly if their views do not coincide with ours.”

“Of course you will be returned.”

He raised his eyebrows and a terrible misgiving came to me. I knew there had been a great deal of murmuring because the ladies of my household were the wives and daughters of Whigs. Sir Robert Peel did not like it. He thought I should have a mixture of Whig and Tory.

As a matter of fact so did Uncle Leopold. He had written to me telling me to select the ladies of my household with the greatest care, making sure not to let politics come into it. But Lord Melbourne and I had drawn up the list and had had the most amusing things to say about it; and all the ladies were of Whig persuasion naturally because Lord Melbourne was one and therefore so was I. Of course I did not listen to Uncle Leopold as much as I used to. He was after all a foreigner—which seems an odd thing to say about one so close to me—but Lord Melbourne was on the spot and he naturally was far more conversant with English politics than Uncle Leopold could possibly be.

It was my duty to go in state to dissolve Parliament, for according to law there must be a new election on the death of a sovereign. Had it not
been for my fear that an election might rob me of Lord Melbourne, I could have enjoyed the occasion. I did feel very exhilarated by such state duties. They were so dignified and I do believe that I performed them well; and in those days there was scarcely a breath of criticism. I really was the beloved little Queen.

I set out in a crimson mantle lined with ermine over a dress of white satin embroidered with gold with a stomacher of diamonds; my tiara was of diamonds, and I looked scintillating.

There were gasps of admiration from the crowds and when I read the speech I felt overwhelmed with pride to be the sovereign of such a country.

When it was over Lord Melbourne came to me; he was very emotional.

“You were splendid,” he said. And later he told me that Fanny Kemble, the actress, who was present, said my voice was exquisite; and she had never heard a more musical rendering of the English language.

I was pleased and I knew that it was not false flattery. I had had to study speech assiduously, for Mama had been intent on eliminating any trace of a German accent, and I had practiced enunciation and perfect pronunciation very thoroughly. Moreover, my voice was one of my assets—both in singing and in speaking; and if I had not been the Queen I might have made some progress as a singer.

But the triumph was tarnished by the persistent fear that the coming election might rob me of my Prime Minister.

A great deal of election fever followed. Harriet talked of it constantly. She showed me an article in the
Quarterly Review
by a Tory named Croker who called attention to the fact that I was surrounded by the female relations of the Whig leaders; and Sir Robert Peel was making speeches in which he declared that I was ruled by Lord Melbourne, the head of one political party—a matter that must be rectified.

There were headlines in certain periodicals such as: Release the Queen from Whig Tyranny.

Whig tyranny! How dared they! My relationship with the Prime Minister was one of understanding and trust.

A verse was shown to me. It was one which was being circulated throughout the country.

The Tories were growing in favor, and life, which I should have enjoyed so much because I saw that I could throw myself entirely into my new role and enjoy it to the full, was spoilt by this terrible fear. I tried to imagine Sir Robert Peel visiting me every day—his stiff manners, his serious face—I should not find it nearly so easy to understand politics as I did when they were so amusingly explained by Lord Melbourne. There would be none of those pleasant little chats. I should not be able to take Dash with me. I was sure the little darling would not want to lick the hand of Sir Robert Peel.

“Oh, please God, let the Whigs stay in power,” I prayed.

There was a great deal of talk about Uncle Cumberland, who on the death of Uncle William had become King of Hanover. That crown did not come to me because in Hanover the Salic Law prevailed and that meant that a woman could not inherit. Uncle Cumberland was something of a tyrant and as soon as he arrived in Hanover he had overturned the constitutional government and made himself a sort of dictator. The Whigs reacted to the Tory campaign by stressing the danger of the Duke of Cumberland's returning to make trouble in England; they were determined to keep him out at all costs. That wicked man wanted to bring the Salic Law into England so that he could add our crown to that of Hanover. There were cartoons showing us side by side—Uncle Cumberland and myself. I looked beautiful, young, with a dewy innocence—like an angel really—and my uncle was portrayed like a monster with his gaping eye socket quite repulsive. It was called “The Contrast.”

And the Whigs insisted that they were the only ones who could make the crown safe for me.

I shall never forget the day when the results were declared.

Lord Melbourne came at once to see me. I rushed to him and looked into his face. I could not read the truth there. He was always so impassive.

“Please tell me what has happened,” I begged.

He said slowly, “The Tories have gained many seats.”

“No!” I cried.

“Thirty-seven,” he said. “But we have just beaten them. You see before you one who is still your Prime Minister.”

He took my hands and kissed them. I lifted my face to his and saw the tears in his eyes.

L
ATE IN AUGUST
we went to Windsor. I missed Buckingham Palace. The country seemed rather gloomy. There were a great many rooks at Windsor and I found their constant cawing not only monotonous but a little depressing.

I loved London—the streets and the people. Of course one could ride very happily in the Park at Windsor and it was perhaps the most splendid of all the royal homes; but for the first few days I was homesick for London.

Then Lord Melbourne came down. He arrived on a magnificent horse and he and I went riding. The forest was so beautiful, and Lord Melbourne so witty, that I was much amused.

There was a letter from Uncle Leopold. He was proposing visiting me and he would soon arrive at Windsor. This threw me into a flutter of excitement. It would be wonderful to see this favorite uncle again. I talked of him most enthusiastically to Lord Melbourne who listened most attentively.

And then Windsor became like a home. In the morning I was with Lord Melbourne—who was having a short stay at the Castle—and we went through the State papers, which he made so easy to understand, and I was so happy because he was still in power, although he did warn me that the ministry had a very tiny majority, and that was not a healthy state for a government to be in.

“Oh, we shall defeat those silly old Tories,” I said.

“Not so easy, Ma'am,” he said. “Not so easy.”

“Surely everyone must prefer
you
to Sir Robert?”

“Everyone has not Your Majesty's discernment,” he replied; and how we laughed together.

There were several children in the household. I remember chiefly the little Conynghams because they had such beautiful black eyelashes and the little one called me Tween, which I found very amusing. If I could I would play games with the children. It was fun running through the long corridors, and I indulged in battledore and shuttlecock with my ladies.

I was reading every day and found Coxe's
Life of Sir Robert Walpole
a little heavy going; but I did enjoy some of Sir Walter Scott's novels, also Fennimore Cooper's and Bulwer Lytton's.

I used to discuss them afterward with Lord Melbourne who, of course, seemed to have read everything and could discuss these books
with grace and erudition. I thought of what Harriet had told me about his giving his life to his books when he had found Lady Caroline intolerable.

I often reflected on the sadness of his life and it made me all the more fond of him.

We dined at half-past seven to the strains of the band I had had installed, and the soft music made such an agreeable background. After dinner I usually played cards or chess or draughts and so passed many pleasant evenings. When the period of mourning for Uncle William was over there would be regular dancing and more music, but quiet table games were considered to be more suitable at this time.

Mama had her own separate table where she played whist with some of her attendants. It was the only thing that could keep her awake. Sometimes she would try to catch my eye and look at me appealingly, at others angrily. I was very sorry to be on those terms with her but it was the only way, for if I softened just a little toward her she would have tried to dominate me and browbeat me into taking Sir John Conroy back. He was still in her household. Nothing had been done yet and he refused to move until his demands were granted. I had spoken to Lord Melbourne about him once or twice but he had always said, “The time is not quite ripe. Leave it alone a little longer.”

So conditions with Mama remained very uneasy.

How wonderful it was to see dear Uncle Leopold! I was enfolded in his arms. Then he held me back to look at me and murmur, “My Queen…My little Queen.”

He kissed me again and again. And after that I was embracing Aunt Louise.

There was so much to talk about. How were the little ones? Had they seen Feodore? What were the children's latest sayings? Did young Leopold still think his little brother was
pas beau frère
?

We walked together in the gardens. I liked to see Uncle Leopold in conversation with Lord Melbourne… the two for whom I had such regard must like each other, and when I realized that they did, I was very happy.

When we rode out or walked together, Uncle Leopold contrived to be alone with me and then he spoke of my cousin Albert.

“Do you remember how much you liked him when you met?”

“Oh yes. I liked all the cousins.”

“But I think you had a special feeling for Albert.”

“Yes, I do believe he was my favorite of them all.”

“He is a splendid young man.”

“I thought he would be.”

“He would like to see you again.”

“He must visit us. What of his brother Ernest?”

“They are both in excellent health.”

“I am glad. I thought Albert seemed a little delicate.”