22 chapters
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22 chapters
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
ANCESTRY. Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, the Protector of Luther—Staunch Protestantism of the Queen’s Saxon Forefathers—House of Saxe-Coburg—A Saxon Desperado of the Middle Ages—A Fighting Hero of the Eighteenth Century—The Queen’s Grandmother a Woman of Extraordinary Excellence—Great Alliances in the Marriages of her Uncles and Aunts. Queen Victoria is, through her mother, descended—and her children are descended by the double line of both their parents—from the great, good, and gloriou
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
THE GREATEST OF THE MODERN COBURGS. Romantic Career of Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, the Queen’s Uncle—his Continuous, Kind, and Fatherly Care of his Orphaned Niece—The Duchy of Coburg held by Napoleon—Sufferings of the Ducal Family—A Temptation resisted—The Tide turned—Leopold’s Popularity in England—Betrothal and Marriage to the Princess Charlotte of Wales. Born in the year 1790, Prince Leopold was a soldier and in the saddle when he was fifteen years of age. In 1805, that war broke out betwe
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF QUEEN VICTORIA. How the Princess Victoria came to be Heiress Presumptive to the Throne—Death of the Princess Charlotte—Marriages of the Royal Dukes—Of the Duke of Kent—Birth of the Princess Alexandrina Victoria—Prediction of George IV.—Death of the Duke of Kent—His Character—His Liberal Opinions—Public Condolence with the Widow and Orphan—Early Life of the Duchess of Kent. On the 6th of November, 1817, the hopes of the nation, which had so fondly rested upon the happy unio
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
FIRST YEARS OF CHILDHOOD. Old Memories of Kensington Palace—Enlargements of the Structure by William III., Anne, Queen Caroline, and the Duke of Sussex—Maids of Honour—Rank and Beauty in the Gardens—Wilberforce and the Infant Princess—Victoria at Ramsgate—A Picture of Victoria when Five Years old—Her Physical Training—Popularity as a Child—Her Youthful Charities—A Narrow Escape from Death—Early Development of Quick Intelligence—Anecdotes—Love of Nature—Proneness to Self-will—But Counterbalanced
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
EDUCATION OF THE PRINCESS VICTORIA. Additional Grant by Parliament for the Maintenance and Education of the Princess—Wise Lessons learned at her Mother’s Knees—A Visit to George IV. at Windsor—Assiduous Pursuit of Knowledge—Accession of William IV.—Victoria becomes next in succession to the Crown—Regency Bill—Satisfaction of the good Grandmother at Coburg—Her Death—Joy of Victoria at the Elevation of her Uncle to the Belgian Throne—Parliamentary Inquiry into the Progress of her Education—Satisfa
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
THE PRINCESS IN HER TEENS. Visits paid to many parts of England—Love of Cathedrals and Church Music—Trip to North Wales and the Midland Counties—Visit to a Cotton Mill—To Oxford—Gala Day at Southampton—Interview with the Young Queen of Portugal—Confirmation of the Princess—Tour to the North—York Musical Festival—At Ramsgate with the King of the Belgians—A Noble Deed at Tunbridge Wells. In the year subsequent to the coronation of King William, the Duchess of Kent and her daughter spent much time
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
EARLY DAYS OF PRINCE ALBERT. Birth—Melancholy Story of his Mother—Brought up under the Care of his two Excellent Grandmothers—His Winning Ways as a Child—His Tutor, Florschütz—The Brothers, Ernest and Albert—Visit to Brussels, and its Beneficial Effects—Hard Study—Tour through Germany, &c.—First Visit to England, and Meeting with Victoria—Studies at Brussels—Enters the University of Bonn—Tour to Switzerland and Italy—Public Announcement of Betrothal—Leaves Coburg and Gotha for his Marria
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE PRINCESS VICTORIA BECOMES QUEEN REGNANT. First Meeting of the Princess Victoria and Prince Albert—Coming of Age—Festivities on the Occasion—Death of William IV., and Accession of Victoria—The Queen holds her First Privy Council—Her Address—Proclamation as Queen at St. James’s Palace—Beautiful Traits of Character displayed by the Queen—Stirring and Gorgeous Scene—Delight of the People at the Queen’s Accession. The marriage of Prince Albert with the Princess Victoria was desired, if not planne
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
THE MAIDEN QUEEN. Removal to Buckingham Palace—First Levée—Dissolves Parliament—Beauty of her Elocution—Splendid Reception by the City of London—Settlement of the Queen’s Income—Her Daily Life—Her admirable Knowledge of, and Devotion to, the Business of the State—Reverence for the Lord’s Day. Greatly to the regret of the inhabitants of Kensington, the Queen, with her mother, took her final departure from the abode where she was born, and in which she had spent so many happy days, and proceeded t
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
THE QUEEN CROWNED. Novel Features in the Coronation—Its Cost—Large Amount of Money Circulated—Splendour of the Procession—Enormous Crowds—The Scene within the Abbey—Arrival of the Queen—The Regalia and Sacred Vessels—Costume of the Queen—Astonishment of the Turkish Ambassador at the Scene—The Coronation Ceremony—The Queen’s Oath—The Anointing—The Crown placed on her Head—The Homage—An Aged Peer—The Queen’s Crown—The Illuminations and general Festivities—Fair in Hyde Park—The Duke of Wellington a
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
THE BEDCHAMBER PLOT. Resignation of Lord Melbourne’s Cabinet—Sir Robert Peel sent for—Fails to Form a Cabinet—His Explanation—The Queen Refuses to Dismiss her Ladies of the Bedchamber—Supported by her late Ministers—Sir Robert Peel’s Objections—The Queen will not give way—The Whigs recalled to Power—Public Opinion on the Dispute—The Whig Ministers blamed, but the Queen exculpated. In April, 1839, Lord Melbourne’s administration, which had been rapidly losing its once great popularity, obtained o
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
COURTSHIP AND BETROTHAL. Desire of the Coburg Relatives for a Marriage between Victoria and Albert—Favourable Impressions mutually made by Victoria and Albert—Prince Albert’s Letter on the Queen’s Accession—Opposition of King William IV. to the Marriage—Correspondence between the Cousins—King Leopold urges on the Marriage—The Queen’s Reluctance to become Betrothed—Her subsequent Regret at this—The Prince craves a definite Determination—His Second Visit to England—Betrothed at last—Returns to Ger
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE QUEEN WEDDED. Announcement of the intended Marriage to the Privy Council and Parliament—Parliamentary Settlement of the Prince’s Rank, &c.—Annoying Circumstances—The Prince’s Protestantism—His Income—Arrival of the Bridegroom—Receives a National Welcome—The Wedding—Honeymoon spent at Windsor. On the day after the departure of the Princes, the Queen wrote letters to the Queen Dowager, and the other members of the Royal Family, informing them of her intended marriage, and received kind
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
EARLY YEARS OF MARRIED LIFE. Difficulties and Delicacy of Prince Albert’s Position—Early Married Life—Studies continued—Attempts on the Queen’s Life—Courage of the Queen—Birth of the Princess Royal—Parting from the Whig Ladies of the Bedchamber—Dark Days for England—Birth of the Prince of Wales—The Queen described by M. Guizot—A Dinner at Buckingham Palace—State Dinner at Windsor. The Queen was now married to the husband of her choice. “It is that,” said Lord Melbourne to her, “which makes your
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
THE QUEEN IN SCOTLAND. Christening of the Prince of Wales—Manufacturing Distress—Queen’s Efforts to alleviate it—Assesses Herself to the Income Tax—Resolves to Visit Scotland—Embarks at Woolwich—Beacon Fires in the Firth of Forth—Landing on Scottish Soil—A Disappointment—Formal Entry into Edinburgh—Richness of Historical and Ancestral Associations—The Queen on the Castle Rock—A Highland Welcome—Departure from Scotland. The Session of 1842 was opened by the Queen in person with unusual splendour,
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
WHAT ENGLAND OWES TO PRINCE ALBERT. The Prince’s Study of our Laws and Constitution—Two Misconceptions Outlived—His Versatility—First Speech an Anti-Slavery One—His Appreciation and Judicious Criticism of Art—Scientific Side of his Mind—As an Agriculturist. It will not be undesirable at this stage of our narrative to interpose a summary compendium of some indications of the manner in which Prince Albert, or the “Prince Consort,” as he was designated by Royal Letters Patent, after 1857, discharge
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
FOREIGN TRAVEL AND HOME VISITS. Visit to King Louis Philippe at Eu—A Loyal Corporation—Splendid Reception of the Queen in France—Anecdote of the Queen’s Regard for Prince Albert—Visit of the Czar Nicholas—Home Life in Scotland—Visit to Germany—Illuminations of the Rhine—A Rural Fête at Coburg. In August, 1843, the Queen and Prince Albert made a yachting excursion round portions of the south coast and the Isle of Wight. Thence they steamed over to Treport, on the French coast, the nearest port to
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE QUEEN IN IRELAND. First Visit to Ireland—Rapturous Reception at Cork—Queenstown so Denominated—Enthusiasm at Dublin—Its Graceful Recognition by the Queen—Visit to the Dublin Exhibition—Encouragement of Native Industry—Visit to the Lakes of Killarney—The Whirligig of Time. For twelve years after her accession to the throne, the Queen was a personal stranger to the shores of Erin. Amongst the numerous fruits of the tranquillity restored to Ireland, after the disturbances and sedition which had
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE WORLD’S CONGRESS OF INDUSTRY. Prince Albert the Inaugurator of International Exhibitions—Proposes, Unsuccessfully, his Scheme to the Government—To the Society of Arts, Successfully—First Steps towards Realisation—Objections to be Met—Perseverance of the Prince—The Royal Commission—The Prince’s Speech at York—The Opening Ceremony—The Royal Procession. As early as 1848 Prince Albert submitted to the Government a proposal to establish an exhibition of works of industry in this country; but the
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
THE WAR CLOUD. Bright Hopes of Peace Dispelled—An Era of War all over the World—The Russian War—The Queen’s Visits to the Wounded Soldiers—Presentation of the War Medals—Crimean Heroes—The Volunteer Movement. Fair and peaceful to all seeming were the prospects of humanity and the world when the doors of the Hyde Park Exhibition were closed for the last time, and while its materials were being removed to be erected in more than their pristine beauty on the summit of one of the finest heights whic
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE QUEEN IN HER HIGHLAND HOME. The Queen as an Author—“The Early Years of the Prince Consort”—“Leaves from the Journal of our Life in the Highlands”—Love for Children of all Ranks—Mountain Ascents on Pony-back—In Fingal’s Cave—“The Queen’s Luck”—Salmon-spearing, and a Catastrophe attending it—Erection of a Memorial Cairn—Freedom of Intercourse with Humble Highlanders—Visits to Cottagers—“Mrs. Albert”—Travelling Incognito—Highland Dinners—“A Wedding-Party frae Aberdeen”—A Disguise Detected. Earl
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE WIDOWED QUEEN. Unbroken Happiness of the Queen’s Life up to 1861—Death of the Duchess of Kent—The Prince Consort slightly Ailing—Catches Cold at Cambridge and Eton—The Malady becomes Serious—Public Alarm—Rapid Sinking, and Death—Sorrow of the People—The Queen’s Fortitude—Avoidance of Court Display—Good Deeds—Sympathy with all Benevolent Actions—Letter of Condolence to the Widow of President Lincoln—The Albert Medal—Conclusion. Until 1861 the Queen had never known bereavement in the circle of
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