Now his illness was accepted and the Prince was trying to take over his father's authority.
She could not understand her emotions. She hated the Prince. It was incredible. This was her son, the boy whom she had loved more than all the rest of the children put together. What had come over her?
It is because I longed for his love, she told herself, and all Julias done is to despise me.
But she would not allow herself to think such a thing. She was against him because he wished to usurp his father's power.
Miss Burney came in and, standing before her, burst into tears. The Queen stared at this unusual maid of honour, and suddenly they were crying together.
"Your pardon, Madam."
"There is no need to ask it, Miss Burney. I thank you. You have made me weep ... and I think it is what I needed."
So they sat side by side and wiped their eyes and the Queen felt comforted.
"Mamma," said the Princess Royal, "Dr. Warren is here."
"Dr. Warren. I have not sent for him."
"So I thought, Mamma. But he has come and he is being most arrogant and Sir George Baker is not very pleased for he says that he is in charge of His Majesty."
Tray send someone to this Dr. Warren and tell him that I wish to see him without delay."
The Princess Royal did as she was bid and came back to the Queen to present Her Majesty with her snuff box. Absent-mindedly the Queen took a pinch; but there was no comfort in anything these days.
One of the pages scratched at the door and the Princess Royal bade him enter.
"Your Majesty," said the boy, bowing low, "Dr. Warren sends his compliments but regrets he is too busily engaged with his duties at this moment to wait on Your Majesty. He will do so at his earliest convenience."
The page bowed low and obviously after having delivered such a message was glad to escape. The Queen's mouth tightened and she said: "I can scarcely believe that I have heard aright."
"Oh, Mamma," cried the Princess, "they arc saying that Dr. Warren is the choice of the Prince of Wales and that he is here to serve the Prince ... that he has the Prince's authority for all he does ..."
"Insulting the Queen, I daresay," said the Queen grimly.
The Princess Royal sat on the footstool at her mother's feet and looked up at her anxiously. She too was remembering that dreadful scene at the dinner table when her father had attempted to murder her brother.
What will become of us all?" she asked. God alone knows," answered the Queen.
Dr. Warren and the Prince had decided that the King should go to Kew.
"There," said the Prince, "lie will be restful. He was always fond of Kew. As for my mother," he went on, "I believe she should go to Buckingham House or perhaps stay at Windsor. The King is so clouded in his mind that he will be much better alone with the doctors."
His brother Frederick agreed with him, and when his uncles Gloucester and Cumberland called they made it clear that they already regarded the Prince of Wales as the ruler.
He was gratified. No more would that mad old man dictate to him. No one should dictate to him; that was why he was going to teach the Queen a lesson for he was sure she still saw him as a little boy to be guided by his parents.
It was the Princess Royal once more who brought the news to her mother.
"I have heard them discussing it, Mamma," she said. "They are going to take the King away from us."
"Indeed they are not."
"Oh yes, Mamma, they are. George has given orders that they are to prepare for the journey to Kew."
"I will see the Prince of Wales," said the Queen.
She went to his apartments where he received her coldly.
"What is this I hear about His Majesty's going to Kew?" she demanded.
"I and his doctors think it best."
And I am not to be consulted?"
"No, Madam."
"I think you forget that I am the Queen."
"It is perhaps Your Majesty who is forgetful of my position."
He was looking at her with the cold eyes of contempt. If only he had smiled at her even then, had asked for her help, her sympathy, she would have weakened. But of course he did nothing of the sort. He just stood regarding her arrogantly, implying that she was of no account and that he was the master now.
"It is monstrous that you should propose to take the King to Kew without consulting me."
"Madam, as you will not be going with him it did not occur to us to consult you. You are to live ... at peace either at Buckingham House or Windsor. You may take your choice."
"How kind, how understanding of you to give me a choice."
"Well, Madam, I wish to please if possible."
"Enough of this. Where the King is there shall I be. You forget I am his wife."
"Madam, my plans ..."
She snapped her fingers. "My plan is to stay with the King and my place is at his side. I believe that His Majesty's ministers will agree with me, and would not take kindly to any plan to separate a sick husband from his wife."
The Prince was silent.
She went on: "It was suggested that, should there be a Regency, I should share in it, but I have said my place is to care for the King. Should I be ousted from that place, there might be another waiting for me. And if I was kept from my duty to the King I might take it."
As she walked from the room he knew she was right and that he had been foolish to talk of separating them. He would have to give way.
The first round of the battle was a victory for the Queen.
The Prince left for Kew, having given orders that his mother and sisters with their attendants were to follow. The King was to come on later.
At Kew the Prince decided which rooms should be allotted to whom and actually wrote the names of the people who should occupy them over the doors.
The Queen's apartments were immediately above the King's and he decided that she could not occupy these for fear of disturbing His Majesty; therefore he selected a bedroom and drawing room for her which were not very commodious, but, as he said to his equerry, she would come so therefore she must make do with what accommodation there was. As for some of her maids of honour, they would have to be content with the servants' rooms.
From one of the windows he saw his mother arrive, surrounded by her weeping daughters.
At Windsor the King paced up and down his bedroom and shouted: "Where do you wish to take me, eh, what? To Kew? I will not go to Kew. What should I go to Kew for if I do not wish it, eh, what? Tell me that! Kew ... I do not wish to go to Kew..." And so on in such a strain, his voice rising higher and higher until there was little of it left and he could only croak.
Colonel Digby reminded him that he had always been particularly fond of Kew.
" No longer," cried the King. "I will not go to Kew. I know what you people are after. You want to shut me up there. Do you, eh, what?"