‘None at all.’
His expression was sentimental.
‘I know Your Majesty will delight all your subjects as you do this one.’
So she set out for St James’s; and the dear people lined the streets to see her carriage pass and they showed, in no uncertain way, their delight in the young Queen with her wide blue eyes and ready smile.
‘What a little thing she is!’ she heard them say.
‘Different from her uncles.’
It was as Lord Melbourne had said. The nation was delighted with a young attractive girl after the gross old men who had occupied the throne for so many years.
And from an open window of St James’s Palace she stood while the Proclamation was read and the trumpets sounded and the guns fired their salutes.
‘God bless the Queen!’ Those words echoed all round her.
‘Oh, God,’ she prayed, ‘help me to do what is right. Help me to be good.’
A letter had arrived from Uncle Leopold.‘My beloved child,Your new dignities will not change or increase my old affection for you. May Heaven assist you and may I have the happiness of being able to be of use to you …’
Dear Uncle Leopold! She had not thought of him very much since her accession. He was far away and she had dear Lord Melbourne close at hand; and she must not forget, as Lord Melbourne had pointed out, that Uncle Leopold was the head of a foreign power. At the same time she must not forget either the affection she had had for this beloved Uncle during her childhood when he had been a father to her. That reminded her that Lord Melbourne had known her own father. She must ask him to talk to her of him at some time. Oh dear, her thoughts were straying from Uncle Leopold’s letter.
He went on to congratulate her on how she had conducted herself.Then:‘I have been most happy to hear that the swearing-in of the Council passed so well. The Declaration in the newspapers I find simple and appropriate. The translation in the papers says: “J’ai été éevée en Angleterre.” I should advise you to say as often as possible that you are born in England …’
She saw the point of this but Lord Melbourne had approved the Declaration and had not mentioned it.
Uncle Leopold went on to remind her that she could never say too much in praise of her own country and its people.‘Two nations in Europe are really almost ridiculous in their own exaggerated praises of themselves; the English and the French …’
Was he a little critical of her country and her people?
How strange that she should begin to criticise to herself – she would never do it openly – that dear good Uncle who had been the god of her childhood.
But then of course she was growing up; she had become the Queen; and she had Lord Melbourne to advise her. An Englishman like her Prime Minister would naturally understand the English and their affairs better than a foreigner.
She wrote in return:‘My beloved Uncle,Though I have an immense deal of business to do I shall write a few lines to thank you for your kind and useful letter of the 23rd which I have just received …’
She paused to think of those happy days at Claremont in which she had so delighted and of dear Louie who had always been so pleased to see her and had given her the place in her affections which had once been occupied by Princess Charlotte – or almost given it. No one could quite replace Charlotte with Louie, of course. Dear Louie! I must find time to go and see her. I must not let her think that now I am Queen it will make any difference to our relationship.
Again her thoughts were straying from Uncle Leopold.‘Before I go further let me pause to tell you how fortunate I am to have at the head of the Government a man like Lord Melbourne. I have seen him now every day, with the exception of Friday, and the more I see him, the more confidence I have in him. He is not only a clever statesman and an honest man, but a good and kind-hearted man, whose aim is to do his duty for his country and not for a party. He is the greatest use to me both politically and privately.’
She sat back in her chair. She did hope Uncle Leopold would realise the merits of Lord Melbourne and that it was the advice of her Prime Minister she must take rather than that of the head of a foreign power even if he was an uncle.
In growing closer to Lord Melbourne it was inevitable that she should move farther away from Uncle Leopold.
The Duchess was in despair, and she naturally sought comfort from Sir John Conroy.
‘I would not have believed it possible,’ she moaned. ‘What have I done to deserve this?’
Sir John looked at her ruefully. The ruin of his hopes was more to be deplored than hers. She was at least the widow of the Duke of Kent and the mother of the Queen. What had he?
Victoria had shown clearly enough that she had no love for him; and now the Regency which he and the Duchess had hoped for would never be, for Victoria had been proclaimed Queen and was determined to have no interference.
‘She changed overnight,’ wailed the Duchess.
But that was not true. She had always been aware of her dignity; nor had she ever prevaricated; she had accepted their rule unwillingly and as soon as it was over she had escaped.
‘I shall never forget going into my bedroom and finding her bed gone,’ cried the Duchess. ‘“Where is my daughter’s bed?” I demanded. “Removed Your Grace”, I was informed, “on the Queen’s orders.” How could she!’
‘Simply, dear Duchess, by giving the order. She only has to give orders now.’
He regarded the Duchess sadly. Their plans had come to nothing and he was not a man to stand still. He had to make new ones.
‘I will send Flora to you,’ he said.
She did not answer and he left. When Lady Flora Hastings appeared the Duchess reiterated her resentment and found some comfort in enumerating the benefits she had bestowed on her daughter and the indications of that daughter’s ingratitude.
‘Lehzen is to blame,’ declared Lady Flora. ‘She has far too much influence with the Queen. But what can one expect from a low born pastor’s daughter?’
There was some comfort in reviling the Baroness and the Duchess felt a little better.
Meanwhile Sir John was reviewing his own position. There was not much left to him. He and the Duchess had had a joint plan which had been formulated in Victoria’s childhood. There was to be a Regency of which the Duchess was to be the titular head; and he, through her, would rule the country, although she and the rest of the world would believe that he was merely advising her.
It was not a sudden shock – this repudiation by Victoria. He had seen it coming for a very long time and so had his dear Duchess, so she need not pretend – at least to him – to be so surprised by it.
Victoria had made it clear that she was not going to be guided – by them at least. She was obstinate and so incapable of deceit that she made no secret of her dislike for him. She had told him firmly some time ago that she could not accept him as her secretary and that meant he would have no place in her household. Well, if he were to have no place in her household he had better make other plans and quickly.
I have given years of my life in the Duchess’s service, he told himself with a smirk. I have therefore looked after the Queen’s affairs. I deserve a reward which will make my retirement worth while.