‘Oh, I am so lucky.’
This conversation had taken place in the blue closet, the spot she had chosen for her meetings with the Prime Minister, and therefore her favourite room. It had been even more cosy since Dash had attended the meetings.
‘Do you mind Dashy being here, Lord M?’ she had asked.
‘I am secretly delighted to see him. We share our greatest enthusiasm – devotion to Your Majesty.’
‘He is devoted. No one would think he started by being Mamma’s dog. And that horrid Sir John gave him to her. What is happening about his affairs?’
‘The gift of Dash was indeed a satisfactory act on his part but I doubt whether Your Majesty’s Government would think it worthy of a baronetcy, the income he demands, plus the Grand Order of the Bath.’
Victoria began to giggle. Trust Lord M to introduce a humorous note into the conversation!
Dash came up to sniff Lord Melbourne’s boots and when the Prime Minister patted him he licked his hands.
‘All dogs like me,’ said Lord Melbourne.
‘They are noted for their sagacity,’ replied the Queen.
And there they were laughing again. Oh, the meetings in the blue closet were such fun!
When Leopold and Louise arrived, she noticed that her uncle looked much older. So did poor Aunt Louise, and she seemed much less gay than she had been during that other visit. Of course Uncle Leopold was a little solemn. She hadn’t been aware of this before but now that she had grown accustomed to Lord Melbourne’s most amusing and original conversation she noticed these things.
They had many private conversations during which Uncle Leopold harked back somewhat to the days when she had called him her second father and how much they had always meant to each other. They wept a little but even Leopold’s tears weren’t quite the same as Lord M’s. Lord Melbourne’s appeared in his eyes and made him look so kind; whereas one felt Uncle Leopold’s meant he was sorry for himself.
Uncle Leopold was tortured by his various ailments but he did not look as ill as he implied. Lord Melbourne told her a story about Uncle Leopold and Aunt Louise which was that when Aunt Louise had said something amusing Uncle Leopold was reputed to have retorted sharply: ‘No jokes please, Madam.’ He didn’t like jokes but what harm was there in laughing? She and Lord Melbourne continually laughed but she did not think the country suffered because of that. But these faint criticisms were never allowed to be examined very closely. Victoria was essentially loyal and she would never forget her devotion to Uncle Leopold.
During her talks with him he expressed his admiration for Lord Melbourne which immediately removed that little tarnish which had touched his image. He was delighted, he said, that she had such an excellent adviser.
‘I have no doubt that he will do everything in his power to be useful to you,’ he said. ‘He was in a very awkward position with the late King who didn’t like him at all.’
‘Uncle William was so unwise in many ways, I fear.’
‘But it is very happy for Lord Melbourne now that he has your confidence and support.’
‘He shall always have it,’ she answered fervently.
At which Leopold retorted: ‘My dearest child, only while he deserves it, I hope.’
‘Of course,’ she replied, and felt faintly disloyal until she reminded herself that Lord Melbourne would always deserve it.
Uncle Leopold was disappointed that she had not taken Stockmar more into her confidence.
‘Now there is a man you can trust.’
‘I am certain of that, Uncle.’
‘I think it is possible that the letters between us may be intercepted. I must try to arrange something through Stockmar.’
He went on to say that he hoped the friendship between England and Belgium would always be strong.
‘I cannot imagine it otherwise,’ said the Queen.
‘Trouble is blowing up in Europe and the support of England may be necessary to us.’
‘I am sure Lord Melbourne will be most anxious to give it.’
‘I am sure he will if it is the wish of the Queen.’
Oh dear, she thought, it is true that dear as Uncle Leopold is to me he is the King of a foreign power; and being a princess unconcerned with politics is very different from being the Queen. She would have to talk with Lord Melbourne and ask him to explain the European situation before she could make any promises.
Still, Uncle Leopold seemed certain of her support so she left it at that. She really wanted to think of the entertainments she would offer them while they were visitors at her Court.
Lord Palmerston joined them at Windsor. She liked Palmerston, the Foreign Secretary, and of course Uncle Leopold had a great deal to say to him. Lord Palmerston was a wizard, Lord Melbourne told her; he had raised the prestige of England greatly since he had joined the Foreign Office seven years before. He was a fluent linguist and that, as Lord Melbourne said, enabled him to understand what the foreigners were getting at. Lord Melbourne told her that he was nicknamed ‘Cupid’ and that spoke for itself. He was a very gay bachelor. She replied that she really did enjoy the company of gay people.
The evenings could on occasions be a little disappointing; that was because there were usually so many people present. She would have liked more dances for she loved to dance and could do so all through the night until four in the morning without tiring of it. Unfortunately there were so few people who were considered worthy to dance with her, which was a pity. The Duchess was a continual reproach too, sitting there yawning and almost falling asleep until she felt forced to call out: ‘Dear Mamma, do go to your whist if you wish. I am sure you are longing to play.’
That would take care of the Duchess and then the Queen could indulge in some other game. Sometimes they played draughts and even chess. She challenged Aunt Louise to a game of the latter which really was amusing since they were both queens and she knew that the company were making allusions to this as the game progressed. It was particularly significant when Lord Melbourne and Palmerston hovered over her and advised her how to checkmate Aunt Louise, and Uncle Leopold advised his wife. She was so amused and laughed so much that she lost the game, which made dear Lord Melbourne look quite disconsolate.
In due course Leopold left and when he had gone she realised how much she loved him. She really did miss him.‘My dearest most beloved Uncle,’ she wrote,One line to express to you imperfectly my thanks for all your very great kindness to me and my great great grief at your departure. How I shall miss you, my dearest dear uncle, every every where. I feel very very sad and cannot speak of you both without crying …’
She was pleased that she did feel so strongly and she hoped the accentuating of important words would convince her uncle.
But it only made her all the more thankful that she had dear Lord M to turn to. And reflecting on all that had happened since her accession she wrote in her Journal … ‘This is the pleasantest summer I ever passed in my life and I shall never forget the first summer of my reign.’
Chapter V
LEOPOLD IS PUT IN HIS PLACE
One could not stay forever at Windsor and in October it was necessary to return to London. On Lord Mayor’s Day she must attend the dinner at the Guildhall, which was to be a glorious occasion given in her honour.
It was pleasant riding through the streets and seeing how she pleased the people.
‘The little duck,’ she heard one woman say, which wasn’t really very respectful, as she remarked afterwards to Lord Melbourne.