‘I could send for the boys,’ she said.
‘Excellent, Your Majesty. It would be even better to honour the school for the bravery of these two. Perhaps if Your Majesty could have the entire school assembled in the quadrangle and address them yourself, telling them of your gratitude and then personally speak to the two brave boys, that would give great pleasure to so many people and public acclaim for such an action would be great.’
The idea appealed to her, even though it was Mr Gladstone’s; and she decided this was what she would do.
So nine hundred Eton scholars visited Windsor and the two boys received the Queen’s personal thanks for their actions.
As for Roderick McLean, he was sent for trial on a charge of High Treason. He was judged not guilty but insane and sent to an asylum ‘during her Majesty’s pleasure’.
When the Queen heard the verdict she was indignant.
‘Not guilty!’ she cried. ‘A man holds a loaded pistol at his Queen and would have fired if a brave boy had not knocked it out of his hand with his umbrella, and he is not guilty!’
Mr Gladstone explained that this was the law.
‘Then,’ said the Queen with asperity, ‘it is time the law was altered.’
Mr Gladstone pointed out that no alteration in the law could change the future of McLean. He was only fit to be in a lunatic asylum.
‘Not Guilty!’ cried the Queen. ‘That is what I object to. Any man can raise his hand against me and plead not guilty even though he has been seen to shoot.’
Mr Gladstone promised to look into the matter. The Queen felt very strongly that anyone who had attempted to kill her should not get off lightly for fear others would be led to follow the example.
The Queen’s ministers saw the reason for the Queen’s anxiety; and soon afterwards an Act was passed introducing a new form of verdict for cases like those of Roderick McLean.
The Queen would not allow the assassination attempt to interfere with Leopold’s marriage which was due to take place the following month. Mr Gladstone had, she must admit, worked hard to get Parliament to raise Leopold’s allowance to £25,000 a year, though there had been the usual dissenters which was so humiliating. Forty-two members had, in a most uncouth manner, voted against it but fortunately it was passed with a majority of 345.
So Leopold was married to Princess Helen, that rather forceful young woman whom the Queen had regarded at first with some horror because she dared to disagree with her formidable mama-in-law, but she was surprised that she found this attitude refreshing and very soon she became fond of the young woman, particularly as she was quite good-looking and she believed that she would be good for Leopold – who was a bit of a rebel himself.
She decided to buy Claremont outright. It had been left her for the duration of her life on the death of her Uncle Leopold, who had lived there with his wife, Princess Charlotte; but she wished it to be entirely hers so that she could give it as a wedding gift to Leopold and his wife.
So on that April day she even went so far as to put on the white wedding veil and the lace she had worn at her own wedding over her black dress to attend the ceremony in St George’s Chapel.
There she prayed fervently that marriage would not prove too much for delicate Leopold; but she felt confident that the forthright Helen would know how to look after him.
Nobody was more delighted than Bertie at the success Lillie Langtry was having. Ours had been a triumph; and although at first its leading actress had clearly been an amateur she proved herself to be highly intelligent and above all ambitious. Those who had believed she had nothing but her outstanding beauty were amazed; Lillie had talent and what was most extraordinary, business ability. Not only was she interested in the stage but acquaintance with Bertie had given her some knowledge of the Turf. She now began to display a most extraordinary ability and she used all her business acumen to put this to advantage. She had been aware of what it was like to be obscure and poor and she determined that never again should that happen to her.
The famous actress had become a considerable figure in racing circles. Bertie could not restrain his delight.
He became very friendly with people in the theatrical profession because he was pleased with them for giving Lillie her chance.
With the coming of that winter Lillie left England for America and there her great success continued.
In the space of a very short time she had become a rich woman and she would be the first to admit that this had been made possible for her by the staunch friendship of the Prince of Wales.
Princess Helen was almost immediately pregnant.
‘The idea of Leopold as a father is very amusing,’ said the Queen.
‘Why, Mama?’ demanded Bertie. ‘Leopold’s a man after all.’
‘Poor Leopold. He did inherit dearest Papa’s brains but his health has been a constant source of anxiety.’
‘You worry too much about him, Mama.’
The Queen shivered, remembering those ominous illnesses, the fear of haemorrhages and the dreadful knowledge that the disease had been passed on through several of her daughters. Alice’s little ‘Frittie’ who had fallen from the window had suffered from haemophilia, and so had one of Vicky’s boys. It was terrifying not knowing when the fearful thing was going to show itself.
And now Leopold was to be a father!
It was a pleasure to be at Windsor; here she felt a certain seclusion – not the same as she enjoyed at Balmoral or even Osborne, but it was so pleasant here. She often thought of how Albert had loved Windsor. Here she felt closer to Albert than anywhere else because she could go frequently to the mausoleum; she would often sit in the Blue Room and brood on the past. She could even go for drives and rides in the Park and remember so much.
One day after she had been in the Blue Room she was thinking of the past when going upstairs she missed a stair and fell.
The consternation there was! Brown was called to pick her up. He scolded her: ‘And what did ye think ye were doing, woman!’
She could smile and be grateful for his care.
‘It’s nothing,’ she said.
‘I’ll get ye a wee drop of the right medicine,’ he told her.
She drank the whisky while he sat drinking too; she watched him tenderly. Dear honest Brown.
The fall had brought on her old rheumaticky pains and the next morning she was bruised and suffered considerable pain, unable to move.
Jenner was worried. He thought Her Majesty should try to walk a little. She tried but the effort was too painful.
‘Rest is what you need,’ said Jenner. ‘Let us see how Your Majesty feels after a day or so of complete rest.’
Each day Brown carried her from her bed to her sofa. He thought that it wasn’t good for her to spend so much time indoors; he would get out the wee pony chair so that she could drive round in that but he wasn’t going to trust her by herself. He thought he – and only he – should drive her.
The Queen listened to the masterful Brown and gave way to his suggestions. ‘His one thought,’ she told Jenner, ‘is for my comfort.’
One morning she had a shock when a servant came in to take her orders for the day.
‘But where is Brown?’ she demanded.
‘Brown, Your Majesty, is unable to attend you this morning. His face is swollen.’