Queen Victoria by Richard Rivington Holmes

morning by way of Peterborough, Thorney, Wisbeach and King’s Lynn, to Holkham, where they were the guests of the Earl of Leicester. Lord Albemarle, who was there to meet them, mentions that they were late for dinner in consequence of the enthusiastic loyalty of the people at Lynn, who insisted on drawing the carriage through the town. He also notes of the Royal visitors, ‘Both were affable. The youthful Princess in particular showed in her demeanour that winning courtesy with which millions of her subjects have since become familiar.” Euston Hall, the seat of the Duke of Grafton, was the next house where a stay was made, from which the homeward journey was made without further interruption. Later, as has been mentioned, Ramsgate was visited, and a stay of a month there enabled the Princess to see Walmer Castle and Dover.
    The event of most importance in the following year vras the arrival at Kensington Palace, on a visit of some weeks, of the Duke of Coburg with his two sons Ernest and Albert. Then, for the first time, the Queen saw her future husband. The visit was brought about by the agency of King Leopold, who in this carried out the long-cherished idea of his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Coburg, who had early set her heart on the union of her two grandchildren. They were received with every attention by the King and Queen, and the other members of the Royal family, and spent a busy time in seeing all they could in London and the neighbourhood. They were much impressed by the sight of the great anniversary gathering of the children of the charity schools in Saint Paul’s, after which they enjoyed the hospitality of the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House. Of this visit Prince Albert writes on the 1st of June, 1836, “My first appearance was at a
levee
of the King’s, which was long and fatiguing but very interesting. The same evening we dined at Court, and at night there was a beautiful concert, at which we had to stand till two o’clock. The next day the King’s birthday was kept. We went in the middle of the day to a drawing-room at St. James’s Palace, at which about 3,800 people passed before the King and Queen and the other high dignitaries to offer their congratulations. There was again a great dinner in the evening and then a concert which lasted till one o’clock. You can well imagine that I had many hard battles to fight against sleepiness during these late entertainments. The day before yesterday, Monday, our Aunt gave a brilliant ball here at Kensington Palace, at which the gentlemen appeared in uniform and the ladies in so-called fancy dresses. We remained till four o’clock. Duke William of Brunswick, the Prince of Orange and his two sons, and the Duke of Wellington, were the only guests that you will care to hear about. Yesterday we spent with the Duke of Northumberland at Sion, and now we are going to Claremont. From this account you will see how constantly engaged we are, and that we must make the most of our time to see at least some of the sights in London. Dear Aunt is very kind to us, and does everything she can to please us, and our Cousin also is very amiable.” Almost simultaneously with the departure of the Prince from England, King Leopold spoke to his niece on the subject of his wishes, and in writing to him on the 7th of June the Princess concludes her letter by saying, “I have now only to beg you, my dearest Uncle, to take care of the health of one now so dear to me, and to take him under your special protection. I hope and trust that all will go on prosperously and well on this subject now of so much importance to me.”
    The autumn of this year, after a visit to Lord Liverpool at Buxted Park, near Uckfield, was spent quietly at Ramsgate.
    On the 24th of May, 1837, the Princess attained her majority: she was wakened by a serenade, and later received a number of costly presents, including a grand piano from the King, who earnestly wished to see his niece of age before his death.