The day was kept as a general holiday at Kensington, there were addresses of congratulation from many public bodies, among them one from the Corporation of London, to which the Duchess of Kent replied, “… The Princess has arrived at that age, which now justifies my expressing my confident expectation, that she will be found competent to execute the sacred trust which may be reposed in her; for communicating as she does with all classes of society, she cannot but perceive that the greater the diffusion of religious knowledge and the love of freedom in a country, the more orderly, industrious and wealthy is its population; and that with the desire to preserve the constitutional prerogatives of the Crown ought to be co-ordinate the protection of the liberty of the people.” To the address presented to herself the Princess simply replied, “I am very thankful for your kindness, and my mother has expressed all my feelings.” On the evening of this day a state ball was given at St. James’s, at which neither the King nor Queen were able to be present, both being very ill. The Princess opened the ball with Lord Fitzalan, the eldest son of the Duke of Norfolk, and danced also with Prince Esterhazy. Before her next appearance at St. James’s the Princess had succeeded to the throne.
Many portraits were painted, during her early years, of the Princess upon whom the hopes of the nation were fixed. One of the earliest is given at the head of this chapter; it is from a miniature painted by Anthony Stewart, who had come from Scotland to London, where he painted a miniature of Princess Charlotte, which brought him to the notice of Prince Leopold. He was one of the first to paint a miniature of the Princess, who afterwards sat to him repeatedly, and the engravings from these very delicate works were exceedingly popular. Shortly afterwards the Duchess of Kent sat with her daughter to Sir William Beechey, whose portraits of the Royal Family are well known; in this picture, of which a reproduction is given, the infant Princess stands on the sofa where her mother is sitting, and holds in her hand a miniature of her father. This picture was painted specially for Prince Leopold. Another charming portrait of the Princess is that by Westall, in which she is represented as sketching from nature. Westall, as has been mentioned before, was drawing-master to the Princess; he died in 1836, so that this picture is probably one of his latest works. In 1833 it has been noted above that the Princess sat for her portrait to Wilkin and to Hayter. Of the work of the latter a reproduction is given. The Princess stands at a table holding a rose in her right hand, and from her left hangs a light scarf; the glove from her right hand is the plaything of her favourite dog; in the background is seen the newly-raised Round Tower of Windsor Castle. The portrait by Wilkin taken at the same time only exists in a somewhat rare lithograph; in it the hair is plaited on the crown in the same manner as in Hayter’s picture. Of other early portraits mention may be made of a bust by Behnes, taken when the Princess was very young. It is now in the corridor at Windsor Castle, and is widely known by an engraving which had extensive circulation at the time, but gives a most distorted view of the excellent original. The portrait of the Duchess of Kent introduced in this chapter is taken from a miniature painting by Collen, after a picture painted in 1835 by Sir George Hayter; in it may be traced the great likeness borne by the Duchess to her brother King Leopold, and also to her mother.
Chapter Four
Accession And Coronation (1837 — 1838)
The demise of the Crown by the death of King William IV had been expected for some time. On Tuesday, the 20th of June, 1837, at twelve minutes past two, His Majesty expired. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who had performed the last religious rites, and Lord Conyngham, Lord Chamberlain, who was also in attendance, started as soon as was
Many portraits were painted, during her early years, of the Princess upon whom the hopes of the nation were fixed. One of the earliest is given at the head of this chapter; it is from a miniature painted by Anthony Stewart, who had come from Scotland to London, where he painted a miniature of Princess Charlotte, which brought him to the notice of Prince Leopold. He was one of the first to paint a miniature of the Princess, who afterwards sat to him repeatedly, and the engravings from these very delicate works were exceedingly popular. Shortly afterwards the Duchess of Kent sat with her daughter to Sir William Beechey, whose portraits of the Royal Family are well known; in this picture, of which a reproduction is given, the infant Princess stands on the sofa where her mother is sitting, and holds in her hand a miniature of her father. This picture was painted specially for Prince Leopold. Another charming portrait of the Princess is that by Westall, in which she is represented as sketching from nature. Westall, as has been mentioned before, was drawing-master to the Princess; he died in 1836, so that this picture is probably one of his latest works. In 1833 it has been noted above that the Princess sat for her portrait to Wilkin and to Hayter. Of the work of the latter a reproduction is given. The Princess stands at a table holding a rose in her right hand, and from her left hangs a light scarf; the glove from her right hand is the plaything of her favourite dog; in the background is seen the newly-raised Round Tower of Windsor Castle. The portrait by Wilkin taken at the same time only exists in a somewhat rare lithograph; in it the hair is plaited on the crown in the same manner as in Hayter’s picture. Of other early portraits mention may be made of a bust by Behnes, taken when the Princess was very young. It is now in the corridor at Windsor Castle, and is widely known by an engraving which had extensive circulation at the time, but gives a most distorted view of the excellent original. The portrait of the Duchess of Kent introduced in this chapter is taken from a miniature painting by Collen, after a picture painted in 1835 by Sir George Hayter; in it may be traced the great likeness borne by the Duchess to her brother King Leopold, and also to her mother.
Chapter Four
Accession And Coronation (1837 — 1838)
The demise of the Crown by the death of King William IV had been expected for some time. On Tuesday, the 20th of June, 1837, at twelve minutes past two, His Majesty expired. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who had performed the last religious rites, and Lord Conyngham, Lord Chamberlain, who was also in attendance, started as soon as was
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