The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 7

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _28th January 1845._

...The feeling of loyalty in this country is happily _very_ strong, and wherever we show ourselves we are most heartily and warmly received, and the civilities and respect shown to us by those we visit is _most_ satisfactory. I mention merely a trifling instance to show _how_ respectful they are--the Duke of Buckingham, who is immensely proud, bringing the cup of coffee after dinner on a waiter to Albert himself. And everywhere my dearest Angel receives the respect and honours I receive.

Many thanks for returning the list;[3] it was not Albert but _Tatane_ who made the black crosses. Are not "Les 3 Mousquetaires," by Dumas, and "Arthur," by Eugene Sue, _readable_ for _me_?

Now adieu, dearest, best Uncle. Ever your truly devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 3: A list of French books which the Queen was proposing to read.]

[PAGEHEADING: STATE OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

PAVILION, _10th February 1845._

Though the Queen knows that Sir Robert Peel has already turned his attention to the urgent necessity of doing something to Buckingham Palace, the Queen thinks it right to recommend this subject herself to his serious consideration. Sir Robert is acquainted with the state of the Palace and the total want of accommodation for our little family, which is fast growing up. Any building must necessarily take some years before it can be safely inhabited. If it were to be begun this autumn, it could hardly be occupied before the spring of 1848, when the Prince of Wales would be nearly seven, and the Princess Royal nearly eight years old, and they cannot possibly be kept in the nursery any longer. A provision for this purpose ought, therefore, to be made this year. Independent of this, most parts of the Palace are in a sad state, and will ere long require a further outlay to render them _decent_ for the occupation of the Royal Family or any visitors the Queen may have to receive. A room, capable of containing a larger number of those persons whom the Queen has to invite in the course of the season to b.a.l.l.s, concerts, etc., than any of the present apartments can at once hold, is much wanted. Equally so, improved offices and servants' rooms, the want of which puts the departments of the household to great expense yearly. It will be for Sir Robert to consider whether it would not be best to remedy all these deficiencies at once, and to make use of this opportunity to render the exterior of the Palace such as no longer to be a _disgrace_ to the country, which it certainly now is. The Queen thinks the country would be better pleased to have the question of the Sovereign's residence in London so finally disposed of, than to have it so repeatedly brought before it.[4]

[Footnote 4: Peel replied that, as a renewal of the Income Tax was about to be proposed, it would be better to postpone the application to Parliament till the public feeling as to the tax had been ascertained.]

[PAGEHEADING: t.i.tLE OF KING CONSORT]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

PAVILION, _18th February 1845._

The Queen has received Sir Robert Peel's letter, and is glad that the progress in the House of Commons was so satisfactory.

The Queen was much hurt at Mr Borthwick's most impertinent manner of putting the question with respect to the t.i.tle of King Consort, and much satisfied with Sir Robert's answer.[5] The t.i.tle of King is open a.s.suredly to many difficulties, and would perhaps be no _real_ advantage to the Prince, but the Queen is positive that something must at once be done to place the Prince's position on a const.i.tutionally recognised footing, and to give him a t.i.tle adequate to that position.[6] _How_ and _when_, are difficult questions....

[Footnote 5: A paragraph had appeared in the _Morning Chronicle_, giving credence to a rumour that this t.i.tle was about to be conferred on the Prince, but, in answer to Mr Peter Borthwick, Sir Robert Peel positively contradicted it.]

[Footnote 6:

_Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert._

WHITEHALL, _15th February 1845._

SIR,--I received yesterday the accompanying note from Mr Borthwick, and in conformity with the notice therein given, he put the question to me in the House of Commons last evening respecting the paragraph which appeared in the _Morning Chronicle_ respecting the intention of proposing to Parliament that your Royal Highness should a.s.sume the t.i.tle of King Consort.

I very much regret that the _Morning Chronicle_ inserted that paragraph.

The prominent place a.s.signed to it in the newspaper, and a vague intimation that there was some authority for it, have caused a certain degree of credit to be attached to it. It has been copied into all the country newspapers and has given rise to a good deal of conjecture and speculation, which it is far from desirable to excite without necessity.

It appears to me that the editor of the _Morning Chronicle_ acted most unwarrantably in inserting such a paragraph with a pretence of some sort of authority for it.

It has produced an impression which strongly confirms the observations which I took the liberty of making to your Royal Highness on Sunday evening.

I trust, however, that my decided contradiction of the paragraph will put a stop to further surmise and discussion on the subject.

To Mr Borthwick's note I add one of several letters addressed to me, which shows the p.r.o.neness to speculate upon const.i.tutional novelties.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect, your Royal Highness's most faithful and obedient Servant,

ROBERT PEEL.]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _24th March 1845._

The Queen has received Sir Robert Peel's box containing his recommendation relative to the filling up of the vacant Bishopric of Ely. The Queen quite approves of the present Dean of Westminster[7]

as the new Bishop. As Sir Robert has asked the Queen whether she would like to see Archdeacon Wilberforce succeed to the Deanery of Westminster in case the Dean should accept the Bishopric, she must say that such an arrangement would be _very satisfactory_ to us, and the Queen believes would highly please the Archdeacon. This would again vacate, the Queen believes, a stall at Winchester, which she would like to see filled by a person decidedly adverse to Puseyism.

The Queen approves of the Bishop of Lichfield[8] being transferred to the See of Ely in case Doctor Turton should decline it.

It would give the Queen much pleasure to stand sponsor to Sir Robert Peel's little grandson, and perhaps Sir Robert would communicate this to Lady Villiers.

[Footnote 7: Dr Thomas Turton (1780-1864), formerly Dean of Peterborough.]

[Footnote 8: John Lonsdale (1788-1867) was Bishop of Lichfield from 1843 till his death.]

[Pageheading: PURCHASE OF OSBORNE]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _25th March 1845._

... I copied what you wrote me about Peel[9] in a letter I wrote him, which I am sure will please him much, and a Minister in these days _does_ require a little encouragement, for the abuse and difficulties they have to contend with are dreadful. Peel works so hard and has so much to do, that sometimes he says he does not know _how_ he is to get through it all!