PARENTAGE AND BIRTH OF QUEEN VICTORIA.
How the Princess Victoria came to be Heiress Presumptive to the
Throne--Death of the Princess Charlotte--Marriages of the Royal
Dukes--Of the Duke of Kent--Birth of the Princess Alexandrina
Victoria--Prediction of George IV.--Death of the Duke of Kent--His
Character--His Liberal Opinions--Public Condolence with the Widow and
Orphan--Early Life of the Duchess of Kent.
[Sidenote: MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF KENT.]
On the 6th of November, 1817, the hopes of the nation, which had so fondly
rested upon the happy union between the Princess Charlotte and Prince
Leopold, were fatally blasted by Her Royal Highness's death, shortly after
her delivery of a still-born child. Never in our history was a blow felt
more deeply and personally by all the nation, than this bereavement. The
death of the Princess Charlotte severely and most painfully disappointed
the nation in its general expectation with regard to the much desired
succession to the throne in the person of herself and her heirs. The Duke
of Cumberland, who was hated by all, was the only married younger son of
the king, and there was a general desire that the other royal princes,
especially the popular and estimable Dukes of Kent and Sussex, should seek
out suitable partners. The Duke of Kent rightly felt that the House of
Brunswick was dear to the English people, that the nation had a very
strong desire that the question of succession should be placed beyond
doubt, and that, considering the uncertainty of the chances of life, and
of leaving offspring, it was clearly his duty to marry. Indeed, he had
already, ere the untimely death of his niece, offered his hand and heart
to the widowed Princess of Leiningen. The Princess Charlotte tenderly
loved her uncle Kent, who had done so much to promote the attainment of
the wishes of her own heart, and she did all she could to promote the
marriage of her uncle with the sister of her husband. But the position of
the Princess of Leiningen as guardian of her two children occasioned
delays; and no unimportant matter was the fact that if she re-married, she
would sacrifice a jointure of nearly L5,000 a year, while the Duke of Kent
was punished by the Court for his free and outspoken Liberal opinions by
being restricted to a very meagre pecuniary allowance from the Tory
Parliament. At last, however, all minor difficulties were smoothed over.
On the 13th of May, a message was brought down to Parliament, announcing
that "the Prince Regent had given his consent to a marriage between the
Duke of Kent and Her Serene Highness Mary Louisa Victoria, daughter of the
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, widow of Enrich Charles, Prince of
Leiningen, and sister of Prince Leopold." Of all the royal marriages, this
was the one which the heart of the country went most thoroughly along
with. The Duke of Kent never disguised--indeed, he openly proclaimed--his
attachment to the principles of the popular party; and the fact of the
close relationship of his intended wife to Prince Leopold was another
strong recommendation. The marriage was celebrated, first according to the
Lutheran rites in Germany, on the 29th May, 1818, and, on the 13th of
July following, by the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Prince Regent, on the
latter occasion, giving away the bride. In the same summer, the Dukes of
Clarence and Cambridge had married. The Duke of Sussex, whose affections
and sympathies were otherwise engaged, declined to contract a foreign
alliance; but he took the liveliest interest in the marriage of his
favourite brother Kent, as he also did in the future welfare and
prosperity of his niece.
[Sidenote: CHRISTENING OF THE PRINCESS VICTORIA.]
After the English marriage, the young couple sojourned for a brief period
at Claremont, the residence which had been selected by the Princess
Charlotte, and which Prince Leopold continued to occupy. They then, guided
chiefly by motives of economy, for their means were very small, travelled
on the Continent, from which they returned for the accouchement of the
Duchess. Both prospective parents were desirous that their child should be
"born a Briton." They arrived at Dover on the 23rd of April, 1819, and on
the 24th of May the Princess Alexandrina Victoria was born at Kensington
Palace. She was born in the presence of the Dukes of Sussex and
Wellington, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Earl
Bathurst, Mr. Canning, Mr. Vansittart, and the Bishop of London. The Duke
of Kent wept for joy, and the fact that his infant was a daughter did not
in the least degree diminish his delight. The Duchess rapidly recovered,
and the beauty and symmetry of the infant Princess were spoken of with
admiration by all who had an opportunity of observing her. Shortly after
this happy event, the Duke of Kent attended a drawing-room, from which,
and similar Court ceremonies, the estrangement between himself and the
Regent had for some time kept him away. His brother was most affable, and
invited him to dine the next day, when he predicted that his little niece
would be Queen some time. This certainly seemed improbable shortly
afterwards, for Clarence, who was nearer in succession than Kent, became
the father of two daughters by his wife, Adelaide. But they both died
young, thereby opening the succession to the child of the Duke of Kent,
and verifying the Regent's prophecy. The child was christened with great
privacy, on the 24th of June, in the Palace of Kensington. The royal gold
font was fetched from the Tower, and fitted up in the grand saloon of the
palace. Under the direction of the Lord Chamberlain, the draperies were
removed from the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The Archbishop of Canterbury,
assisted by the Bishop of London, administered the holy office; the Prince
Regent, the members of the Royal Family, and other illustrious visitors
were present. The sponsors were the Prince Regent, the Czar Alexander
(represented by the Duke of York as proxy), the Queen Dowager of
Wurtemberg (represented by the Princess Augusta), and the Duchess Dowager
of Coburg (represented by the Duchess of Gloucester). A brilliant evening
party filled the saloons of the happy parents.
The Duke and Duchess still made Claremont their chief home. But the winter
of 1819-20 set in with unusual severity, and they went to Sidmouth, in the
hope of escaping its trying severity. From Sidmouth the Duke made an
excursion to visit Salisbury Cathedral, where he caught a slight cold. On
his return to Sidmouth it became alarming, and the Duchess sent off in
haste to her brother, who was visiting at Lord Craven's. Soon after his
arrival, the Duke breathed his last. While his cold still slightly
affected him, he had gone for a long walk, on the 13th of January, with
Captain Conroy, and had his boots soaked through with wet. He neglected to
change his boots and stockings until he dressed for dinner, being
attracted by the smiles of his infant princess, with whom he sat for some
time playing. Before night he had a sensation of cold and hoarseness, but
the doctors were not alarmed, and merely prescribed mild medicaments and a
good night's rest. But the symptoms of fever rapidly increased, and, in
spite of much blood-letting, he died ten days from the date of the
recurrence of his cold. He met his death with pious resignation. The
Duchess was most indefatigable in her attentions, and personally performed
all the offices of the sick-bed. For five successive nights she never took
off her clothes, and she struggled to prevent his seeing the agony of her
apprehensions, never leaving the bed-side but to give vent to her bursting
sorrow. The presence of her brother was a great comfort to her, both
before and after the moment of death. It was fortunate, indeed, that
Leopold was in this country, "as the poor Duke had left his family
deprived of all means of existence." So did Leopold himself testify many
years afterwards.
[Sidenote: THE DUKE OF KENT.]
The Duke of Kent, although unpopular in his youth on account of his
strictness as a military disciplinarian, became in later days much
beloved. His stature was tall, and his appearance noble and manly. His
manner was engaging, and his conversation animated. He possessed an exact
memory, varied information, a quick and masculine intellect. In many of
his tastes and habits he closely resembled his father. He was an early
riser, and a close economist of time; temperate in eating; though fond of
society, indifferent to wine; a kind master, punctual correspondent, and
exact man of business; a steady friend, and an affectionate brother. He
was peculiarly exempt in his youth from those extravagances and vices with
which the names of some of his brothers were so painfully associated. He
was in his early life, which he spent in active and laborious military
service, a pattern of prudence, economy, and industrious habits. He
incurred no unnecessary expenses, and made few debts, although his annual
allowance was only L1,000 for some years after he had attained his
majority. He delighted in books, education, charity, and the promotion of
all useful arts, and was a model son, husband, and father. He was a
staunch and uncompromising advocate of those liberal opinions which it is
so well known that his daughter inherits, which she displayed so
unreservedly early in her reign, but the prominent expression of which
prudence and constitutional restraints convinced her that it was advisable
to keep in the background, as her mind grew and ripened. The Duke of
Kent's political views will be gathered from the following extract from a
speech at a banquet, in which he replied to the toast of the junior
members of the Royal Family:--"I am a friend of civil and religious
liberty, all the world over. I am an enemy to all religious tests. I am a
supporter of a general system of education. All men are my brethren; and I
hold that power is only delegated for the benefit of the people. These are
the principles of myself and of my beloved brother, the Duke of Sussex.
They are not popular principles just now; that is, they do not conduct to
place or office. _All_ the members of the Royal Family do not hold the
same principles. For this I do not blame them; but we claim for ourselves
the right of thinking and acting as we think best, and we proclaim
ourselves, with our friend Mr. Tierney, 'members of His Majesty's loyal
Opposition.'" These words give a precise and definite idea of the
character of this clear-headed, good-hearted, shrewd, practical, and
unpretending man.
Prince Leopold accompanied his widowed sister and the little orphan from
Sidmouth to Kensington Palace. The weather was most severe, and the
journey a trying one. The Houses of Parliament remembered, with respectful
solicitude, the widowed and isolated state of the Duchess. Both Houses
voted addresses of condolence. That from the Commons was presented by
Lords Morpeth and Clive. She appeared in person, though unable to suppress
her grief, with the infant Victoria in her arms, to receive the
deputation. She presented the babe to the deputed Members, and pointed to
her as the treasure to whose preservation and improvement she was resolved
to dedicate her best energies and fondest love. The interview was
exceedingly touching. A true woman, the Duchess could not conceal the
intensity of her widowed grief; but that did not overshadow her maternal
affection, and she recognised and spoke courageously of her duties, her
responsibilities, and her high resolves. Public feeling and national
anxiety accompanied her into her domestic privacy, and all classes of
society took the deepest interest in all her movements.
[Sidenote: THE DUCHESS OF KENT.]
The Queen, indeed, owes much to her mother, who lived long enough to see
her daughter's grandchildren. The Duchess of Kent had been brought up
under the immediate care and superintendence of her illustrious mother,
whose character we have already described. She had shared the youthful
lessons of her brother Leopold--a source, doubtless of great intellectual
profit. In 1802, when she was but sixteen, much against her own wish, and
only in compliance with the entreaties of her beloved father--who wished
to see his only surviving daughter married, in such troublesome times, ere
the end of his precarious and sickly life came--she became the wife of the
Prince of Leiningen, a man eight-and-twenty years her senior. The union
was most inappropriate and unwise. Her husband was repugnant in person and
manners. He failed either to secure her confidence or contribute to her
happiness. Yet she fulfilled her duties as a wife and mother in so
exemplary a manner, from her marriage to her husband's death, in 1814,
that the breath of slander never sullied her fair fame. Indeed, by the
purity of her life, the manner in which she discharged her maternal
duties, and the graceful suavity of her manners, she did much to ennoble
the character of the House of Leiningen, which her husband had done much
to lower. Her marriage with the Duke of Kent was one of unmistakable
affection, and was a very happy one. Their tastes were similar; but her
meekness and tact had a beneficial influence in mitigating a certain stern
and abrupt brusqueness which he partly inherited from his father, and
partly derived from the camps and garrison towns in which his youth was
spent. The simplicity and tender unaffectedness of her manners--a
peculiarity distinctive of the highest class of well-bred German
women--and her fascinating combination of gentleness with gaiety, not
only won and bound, by daily increasing ties, the affections of her
husband, but of all those who had the good fortune to become personally
acquainted with her admirable life and disposition.