Queen Victoria
Is it possible for me to mention the name of Queen Victoria without
remembering that the Prince of Coburg and myself were often the guests
of our aunt and cousin? One of the most hospitable of women, she
revelled in the joys of domesticity, and liked nothing better than to
gather her relatives around her, preferably the Coburgs, the family of
which the Prince Consort was a member.
Although the Queen was extremely short, afflicted with a corpulency that
was almost a deformity, and an excessively red face, she nevertheless
possessed an air of great distinction when she entered the room,
supported by one of the magnificent Indian servants who were her
personal attendants. She usually carried a white handkerchief so
arranged that the lace border showed, and she favoured a black silk
gown with a small train, the corsage cut in V shape. She wore round
her neck a locket containing a miniature of Prince Albert, her
never-to-be-forgotten husband, on her head a widow's cap of white crêpe;
she very rarely wore gloves. On special occasions the Koh-i-noor, that
wonderful diamond, the treasure of treasures of India, sparkled with a
thousand fires in the folds of the crêpe cap.
The Queen did not leave much impression of her personality, although she
was most impressive in her movements, her tones and her look. Her
nose had a curious way of trembling, which was almost an index of her
thoughts. And how shall I describe that amazingly cold glance which she
was wont to cast over the family circle? The slightest error in dress,
the slightest breach of etiquette was instantly noticed. A hint or
a reprimand followed in a voice that brooked no reply. Then her nose
wrinkled, her lips became compressed, her face flushed a deeper scarlet,
and the whole of the Royal Person appeared to be swept by the storm of
anger.
But once the storm had passed, the Queen smiled her charming smile, as
if she wished to efface the memory of her previous ill-humour.
In arriving or departing she always bowed to those around her with a
curious little protective movement.
On one occasion I had the misfortune to displease her.
The Queen detested the curled fringes which hid the forehead and were
then fashionable. This rather unbecoming mode is within the recollection
of many. I admit I adopted it. Fashion is fashion. This style of
coiffure greatly annoyed the Queen, who said to me one day: "You
must dress your hair differently, and in a manner more suitable to a
princess."
She was right. Unfortunately the Prince of Coburg, who equally disliked
this curled coiffure, was present when our aunt made this remark. If she
had given him the Koh-i-noor he could not have been better pleased.
I was therefore treated to a sound scolding from my husband, which
resulted in making me decide not to take any notice of the Queen's
censure. My hair still remained in curls on my forehead.
At Windsor, as in the Isle of Wight, the Queen drove out every evening
about 6 o'clock--no matter what the weather might be. We were usually
honoured by accompanying her. Occasionally we were obliged to wait quite
a long time for the Queen to make her appearance. At last, preceding the
Queen, a plaid on his arm, a flask of whisky slung over his shoulder,
came John Brown, the faithful Scotsman whose doings occupied such a
prominent position in the _Court Circular_, and who, like many others of
his kind, represents an unpublished feuilleton in the history of Courts.
He led the way, ensconced himself in the brake drawn by two grey horses,
and the drive--which lasted about two hours--began.
Evening fell. John Brown moved about in his seat. He frequently turned
his head, hopeful to receive the Queen's orders to return. Was this
anxiety on account of his fear of rheumatism, or of some chill, which,
notwithstanding the comforting properties of whisky, would have affected
his health and prevented him fulfilling his duties to the Queen? I
really cannot say. All I know is that John Brown detested twilight
drives on a damp evening. They always affected his temper, and he did
not attempt to conceal his feelings--but, for that matter, he never
attempted to do anything contrary to his inclination.
Even the Queen's children experienced John Brown's autocracy.
It happened that the Prince of Wales, afterwards the great King Edward
VII, once wanted to see his mother on urgent and unexpected business.
But John Brown opened the door of the Queen's room and said decisively:
"You cannot see the Queen, Sir."
If in the intimacy of her daily life Queen Victoria allowed herself some
moments of relaxation, she was, nevertheless, a great Sovereign and
an imposing figure. Her Jubilee, celebrated with a splendour which
my contemporaries will easily remember, showed her real status in the
world. The procession through London in the midst of a delirious and
cheering populace, the cavalcade of kings, princes, rajahs, and other
representatives of the Dominions, resplendent in their magnificent
uniforms and blazing with precious stones, was a spectacle worthy of the
"Arabian Nights."
We shall never look upon the like again. Men will never honour
temporal power as they did when they thus exalted a woman who so nobly
represented the Past, the Present and the Future of the United Kingdom,
the Empire of India, and the Colonies.
Do not say "vanity of vanities." Pomp and Circumstance have their
reasons for existence. A society which does not possess a theocracy, an
aristocracy and a pomp in proportion to its institutions is a moribund
society. It will always be necessary to return to the equivalents of
Sovereignty, the Court and Divinity, without which the discrowned social
edifice will be a barn or a ruin.
It was on the occasion of one of the great Jubilee entertainments that,
owing to my annoying and incorrigible habit of unpunctuality, I arrived
late to take my place in the Royal cortège. I will admit that I was
often purposely late, because I knew that this enraged the Prince of
Coburg beyond anything else, and he always began the day by saying that
he knew beforehand I should not be punctual.
Women who read this book will understand how difficult it is to be quite
punctual for an engagement when one is wearing a special gown for the
first time. Men will never understand these feminine difficulties!
I frankly acknowledge that on this occasion I ought to have arranged
matters differently; I did not wish to be in fault. State ceremonial
exacted that nobody should be absent at the formation of the cortège.
And, as owing to my marriage, my rank and position relegated me towards
the end, quite a number of kings and queens had been obliged to wait
until I made my appearance.
When I entered I was, naturally, in a state of extreme confusion. But
at this period I was in the heyday of my beauty. I knew that I was
beautiful and admired. I saw most eyes turned unsympathetically in my
direction. The women looked cross, but happily the men, who at first
seemed severe, were not long in softening towards me. I was dazzled by
the light of these earthly suns!
But to hesitate was to be lost! It behoved me to derive instant
advantage from the situation. Silence and impassiveness greeted the
apparition of the culprit who had dared hold up the progress of the
Queen of England and her illustrious suite. I realized that my entrance
must be of the kind which succeeds only once in a lifetime.
I took my time--and I put all the grace imaginable into my curtsy to the
Queen, and my bow to the assembled Court.
I approached to kiss my mother's hand, who, overjoyed to hear the
flattering murmur which followed my method of asking pardon, drew me
towards her, saying as she did so: "You were made to be a queen."
Even now a tear rises from my heart to my eyes. What a strange nature
we possess! But when one has been metaphorically born on the steps of
a throne, one feels the need for success, homage and ovations. One not
only preserves their memory, but one also retains the wish for them and
the regret when they no longer exist.