THE COURT.
Birth of a Prince.—On the 1st of May her majesty was delivered of a son, the third prince that had been born to her. The baptism took place in the chapel of Buckingham Palace, on the 22nd of June. The ceremony was unusually superb.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, his Royal Highness Prince George, her Royal Highness Princess Mary, his Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen, his Grace the Duke of Wellington; the Belgian, Portuguese, and Prussian ministers; the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, Lord John Russell, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, Sir Charles Wood, Sir Francis Baring, Sir John Hobhouse, the Earl of Carlisle, the Right Hon. Fox Maule, Sir William Somerville, and others invited to the solemnity, assembled in the old dining-room, at the palace, at six o’clock, the royal family being conducted to an adjoining drawing-room, and were conducted to seats in the chapel.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Chester (clerk of the closet), the Bishop of Oxford (lord high almoner), with the Rev. Henry Howarth (rector of the parish of St. George, Hanover-square), the Hon. and Rev. Gerald Wellesley (resident chaplain to her majesty), the Rev. Lord Worthesley Russell (deputy clerk of the closet), and the Rev. Henry George Liddell (chaplain to his Royal Highness Prince Albert), assembled in the room adjoining the old dining-room, and took their places at the communion-table. The Archbishop of Canterbury commenced the baptismal service, and on arriving at that part for naming the child, the Countess of Gainsborough handed the infant prince to the archbishop, when his royal highness was named Arthur William Patrick Albert.
The queen, the prince, and the royal personages then passed up the grand staircase to the Throne-room, where her majesty was joined shortly before eight o’clock by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester. The remainder of the company continued in the Green Drawing-room. The queen wore a dress of white, watered, and brocaded silk, with a broad flounce of Honiton lace, trimmed with white satin ribbon. Her majesty also wore a diadem of emeralds and diamonds, and ornaments of emeralds and diamonds to correspond. From the ribbon of the Most Noble Order of the Garter was suspended a most splendid George, set in brilliants; the ribbon itself was confined on the left shoulder by a diamond clasp. The queen also wore the garter as an armlet, the motto being formed of diamonds. The infant prince had a robe and mantle of Honiton lace over white satin, with a cap to correspond. The Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, and the Princess Helena, wore dresses of white watered silk with satin stripe, trimmed with white satin ribbon and silver fringe; the silk woven at Spitalfields. The dress of her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent was of the richest white watered silk, of English manufacture, trimmed with blonde, having diamond ornaments down the front, and the stomacher adorned with brilliants. Her royal highness’s head-dress was formed of feathers, blonde lappets, and pearl and diamond ornaments. The necklace and earrings were diamonds. His Royal Highness Prince Albert wore a field-marshal’s uniform, with the collars of the Orders of the Garter and the Black Eagle (of Prussia), with four stars set in diamonds of the Garter, the Thistle, St. Patrick, and the Bath, and the ensigns of the Golden Fleece.
Her majesty was conducted by the lord steward and the lord chamberlain, at eight o’clock, to a state banquet in the picture-gallery, accompanied by the royal family, the foreign ministers, the cabinet ministers, and the other ladies and gentlemen who attended the ceremonial. “The christening cake” was placed in the middle of the dinner-table on the plateau of the magnificent service of gold plate. The top of the cake represented an octangular fountain, ornamented with a number of small vases, filled with miniature bouquets. The fountain rested on a circular plinth, containing a number of painted vignettes, set in silver frames.
After the toast of “The Queen and the Prince,” her majesty rose from the banquet, and proceeded to the White Drawing-room, accompanied by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, her Royal Highness Princess Mary of Cambridge, and the other ladies present. Soon after which, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia, his Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen, and the other guests, proceeded to the Music-room, when the doors of the White Drawing-room were opened, and the queen received an evening party.
The name of Patrick was given to the infant prince in compliment to the people of Ireland, and was a graceful sequel to her majesty’s confiding visit to that country the previous autumn.
Arrival of the Nepaulese Ambassador.—This illustrious person arrived on the 25th of May, accompanied by his two brothers, and a brilliant suite. He brought presents to her majesty, worth a quarter of a million sterling. On his arrival at the Custom House, the officials attempted to search his luggage, but he intimated that by their so doing he would lose caste, and in case of any attempt of the kind, he would not persevere in the object of his visit, but return by the next steamer. His religious scruples were respected, but to make himself certain, he placed a man with a drawn sword constantly beside his baggage. The ambassador was feted by the great, and his liberality in dispensing presents of precious stones did not detract from his popularity. He was received at court most graciously, and returned to his country greatly impressed with British power, and remained a friend and an ally of England.
Death of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge.—On the 8th of July, this popular prince died at Cambridge House. He was the seventh son of George the Third. His remains were interred at Kew Church, with many demonstrations of sorrow on the part of the people. Her majesty was much attached to her royal relative, and was much afflicted by his death.
Visit of her Majesty to the King of the Belgians.—On the 21st of August, lier majesty, the prince, and four of the royal children, embarked at Osborne for Ostend, in tempestuous weather. Her majesty being “a good sailor,” was seldom deterred from her voyages by bad weather. The royal visitors only remained a few days, and returned to Osborne. The visit had no political significance, but was dictated simply by the affection of the royal pair for their uncle, the Belgian king.
Her Majesty’s Visit to Scotland.—On the 27th of August, the court paid its autumnal visit to the north. A visit was paid, en route, to Castle Howard, the seat of the Earl of Carlisle. At Newcastle-upon-Tyne the royal party was received by Earl Grey, and the corporations of Newcastle and Gateshead made many demonstrations of loyalty, which were gratifying to her majesty. As on the previous year her majesty visited Dublin, Cork, Belfast, and Glasgow, it was deemed politic and respectful to pay a visit to Edinburgh, of such a nature as to show the inhabitants of the Scottish metropolis her interest in it.
The citizens of “the modern Athens” vied with those of the other great cities of her majesty’s dominions in enthusiastic loyalty. The queen took up her residence in Holyrood House, which greatly gratified the national feeling of the Scotch. Immediately on her arrival, she entered the apartments which were once occupied by the beautiful and unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. Her majesty regarded the historical objects there presented to her, with melancholy interest. The following day the royal family ascended to the top of Arthur’s Seat, where it was said her majesty was intensely excited by the magnificence of the scenery. The following day, Prince Albert laid the foundation-stone of the Scottish National Gallery. The remaining portion of the day was spent in visiting remarkable persons and places. On the day following, her majesty and suite proceeded to Balmoral. On the 10th of October the court left their Scottish retreat, and returned to Edinburgh, remaining at Holyrood Palace for the night, and the next day proceeded to England. The first tidings which met her majesty on her return to Buckingham Palace were, of the death of the Queen of the Belgians, her august aunt, by marriage.
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The Queen and the Papal Aggression.—During the winter, while the court was at Windsor, the papal aggression disturbed the country. It was known that her majesty felt great indignation, and her people determined to regard the act of the court of Rome as an insult to her as well as to the nation. The corporations of London and Oxford, and the University of Oxford, have the privilege of demanding audience of the crown; they were all received by the queen in a manner to mark her sense of the indignity offered to her by the Roman court.
Assault on the Queen.—On the 27th of June, her majesty having visited her uncle at Cambridge House, as she re-entered her carriage, a man rushed forward and struck her on the face with a cane; the blow drew blood, and caused a considerable swelling. A poor man present instantly struck the ruffian in the face in return; and other bystanders seized him, and handled him very roughly. He was taken into regular custody by the police, and interrogated at the Home Office. He had been an officer in the army. He was sentenced to seven years’ transportation. His sanity was doubted, as his manners were incoherent.