Prince Frederick showed no desire to seek the lady he was to marry, but dutifully remarked that "whoever his majesty thought a proper match for his son would be agreeable to him"; and the princess submitted joyfully to the custom among the royalty of marrying people they had never seen. She was willing to go to the prince, since he was not gallant enough to travel to Germany to win her, and probably rejoiced at the idea of one day becoming Queen of England. She sailed in the month of April in the royal yacht "William and Mary," and landed at Greenwich on St. George's day, twenty-fifth. The bride was just seventeen years of age, and excited much admiration on account of her graceful, girlish air, her good humor, and tasteful attire.
She was conducted to the Queen's House in the park, where one would naturally suppose that all the royal family would assemble to welcome her; but such was not the case, for there were only the solemn officers of state and ladies-in-waiting to meet her. The people had gathered in crowds to have a look at the princess, and as she sat on the balcony overlooking the park they shouted themselves hoarse in her praise. At last Prince Frederick made his appearance alone, and brought the "compliments of the king, queen, duke, and princesses, who hoped the bride was well." They could scarcely have done less, but certainly might, and ought, to have done more to welcome a young girl who had come to their shores under such circumstances. But she does not seem to have complained, and no doubt contented herself with the belief that she was only submitting to the custom of a strange country.
Greenwich looked very bright and gay on the following day; for the prince and princess dined in public, and a crowd gathered to witness that important ceremony. Then the royal pair drove down to the river, and entered a beautifully decorated barge that awaited them, and were rowed up and down, while horns were blown, guns fired, and bands of music performed on the boats and at different points along the banks of the river. On the next day, which was Tuesday, Frederick awaited his bride, with whom he had fallen in love at first sight, in London. She left Greenwich in one of the royal carriages, alighted at Lambeth, and then crossed over to Whitehall in a boat. Entering one of Queen Caroline's state-chairs, the princess was carried by two stout yeomen to St. James's Palace, where everything was arranged in a tasteful, magnificent manner for her reception. Prince Frederick received his bride as she stepped from the chair, and drawing her to him, pressed her in his arms and gave her two affectionate kisses; then, taking her by the hand, he led her up the grand staircase, and into the presence of a splendid and numerous assemblage of court ladies and gentlemen. She was first presented to the king, who would not permit her to kneel, but, putting his arm around her, kissed her cheek and said a few kind words. Queen Caroline greeted her warmly, and her example was followed by her daughters and the Duke of Cumberland.
The king had grown so impatient at being detained in England for the wedding, when he wanted to get back to his beloved Hanover, that he had declared if they did not make haste with it they would have to dispense with his presence altogether at the ceremony. But he was so well pleased at the appearance and behavior of the young bride that he was completely mollified. She was modest, but at the same time self-possessed to a degree that proved her to be thoroughly well-bred and sensible. In this respect she formed quite a contrast to the young people whose family she was entering, for they squabbled about the most trifling points of etiquette, which proved the littleness of their minds as well as their faulty training. For example, the prince thought that on such an important occasion as that of his marriage, he and his bride should take precedence of others of equal rank, and that his brother and sisters should be satisfied with stools at the dinner-table, while he and Princess Augusta occupied chairs, also that they should be served with somewhat less ceremony and respect. But they absolutely refused to enter the dining-room until the stools had been replaced by chairs as large and luxurious as those intended for the bride and groom, and insisted upon being waited on by their respective servants, who had orders to imitate those of the Prince of Wales in every ceremony used at table. Later in the evening, when coffee was brought around in the drawing-room by Frederick's servants, the Duke of Cumberland and the princesses all declined it, because, as they said, "they were afraid instructions had been given to inflict some disgrace in the manner of handing the beverage had they accepted of any." They certainly did not deserve to partake of the coffee, or anything else that was good, as long as they were so petty and narrow-minded.
On the day after the arrival of the bride at St. James's, there was a grand state-dinner, after which costumes were rearranged, and the marriage ceremony was performed, while several salutes were fired by the artillery at various stages of the proceedings. The bride wore no wig, but had her own hair tastefully dressed and surmounted by a crown studded with diamonds, of which gems she wore a profusion, besides on different parts of her person and dress. Brides and babies ought always to wear white; but a different rule guided the Princess of Wales, whose robe at her wedding ceremony was of crimson velvet, bordered with ermine. A long, full train, that hung from the shoulders, where it was attached by diamond clasps, was supported by four young ladies, who wore silver gauge dresses and diamonds valued at from twenty to thirty thousand pounds each.
The Duke of Cumberland gave the bride away, and the Duke of Grafton and Lord Hervey, lord and vice-chamberlains of the royal household, acted as ushers. All the noble ladies and gentlemen of the court accompanied the bride and groom in procession to the Chapel Royal, where the ceremony was performed by the Lord Bishop of London. At its completion there was a grand flourish of trumpets, and a deafening beating of drums, followed by the music of a brass band, and the thundering of cannon in the park, that announced to Londoners the conclusion of the compact. Then the bridal party proceeded to the king's drawing-room, where his majesty and Queen Caroline were seated on a dais under a richly-draped canopy. The newly-wedded couple walked hand in hand the entire length of the room, and knelt before the royal parents, who solemnly blessed their children.
A grand banquet was served at ten o'clock, and was attended by much gaiety and joviality. Speeches were made, healths were drunk, and everybody seemed happy.
