The Prince was credited with designing other garments as well, on which Punch remarked that “Hannibal was a great cutter-out, for he cut a passage through the Alps; but Prince Albert cuts out Hannibal, inasmuch as His Royal Highness devotes his talents to the cutting out of coats, waistcoats, and ‘things inexpressible.’”
A dramatic incident in 1841 made the Queen for the moment a popular heroine, and that was the action of a publican’s boy named Oxford, who shot at her as she was driving up Constitution Hill. She and Prince Albert went on with their drive, altering their route so that they might pass the Duchess of Kent’s house and relieve her mind of anxiety in case she heard any rumours of what had just happened. On returning home they were received at the Palace by a great crowd cheering vociferously. The next day the shouts of thousands met them in the Park, and the Houses of the Lords and the Commons tendered their congratulations in state. The State carriage of the Speaker was followed by one hundred and nine other members’ carriages to Buckingham Palace, and as they rolled away eighty carriages of the Lords began to enter, Barons first, rising in rank to Royal Dukes, all wearing their Orders, Stars, and Garters.
There were those who said that this attempt upon the Queen’s life had been instigated by the King of Hanover, but then—give a dog a bad name and you may as well hang him.
Her Majesty was acclaimed at Ascot that year, which greatly pleased her, part of the enthusiasm being probably caused by the suggestion that November might bring an heir to the Throne. The approaching birth of a Royal child was the subject of talk all over the country, and the not very delicate taste of the day allowed free speculation and comment in the daily and weekly papers. One devoted the top of a column to the subject every week, heading it:—
THE LADIES.
Pray remember
The tenth of November.
It then proceeded to give news of various Court ladies who were emulating, or hoping to emulate, the example of the Queen, running something as below:—“The Hon. Mrs. Leicester Stanhope intends to go to Brighton in the autumn, and has retained the services of the celebrated Dr. Bradwell for early in November. The Duchess of Somerset has accepted invitations, for she feels sure that there are no family reasons to interfere. Lady Cork thinks she might as well stay in London.” “Yes,” replies the grim Lord Allen, “the London fogs will shelter you from observation,” &c.
Lord Melbourne was facetiously reported as giving a dinner-party on Her Majesty’s birthday, and proposing a toast in the following terms:—
“Fill up to the brim, a bright Burgundy bumper,