“Sir, do you know what your father died of? Thinking he could not die!”
Frederick in this way certainly partook of this attribute of George the Second.
In addition to the attack of pleurisy, the Prince had during the previous year had a severe fall from his horse, which had left him ailing. It cannot be doubted that his constitution had been showing signs of breaking down for some months before the attack of pleurisy in the winter.
However, on the 5th of March, 1751, he attended at the House of Lords to hear his father give his sanction to some Acts of Parliament.
This ceremony concluded, the Prince left the hot Chamber, no doubt overcrowded and stuffy, and came out into the cold March wind, proceeding to Carlton House in his chair with the windows down. In other words sitting in a thorough draught. This was not sufficient; at Carlton House he took off his heavy ceremonial suit, and replaced it by light unaired clothing. He appears then to have hurried off to Kew, and there walked about the Gardens in a cold wind for three hours. Returning to Carlton House he lay upon a couch in a room without a fire, with the windows open.
It appears that the Earl of Egmont, who was a member of his household, came into the room, and finding him there reasoned with him on the risk he was running, no doubt knowing full well that the Prince was in a weak state of health.
Frederick simply laughed at the idea of danger, and finally went over to Leicester House.
It is not surprising that when Mr. Doddington called there the next day, he found him very ill.
But not so ill as to warrant him calling there again the day following.
He went, however, on March 8th, and this is the entry he made of the visit in his diary: