Florizel's Folly

by John Ashton

[CHAPTER XVII.]

Final rupture between the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert—That lady and William IV.—Her kindly relations with the Royal Family—Her death—The King's illness—The Regency—Visitors at the Pavilion—Queen Charlotte there—The 'Royal Rantipoles.'

THE episode of Miss Seymour indirectly led to the final separation of the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert, which was mainly brought about by her false friend, Lady Hertford. Lord Stourton, speaking of the Mary Seymour incident, says:

'This long negotiation, in which the Prince was the principal instrument, led him, at last, to those confidential relations which, ultimately, gave to Lady Hertford, an ascendancy over him, superior to that possessed by Mrs. Fitzherbert herself; and, from a friend, converted her into a successful rival. Lady Hertford, anxious for the preservation of her own reputation, which she was not willing to compromise with the public, even when she ruled the Prince with the most absolute sway, exposed Mrs. Fitzherbert, at this time, to very severe trials, which, at last, almost, as she said, ruined her health and destroyed her nerves. Attentions were required from her towards Lady Hertford herself, even when most aware of her superior influence over the Prince, and these attentions were extorted by the menace of taking away her child. To diminish her apparent influence in public, as well as in private, was now the object. When at Brighton, the Prince, who had passed part of his mornings with Mrs. Fitzherbert on friendly terms at her own house, did not even notice her in the slightest manner at the Pavilion on the same evenings, and she, afterwards, understood that such attentions would have been reported to her rival.

'She was frequently on the point of that separation which afterwards took place, but was prevented by the influence of the Royal Family from carrying her resolution into effect. A dinner, however, given to Louis XVIII.[77] brought matters, at last, to a conclusion; and, satisfied of a systematic intention to degrade her before the public, she then, at last, attained the reluctant assent of some of the members of the Royal Family, to her determination of finally closing her connection with the Prince, to whom, in furtherance of this decision, she never, afterwards, opened the doors of her house. Upon all former occasions, to avoid etiquette in circumstances of such delicacy as regarded her own situation with reference to the Prince, it had been customary to sit at table, without regard to rank. Upon the present occasion, this plan was to be altered, and Mrs. Fitzherbert was informed, through her friends at Court, that, at the Royal table, the individuals invited were to sit according to their rank.

'When assured of this novel arrangement, she asked the Prince, who had invited her with the rest of his company, where she was to sit. He said, "You know, Madam, you have no place." "None, Sir," she replied, "but such as you choose to give me." Upon this, she informed the Royal Family that she would not go. The Duke of York, and others, endeavoured to alter the preconcerted arrangement, but the Prince was inflexible; and, aware of the peculiar circumstances of her case, and the distressing nature of her general situation, they no longer hesitated to agree with her, that no advantage was to be obtained by further postponement of her own anxious desire to close her connection with the Prince, and to retire once more into private life. She told me, she often looked back with wonder that she had not sunk under the trials of those two years.

'Having come to this resolution, she was obliged, on the very evening, or on that which followed the Royal dinner, to attend an assembly at Devonshire House, which was the last evening she saw the Prince previously to their final separation. The Duchess of Devonshire, taking her by the arm, said to her, "You must come and see the Duke in his own room, as he is suffering from a fit of the gout, but he will be glad to see an old friend." In passing through the rooms, she saw the Prince and Lady Hertford in a tête-à-tête conversation, and nearly fainted under all the impressions which then rushed upon her mind; but, taking a glass of water, she recovered, and passed on.[78]

'Thus terminated this fatal, ill-starred connection, so unfortunate, probably, for both the parties concerned. Satisfied as I was with the very full explanation of all the circumstances, and of the propriety, and almost necessity of the course which Mrs. Fitzherbert was compelled to pursue, I yet felt, that her intimate relations with the Prince might have imposed upon her some duties during his last illness, the non-fulfilment of which would have left my mind not fully satisfied. I, therefore, again availed myself of the confidence which had been so repeatedly urged upon me, to inquire of her, whether any communication had taken place previous to his demise. She told me "Yes," and that she would show me the copy of a letter which she had written to the King, a very short time before his death, which, she said, had been safely delivered by a friendly hand; the person assuring her, that the King had seized it with eagerness, and placed it immediately under his pillow; but, that she had not received any answer. She was, however, informed that, on the few last days of his life, he was very anxious to be removed to Windsor Cottage.