'Precisely at half past four o'clock, a gun, fired from the battery, announced to the expectant multitude that their Royal Prince was approaching; and, soon after, one of the Royal carriages, containing his Majesty's pages, arrived. Twenty minutes elapsed, when the acclamations of the distant throng made known that the King, himself, had appeared.
'At Preston, the King, in his travelling chariot, (the glasses of which were down) accompanied by Sir Frederick Watson, entered, amidst huzzas, the line which had been formed, when his Majesty, to meet the wishes of his delighted people, directed the postilions to proceed at a walking pace.
'The King, who looked extremely well, and was in the highest spirits, acknowledged the loyal gratulations and respectful obeisances, with which he was, on both sides, saluted, frequently bending to the elegant and beautiful females who filled the balconies and windows, waving their handkerchiefs as he passed.
'The line of road was pretty well kept, until his Majesty had nearly cleared Marlborough Place, when the anxiety of the crowd, who stood in the back ground, in Church Street, to see the King, was not to be withstood; and, despite the endeavour of the Headborough and Committee, the populace rushed in, and the Royal carriage was literally beset: and it was with extreme difficulty that the postilions wended their way through the dense crowds, who rent the air with deafening acclamations, which were continued for a considerable time after the King had entered the Palace Gates.
'Never was a monarch more heartily and joyfully welcomed, than was William the Fourth, on Monday last, by the inhabitants of this town.'[102]
Poor Florizel! only absent a little more than three years from the town which he had made; superseded in a moment by another rising sun, and all but clean forgotten; and even his own brother, as soon as he possibly could, began alterations on poor Florizel's Folly!
'His Majesty, as early as nine o'clock the next morning after his arrival, attended by Sir Frederick Watson, and Mr. Nash, walked from the Palace Grounds to the gravelled space outside the south gate of the Palace, fronting East Street, where he continued for some time, familiarly conversing, and marking the ground with his stick, evidently suggesting certain alterations; after which, his Majesty and attendants retired into the Palace. It is conjectured that the unsightly boards, which hide from public view the western front of the Palace, and the beautiful grounds, will be removed, and a light iron fence and gates, extending from Messrs. Brewster and Seabrook's to the Royal Kitchen, will be substituted in lieu thereof.'
A few days afterwards (on August 30), the King, with Queen Adelaide, visited Brighton, and stayed at the Pavilion until October 25. Anent this visit, I cannot refrain from quoting an anecdote of the present Duke of Cambridge, who was then not twelve years old.
Brighton Herald, October 2, 1830.—'The following has been related to us as a fact: A few days since, Prince George of Cambridge went into a saddler's shop, in the King's Road, and requested to be shewn some whips. An assortment being produced, his Royal Highness selected one of costly manufacture, and enquired the price. The cautious shopkeeper, ignorant of the rank of his visitor, stated the charge, and added: "Perhaps, Sir, you had better consult your friends before you purchase so expensive an article." The Prince, with infinite good humour, acquiesced, and left the shop; and a servant was, soon after, sent for the whip, and announced to the astonished saddler the name of his customer.'
The Pavilion was altered and added to according to the King's instructions; in 1831 the southern gateway and the dormitories were completed, as were the northern gateway and Queen Adelaide's stables in the next year. The Queen was very fond of Brighton, and the royal visits were frequent. None, however, deserve a notice, except, perhaps, that which commenced on October 19, 1836, the only noteworthy episode in which was that on Saturday, December 24, the whole royal establishment were unable to stir forth owing to the very heavy fall of snow. Several people were frozen to death; the theatre was closed, and no carriages, except in cases of absolute necessity, left the town. One short paragraph out of a long account in the Brighton Patriot of December 27, 1836, will suffice to show the severity of the storm: