Tuesday, 23rd April.—I awoke at 7 and got up at ½ past 7. At 9 we breakfasted. At ½ past 9 came the Dean till ½ past 11. The Duchess of Northumberland was present. At a ¼ past 12 we went out riding with Lady Conroy, Victoire, Lehzen, and Sir John. We rode a little way in the park, but the fog was so thick that we turned round and rode down by Gloucester Road, and turned up by Phillimore Place, where it was very fine and not at all foggy. Dear Rosa went beautifully. We came home at ½ past 1. At ½ past 1 we lunched. At 3 came Mr. Steward till 4. At 4 came Mons. Grandineau till 5. At a ¼ to 7 we dined. Sir John dined here, and I dressed dear sweet little Dash for the second time after dinner in a scarlet jacket and blue trousers. At 20 minutes past 8 Mamma went with Jane and Sir John to the Opera. I stayed up till ½ past 8.
Wednesday, 24th April.—I awoke at 7 and got up at 8. At 9 we breakfasted. At ½ past 9 came the Dean till ½ past 11. At ½ past 1 we lunched. At 3 came Mons. Grandineau till 4. Madame Bourdin[59] did not come. At ½ past 6 Lehzen and I dined. At 7 I and Lehzen went into the large saloon, for Mamma gave a dinner to the King. There dined here, the King (the Queen being too unwell to come), the Duke of Cumberland, the Duke of Gloucester, the Archbishop of Canterbury,[60] the Lord Chancellor,[61] the Duke of Devonshire,[62] the Duke of Norfolk,[63] the Duke of Somerset,[64] the Duke and Duchess of Gordon,[65] the Duke of Rutland,[66] the Duchess of Northumberland, the Duchess of Sutherland,[67] the Duke of Cleveland,[68] the Marchioness of Westminster,[69] the Earl of Liverpool, the Earl and Countess Grey,[70] Lord Hill,[71] Lady Dover,[72] the Earl of Uxbridge,[73] the Earl of Albemarle,[74] Lord Amherst,[75] Lady Charlotte St. Maur, Lady Catherine Jenkinson, Lady Cust,[76] Lady Conroy, Sir George Anson,[77] Sir Frederick Wetherall,[78] and Sir John. At about 8 I went to my room with Lehzen. At 20 minutes past 9 I went into the saloon with her to meet the company. The Grenadier Guards’ band played after dinner. I saw all the company go. I stayed up till 11....
Saturday, 27th April.—I awoke at 7 and got up at a ¼ to 8. At a ¼ to 9 we breakfasted. At ½ past 9 came the Dean till 11. The Duchess of Northumberland was present. At 12 we went out walking. When we came home I fed dear little Rosa. At a ¼ past 1 we lunched. At ½ past 2 came Mr. Westall till ½ past 3. At 20 minutes to 3 I sat to Mr. Wyon[79] to have my profile taken for a medal, till 10 minutes to 5. At 6 we dined. Sir John dined here. At a ¼ past 7 we went with Lady Conroy and Lehzen, as usual, to the Opera. It was the opera of Cenerentola by Rossini. The principal characters were the Prince, by Signor Donizelli; the Prince’s servant, Signor Tambourini who sung quite beautifully; the father of Cenerentola, Signor Zuchelli, who acted uncommonly well; Cenerentola, Madame Cinti Damoreau; she sang quite beautifully, so round, so softly, and so correctly. It was her first appearance this season and she was called out. The sisters were two frightful creatures. The ballet which followed was Flore et Zephir. Mdlle. Taglioni[80] made her first appearance this season. She is grown very thin, but danced beautifully, so lightly and gracefully, and each step so finished! She took the part of Flore, and was very prettily dressed in a plain gauze dress, trimmed with flowers across her skirt; a wreath of flowers round her head, and her hair quite flat. Pearls round her neck and arms. She looked lovely, for she is all-ways smiling. We went away soon. We came home at 12....
Friday, 3rd May.—At 12 we went with the Duchess of Northumberland, Lady Charlotte St. Maur, Lady Catherine Jenkinson, Lady Cust, Lady Conroy, Lehzen, Sir George Anson, and Sir John, to the Exhibition at Somerset House. We were met there by Sir Martin Shee[81] (the President), Mr. Westall, Mr. Howard[82] (the Treasurer), Mr. Daniel, and Sir William Beechy.[83] It was a very good exhibition. There were several very fine pictures by Sir Martin Shee. Seven by Mr. Westall. They were 4 landscapes, a drawing of Christ in the arms of Simeon in the temple; a sleeping Cupid, and the death of James 2nd. All very fine. There were 5 of G. Hayter’s but I only saw 3, which were my picture,[84] Lady Lichfield, and Mad. de Delmar’s. There were 3 of Wilkie’s, a portrait of the King, a very beautiful portrait of the Duke of Sussex, and Spanish monks, a scene witnessed in a capuchin convent at Toledo. There were several very fine ones of Howard, Daniel, Eastlake,[85] Landseer,[86] Calcott,[87] Pickersgill,[88] Hilton,[89] etc., etc. We came home at ½ past 2. At ½ past 4 we went out driving in the barouche, but we also walked. We came home at 5....
Wednesday, 8th May.—At ½ past 2 came Mons. Grandineau till ½ past 3. At a ¼ past 4 we walked through the gardens, and then drove in the barouche in the park. We came home at 5. At ½ past 6 Lehzen and I dined. At a little past 7 Lehzen and I went into the saloon, for Mamma gave a dinner. There dined here, H.R.H. the Duke of Orleans,[90] who I was very glad to see, for I had not seen him since nearly 4 years; he brought Mamma a letter from his Mother, the Queen of the French, with a beautiful déjeuner of Sévres china; a letter from Aunt Louisa[91] (his sister), and a beautiful bracelet with her hair in it; for me a letter from Aunt Louisa and a beautiful bracelet with her picture. Prince Talleyrand,[92] the Duchess de Dino,[93] the Duc de Valençay (her son), the Marquess and Marchioness of Lansdowne,[94] the Marquess and Marchioness of Stafford,[95] the Earl and Countess of Tankerville,[96] the Earl and Countess of Sefton,[97] the Earl and Countess Grosvenor,[98] the Earl of Lichfield,[99] the Earl and Countess Granville,[100] Lord Palmerston,[101] Lord Morpeth,[102] Lord Duncannon,[103] Lord Ebrington,[104] Mr. Van de Weyer,[105] Mr. and Mrs. Stanley,[106] Mr. Ellice,[107] Mr. Abercromby,[108] the Aide-de-Camp in Waiting on H.R.H. the Duke of Orleans, Mr. Taylor, Lady Charlotte St. Maur, Lady Conroy, Sir George Anson, and Sir John. At about 8 I went with Lehzen away. The band of the Coldstream Guards played at dinner as well as after dinner, as it had the preceding night. At 20 minutes after 9 Lehzen and I went into the saloon. We met Aunt Sophia there....
Saturday, 11th May.—At a ¼ to 7 we dined. Sir John dined here. At a little after 8 we went to the Opera with Victoire, Lehzen, and Charles. We came in at the end of the first act of Medea. Madame Pasta sang, and acted beautifully, as did also Rubini and Donizelli. The ballet was excessively pretty. It is called Nathalie. The principal dancers were Mdlle. Taglioni, who danced and acted quite beautifully!! She looked very pretty. Her dress was very pretty. It was a sort of Swiss dress; she first appeared in a petticoat of brown and yellow, with a blue and white apron, a body of black velvet ornamented with silver, pointed upwards and downwards, over a light tucker drawn to her neck, with a black ribbon round it, a pair of small white sleeves, a little Swiss straw hat, with long plaits of her hair hanging down, completed her first dress. Her second dress was a petticoat of scarlet and yellow silk, with a white apron, the same body and sleeves, with a wreath of flowers on her head. Mdlles. Thérèse and Fanny Elsler; they are good dancers, but have neither grace nor lightness. Messrs. Albert, Coulon, and Daumont. In the middle of the ballet the Duke of Orleans came into our box for a little while. We saw most of the ballet. I was very much amused....
Friday, 24th May.—To-day is my birthday. I am to-day fourteen years old! How very old!! I awoke at ½ past 5 and got up at ½ past 7. I received from Mamma a lovely hyacinth brooch and a china pen tray. From Uncle Leopold a very kind letter, also one from Aunt Louisa and sister Feodora. I gave Mamma a little ring. From Lehzen I got a pretty little china figure, and a lovely little china basket. I gave her a golden chain and Mamma gave her a pair of earrings to match. From my maids, Frances and Caroline, I also got little trifles of their own work. At ½ past 8 we breakfasted. After breakfast we went into the room where my table was arranged. Mamma gave me a lovely bag of her own work, a beautiful bracelet, two lovely féronières, one of pink topaz, the other turquoises; two dresses, some prints, some books, some handkerchiefs, and an apron. From Lehzen, a beautiful print of the Russell Trial. From Späth,[109] a glass and plate of Bohemian glass. From Sir Robert Gardiner,[110] a china plate with fruit. From Victoria and Emily Gardiner, two screens and a drawing done by them. From the Dean, some books. My brother Charles’s present was not ready. At about ½ past 10 came Sir John and his three sons. From Sir John I received a very pretty picture of Dash, very like, the size of life. From Jane, Victoire, Edward, Stephen, and Henry, a very pretty enamel watch-chain. From Lady Conroy a sandalwood pincushion and needle-case. From Victoire alone, a pair of enamel earrings. The Duchess of Gordon sent me a lovely little crown of precious stones, which plays “God save the King,” and a china basket. At 12 came the Duchess of Northumberland (who gave me an ivory basket filled with the work of her nieces), Lady Charlotte St. Maur a beautiful album with a painting on it; Lady Catherine Jenkinson a pretty night-lamp. Lady Cust, a tray of Staffordshire china. Sir Frederick Wetherall, two china vases from Paris. Doctor Maton,[111] a small cedar basket. Lady Conroy, Jane, Victoire, Sir George Anson, Sir John, and the Dean came also. Lady Conroy brought Bijou (her little dog) with her, and she gave me a little sweet smelling box. They stayed till ½ past 12. Victoire remained with us. I gave her a portrait of Isabel, her horse. At 1 we lunched. Victoire stayed till ½ past 2. At ½ past 2 came the Royal Family. The Queen gave me a pair of diamond earrings from the King. She gave me herself a brooch of turquoises and gold in the form of a bow. Aunt Augusta gave me a box of sandal-wood. From Aunt Gloucester, Aunt Sophia, and Uncle Sussex, a féronière of pearls. From Aunt Sophia alone, a bag worked by herself. From the Duke of Gloucester, a gold inkstand. From the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland, a bracelet of turquoise; and the Duchess brought me a turquoise pin from my cousin George Cumberland. From Princess Sophia Mathilda, a blue topaz watch-hook. From George Cambridge,[112] a brooch in the shape of a lily of the valley. Lady Mayo,[113] who was in waiting on the Queen, gave me a glass bottle. They stayed till ½ past 3 and then went away. I had seen in the course of the day, Sarah, my former maid, and Mrs. Brock. Ladies Emma and Georgiana Herbert[114] sent me a sachet for handkerchiefs worked by themselves. Ladies Sarah and Clementina Villiers[115] sent me some flowers as combs and a brooch. Mr. Collen sent me a little painting for my album. At a ¼ to 6 we dined. At ½ past 7 we went with Charles, the Duchess of Northumberland, Lady Catherine Jenkinson, Lehzen, Sir George Anson, and Sir John, to a Juvenile Ball that was given in honour of my birthday at St. James’s by the King and Queen. We went into the Closet. Soon after, the doors were opened, and the King leading me went into the ball-room. Madame Bourdin was there as dancing-mistress. Victoire was also there, as well as many other children whom I knew. Dancing began soon after. I danced first with my cousin George Cambridge, then with Prince George Lieven,[116] then with Lord Brook,[117] then Lord March,[118] then with Lord Athlone,[119] then with Lord Fitzroy Lennox,[120] then with Lord Emlyn.[121] We then went to supper. It was ½ past 11; the King leading me again. I sat between the King and Queen. We left supper soon. My health was drunk. I then danced one more quadrille with Lord Paget. I danced in all 8 quadrilles. We came home at ½ past 12. I was very much amused....
Sunday, 16th June.—I awoke at 7 and got up at ½ past 7. At a ¼ to 9 we breakfasted. At 10 we went to prayers. At 10 came Victoire and went to prayers with us. The service was performed by Mr. Pittman, as the poor Dean had the misfortune to lose his little girl Charlotte, of the scarlet fever, which I was very sorry for. Mr. Pittman gave us a beautiful sermon. It was taken from the 11th chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, 1st verse. At 1 we lunched. Victoire stayed till ½ past 2. At 3 arrived my two cousins, Princes Alexander and Ernst Würtemberg, sons of Mamma’s sister, my Aunt Antoinette.[122] They are both extremely tall. Alexander is very handsome and Ernst has a very kind expression. They are both extremely amiable. At 4 we went out driving in the open carriage. We paid a visit to Aunt Gloucester, and then drove home through the park. We came home at a ¼ to 6. At a ¼ past 7 we dined. Besides Alexander, Ernst and Charles, Prince Reuss[123] and Sir John dined here....
Thursday, 27th June.—At ½ past 9 we went to the Exhibition of the water-colours, with Alexander and Lehzen in our carriage, and Sir John in another. We met the Duchess of Northumberland there. It is a very fine exhibition. From there we went to the British Gallery, where the works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, West, and Sir Thomas Lawrence are exhibiting. We came home at ½ past 11. At 1 we lunched. At 2 came Lady Stafford with her two little girls, Elizabeth[124] and Evelyn,[125] and Lady Caroline[126] with her little Georgiana. All beautiful children. At ½ past 4 we drove out in the park, and walked home through the gardens. We came home at ½ past 5. At 7 we all dined. Sir John dined here. At a little after 9 we went, with Alexander and Lehzen in our carriage, and Ernst, Charles and Sir John in another carriage following, to the Opera. We came in at the beginning of the 2nd act of Norma, in which Madame Pasta sung beautifully. After that Signor Paganini played by himself some variations, most wonderfully; he is himself a curiosity. After that was given the last act of Otello; Desdemona, Madame Malibran,[127] who sang and acted beautifully. After that was performed La Sylphide; Taglioni danced beautifully and looked lovely. Fanny Elsler danced also very well. We saw the whole of the 1st act and half of the second. It was Laporte’s benefit. I was very much amused. We came home at ½ past 1. I was soon in bed and asleep....
Monday, 1st July.—I awoke at ½ past 4 and got up at a ¼ past 5. At a ¼ past 6 we all breakfasted. At 7 o’clock we left Kensington Palace, Sir John going in a post-chaise before us, then our post-chaise, then Lehzen’s landau, then my Cousins’ carriage, then Charles’s, then Lady Conroy’s, and then our maids’. It is a lovely morning. 5 minutes past 8—we have just changed horses at Esher. Lynedoch Gardiner[128] brought us a basket full of beautiful flowers. 10 o’clock; we have just changed horses at Guildford. Poor dear little Dashy could not go with us as he was not quite well, so he is gone with Mason with the horses. 4 minutes past 1; we have just left Liphook where we took our luncheon. 5 minutes to 2, we have just changed horses at Petersfield. 5 minutes to 3, we have just changed horses at Horndean. At 4 we arrived at Portsmouth. The streets were lined with soldiers, and Sir Colin Campbell[129] rode by the carriage. Sir Thomas Williams,[130] the Admiral, took us in his barge, on board the dear Emerald. The Admiral presented some of the officers to us. We stayed about ½ an hour waiting for the baggage to be put on board the steamer, which was to tow us. We then set off and arrived at Cowes at about 7. We were most civilly received. Cowes Castle, the yacht-club, yachts, &c., &c., saluting us. We saw Lord Durham[131] who is staying at Cowes. We drove up in a fly to Norris Castle, where we lodged two years ago, and where we are again living. My cousins and my brother were delighted with it. At about ½ past 7 we all dined. Lady Conroy and her family went to their cottage after dinner....