Saturday, 12th September.— ... At 11 we left Bishopthorpe, but not without regret. They are a very amiable family. Miss Harcourt is a very nice person. She ought by rights to be called Miss Georgiana Harcourt, the Archbishop’s eldest daughter being unmarried, but as she never goes out and does not make the honneurs in the house, Miss Georgiana is always called Miss Harcourt.[199] The Archbishop has 10 sons, 5 of whom were at Bishopthorpe; 3 staying in the house, Mr. Granville Harcourt, Colonel Harcourt,[200] and Mr. Egerton Harcourt, and two out of the house, Mr. William Harcourt[201] and Mr. Charles Harcourt,[202] staying at the residence. Mrs. William Harcourt is a very nice person. We passed a pleasant time at Bishopthorpe in spite of fatigues which were not slight and which I begin to feel....
Canterbury, Thursday, 29th September.—I awoke at 6 and got up at ½ past 7. At ½ past 8 we all breakfasted. At ½ past 9 Mamma received an address from the Mayor and Corporation here. We then saw some officers. After this we left Canterbury. It is a very clean nice Inn. It was a fine day. We reached Ramsgate at ½ past 12. The people received us in a most friendly and kind way. The whole was very well conducted, and the people were very orderly. The streets were ornamented with arches of flowers and flags. The open, free, boundless (to the eye) ocean looked very refreshing. There is nothing between us and France but the sea, here. We have got a small but very nice house, overlooking the sea. At a ¼ past 2 we walked down to the Albion Hotel to see the preparations made for dear Uncle Leopold and dear Aunt Louisa. At a little past 4 we went down to the Hotel with Lady Flora, Lehzen and Lady Conroy, as the steamer was in sight. With beating hearts and longing eyes we sat at the window, anxiously watching the steamer’s progress. There was an immense concourse of people on the pier to see them arrive. After about half an hour’s time, the steamer entered the Harbour, amidst loud cheering and the salute of guns from the pier, with the Belgian flag on its mast. My dearest Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, and dearest Aunt Louisa were very warmly received. It was but the people’s duty to do so, as dear Uncle has lived for so long in England and was so much beloved. After another ¼ of an hour of anxious suspense, the waiter told us that “Their Majesties were coming.” We hastened downstairs to receive them. There was an immense crowd before the door. At length Uncle appeared, having Aunt Louisa at his arm. What a happiness was it for me to throw myself in the arms of that dearest of Uncles, who has always been to me like a father, and whom I love so very dearly! I had not seen him for 4 years and 2 months. I was also delighted to make the acquaintance of that dear Aunt who is such a perfection and who has been always so kind to me, without knowing me. We hastened upstairs, where Uncle Leopold and Aunt Louisa showed themselves at the window and were loudly cheered; as they ought to be. I do not find dear Uncle at all changed. On the contrary I think he looks better than he did when I last saw him. Aunt Louisa is not quite so tall as Mamma, and has a very pretty slight figure. Her hair is of a lovely fair colour; her nose is aquiline, her eyes are quite lovely; they are light blue and have such a charming expression. She has such a sweet mouth and smile too. She is delightful, and was so affectionate to me directly. She pronounces English extremely well and speaks it very fluently. She almost always speaks it with Uncle. She was very simply dressed in a light brown silk dress, with a sky-blue silk bonnet and white veil. Uncle and Aunt are accompanied by Comtesse Henri de Mérode (Dame d’Honneur to Aunt Louisa), and General Goblet.[203] M. Van de Weyer is also here. We then left them and Lehzen and I drove home and Mamma and the rest walked home. At a little after 7 we dined. Dear Uncle Leopold, dear Aunt Louisa, the Duc de Nemours (who had only arrived half an hour ago), Comtesse H. de Mérode, General Goblet, General Baudrand,[204] M. Van de Weyer, Dr. Clark,[205] Mr. and Miss V. Conroy, dined here. I sat between Uncle Leopold and the Duc de Nemours; two delightful neighbours. When I say next to a person, as for instance I said the other day, and many days, “I sat next to the Duc de Nemours,” “I sat next to the Duke of Norfolk,” &c., &c., I mean, as I did today, that I sat between or next to them at dinner. The Duc de Nemours, now that I see him and Aunt Louisa together, is not like her. He has such a good kind expression in his face; and Aunt Louisa has the most delightful sweet expression I ever saw. She is quite delightful and charming. She is so gay and merry too. She had a white moiré dress on, and her fine hair was so well done, in a plait behind and curls in front with a row of pearls and three black velvet bows in it. After dinner came two other gentlemen of the Duc de Nemours, Colonel Boyer and Monsieur Larnac. We passed a most delightful evening....
Thursday, 5th November.—I awoke at 7 and got up at 8. Dressed, walked over to my room and breakfasted at 9. Read in the Exposition of St. Matt.’s Gospel, and in the Venetian History while my hair was doing. Dear good Lehzen takes such care of me, and is so unceasing in her attentions to me, that I shall never be able to repay her sufficiently for it but by my love and gratitude. I never can sufficiently repay her for all she has borne and done for me. She is the most affectionate, devoted, attached, and disinterested friend I have, and I love her most dearly....
Wednesday, 2nd December.— ... We walked on the Pier which was very amusing. There are a number of foreign ships in the harbour; Portuguese, Finland, and a number of French fishing-boats. The dress of the French fishermen is very picturesque. There were some Spanish sailors playing on the pier, who looked very singular. Amongst others there was a little French fisher-boy playing with another boy with a pulley. He had a funny round rosy face, and was dressed in a loose blue woven woolen jacket, with huge boots which reached to his knees, and a red cap. Mamma asked him what he was doing, upon which he answered with naïveté, “Nous sommes à jouer un peu.” She asked him where he came from; “De Dunkirk,” was his reply. He said this all, and some other things, in such a funny naif way, and with such a sly arch smile, that it was quite amusing. He asked for a “sou,” and we gave him 6 pence, which pleased him very much....
INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO CHAPTER V
When the Princess was seventeen the shadow of coming events was cast over her placid life. Her Journals contain evidence of this. She became aware that her Uncle, King Leopold, had begun to think with grave anticipation of the high position she might before long have to occupy, and of the project of uniting her in marriage to some Prince worthy to share with her the anxieties and responsibilities of a Throne. She knew that he had fixed upon her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg.
In May of this year she saw the Prince for the first time. William IV. did not favour the views of King Leopold. His candidate was a younger son of the Prince of Orange. Both Princes were invited to London, and both were present at a ball given by the Duchess of Kent in honour of her daughter attaining the age of seventeen.
The young Princess was not attracted by the Prince of Orange. It would be an exaggeration to say that she felt more than a sisterly affection for Prince Albert. She thought him good-looking and charming, and they sketched and sang together. He found her very amiable and astonishingly self-possessed. There is not a trace on either side of deeper sentiment. When the Prince left England, she wrote to her Uncle Leopold expressing anxiety to fall in with his wishes in respect of her future marriage as in everything else, but there is no indication that her heart was touched. The seed, however, was sown which was to ripen later, and ultimately to bear fruit, the sweetest she was destined to taste in her long life.
The plans of King Leopold were an open secret, and roused considerable interest in all classes. On his return home Prince Albert was entertained in Paris at an official dinner given by Lord Granville, which was taken to mean that good progress had been made with the scheme of the projected marriage.
In the course of this year the Princess resided at Claremont, then the property of King Leopold. Her life there was one of great simplicity. There were lately living a few old people in the village of Esher who remembered the little Princess attending the ancient church, now disused, dressed in spotted muslin with a large poke bonnet.
Perhaps owing to the consciousness that his candidate had failed to create a favourable impression, King William during this year displayed more than usual hostility to his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Kent. The King’s behaviour to her mother undoubtedly saddened the life of the little Princess, more especially as it was in somewhat strong contrast to the kindness with which she herself was treated by King William and Queen Adelaide.
Meanwhile, the stream of public events rolled smoothly along.
CHAPTER V
1836
Monday, 11th January.— ... We went out walking at a ¼ to 2 with Lady Flora and Lehzen; it had cleared up and was quite mild and bright. We walked on the pier and got into a boat. There was a good deal of swell in the Harbour, and at the mouth of it our boat pitched and rolled a good deal; Mamma began to look queerish, but I thought it very pleasant. There were numbers of people on the pier. The 3 Portuguese vessels hoisted their Portuguese standards, as did also the two Spaniards. We landed at the same stairs where we embarked. The whole of Ramsgate seemed to be out on the pier. We walked to the head of the pier and back again and got into the carriage. We drove to the cliff where the stairs called “Jacob’s ladder” are. We got out there and went down the stairs, and walked on the other side of the pier. We took a parting look at the end of the pier, of all the ships, the pier &c., for we go tomorrow. There were, I think, 7 French boats in the Harbour; and there were numbers of little French boys on the pier; we gave them something, but they (for the first time) proved dissatisfied and rebellious. They quite attacked Lehzen, who always gives the money, coming round her on all sides, stretching out their hands, saying “Donnez-moi un sou,” “Je n’ai pas un,” “Madame, Madame, donnez-moi un sou,” &c. Some little urchins were rusés enough to say “C’est pour nos matelots, nous allons à bord dans l’instant.” Lehzen threw them a shilling, whereupon they all fell on the ground in one heap, scrambling after it. They were quiet for a little while, but a few little determined fellows came again and followed us for sometime. They at length got something, and went away. Cela était fort amusant et très ridicule à voir....
Wednesday, 13th January.—I awoke at a little past 6 and got up at 7. Dressed and had my hair done. We breakfasted at 8. We left Sittingbourne at 9. It was a bitterly cold day, though bright and clear. We changed horses at Rochester, 2ndly at Gravesend, and 3rdly at Blackheath. We reached Kensington Palace at a little before 2. We instantly went upstairs, that is to say, up two staircases, to our new sleeping and sitting apartments which are very lofty and handsome. To describe them minutely and accurately would be impossible. Our bedroom[206] is very large and lofty, and is very nicely furnished, then comes a little room for the maid, and a dressing-room for Mamma; then comes the old gallery which is partitioned into 3 large, lofty, fine and cheerful rooms.[207] One only of these (the one near Mamma’s dressing-room) is ready furnished; it is my sitting-room and is very prettily furnished indeed. My pictures are not yet in it. The next is my study, and the last is an anteroom; this last has no fireplace, but the two others have, and my sitting-room is very warm and comfortable. There is another room, belonging to me, on another side of the bed-room (Lehzen’s former bed-room) which is not freshly furnished, but is a passage &c. Lehzen is now in our former bed-room. When I went down into my poor former sitting-room,[208] I could not help looking at it with affection, and pleasant recollections, having passed so many days of my life and many very pleasant ones there; but our new rooms are much more airy and roomy....
Thursday, 14th January.— ... Read out of Mme. de Sévigné while my hair was doing to Lehzen. We all breakfasted at a ¼ past 9. Carried things from my old room, upstairs to my new room, and put them into the new presses. Wrote my journal. My pictures are being hung up and my room is in a great confusion; the workmen in my study are making a great noise, so that I am un peu confuse. Walked about. We lunched at 1. Arranged things. Saw Dr. Clark at 2. Received a most kind and long letter from dearest Aunt Louise in which she tells me that Uncle Leopold and my little cousin are well, as also Uncle Ferdinand, who is with them; and that the Duke of Orleans[209] (whom she calls Chartres, as the whole family generally do) is better but not quite well yet. She further adds, that the dear Queen of the French who had a very bad cold, is better....