Windsor Castle, Tuesday, 22nd August.—Got up at a ¼ to 9 and breakfasted at 10. Saw Col. Buckley. Wrote to the Grand Duchess of Oldenbourg.[332] Arranged various things. At 20 minutes to 12 came my kind, good friend Lord Melbourne and stayed till ½ p. 1. I am quite sorry to think I shall not see him till next Monday, when he comes down to me at Windsor, for I am so fond of him, and his conversations do me much good; he is such a thoroughly straightforward, disinterested, excellent and kindhearted man. He goes down to Brocket Hall tonight with his sister Lady Cowper, Lady Fanny, and Mr. Cowper (my Groom), and the younger brother, Spencer Cowper. I hope the country air and rest will do him good. Saw Sir H. Wheatley, and Stockmar. Wrote my journal. Saw Sir F. Wetherall,[333] and Prince Ernest of Hesse P.B.[334] At ½ p. 2 I went with Mamma, Lady Charlotte Copley, and Lady Flora in my carriage; dear Lehzen, Miss Cocks, Miss Cavendish, and Col. Buckley going in the other, to Windsor Castle, where I arrived at ½ p. 5. I had escort of Lancers. All along the road the people were very loyal and civil, and my poor native place, Kensington, particularly so. When we reached the Long Walk at Windsor a larger escort of the 1st Life Guards met me; the Walk was thronged with people, where a dinner was given to them in honour of my arrival. The people were remarkably friendly and civil. Unfortunately it began to rain before we reached the Long Walk. Windsor looked somewhat gloomy and I cannot help feeling as though I was not the Mistress of the House and as if I was to see the poor King and Queen. There is sadness about the whole which I must say I feel. Lady Tavistock, who is in waiting for 4 weeks, Lord Conyngham, and the Lord Steward received me at the door. I inhabit the Queen’s rooms, though not in the same way as she did. At ½ p. 7 we dined....
Saturday, 26th August.—Got up at a ¼ to 9 and at 10 we breakfasted with all the Ladies including Lady Charlemont and Lady Barham. To-day is my dearest cousin Albert’s 18th birthday, and I pray Heaven to pour its choicest blessings on his beloved head! Took leave of Lady Barham as both she and he go away....
Sunday, 27th August.— ... At ½ p. 2 we all went into the drawing-room and received the King of Würtemburg[335] who came to take leave. He was accompanied by Count Mandelsloh, Baron Spitzemberg, and General Fleischmann. He took luncheon with us and the whole party including Lord Glenelg, whom I asked to stay another night. By some mistake Lord Tavistock did not come to luncheon. I sat between the King and Count Mandelsloh. After luncheon I showed the King the State Rooms &c. and at 4 he took leave and went away. He leaves England on Tuesday and is much pleased with what he has seen....
Monday, 28th August.— ... I hope Lord Melbourne will stay here for some days. At 4 I rode out with Mamma, Lady Charlotte Copley, Lady Mary Stopford (who got into the carriage and drove), Miss Cavendish, Miss Cocks, Lord Melbourne, Lord Conyngham, Lord Torrington,[336] Col. Cavendish, Col. Buckley, and Mr. Rich. As Sir George Quentin and Mr. Fozard always ride out with us, I shall not mention them any more. Lady Tavistock and Lehzen followed in a pony carriage. I rode Duchess, a nice bay horse, but rather too quiet and not near so pleasant as Monarch. Mamma rode Barbara. Lord Melbourne rode his own horse, a very fine black mare which came down from London this day. It was a very pleasant ride and we came home at a ¼ p. 6.... Tuesday, 29th August.—Got up at ½ p. 8 and at ½ p. 9 we breakfasted with all the ladies. Wrote my journal. At ½ p. 11 or rather at a ¼ to 12 came Lord Melbourne and stayed till a ¼ to 2. At 3 I walked over the House with Mamma and most of the ladies, and Lord Conyngham, Col. Buckley, Col. Cavendish, &c. The offices are not good. We then walked a little while on the Terrace. Played on the piano or rather more sang with Mamma. At 7 o’clock arrived my dearest most beloved Uncle Leopold and my dearest most beloved Aunt Louise. They are both, and look both, very well; dearest Aunt Louise is looking so well and is grown quite fat. I and Mamma as well as my whole court were all at the door to receive them. It is an inexpressible happiness and joy to me, to have these dearest beloved relations with me and in my own house. I took them to their rooms, and then hastened to dress for dinner. At 8 we dined.... Dearest Aunt Louise went in first with Lord Lansdowne, then I with dear Uncle, and Mamma with M. Van de Weyer. I sat between dear Uncle and my good Lord Melbourne; two delightful neighbours. Dear Aunt Louise sat opposite. After dinner I sat on the sofa with dearest Aunt Louise, who is really an angel, and Lord Melbourne sat near me. Uncle talked with Lord Palmerston. It was a most delightful evening....
Friday, 1st September.— ... I rode Monarch who went delightfully, and Aunt Louise and Mamma the same horses as the preceding day. The weather looked lowering when we went out. When we were about the middle of Queen Anne’s Walk, there came a most unexpected and violent flash of lightning which was followed instantaneously by a tremendous clap of thunder. My horse jumped a little, but very little, but Aunt Louise’s being very much alarmed by the thunder, ran away, full gallop, to our great horror, and poor dear Aunt lost her hat; thank God! the horse stopped after 100 yards at the foot of a hill and was led back. We had meanwhile got into a close carriage with the three ladies, and dear Aunt Louise who was not the least frightened but only “quite ashamed” as she said, also got in, and we drove home (all six) in a tremendous thunderstorm and deluge of rain. We reached home in perfect safety at 5 o’clock....
Friday, 8th September.—Got up at a ¼ to 9 and at a little before 10 I breakfasted with dearest Uncle Leopold, dearest Aunt Louise, Mamma and the Duke of Sussex. Talked with Uncle Leopold for some time. How I wish I had time to take minutes of the very interesting and highly important conversations I have with my Uncle and with Lord Melbourne; the sound observations they make, and the impartial advice they give me would make a most interesting book. At 11 Lord Melbourne came to me and stayed with me till 20 minutes to 1. He is a most excellent, kindhearted, honest and upright man, and my beloved Uncle is delighted with him, which makes me very happy, as I am so fond of Lord Melbourne, and he has been and is such a kind friend to me. Uncle and he perfectly agree in Politics too, which are the best there are. Lord Melbourne goes to town, I’m sorry to say, today, but will be back here tomorrow. Saw dearest Uncle Leopold. Talked with him. Signed. Wrote my journal....
Tuesday, 12th September.— ... After dinner I sat part of the evening on the sofa with Lady Tavistock, dearest Uncle Leopold and Lord Melbourne sitting near me; they talked very interestingly together. The rest of the evening I sat on the sofa with dearest Aunt Louise, who played a game at chess with me, to teach me, and Lord Melbourne sat near me. Lord Tavistock, Lord Palmerston, Mrs. Cavendish, Sir J. Hobhouse and Mme. de Mérode,[337] sat round the table. Lord Melbourne, Lord Palmerston, Sir J. Hobhouse, and later too Lord Conyngham, all gave me advice, and all different advice, about my playing at chess, and all got so eager that it was very amusing; in particular Lord Palmerston and Sir J. Hobhouse,[338] who differed totally and got quite excited and serious about it. Between them all, I got quite beat, and Aunt Louise triumphed over my Council of Ministers!...
Monday, 18th September.— ... After dinner I sat on the sofa part of the evening with Lady Tavistock, Lord Melbourne sitting near me, and the rest with my dearest Aunt Louise, with whom I played a game at chess, and beat her; Lord Palmerston, Lord Melbourne, and Lord Conyngham sat near me advising me. At 11, our last happy evening broke up, and Aunt Louise took leave in the kindest way imaginable of the whole party except my gentlemen; and good Lord Melbourne was touched to tears by this leave-taking. I cannot say how I shall miss my dearest Aunt Louise; she combines with great cleverness and learning, so much merriment, and has all the liveliness and fun of a girl of 16, with all the sense and deep thought of one of 30 and much older even. And I think she is so lovely, so graceful, she has such an angelic expression in her clear eyes; and she dresses so well, morning and evening. And then my beloved Uncle whom I look up to and love as a father, how I shall miss his protection out riding, and his conversation!...
Thursday, 28th September.—Got up at ½ p. 8 and breakfasted with Mamma at a ¼ to 10. Wrote to the Duchess of Gloucester. Saw Sir Jeffrey Wyattville.[339] Wrote to the Queen and my journal. At 12 Lord Melbourne came to me and stayed with me till 10 m. p. 1. Dressed, in a habit of dark blue with red collar and cuffs (the Windsor Uniform which all my gentlemen wear), a military cap, and my Order of the Garter, as I was going to review the Troops. At 2 I mounted Leopold, who was very handsomely harnessed; all the gentlemen were in uniform, that is to say Lord Hill, Lord Alfred Paget[340] (who looked remarkably handsome in his uniform of the Blues), Prince Lichtenstein,[341] Baron Reisehach, &c., and my other gentlemen wore the Windsor uniform with cocked hats. Mamma and Miss Cavendish rode, as did also my pretty little page, George Cavendish, who looked so pretty in his uniform, mounted on a little pony all harnessed like a large horse. Lord Palmerston also rode. All the other ladies and gentlemen, including Lord Melbourne, drove in carriages after us. The Lancers escorted us. When we came upon the ground, which is in the Home Park, I rode up with the whole party to where a Sergeant was stationed with the colours, and there stopped, and the regiments saluted me. I saluted them by putting my hand to my cap like the officers do, and was much admired for my manner of doing so. I then cantered up to the Lines with all the gentlemen and rode along them. Leopold behaved most beautifully, so quietly, the Bands really playing in his face. I then cantered back to my first position and there remained while the Troops marched by in slow and quick time, and when they manœuvred, which they did beautifully. The Troops consisted of the 1st Regiment of Life Guards who are beautiful, of the Grenadier Guards, and of some of the Lancers. They fired and skirmished a good deal, and near us, and Leopold never moved. The whole went off beautifully; and I felt for the first time like a man, as if I could fight myself at the head of my Troops. We rode back to the Castle at ½ p. 4, and I mounted Barbara and rode out with Mamma, Prince Lichtenstein, Lord Melbourne, Lord Palmerston, Baron Reisehach, Lord Torrington, Lord Alfred Paget, Miss Cavendish, Lady Mary, Mr. Murray and Miss Murray, and came home at 7 m. to 6. Lord Melbourne rode near me.
Friday, 29th September.—Got up at a ¼ to 9 and breakfasted at 10 with Mamma. Wrote to dear Ferdinand and to the good Queen of Portugal while my hair was doing before breakfast. Wrote to dearest Aunt Louise and my journal. At 12 Lord Melbourne came to me and stayed with me till ½ p. 1. He read to me a Paper about the Civil List, and explained it to me, and so clearly and well he explained it; he reads very well too, so distinctly and with so much good emphasis....