Buckingham Palace, 21st November 1839.
... It is desired here that the matter should be declared at Coburg as soon as possible, and immediately after that I shall send you the Order.66
Your rank will be settled just before you come over, as also your rank in the Army. Everything will be very easily arranged. Lord Melbourne showed me yesterday the Declaration, which is very simple and nice. I will send it you as soon as possible....
Lord Melbourne told me yesterday, that the whole Cabinet are strongly of opinion that you should not be made a Peer. I will write that to Uncle....
Footnote 66: The Garter.
THE RELIGIOUS QUESTION
22nd November 1839.
... Lord Melbourne has just been with me, and greatly wishes the Declaration to be made at Coburg as soon as possible. He also desired me to ask you to see if you can ... a short History of the House of Saxe-Coburg, who our direct ancestors were, and what part they took in the Protestant, or rather Lutheran, religion; he wishes to hear this in order to make people here know exactly who your ancestors are, for a few stupid people here try to say you are a Catholic, but nobody will believe it. Send (it) as soon as possible; perhaps good Mr. Schenk would write it out in English....
As there is nothing to be settled for me, we require no treaty of marriage; but if you should require anything to be settled, the best will be to send it here. Respecting the succession, in case Ernest should die without children, it would not do to stipulate now, but your second son, if you had one, should reside at Coburg. That can easily be arranged if the thing should happen hereafter, and the English would not like it to be arranged now....