In 1875 I was interested in making a study of the Prince Imperial at Chiselhurst, and I have a very vivid recollection of my introduction to him, which took place at a dance given by Lord and Lady Otho Fitzgerald at Oakley Court. I had been invited with the other members of my family, and it chanced that my dress clothes were in the hands of my tailor, who failed to return them at the promised hour. Leaving word that the parcel was to be forwarded immediately I went down to Windsor to inform my sisters that there was but a poor chance of my being able to join them. They were almost weeping over the news as my father and mother were away from home and they were relying on my escorting them to the ball. However, at the last moment the parcel arrived, but on putting on the coat and waistcoat I discovered that they were not mine, but were undoubtedly intended for a person at least twice my size.
Everybody was in despair, but my sisters said, "You must go!" So I had to swallow my pride and entered the ball-room awkwardly enough as I had buckled back my waistcoat as far as I could, but with the coat there was nothing to be done but take a lappel over each arm and do my best to conceal the ill-fitting garment (which I could have folded twice round my body) by holding it out of sight. I kept well in the background through the early part of the evening, but after supper I felt bolder, and decided to dance at any price.
In the ball-room I felt a fool indeed, like "Auguste" at the circus, and on asking one fair lady for a dance noticed her furtive glance sweep over me; I hastened to explain the reason of my unfortunate plight, at which she took pity on me and gave me a dance. I was young then and took a pride in well-fitting clothes, yet it was under these most trying circumstances that I was presented to the Prince Imperial and, with both my arms fully occupied, pride of speech and ease of demeanour were far from me at that difficult moment.
Lord Otho being a prominent member of the R.Y.S., the burgee of that club usually flew from the flagstaff of Oakley Court. À propos of this Captain Bay Middleton, one of the guests, who could never resist a practical joke, persuaded the Prince Imperial to accompany him, in the small hours of the morning following the dance, to the summit of the tower, where he, having procured a towel hoisted it in place of the R.Y.S. Banzee. The Prince thought this was a great joke, but I never heard that the owner shared his opinion.
Shortly afterwards I was driving along a dusty road en route to Ascot Races when I passed Lord Otho's coach with the Prince Imperial upon it, but as I was covered with dust I certainly did not expect the latter to recognize me. However, when we met by appointment at Charing Cross to travel to Chiselhurst the first thing he said, with a smile, was, "Why did you cut me the other day on the road to Ascot?" Of course I had nothing to say.
On the journey the Prince talked most interestingly, and I gathered that he felt sanguine as to the belief of his ultimate succession to the throne of France. From his charm of manner and general conversation I could quite understand his popularity with his brother officers in the British Army. He did not strike me as being particularly smart in dress or general appearance, although he wore his hat well tilted on one side, and he clicked his heels in French fashion, as he had evidently been taught to do from boyhood.
On arriving at Chiselhurst we drove together to the residence of the Empress Eugenie where he gave me every opportunity of studying his characteristics, and upon the publication of his cartoon I received a letter of appreciation with a signed photograph of himself which is still unfaded, and which I greatly value.
SIR JOHN ASTLEY (The mate).
