Walpole came to see the Queen privately that he might discuss this new menace with her.

‘The trouble is,’ said the minister, ‘that besides being personable and affable he has a grievance. The people are always ready to support those whom they think are ill done by. You will remember His Majesty’s popularity when he was in opposition to his father.’

Caroline remembered it well.

‘The King is most displeased with the Prince’s conduct,’ she said.

‘Perhaps,’ suggested Walpole, ‘the Prince should be paid a higher income.’

‘The King would never hear of it. We should never be able to persuade him.’

Walpole understood. There were more important matters for which the Queen must save her persuasive powers.

‘Then we must be very watchful,’ Walpole went on. ‘Particularly of Bolingbroke, who is out for trouble.’

‘At least if he is supporting the Prince he is not with the Jacobites.’

‘Your Majesty has as usual pointed out the important factor. While he is trying to stir up rebellion within the family circle he is not making trouble overseas—which could be more disastrous.’

‘I am beginning to think,’ said the Queen, ‘that my dear firstborn is the greatest ass and the greatest liar and the greatest canaille and the greatest beast in the whole world, and I heartily wish him out of it.’

Walpole was taken aback. It was unlike the Queen to be unjust, and although he agreed that Frederick was an ass and had not a great respect for the truth, this was a harsh pronouncement.

‘He has caused nothing but trouble since he came to England,’ went on Caroline. ‘Oh, how I wish we could send him back to Hanover.’

‘Alas, if he were but a daughter we could marry him out of England. Now when he marries he will remain and demand an even greater status.’

‘He must not marry ... yet.’

‘We cannot allow him to remain a bachelor for ever, Madam. Remember he is the Prince of Wales.’

‘And he has discovered this. His teachers must have been working hard to instil a little sense into his addled pate.’

‘He has shrewd teachers, Madam. I would that we could have taken their place.’

‘Oh, he would never listen to me.’

Walpole regarded the Queen a little sadly and wondered why it was that she who was such a shrewd woman in so many respects should have this obsessive hatred for her son. He believed that Lord Hervey was to blame for he was constantly at the Queen’s side, pouring venom into her ear; and how strange that she should listen to him to the detriment of her own son.

The Princess Caroline was besotted about the fellow; was the Queen too?

Fortunately Hervey was a Walpole man, otherwise the Queen’s fondness for him might be a cause for alarm.

‘Our brother Frederick is the biggest fool alive,’ declared the Princess Anne to her sister Amelia. ‘Do you know I dislike him even more than I do William.’

‘William is an arrogant little beast but I agree with you that Fred is a fool. I’d rather have William’s conceit than Fred’s folly. He is a disgrace to the family.’

‘I wish he’d die,’ said Anne vehemently.

Amelia regarded her cynically. ‘What a happy family we are! One of us is always wishing the other dead. Grandfather hated Papa and Papa hated Grandfather even more. I wonder how many times Papa wished his father dead. A hundred times a day I’ll wager.’

‘I didn’t dislike Grandfather. He was not stupid like Papa. He was determined to be obeyed and so he should have been, for he was King; and he had his own way. The reason he didn’t take on more of the government himself was because he never really cared for England and wanted to go back and rule Hanover. Perhaps he was a fool after all. England is so much more important. Oh ... if only Fred and William were dead.’

‘Then,’ pointed out Amelia, ‘you would have to kill off Papa before you could be Queen.’

‘It would come in due course. Something to look forward to. Then I shouldn’t have to wait for a husband.’

‘Who is so long appearing.’

‘I know. Amelia, do you think we are going to remain single all our lives.’

‘It seems very probable.’

‘But it can’t be. Imagine when Fred is King. What will become of us?’

‘We shall be given a household between us and be known as the three virgins of England.’

‘I won’t endure it. I’d rather marry ... a baboon ... providing he were a King.’

‘Alas, it seems no suitors are available ... not even royal baboons. Oh, Anne, I should love to see you swinging on a tree, a crown on your head. Of one thing I’m sure, you’d swing regally.’

‘Don’t talk nonsense. I tell you I would willingly die tomorrow if I could be Queen of England today. And to think by a little accident I could be.’

‘Two little accidents. Accident Fred and Accident William.’

‘You don’t care like I do, Amelia.’

‘Well, I should have to wish for three deaths—yours included, my dear sister. I think that would be asking too much of fate. But I agree with all you say about Fred. I grudge him every hour he continues to live. I wish he’d have an accident in the hunting field or fight a duel to the death for his silly Anne Vane.’

‘At least you console yourself flirting with Grafton.’

‘You could take similar consolation. Oh, no, it would be beneath your dignity. It is a comfort. Grafton is amusing and fun to be with and we both enjoy shocking Mamma.’

‘Poor Mamma!’

‘Oh, she enjoys her conferences with Walpole and her light entertainment with Hervey. Life is not all being Papa’s docile wife who is all the time deceiving him!’

‘Deceiving him! ‘

‘Oh, only into believing he is the Deity in person, whose will is law. Only making him believe that he really thought first of what she has planted in his mind.’

‘You say the boldest things, Amelia.’

‘At least let us be bold with words if we are restricted in actions. Sometimes I wish I were not a Princess. It must be far more fun to be a lady in waiting ... like Anne Vane for instance.’

‘Having to put up with Fred?’

‘She has other consolations so I’ve heard. In any case, fancy being Queen and having to put up with Papa!’

‘You are right. Why should we not at least say what we think. And I say with you, Poor Mamma! Papa must be the greatest trial. Particularly when he is in his worst humours for then he is a devil to everyone. What surprises me is how angry he gets about small things. Have you noticed that. It is the little things that bother him. Perhaps his page has not powdered his periwig to his satisfaction. I heard him complain the other day because a housemaid put a chair in its unaccustomed place. Then of course there is this obsession with time. Is it because he has such a little mind that he is so concerned with little things.’

‘Now you are speaking frankly and it makes sense. As I said, Poor Mamma Who wants marriage, which might bring a husband like she has. And he is a King.’

‘I repeat,’ said Anne firmly, ‘I would marry anyone who could give me a crown.’

Amelia shrugged. It was nearly time to go hunting and she was certain that Grafton would be of the party. She was a Princess; and they would not—or could not—find her a husband. Well they could not complain if she indulged in an occasional flirtation. She might so easily by now have been married to the Crown Prince of Prussia. She wondered what would have happened to her if she had. The King of Prussia was a madman and a brute. At least the King of England was only a fool. And she was sure flirtation with Grafton was far more exciting than marriage with Frederick of Prussia would have been. By all accounts he was more interested in military affairs than marriage; and the idea of living under the same roof with such a father-in-law! The thing to do was enjoy life as it came and that was what Anne should learn to do.

‘It’s time for my music lesson,’ said Anne. The hardness of her expression softened a little. ‘I must not keep Mr Handel waiting.’

‘What is it today?’ asked Amelia. ‘A lesson on the harpsichord or singing?’

‘Both.’

‘You used to perform well, sister.’

‘It is such a pleasure to play for Mr Handel. He is a genius.’

‘Fred never plays now.’

‘Not with Mr Handel. I suppose he didn’t care for criticism.’

‘He was not bad at the fiddle.’

‘No. Nor at the cello. I used to enjoy it when we three played together. Frederick seems less ... offensive then.’ ‘Oh, he has become too important. A mistress in Soho Square and so many influential men ready to tell him how they admire him.’

‘Well, at least we agree on one thing: Fred. Now I must leave you, sister. And, as you say, Mr Handel is waiting for me.’


* * *

In the music room Georg Friedrich Haendel who was known as George Frederick Handel was waiting for his pupil. This was a lesson to which he always looked forward. The Princess Anne was an apt pupil with the right respect for the most important matter in the world: Music. Moreover she, who was so haughty to everyone else, had the grace to be humble before a man of his talent.

The post of music master to the King’s daughters was an enviable one. Not that he cared for money. He cared only for music. But money was necessary to live.

As the Princess entered he lifted his unwieldy frame from the stool on which he was seated and, bowing, kissed her hand.

‘I am a little late, dear master,’ said Anne. ‘The Princess Amelia detained me.’

Handel smiled and when he smiled his heavy rather bad-tempered face became almost attractive. The smile rarely appeared for anything that was not concerned with music, but the Princess Royal was a very special friend of his.