The Douglas Affair

For some months Lady Douglas waited impatiently, but her desire for revenge grew rather than diminished. She was a vindictive woman, and she had hoped for great benefits through her association with the Princess of Wales. They would never be hers now since the odious woman refused to receive her. But she was going to regret that It seemed the greatest fortune when Sir John was given a post in the household of Augustus, Duke of Sussex The Duke of Sussex, fourth brother of the Prince of Wales, had had rather startling adventures in matrimony himself when at the age of twenty he had married Augusta Murray without the consent of his father. His marriage had later been declared null and void since it contravened the Royal Marriage Act but the Duke had snapped his fingers at the law and set up house with the lady he and his brothers acknowledged as his wife.

Lady Douglas saw the opportunity she needed in this appointment and badgered her husband to tell the Duke that Willikin was the Princess’s own child.

‘But my dear,’ protested Sir John, ‘this could make the most violent upheaval.’

‘That’s what I want.’

‘You want it? But it would be trouble— terrible trouble.’

‘For them that deserve it.’

‘I think we should keep out of it. You know what happened about the letter.’

‘Oh yes, yes, His Majesty’s health is so precarious that he must not be disturbed. In the meantime that scandalous woman can foist her illegitimate offspring on the nation.’

‘But she is not foisting William Austin on anybody.’

‘William Austin! He’s no more Austin than I am. That’s her story. And how do you know that she won’t try to foist the little brat on the nation? Why, don’t you see, that boy could be our future king.’

‘Oh no, that’s going too far.’

‘I will decide what is going too far. It’s your duty, John Douglas, to see that what is going on reaches the right quarters.’

‘And what do you mean by the right quarters?’

‘Surely you know. The Prince of Wales should hear of this.’

‘You’re not suggesting that I go to the Prince of Wales?’

‘What I’m suggesting is that you tell his brother. That’s not so difficult, is it?

You are after all a member of his household. Tell him, and let him carry on from there.’

‘I don’t think you understand what a storm you could be raising.’

‘That’s exactly what I do understand. And I’m waiting for that storm. It’s our duty. Are you going to stand by and see a little bastard king of this realm? Are you going to see him snatch it from our dear Princess Charlotte?’

‘I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.’

‘Oh, but you’re going to, John Douglas.’

A few days later Sir John came to his wife; he was pale and trembling.

‘I have spoken to him,’ he said.

‘Yes— yes, and what did he say?’

‘He said that he thought this matter should be brought to the notice of the Prince of Wales.’

Lady Douglas clasped her hands together in joy.

‘But he says we should prepare a document which he can show his brother— setting down all the facts. Put it, in writing.’

She nodded and he cried in dismay: ‘Don’t you realize what this means. It’s all very well to say these things but to put them into writing I don’t know what this could bring us to.’

‘Chicken heart,’ she mocked. ‘Leave it to me.’

How exciting it was, going back over those meetings, colouring them up, putting constructions on them which would add conviction to her story. For instance had not the Princess said ‘I am going to have a baby.’ Had she not shown inordinate interest in Lady Douglas’s own pregnancy?

It was easy to adjust a word here and there. It was dangerous when a Princess of Wales lived an immoral life because of the succession. Lady Douglas wrote that she had reminded the Princess of this and that Her Highness had replied that if she were caught she could put it on to the Prince of Wales because she had slept a few nights at Carlton House and he was often so drunk that he could not account for his actions. Then there was the story of Lady Douglas’s calling at Montague House and seeing the baby for the first time. There was Mrs, Fitzgerald’s hasty explanation that he was William Austin and that the Princess had adopted him Oh yes, she had a very plausible story to tell.

The King was surprised to receive a call from his sons, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex; and as soon as he saw them he knew that something extraordinary had happened.

Not family trouble again, he hoped. There was no end to it. Both of them were offenders. Sussex marrying that woman when he had no right to and having a court case about it and then its being decided that he wasn’t married. Not that he cared. They had no morals these sons of his. There he was living like a respectable married man with the woman he called his wife and he had a family too. As for the Prince of Wales with his Mrs. Fitzherbert and all that scandal— well, it was better not to think about that!

‘An unexpected pleasure, eh, what?’ he said grimly.

The Prince of Wales felt a momentary wave of pity for his father. How he had aged in the last few years! Those white eyebrows jutting out from the far too red face and the protuberant blue eyes gave him a look of madness. Surely it couldn’t be long before he broke down again. And this matter was not going to help him.

But it had to be done and while King clung to his rank he would have to accept it.

Better, thought the Prince, for him to retire gracefully, to abdicate perhaps. And then he would take charge. He admitted to himself that the prospect of power pleased him.

Should he have kept quiet about this matter? Certainly he could not! It was of the utmost importance to the Crown and at the back of his mind was a solution which pleased him as much as the thought of wearing that crown: to rid of Caroline.

‘A very serious matter has come to light,’ he said, ‘and Augustus and I thought you should immediately be acquainted with it.’

Alarm shot up in the King’s eyes which seemed to become a shade more prominent.

‘Your Majesty,’ went on the Prince, with the utmost solemnity, I have here a grave charge against the morality of the Princess of Wales.’

‘Eh? What’s this? Eh, what? Caroline you mean? What this? Grave charge, eh?’

‘I think that Your Majesty might read this accusation which has been written by Sir John and Lady Douglas. It seems that the Princess of Wales is the mother of an illegitimate child— a son— a boy who now lives with her at Montague House.’

‘What? Eh? What’s this? Don’t believe it. Impossible. A boy? Eh? What’s this, eh, eh, eh?’

‘If Your Majesty would read this charge.’

The King took the Douglases’ statement and stared at it. His eyes boggled as he read.

He stuttered, ‘But this is impossible.’

‘Unfortunately, Sire, it appears to be true.’ The Prince then went on to explain that his brother, the Duke of Kent, had been shown a disgusting drawing which Caroline had done of a neighbour Lady Douglas and Sir Sydney Smith. His Majesty would remember the well-known sailor who had served country with such zeal. Sir Sydney had wanted to take action but had been dissuaded from doing so to a scandal.

‘Disgusting drawing! What? A drawing you say. What drawing?’

‘Of Sir Sydney and Lady Douglas.’ The Prince put his handkerchief to his eyes. ‘Too disgusting, sir, to be talked of, and but Your Majesty may well imagine—’

He could imagine. Sometimes when he was in one of his lost moods pictures came into his head. Pictures, he thought. Disgusting pictures. They’d have to put a stop to it.

‘This matter,’ said the Prince of Wales, ‘is too grave to be dismissed. If it is true that the Princess of Wales has an illegitimate son, some action must be taken — and taken promptly.’

‘There must be an enquiry,’ said the King.

Spencer Perceval rode over to Montague House. ‘I have heard some very grave news,’ he said. ‘There is to be an enquiry into your actions with regard to the boy William Austin.’

‘But why should that be grave?’ enquired the Princess. ‘There is nothing wrong with Willikin.’

‘The implication is that he is your I own son.’

‘I regard him as such.’

Perceval was faintly exasperated. ‘Your Highness must realize the gravity of this charge. It is being said that he is the result of an indiscretion on your part and that you gave birth to him.’

‘That’s a lie, of course.’

‘I know it, Your Highness, but we have to convince others. I suggest that Your Highness engages me to work on your behalf.’

She smiled at him tenderly. ‘Oh, you dear good man.’

He said gruffly ‘I am a friend and a neighbour. Naturally I wish to do all in my power to refute this wicked slander. I rejoice in my position for as such I can do good service to Your Highness.’

She would have embraced him but he held her off. The most indiscreet woman in the world! he thought. And even now she does not realize that it is her indiscretions which have led her into this dangerous position. ‘I must ask Your Highness to tell me the truth of this matter. Hold nothing back. Tell me how did the child come to be in this house?’

Caroline told him of her discovery of the Austins, how he himself had found work for the child’s father, how before he was born his mother had promised him to her and how he had come to her a few weeks after he was born.

Perceval nodded, well satisfied.

‘We have a good case,’ he said. ‘We need one. But I don’t think we are going to have any difficulty in proving these charges false. You have been very indiscreet, Your Highness; and I do beg of you to curb your tongue. A word in the wrong place can ruin you. I beg of you remember that.’