Victoria was astonished. She knew, of course, that her letter setting out her feelings about Albert was responsible for this and she could not bear the thought of Uncle Leopold and Aunt Louise, who was a poor sailor, making such a long trip just so that she and Uncle Leopold could talk for a few hours. Moreover Uncle Leopold would no doubt wish her to commit herself and she had no desire to do this. It would be much easier to elude awkward decisions over a little space of time.

How kind, she wrote back, of her Aunt and Uncle to wish to see her so much that they could contemplate coming over for a few hours. However, she herself did not feel equal to travelling to Brighton so soon after the prorogation of Parliament which was to take place on the 27th August. Her Uncle would know what an exhausting business that could be. Moreover she had had such a trying time lately. Her Uncle would know about the controversy with Sir Robert Peel because she had written to him and told him about it. Then there had been this distressing Hastings matter. It had really made her quite ill. She would hate not to feel absolutely well so that she could entertain her dear Uncle in a manner suited to his importance and for that reason – and that reason alone – could wish him to postpone his visit. If however he could stay a little while and come to Windsor, that would be delightful.

Leopold decided that the urgency of his business was such that he must comply with her suggestion. He would make preparations for a longer stay and would be coming to Windsor in a few weeks’ time.


* * *

When Uncle Leopold was due to arrive she was in a fever of excitement, so eager was she to see him. She tried to calm herself by reading despatches and carrying on in the normal way. But it was no use and as soon as they arrived she rushed down to throw herself into those loving avuncular arms. She insisted on waiting on them and taking them to their rooms. This touched Uncle Leopold very much.

‘I had begun to fear that you regarded me as an old piece of furniture which had once been quite useful but no longer was.’

‘Oh, dearest Uncle, how can you say such a thing now? You said it once in one of your letters and I thought I had convinced you.’

‘I needed to be convinced verbally,’ said Uncle Leopold.

So there were more embraces and loving assurances.

But she was quickly realising how very solemn Uncle Leopold had become – or perhaps he always was so and she had not noticed it before. Aunt Louise had lost her gaiety and Victoria had developed a taste for it; she could not help comparing Uncle Leopold with Lord Melbourne and secretly finding Leopold a little dull in comparison. One could not burst into merry laughter with Uncle Leopold around. He was sentimental though, and reminded her of how close they had been in the old days at Claremont and they were able to shed tears over the death of dear old Louie; and he talked again of her cousin, the Princess Charlotte. But again – secretly – she was a little sorry for Charlotte because although according to Uncle Leopold she had loved him devotedly, Uncle Leopold did not approve of so many things which Victoria discovered she approved of very much. Dancing for instance. Uncle Leopold thought that rather frivolous, but indeed why should one not indulge in a little frivolity after following the serious occupations forced upon rulers? She thought a little relaxation was essential when one considered just for one thing, all those papers one was forced to sign and all the ministers one had to see – and they were not all as easy to talk to as Lord Melbourne. Lord Melbourne, on the other hand, believed that a little gaiety was good for one. That was the difference between Lord Melbourne and Uncle Leopold, Lord Melbourne was such a man of the world that he was more understanding. He certainly understood her.

But how churlish to criticise Uncle Leopold – even to herself – who had meant so much to her in her childhood. He soon came to the real purpose of his visit.

‘Baron Stockmar sends me such excellent reports of our young gentleman,’ he told her.

‘I am so glad. I am sure Albert is very good.’

‘I remember how taken you were with him when you met him.’

‘That was three years ago.’

‘He has improved … for the better.’

‘I feel sure that with you to watch over him and dear Baron Stockmar too, he could not have failed to.’

‘A match between you two has always been one of my dearest projects. When it takes place I shall say to myself “Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace”.’

‘Dearest Uncle, do not talk of leaving the world ever.’

‘My precious angel, it was a form of speech. I mean that it would be the realisation of one of my most cherished dreams.’

‘Well, perhaps we shall like each other. But there is plenty of time. I am very young yet, Uncle, and Albert is even younger.’

‘Albert does not understand why there is not a formal betrothal. He feels that this waiting is somehow a humiliation to him.’

‘But the last thing I should wish to do is humiliate Albert.’

‘That’s what I have told him, but there has been this shillyshallying. When you saw him last time you really did like him so much.’

‘Let him come here and perhaps I shall like him as much again. Lord Melbourne says that I need not hurry into marriage. I can wait three or four years if I wish.’

‘Do you think that would be advisable?’

‘I do, Uncle. It is too important a matter to be hurried.’

‘I do not think Albert would be prepared to wait indefinitely.’

‘What does he mean by that?’

‘He feels that to be kept hanging about and then refused would perhaps spoil his chances elsewhere.’

‘He seems to be rather calculating.’

‘You misjudge him.’

Leopold was thinking how obstinate she had grown since those days when she was such an enchanting little girl who had adored him and been so eager to please him in every way. And she had become somewhat regal in her manner too, as though she were reminding him that although he might be the King of the Belgians she was Queen of a somewhat more important country.

He abandoned the discussion for the time being and decided to come back to it later.


* * *

Uncle Leopold’s visit coincided with that of another Coburg uncle – Leopold’s and Mamma’s own brother Ferdinand with his sons, Augustus and Leopold, and his daughter Victoire. They also brought with them another Coburg cousin, Alexander, whom Victoria thought was quite fascinating. She was soon on nickname terms with them all and they played games which Uncle Leopold would have thought quite childish but which to her were the greatest fun. Even Lord Melbourne could not play such games.

She told them about the visit of the Tsarevitch of Russia who had been so amusing, and had danced so beautifully.

‘There is a German dance. Perhaps you know it. The men have to jump over a pocket handkerchief.’

They all declared they did know it.

‘And each lady and gentleman has to duck under the pocket handkerchief. I rarely saw anything so amusing in my life.’

So they all danced it and there was a great deal of laughter. Victoria enjoyed dancing most with Alexander as her partner.

‘What a charming young man Alexander is,’ said the Queen in her chat with Lord Melbourne. Lord Melbourne said yes, he was. He was the son of the Princess Sophia of Saxe-Coburg and a French émigré and so therefore not entirely German. That, suggested Lord Melbourne, might be why he was more attractive.

‘Uncle Leopold would not be pleased to hear you say that,’ said the Queen. ‘He has a very high opinion of the Germans.’

‘That is natural,’ said Lord Melbourne, ‘because he is one of them and we all have high opinions of ourselves.’

She did enjoy discussing her cousins with Lord Melbourne but to tell the truth he seemed a little old in comparison with them.

What a sad day it was when the cousins said goodbye. The Queen declared that she was going to be quite heartbroken without them. She went down to Woolwich to see them off accompanied by Mamma and Lehzen, and of course Lord Melbourne was present. The Duchess was in tears; she had been very unhappy since the departure of Conroy. There was no one with whom to scheme for her daughter’s discomfiture and now even the Flora Hastings affair had lost its impact. The Duchess would have liked to be taken back into her daughter’s favour. However it seemed it was too late for that. But this farewell was a family affair and outwardly Victoria was affectionate to her mother. Many tears were shed and Victoria exchanged handkerchiefs with Victoire to remind her of ‘our handkerchief dance’. It was all very, very sad, and the journey back to the Palace was silent and sorrowful. The only person who was unaffected was Lord Melbourne, who didn’t like Germans and had found the cousins too childishly boisterous for his taste. However at this stage he kept his feelings to himself and smiled sympathetically at the Queen whenever she looked his way.

Uncle Leopold would be leaving a few days later and he had made very little headway for he had counted on getting a definite promise from Victoria that she would accept Albert. He had not anticipated this difficulty, but he was learning that this was a new Victoria.

He came back again and again to the subject of the marriage.

It was necessary. It was her duty. Had she looked at it from that angle?

Yes, she had looked at it from every angle.

And did she realise that if she did not marry and have children the throne would go to the Cumberlands?