294

Princess of Wales to Mr. Whitbread.

"The Princess, having obtained this public satisfaction, cannot in conscience remain a burden to her friends any longer. Events are continually occurring, which oblige her zealous and generous advocates to step forward in her defence, and this devotion has even proved a source of disagreement between Mr. Whitbread and a part of his family. He cannot but remember that the Princess has been the cause of this difference, and it is with a view to its removal that she takes the part which she announces.

"The Princess of Wales is deeply penetrated with the generosity of this brave nation, which after having taken so lively an interest in her misfortunes, and in her sufferings, as cruel as they are unjust, so willingly affords her the means of living peaceably in future. She hopes that her gratitude, which will only cease with her existence, will be one day renewed in the Princess Charlotte, and that her Daughter will give proofs of it by her zeal for the glory and happiness of this kingdom; by defending the rights of her people; and proving by her conduct, that great and powerful as she may be, she will not tyrannise over any one, merely because they have not the good fortune to please her.

The Princess of Wales would probably not have departed so soon, had not the marriage of the Princess Charlotte with the Prince of Orange been broken off at her own instance. Dear as her Daughter is to her, she could not resolve to leave her without protection in a situation so critical. The Princess, aware that the match was ardently desired by the people, wished neither to impede the happiness of the nation nor that of her Daughter. On this account she is solicitous to depart at once, for it is pitiable to see a child rendered on all occasions a source of dispute between her parents.

"The Princess of Wales is assured, that in future the Princess Charlotte will be more happy and tranquil, and she is led to make this sacrifice, that if she remains some time longer unmarried, there may be fewer obstacles to her appearance in public. Her Father the Prince Regent may thus choose the most suitable of her nearest relations to introduce her into society, that she may enjoy the pleasures belonging to her age, and become acquainted with the character of the most distinguished persons of the nation; of which know

Princess of Wales to Mr. Whitbread.

295

ledge she has hitherto been deprived by means which she proceeds to detail.

"The Princess Charlotte will the less feel the privation of her Mother's society, as she has been deprived of it for the two last years. During that time, five or six months in succession have passed away without the Mother being allowed to see her Daughter. She has even been refused the consolation of receiving any of her letters, and thus her regret at leaving her is lessened; for, although living in the same capital, they were not allowed to speak, even when they met in their airings. Her Daughter's coachman was forbidden to stop, and directed to act as if he knew not the carriage of the Princess of Wales. Thus to quit her will but be the grief of a day, whilst to remain is to plant daggers in the bosoms both of Mother and Child. The Princess cannot rest in a situation so unfortuate for herself, and so uneasy to others, and is sure that Mr. Whitbread and his friends will be affected by these considerations; that their sentiments will accord with her own, and that they will approve of her resolution.

"The Princess, before she ends this long letter, is solicitous to explain to her advisers the most urgent reason for her quitting England, and to show them that delicacy has obliged her to put herself under the protection of this great and generous nation, having no other refuge since the indisposition of the King. How much has it cost her to make public this declaration—that is to say, that the Prince Regent has been her most inveterate enemy, imposed upou by false accusers and enemies to her honour.

"That which renders her situation still more embarrassing is, that this generous nation has shown more devotion towards herself than to its Ruler, who ought to be the blessing and glory of his people. The Princess hopes, that when she has quitted England, the Prince Regent will make public his conviction, that her conduct and character have not merited reproach; and thereby regain that popularity which is due to him on the part of this noble nation.

"The Princess cannot end this letter without assuring Mr. Whitbread and his friends of the unalterable sentiments of lively gratitude and perfect esteem, that can only end with her life."

296

Mr. Whitbread to the Princess.

Letter of Mr. Whitbread to the Princess of Wales, August 1, 1814.

"Mr. Whitbread assures her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, that he has not been at all surprised at the resolution with which she has been pleased to acquaint him: it cannot but give him much pain to think that he will not be able to enjoy the amiable society of the Princess for some time. Even in her absence, his zeal for her future happiness will be at all times, and in every place, his only object: he will prove it by his cares and his activity, and by his unalterable attachment, in contributing to the happiness of the Princess Charlotte, whose integrity of character should suffice to form his motive.

"In concluding this letter, Mr. Whitbread only wishes to reiterate his sentiments of devotion, and of zeal for her reestablishment in all the rights of the empire over which she is one day to reign.

SAMUEL WHITBREAD."

Letter of Lord Liverpool to the Princess of Wales, July 28,

1814.

"Lord Liverpool has had the honour to receive the letter of her Royal Highness. Having communicated it to the Prince Regent, he has ordered him to inform her Royal Highness, that he can have no objection to the intentions of her Royal Highness to effect the design which she announces to the Prince Regent, of returning to her native country, to visit her brother, the Duke of Brunswick, assuring her, that the Prince Regent will never throw any obstacle in the way of her present or future intentions as to the place where she may wish to reside.

"The Prince Regent leaves entirely to the liberty of her Royal Highness to exercise her own discretion as to her abode in this country or on the Continent, as it may be convenient to her.

Lord Liverpool to the Princess.

297. "Lord Liverpool is also commanded on the part of the Prince Regent to inform her Royal Highness, that he will not throw any obstacles in the way of the arrangements of her Royal Highness, whatever they may be, respecting the house at Blackheath, which belonged to the late Dutchess of Brunswick, or the rest of the private property of her Royal Highness. But that for reasons, rather too long to explain, the Prince Regent will not permit the Princess Charlotte to be Ranger of Greenwich Park, nor to occupy any of the houses at Blackheath, which her Royal Highness has hitherto occupied.

"Lord Liverpool has also been enjoined, on the part of the Prince Regent, before he closes the letter which he has the honour to send to her Royal Highness, to inform her in relation to the two articles which her Royal Highness has inserted in her letter concerning the rupture of the marriage of the Princess Charlotte with the hereditary Prince of Orange, as well as to the reason for which the Allied Sovereigns did not, previously to their departure from England, pay their visit to her Royal Highness, that, as to the first article, Lord Liverpool is commanded by the Prince Regent to inform her Royal Highness, that the Prince Regent is not persuaded that the private considerations of the circumstances in which the Princess is placed, can have been an obstacle to the marriage of the Princess Charlotte.-As to the second article, Lord Liverpool is also enjoined,' on the part of the Prince Regent, to signify to her Royal Highness, that the Prince Regent never opposed himself to the Allied Sovereigns making a visit to her Royal Highness during their stay in London.

"Lord Liverpool has the honour to be, with all esteem and the highest consideration.

"P.S. The Prince Regent can make no difficulties on the subject of the directions which the Princess has the intention of giving as to the house at Blackheath; neither will the Prince Regent oppose her Royal Highness's retaining the apartments in the palace of Kensington, in the same manner as she possessed them while in London, for the convenience of herself and suite."

298

Marriage Ceremony.

(G.)

MARRIAGE CEREMONY.

At an early hour a great concourse of persons were attracted. The crowd was particularly great from Charing Cross to the neighbourhood of Carlton House and the Queen's Palace. The open space opposite to Clarence House was more thronged with spectators than upon any former occasion.

Prince Leopold very frequently appeared at the balcony to gratify their curiosity, dressed in a blue coat and a star; he bowed and smiled very pleasantly at their rejoicings. At two his Serene Highness went in a curricle to Carlton House, and paid a morning visit to his intended Bride. His Serene Highness afterwards returned to Clarence House a little before half-past three, when the crowd was so numerous, and the anxiety so great to see him, that the footmen, in letting him out of the carriage, had nearly been pushed under it. A number of women and children were forced into Clarence House against their will, by the extreme pressure. In a few minutes after, his Serene Highness walked across to York House, when the crowd behaved extremely orderly, and at the request of a few attendants, formed a clear passage for him to pass through; they, however, loudly huzzaed him, and he bowed to the populace.

The Princess Charlotte, at four o'clock, went in a carriage to the Queen's Palace, and had the glasses down to gratify the curiosity of the crowd in Pail Mall, but they were found to be so extremely numerous, that the coachman could not with safety drive through them, he therefore returned, and went through the Park. Her residence was again thronged with distinguished personages.

The Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, and the Princess Charlotte of Wales, dined with her Majesty at her Palace.— The Princess Charlotte dressed at the Queen's Palace.

A full Guard of Honour of the Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards, preceded by the band of the Coldstream Regiment of Guards, marched from the Parade in St. James's Park, into the Court Yard of Carlton House.

A party of Life-Guards marched into Pall Mall with Sir Nathaniel Conant and Mr. Birnie, the Bow Street magistrates, at the head of about fifty officers and constables. The street, and those adjoining, were literally choked up with