Conjugal Dissentions.

43

Princesses to witness the ceremony of depositing the French Eagles and Colours in Whitehall Chapel; and after the ceremony of the parade, the Royal Party attended divine service. On the following day, her Royal Highness also accompanied the Royal Family to view Drury Lane Theatre, previous to its opening. The novelty of the first, and the inquisitiveness which the latter led to, gave ample amusement and satisfaction to her active mind.

She likewise entered into the familiar convivialities of society to a greater extent than hitherto ; but still under restriction and a marked reserve: for even at a ball given by the Dutchess of York at Oatlands in November, she was dancing with her parent, when his Royal Highness, in leading off the first dance, met with an accidental and very troublesome sprain in his ancle.

An important era was now commencing in the life of her Royal Highness, from the publicity given, in the year 1813, (D) to the unhappy differences between her august parents; differences productive of most uneasy sensations to the public at large, whose opinions, respecting the Princess of Wales, were completely in unison with that expressed in, his Majesty's Message to her Royal Highness, when he said, that the elevated rank held by her in this country, and the relation in which she stands to his Majesty and the Royal Family, must always

44

Delicate Investigation.

deeply involve the interests of the State, as well as the domestic comfort of her royal relatives.

The Princess Charlotte, as already noticed, had passed the years of infancy and childhood under her Mother's immediate inspection, by his Majesty's arrangement; but a separation having taken place about the time of the Delicate Investigation, the affectionate Mother considered it deeply as an injury both to her feelings and character; yet, it is but fair to state, that when the Heiress Presumptive of the Imperial Crown was removed from maternal superintendance to the more formal etiquette of education upon a public political establishment, there were, most certainly, political reasons, in addition to any personal ones that might have existed; for the powers with which the Constitution of these realms invests the Sovereign in the regulation of the Royal Family, especially of those in the immediate line of succession, are ample and unquestionable, and would, doubtless, have led to a similar separate establishment, even under the happiest domestic auspices.

For a short period in 1806, all personal intercourse had been prohibited; but by the Minute of Council, dated the 21st of April, 1807, and recorded in Appendix (C,) the whole of the unpleasant affair being apparently settled, the Princess of Wales again made her appearance at Court, as already noticed, and was permitted, under certain limitations

Maternal Intercourse.

45

and restrictions, to enjoy an intercourse with her daughter. To this restricted arrangement the Royal Mother very unwillingly submitted; lamenting, as appears by a letter written in January, 1813, (D) the seclusion of the young Princess from all intercourse with the world, but suppressing, as far as was possible, in silence and retirement, her feelings for a daughter (then apparently) destined to reign over the British Empire; and contenting herself with a single interview weekly, afterwards reduced to once a fortnight, until the cessation of the Regency restrictions induced her to address his Royal Highness, in a very pointed manner, upon the whole of her grievances. In the early part of February, 1813, the Princess Charlotte had been confined by indisposition at Warwick House, and was thereby prevented from paying the usual visits to her Mother at Kensington Palace, who, on the 8th of that month, (through the medium of the Earl of Liverpool,) communicated to the Prince Regent her intention of visiting the young Princess at her own residence; but received an answer, purporting that her daughter would be able to visit her, as usual, at Kensington Palace on the 11th. On the day preceding the promised visit, however, the Princess of Wales's letter to the Prince Regent had found its way into the Morning Chronicle; in consequence of which, on the 11th, her Royal Highness received a notification that her daughter's visit was forbidden: which

46.

Change of Establishment.

day the Princess Charlotte spent at Windsor, where she received a visit from her Royal Father, to notify a change in her establishment, in consequence of Lady De Clifford's resignation early in the month. It was said, that there were no less than three candidates for the vacant office-the Dutchess Dowager of Leeds, the Dowager Marchioness Townshend, and the Dowager Marchioness of Donegall; the first of whom was specially nominated by the Prince Regent for two years. The Princess immediately applied to Lord Liverpool to ascertain the cause of this refusal, and to inquire when she might expect to see her daughter; and on the 14th, his Lordship informed her, that the Prince Regent, by the advice of his confidential servants, and in consequence of the publication in the Morning Chronicle, had thought fit to signify his commands that the promised visit on the 11th should not take place; adding, that his Lordship was not enabled to make any further communication on the remaining inquiry in the Princess's note. To this letter the Princess declined any personal answer, but directed Lady Anne Hamilton to write from Montague House, Blackheath, denying the implied charge of publication on her part; and expressly stating, that disdainful silence would have been her only reply, were it not that the effect arising from that would operate to deprive her of the sole real happiness she could possess in this world-that of

Restrictions by Privy Council.

49

seeing her only child! She added, that the confidential servants of the Prince Regent ought to feel ashamed of their conduct towards the Princess of Wales, in avowing their advice that, upon unautho. rised and unfounded suppositions, a mother and daughter should be prevented from meeting-a prohibition positively against the law of nature.*

Several meetings of the Privy Council were now held, upon the point-whether the intercourse between the Royal Parent and her daughter should be under regulations and restrictions, or not; and on the 19th they reported, that after a full examination of all the circumstances, they thought it highly fit and proper, with a view to the welfare of the Princess Charlotte, in which were equally involved the happiness of the Prince Regent in his paternal and royal character, and the most important interests of the State, that the intercourse should continue under restriction and regulation.

No official intelligence of this Report was announced to the Princess of Wales until the evening of the 27th; on which day, and previous to its receipt, her Royal Highness wrote to Lord Harrowby, to state, that she had heard reports, from various quarters, of meetings of the Privy Council respecting her affairs; but adding, that she could not believe it possible that any resolution affecting her

See the Correspondence at length (D).