Moonstone Research & Publications
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Moonstone Research & Publications
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George IV and His Bride Reprinted from Littell's Living Age, March 15, 1845 [Note: This piece is really a book review of Diaries and Correspondence of James Harris, the first Earl of Malmesbury. (Edited by his Son, Vol. III.). However it contains interesting information about Caroline of Brunswick introduction to England and the Prince of Wales.] ____________________ It was in the year 1794, that Lord Malmesbury was officially despatched to Brunswick by George the Third, to demand for his hopeful son, the Prince of Wales, the hand of the Princess Caroline. The prince, that his debts might be paid, had graciously consented to suffer matrimony; and his cousin was the chosen victim. As Lord Malmesbury's account of this mission is by far the most interesting part of the volume; as it moreover supplies abundant proofs that kings and princes may, after all, be very vulgar people; we shall confine our extracts to his lordship's description of his delicate task, ending with the fatal marriage of the Princess Caroline with the "First Gentleman of Europe." Alas! For the reputation of the First Gentleman! What is it now? Gone, like a burst bladder. His lordship gives the following portrait, in little, of the bride elect:-- "The Princess Caroline (Princess of Wales) much embarrassed on my first being presented to her-pretty face-not expressive of softness-her figure not graceful-fine eyes-good hand-tolerable teeth, but going-fair hair and light eyebrows, good bust-short, with what the French call 'des épaules impertinentes.' Vastly happy with her future expectations." The Duchess Dowager, a shrewd old lady, with a perfect appreciation of the character of George the Third, her brother, comes out, a capital gossip, in the book. She told Malmesbury, among other things, that "all the young German princesses had learnt English, in hopes of being Princess of Wales." All, of course, but one, had a lucky escape. As for the princess' father- "He entered fully into her future situation-was perfectly aware of the character of the prince, and of the inconveniences that would result, almost with equal ill effect, either from his liking the princess too much, or too little. He also touched on the queen's character, with which he is perfectly acquainted. He was rather severe on the Duchess of York-he never mentioned the king. He said of his daughter, 'Elle n'est pas bête, mais ele n'a pas de jugement-elle a été élevée sêvérement, et il le fallait.' The duke requested me to recommend to her discretion not to ask questions, and above all not to be free in giving opinions of persons and things aloud; and he hinted delicately, but very pointedly, at the free and unreserved manners of the duchess, who at times is certainly apt to forget her audience. He desired me to advise her never to show any jealousy of the prince; and that, if he had any goûts, not to notice them. He said he had written her all this in German, but that enforced by me, it would come with double effect." It appears that some little bird had whispered in the ear of the princess the ominous name of the Countess of Jersey; a person, whom the delicacy of the Prince of Wales made a lady of the Bedchamber to his wife. "She asked me about Lady Jersey--appeared to suppose her an intriguante, but not to know of any partiality or connection between her and the prince. I said that in regard to Lady Jersey, she and all her other ladies would frame their conduct towards her by hers towards them; that I humbly advised that this should not be familiar or too easy, but that it might be affable without forgetting she was Princess of Wales; that she should never listen to them whenever they attempted anything like a commérage, and never allow them to appear to influence her opinion by theirs. She said she wished to be popular, and was afraid I recommended too much reserve; that probably I thought her too prone à se livrer. I made a bow. She said, 'Tell me freely.' I said, 'I did;' that it was an amiable quality, but one which could not in her high situation be given way to without great risk; that as to popularity, it was never obtained by familiarity; that it could only belong to respect, and was to be acquired by a just mixture of dignity and affability; I quoted the queen as a model in this respect. The princess said she was afraid of the queen--she was sure she would be jealous of her and do her harm. I replied, that, for this reason, it was of the last consequence to be attentive towards her, to be always on her guard, and never to fail in any exterior mark of respect towards her. She took all this, in good part, and desired me to continue to be her mentor after she got to England, as well as now. She said of her own accord, 'I am determined never to appear jealous. I know the prince is léger, and am prepared on that point.' I said I did not believe she would have any occasion to exercise this very wise resolution, which I commended highly; and entreated her, if she saw any symptoms of a goût in the prince, or, if any of the women about her should, under the love of fishing in troubled waters, endeavor to excite a jealousy in her mind, on no account to allow it to manifest itself; that reproaches and sourness never reclaimed anybody; that it only served as an advantageous contrast to the contrary qualities in the rival; and the surest way of recovering a tottering affection was softness, enduring, and caresses: that I knew enough of the prince to be quite sure he could not withstand such a conduct, while a contrary one would probably make him disagreeable and peevish, and certainly force him to be false and dissembling." Many conversations are chronicled, in which Malmesbury gives advice worthy of the best thoughts of Polonius. Alas! The nuptial commissioner utters his gravities to unprofitable ears. "Masquerade.--I walked with the Princess Caroline, and had a very long conversation with her. I endeavor not to mix up much serious matters at such a place, but whenever I found her inclined to give way too much to the temper of the entertainment, and to get over-cheerful and too-mixing, I endeavored to bring her back by becoming serious and respectful. When we returned to the 'balcony' (the masquerade was in the opera house) she entered of her own accord, into the kind of life she was to lead in England, and was very inquisitive about it. I said it would depend very much on her; that I could have no share in settling it, but that my wish was, that in private she might enjoy every ease and comfort belonging to domestic happiness, but that when she appeared abroad, she would always appear as Princess of Wales, surrounded by all that 'appareil and etiquette due to her elevated situation. She asked me what were the queen's drawing-room-days? I said, Thursday and Sunday after church, which the king and queen never missed; and I added that I hoped most ardently she would follow their example, and never, on any account, miss divine service on that day. 'Does the prince go to church?' she asked me. I replied, she would make him go; it was one of many advantages he would derive from changing his situation. 'But if he does not like it?' 'Why then, your royal highness must go without him, and tell him that the fulfilling regularity and exactly this duty, can alone enable you to perform exactly and regularly those you owe him--this cannot but please him, and will, in the end, induce him also to go to church." The following anecdote develops character: "I persuaded the Princess Caroline to be munificent toward them [the émigrés, who were perishing from want)--she disposed to be, but not knowing how to set about it. I tell her, liberality and generosity is an enjoyment, not a severe virtue. She gives a louis for some lottery tickets, I give ten, and say the princess ordered me--she surprised; I said I was sure she did not mean to give for the ticket its precise value, and that I forestalled her intention. Next day a French émigré, with a pretty child draws near the table--the Princess Caroline immediately, of her own accord, puts ten louis in a paper, and gives the child; the duchess observes it, and inquires of me (I was dining between them) what it was. I tell her a demand on her purse. She embarrassed--'Je n'ai que mes beaux doubles louis de Brunswick.' I answer 'Qu'ils deviendront plus beaux entre les mains de cet enfant que dans sa poche.' She ashamed, and gives three of them. In the evening, Princess Caroline, to whom these sort of virtues were never preached, on my praising the coin of the money at Brunswick, offers me very seriously eight or ten double louis saying, 'Cela ne me fait rien--je ne m'en soucie pas--je vous prie de les prendre.' I mention these facts to show her character; it could not distinguish between giving as a benevolence, and flinging away money like a child. She thought that the act of getting rid of the money, and not seeming to care about it, constituted the merit. I took an opportunity at supper of defining to her what real benevolence was, and I recommended it to her as a quality that would, if rightly employed, make her more admirers, and give her more true satisfaction, than any that human nature could possess. The idea was, I am sorry to see, news to her, but she felt the truth of it." Washing a princess:-- "Argument with the princess about her toilette. She piques herself on dressing quick; I disapprove this. She maintains her point. I, however, desire Madame Busche to explain to her that the prince is very delicate, and that he expects a long and very careful toilétte de propreté; of which she has no idea. On this contrary, she neglects it sadly, and is offensive from this neglect. Madame Busche executes her commission well, and the princess comes out the next day well washed all over." Again and again does his lordship read lectures on cleanliness and delicacy of language to the bride elect, who certainly comes before us as a sort of royal Miss Tomboy; a slattern and a hoyden:-- "I had two conversations with the Princess Caroline. One on the toilette, on cleanliness, and on delicacy of speaking. On these points I endeavored, as far as was possible for a man, to inculcate the necessity of great and nice attention to every part of dress, as well as to what was hid as to what was seen. (I know she wore coarse petticoats, coarse shifts, and thread stockings; and these never well washed or changed often enough.) I observed that a long toilette was necessary, and gave her no credit for boasting that hers was a 'short' one. What I could not say myself on this point I got said through women; through Madame Busche, and afterwards through Mrs. Harcourt. It is remarkable how amazingly on this point her education has been neglected, and how much her mother, although an Englishwoman, was inattentive to it. My other conversation was on the princess' speaking slightingly of the duchess; being peevish towards her, and often laughing at her or about her. On this point I talked very seriously indeed--said that nothing was so extremely improper, so radically wrong; that it was impossible, if she reflected a moment, that she should not be sorry for everything of the kind which escaped: and I assured her it was more improper from a tender affection the duchess had for her. The princess felt al this, and it made a temporary impression; but in this as on all other subjects, I have had but too many opportunities to observe that her heart is very, very light, unsusceptible of strong or lasting feelings. In some respects this may make her happier, but certainly not better. I, however, must say that, on the idea being suggested to her by her father that I should remain on business in Germany, and not be allowed to attend her to England, she was most extremely afflicted, even to tears, and spoke to me with a kindness and feeling I was highly gratified to find in her." His lordship arrives with his precious charge in London; and the "happy couple" are introduced to each other:-- "I immediately notified the arrival to the King and Prince of Wales; the last came immediately. I, according to the established etiquette, introduced (no one else being in the room) the Princess Caroline to him. She very properly, in consequence of my saying to her it was the right mode of proceeding, attempted to kneel to him. He raised her (gracefully enough) and embraced her; said barely one word, turned round, retired to a distant part of the apartment, and calling me to him, said, 'Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy!' I said, 'Sir, had you not better have a glass of water?'--upon which he much out of humor, said with an oath, 'No; I will go directly to the queen,' and away he went. The princess, left during this short moment alone, was in a state of astonishment; and, on my joining her, said 'Mon Dieu! Est-ce que le prince est toujours comme cels? Je le trouve trésgres, et nullement aussi beau que son portrait.' I said his royal highness was naturally a good deal affected and flurried at this first interview, but she certainly would find him different at dinner. She was disposed to further criticisms on this occasion, which would have embarrassed me very much to answer, if luckily the king had not ordered me to attend him." We much question, whether throughout his royal highness' stables there could have been found a groom capable of the brutal heartless conduct of this "First Gentleman of Europe!" The marriage takes place. The princess, it may be, stung by the indifference of her spouse, becomes vivacious and rattling; and one day, after an exhibition of the kind, in which the princess had behaved "very lightly and even improperly," the prince, taking Malmesbury into his closet-- "Asked me how I liked this sort of manners. I could not conceal my disapprobation of them, and took this opportunity of repeating to him the substance of what the Duke of Brunswick had so often said to me, that it was expedient de la tenir serrée; that she had been brought up very strictly, and, if she was not strictly kept, would from high spirits and little thought certainly emancipate too much. To this the prince said, 'I see but too plainly: but why, Harris, did you not tell me so before, or write it to me from Brunswick?' I replied, that I did not consider what the duke (a severe father himself towards his children) said of sufficient consequence; that it affected neither the princess' moral character nor conduct, and was intended solely as an intimation which I conceived it only proper to notice to his royal highness at a proper occasion--at such a one as now had offered; and that I humbly hoped his royal highness would not consider it as casting any real slur or aspersion on the princess; that as to not writing to his royal highness from Brunswick, I begged him to recollect I was not sent on a discretionary commission, but with the most positive commands to ask the Princess Caroline in marriage, and nothing more; that to this sole point, respecting the marriage, and no other, those commands went; any reflection or remarks that I had presumed to make would (whether in praise of or injurious to her royal highness) have been a direct and positive deviation from those his Majesty's commands. They were as limited as they were imperative. That still, had I discovered notorious or glaring defects, or such as were of a nature to render the union unseemly, I should have felt it as a bounden duty to have stated them; but it must have been directly to the King, and to no one else. To this the prince appeared to acquiesce; but I saw it did not please, and left a rankle in his mind." . . . .
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