Queen Victoria (8 page)

In the autumn of the year 1837 the Court moved to Brighton, but the stay at the Pavilion was not prolonged, as the crowding of the mob, whenever the gates of the grounds were passed, was anything but pleasant. Returning to London on the 4th of November, Her Majesty on the 9th paid her first visit, in State, to the City of London, and dined with the Lord Mayor in the Guildhall. The Queen travelled in the State Carriage, attended by the Mistress of the Robes and the Master of the Horse, and escorted by the Life Guards, along the Strand to the Guildhall. At Temple Bar the procession halted, and the keys of the City were dutifully offered and graciously returned to the Lord Mayor, who then mounted his horse, and holding the City Sword preceded the Royal Carriage. At St. Paul’s another halt was made, and the Senior Scholar of Christ’s Hospital, according to ancient custom, delivered an address of Welcome. On this occasion the great City hall was magnificently decorated, and plate of fabulous value was displayed. In return for this splendid entertainment Her Majesty conferred a baronetcy on the Lord Mayor, and was pleased to knight both the Sheriffs, one of whom was Mr. Moses Montefiore, the first of his faith to receive the honour from an English Sovereign. On the 24th of December, after going to the Houses of Parliament before the recess, the Queen went to Windsor for the Christmas holidays. At this Session of Parliament the details of the Queen’s Civil List had been arranged and passed, the whole amounting to the sum of.£385,000 per annum.

From the moment of her accession to the throne, she had been constantly brought into the most intimate relations with the Prime Minister, of whom Greville writes: “No man is more formed to ingratiate himself with her than Melbourne. He treats her with unbounded consideration and respect, he consults her taste and her wishes, and he puts her at her ease by his frank and natural manners, while he amuses her by the quaint, queer, epigrammatic turn of his mind, and his varied knowledge upon all subjects. It is not, therefore, surprising that she should be well content with her present government, and that during the progress of the elections she should have testified great interest in the success of the Whig candidates. Her reliance upon Melbourne’s advice extends at present to subjects quite beside his constitutional functions, for the other day somebody asked her permission to dedicate some novel to her, when she said she did not like to grant the permission without knowing the contents of the work, and she desired Melbourne to read the book, and let her know if it was fit that she should accept the dedication. Melbourne read the first volume, but found it so dull that he would not read any more, and sent her word that she had better refuse, which she accordingly did. She seems to be liberal, but at the same time prudent with regard to money, for when the Queen Dowager proposed to her to take her band into her service, she declined to incur so great an expense without further consideration, but one of the first things she spoke to Melbourne about was the payment of her father’s debts, which she is resolved to discharge” - and they were discharged accordingly. Later he writes on the same subject: “George Villiers, who came from Windsor on Monday, told me he had been exceedingly struck with Lord Melbourne’s manner to the Queen, and hers to him: his, so parental and anxious, but always so respectful and deferential; hers, indicative of such entire confidence, such pleasure in his society. She is constantly talking to him; let who will be there, he always sits next her at dinner, and evidently by arrangement, because he always takes in the lady-in-waiting, which necessarily places him next her, the etiquette being that the lady-in-waiting sits next but one to the Queen. It is not unnatural, and to him it is peculiarly interesting. I have no doubt he is passionately fond of her, as he might be of his own daughter if he had one, and the more because he is a man with a capacity for loving without having anything in the world to love. It is become his province to educate, instruct, and form the most interesting mind and character in the world. No occupation was ever more engrossing or involved greater responsibility. I have no doubt that Melbourne is both equal to and worthy of the task, and that it is fortunate that she has fallen into his hands, and that he discharges this great duty wisely, honourably, and conscientiously. There are, however, or rather may be hereafter, inconveniences in the establishment of such an intimacy, and in a connexion of so close and affectionate a nature between the young Queen and her Minister; for whenever the Government, which hangs by a thread, shall be broken up, the parting will be painful, and their subsequent relations will not be without embarrassment to themselves, nor fail to be the cause of jealousy in others. It is a great proof of the discretion and purity of his conduct and behaviour, that he is admired, respected, and liked by all the Court.” This rupture, however, apparently so imminent, did not occur till another, and a permanent Counsellor, took his place as a husband by the Queen’s side.

On the 27th June, 1838, the Queen was crowned in Westminster Abbey, an event which, on account of the age and sex of the Sovereign, excited an extraordinary degree of interest among all classes. It was afterwards computed that no less than four hundred thousand persons came into London to see the procession and festivities, and that upwards of £200,000 was in consequence expended. The ceremonial was conducted in nearly all respects in the same manner as that of the coronation of William IV; the walking procession of all the estates of the realm, the banquet in Westminster Hall, with all the feudal services attendant thereon, being dispensed with; not without some protests from the antiquaries, as well as from interested tradesmen. The procession, however, outside the Abbey was considerably increased in number as well as in splendour, and the route from the Palace to the Abbey lengthened, so as to give the vast throngs of people more opportunity of seeing their Sovereign. As nearly as possible at ten o’clock the Queen stepped into her carriage, a new Royal Standard (30 by 18 ft.) was hoisted on the Marble Arch, the bands played the National Anthem, and a salute of twenty-one guns was fired in the Park. Following the Trumpeters and Life Guards came the magnificent State Carriages of the Foreign Ambassadors, a novel sight on such an occasion. Conspicuous among them was the splendid coach of Marshal Soult, Duke of Dalmatia, the old antagonist of the Duke of Wellington, and now Ambassador from the King of the French; the veteran was greeted all along the line of procession, and even in the Abbey itself, with the heartiest cheers. Next came the members of the Royal Family, preceding the Queen’s carriages, conveying the Members and Officers of the Household; after which, surrounded by a brilliant staff and escort, came the State Carriage bearing the Sovereign, in attendance upon whom were the Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Sutherland, and the Master of the Horse, the Earl of Albemarle; the Captain-General of the Royal Archers, the Duke of Buccleuch, on horseback, followed the carriage.

The Queen reached the west door of the Abbey at halfpast eleven, and was there received by the great Officers of State, the noblemen bearing the Regalia, and the Bishops carrying the Patina, the Chalice, and the Bible. Her Majesty then repaired to her robing chamber, and soon after twelve the grand procession passed up the nave into the choir, in the centre of which was a raised dais covered with cloth of gold, on which was placed the chair of homage. Farther on, within the chancel and facing the altar, was placed St. Edward’s chair. The altar was covered with magnificent gold plate. As the Queen advanced, the anthem, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the House of the Lord,” was sung by the choir, at the close of which the boys of Westminster School shouted “Vivat Victoria Regina.” Then, amid a solemn hush, the Queen passed to a faldstool and knelt in silent prayer, after which the Ceremonial proceeded. First came “The Recognition,” by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who advanced to the Queen, accompanied by the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord High Constable, and the Earl Marshal, preceded by the Deputy-Garter, and repeated these words, “Sirs, I here present unto you Queen Victoria, the undoubted Queen of this realm; wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage, are you willing to do the same?” In answer burst forth the universal cry, “God save Queen Victoria,” repeated as the Archbishop turned to the north, south, and west, the Queen turning at the same time in the same direction. Her Majesty then advanced to the altar and made her first offering of a pall or altar-cloth of gold, which was laid on the altar, on which had been previously placed the Chalice, Patina, and Bible. An ingot of gold, of one pound weight, was then presented by the Queen to the Archbishop, by whom it was placed in the oblation-basin. After the Litany and the first portion of the Communion Service, the Sermon was preached by the Bishop of London, at the conclusion of which the Oath was administered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. After asking the Queen if she would govern according to the Statutes of Parliament, and the laws and customs of the realm, and whether she would cause law and justice in mercy to be executed, he further asked, “Will you, to the uttermost of your power, maintain the laws of God, the true profession of the Gospel, and the Protestant reformed religion, established by law; and will you maintain and preserve inviolably, the settlement of the United Church of England and Ireland, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof as by law established, within England and Ireland, and the territory thereunto belonging; and will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England and Ireland, and to the churches there committed to their charges, all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?” Having answered these questions in the affirmative, and preceded by the Great Officers of State, Her Majesty went to the Altar, where kneeling, and with her right hand upon the Gospels held before her by the Archbishop, she said, “The things which I have here before promised I will perform and keep. So help me God.” The Queen having kissed the book, and signed a transcript of the Oath, then knelt upon the faldstool while the choir sang, “Veni, Creator. Spiritus.”

The Archbishop then said the prayer preceding the anointing, after which the choir sang the Coronation Anthem, at the beginning of which the Queen retired to St. Edward’s Chapel with her ladies and train-bearers, and was divested of her crimson robe and kirtle. She then put on the
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of cloth of gold, also in the shape of a kirtle, over a linen gown trimmed with lace, and taking off her circlet of diamonds returned bare-headed to the Abbey, where she took her seat in King Edward’s chair; four Knights of the Garter held over her head a rich canopy of cloth of gold, the Archbishop then anointed the head and hands of the Sovereign, marking them in the form of a cross, and pronouncing the words, “Be thou anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed King by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be you anointed blessed and consecrated Queen over this people, whom the Lord your God hath given you to rule and govern, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.” A benediction from the Archbishop followed; after which the spurs were presented by the Lord Great Chamberlain, and the Sword of State by Lord Melbourne, who, according to custom, redeemed it with a hundred shillings, and carried it unsheathed during the rest of the ceremony.

The Queen, who had been invested with the Imperial mantle, or dalmatic robe of cloth of gold lined with ermine, then received the Orb, which she found very heavy. In the investure “per annulum et baculum,” the ring and sceptre, which followed, it was found that the ring was too small, and it was only by great exertion that it could be placed on the third finger, where it caused great pain, and could only be removed after the ceremony by bathing the hand in iced water. The Archbishop having offered a prayer to God to bless Her Majesty and “crown her with all princely virtues,” received the crown from the Dean, and reverently placed it on the Queen’s head. This was no sooner done, than from every part of the Abbey rose a loud and enthusiastic cry of “God save the Queen!” At this moment, the Peers and Peeresses present put on their coronets, the Bishops their caps, and the Kings-at-Arms their crowns; the trumpets sounded, the drums beat, and salutes were fired by signal from the Park and Tower guns. The Bible was then presented to the Queen. She returned it to the Archbishop, who after restoring it to the Altar, pronounced the Benediction, after which the “Te Deum” was sung by the choir, and the Queen was then “enthroned” or “lifted,” according to the formulary, by the Archbishops, Bishops, and Peers, surrounding her, into the chair of homage, where first the Archbishop of Canterbury knelt, and did homage for himself and other Lords Spiritual, who all kissed the Queen’s hand. Then the Queen’s uncles, the Duke of Sussex and Cambridge, removing their coronets, did homage in these words: “I do become your liegeman of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. So help me God.” They touched the Crown on the Queen’s head, kissed her left cheek, and retired; it was noticed that Her Majesty’s bearing to her uncles was very affectionate. Then according to their precedence, the Dukes and other Peers performed their homage, the senior of each rank reciting the words, each Peer kissing Her Majesty’s hand and touching the Crown. The aged Lord Rolle, who was over eighty, trying to mount the steps, fell down, and with difficulty was raised. He again attempted to perform his duty, when the Queen, rising from her seat, went to meet him, to prevent him coming up farther, and extended her hand for him to kiss; “an act of graciousness and kindness which made a very great sensation.”

Whilst the homage was performed by the Lords, the Earl of Surrey, Lord Treasurer of the Household, threw to the occupants of the choir, and the lower galleries, the silver Coronation medals; these were scrambled for with great eagerness. After the homage was over, the Anthem, “This is the day which the Lord hath made,” was sung, followed by the sound of the drums and trumpets, and nine loud and hearty cheers from the House of Commons, who then joined in the homage. The remainder of the Communion Service was then read, and the Queen, divested of the symbols of Sovereignty, received the Holy Sacrament; then resuming her crown, and holding the Sceptres, she took her seat on the Throne, when the Service was concluded, and the final blessing pronounced, followed by the singing of the “Hallelujah Chorus.” This ended the Jlong ceremonial; Her Majesty left the throne, and proceeded to the west door of the Abbey, wearing the crown, her right hand holding the Sceptre with the Cross, and the left supporting the Orb; she was followed by the Peers and Peeresses, now wearing their coronets, and the brilliant afternoon sun pouring through the windows made the scene one of incomparable splendour. Along the homeward route, the manifestations of loyalty were even more enthusiastic than in the morning; for the Queen was now fully apparelled in State, and wore the crown, in the front of which blazed the historic ruby of Poitiers and Agincourt. Mrs. Jamieson, who witnessed the procession, writes: - “When she returned, looking pale and tremulous, crowned, and holding her sceptre in a manner and attitude which said, ‘I have it, and none shall wrest it from me!’ even Carlyle, who was standing near me, uttered with emotion, “A blessing on her head.”