a far better husband than ‘some petty Member of a petty German Princes House’. 6 Neither Mary nor Napoleon showed any enthusiasm for such a match, and the scheme was quietly dropped.
By this time, a new crisis was threatening to disturb the peace. England and France had long feared that Russia was proposing to dismember the Turkish Empire and take the Dardanelles under Russian control. In February 1854, when the outbreak of hostilities seemed all but certain, Queen Victoria admitted that her heart was ‘not in this unsatisfactory war’. When she discussed it with Lord Aberdeen, he warned her that whatever happened, Palmerston was likely to succeed him as prime minister before long. She told him she would never feel safe with the latter, whereupon Aberdeen replied sadly that he feared Her Majesty ‘would not be safe with me during war, for I have such a terrible repugnance for it, in all its forms’. Despite his pacifist caution, Victoria insisted that an immediate war would be the lesser of two evils, as it would prevent a worse one later; ‘patching up was dangerous’. 7
Aberdeen begged to differ, but in the end there was to be no patching-up. Three days later, on 28 February, Britain formally declared war against Russia in support of Turkey and in alliance with France. English and French warships were sent to the Black Sea to prevent Russian landings, and later that year troops were sent to the Crimea.
To those who knew him, it came as little surprise that Aberdeen proved an indecisive prime minister and reluctant head of government. In January 1855 the cabinet refused to accept a motion for a committee of inquiry into the management of the war, and a vote of no confidence was carried against the government. Aberdeen resigned and, as he had foreseen, only Palmerston was strong enough to form a ministry. He was accordingly appointed prime minister.
Despite the Queen’s reservations about accepting him in office, Palmerston proved as determined as his sovereign to give utmost support to the Army and win the war. The Queen noted in her journal that to change her ‘dear kind, excellent friend, Lord Aberdeen’ had been a trial, as the incoming Prime Minister ‘certainly does owe us many amends for all he has done, and he is without doubt of a very different character to my dear and worthy friend. Still, as matters now stand, it was decidedly the right and wise course to take, and I think that Lord Palmerston, surrounded as he will be, will be sure to do no mischief.’ 8
After the conflict ended in victory for England and France, the Queen paid her head of government his due. She and Albert agreed that of all the prime ministers they had yet had, ‘Lord Palmerston is the one who gives the least trouble, & is most amenable to reason & most ready to adopt suggestions. The great danger was foreign affairs, but now that these are conducted by an able, sensible & impartial man [Lord Clarendon], & that he [Lord Palmerston] is responsible for the whole , everything is quite different.’ 9 After a general election the following year, Palmerston increased his majority, and his grip on European politics seemed to Victoria indispensable. Yet this did not augur well for the future, as at seventy-three he seemed to be ageing fast. She was particularly anxious about his frail appearance, apprehensive as to what they would do if anything should suddenly happen to him.
Her concern for him was perhaps only increased when he went up in her estimation immeasurably by doing what each of his predecessors as prime minister had thought impossible. He persuaded a rather sceptical cabinet that they should assent to Prince Albert being made Prince Consort. On 25 June 1857 a Council was held at Buckingham Palace at which the delighted Queen conferred the title on her husband by Letters Patent.
In January 1858 there was an attempt in Paris on the lives of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. During their interrogation, the
By this time, a new crisis was threatening to disturb the peace. England and France had long feared that Russia was proposing to dismember the Turkish Empire and take the Dardanelles under Russian control. In February 1854, when the outbreak of hostilities seemed all but certain, Queen Victoria admitted that her heart was ‘not in this unsatisfactory war’. When she discussed it with Lord Aberdeen, he warned her that whatever happened, Palmerston was likely to succeed him as prime minister before long. She told him she would never feel safe with the latter, whereupon Aberdeen replied sadly that he feared Her Majesty ‘would not be safe with me during war, for I have such a terrible repugnance for it, in all its forms’. Despite his pacifist caution, Victoria insisted that an immediate war would be the lesser of two evils, as it would prevent a worse one later; ‘patching up was dangerous’. 7
Aberdeen begged to differ, but in the end there was to be no patching-up. Three days later, on 28 February, Britain formally declared war against Russia in support of Turkey and in alliance with France. English and French warships were sent to the Black Sea to prevent Russian landings, and later that year troops were sent to the Crimea.
To those who knew him, it came as little surprise that Aberdeen proved an indecisive prime minister and reluctant head of government. In January 1855 the cabinet refused to accept a motion for a committee of inquiry into the management of the war, and a vote of no confidence was carried against the government. Aberdeen resigned and, as he had foreseen, only Palmerston was strong enough to form a ministry. He was accordingly appointed prime minister.
Despite the Queen’s reservations about accepting him in office, Palmerston proved as determined as his sovereign to give utmost support to the Army and win the war. The Queen noted in her journal that to change her ‘dear kind, excellent friend, Lord Aberdeen’ had been a trial, as the incoming Prime Minister ‘certainly does owe us many amends for all he has done, and he is without doubt of a very different character to my dear and worthy friend. Still, as matters now stand, it was decidedly the right and wise course to take, and I think that Lord Palmerston, surrounded as he will be, will be sure to do no mischief.’ 8
After the conflict ended in victory for England and France, the Queen paid her head of government his due. She and Albert agreed that of all the prime ministers they had yet had, ‘Lord Palmerston is the one who gives the least trouble, & is most amenable to reason & most ready to adopt suggestions. The great danger was foreign affairs, but now that these are conducted by an able, sensible & impartial man [Lord Clarendon], & that he [Lord Palmerston] is responsible for the whole , everything is quite different.’ 9 After a general election the following year, Palmerston increased his majority, and his grip on European politics seemed to Victoria indispensable. Yet this did not augur well for the future, as at seventy-three he seemed to be ageing fast. She was particularly anxious about his frail appearance, apprehensive as to what they would do if anything should suddenly happen to him.
Her concern for him was perhaps only increased when he went up in her estimation immeasurably by doing what each of his predecessors as prime minister had thought impossible. He persuaded a rather sceptical cabinet that they should assent to Prince Albert being made Prince Consort. On 25 June 1857 a Council was held at Buckingham Palace at which the delighted Queen conferred the title on her husband by Letters Patent.
In January 1858 there was an attempt in Paris on the lives of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. During their interrogation, the
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