ministers.
The FitzClarences were delighted. They were now the sons and daughters of the King. This was going to make a great difference. Lots of honours should come their way.
His daughter Lady Erroll with her husband and their children were in residence at Bushy at the time and they came out to look at him in his admiral’s uniform and listen to him rehearsing the declaration.
Wellington felt that never could a King’s accession have been received in such a way, but the only member of the household who seemed to be aware of this very odd behaviour was the new Queen.
Wellington was glad when it was time to leave for St James’s with William that they might attend the first Privy Council under the new reign.
On a hot July day George IV was buried. It was some three weeks since his death and during that time William had succeeded in making himself quite popular with his subjects. His complete lack of ceremony endeared him to them; in any case they were prepared to love anyone who was not George IV. He showed a lack of concern for ceremony; he walked about the streets; he would shake any man by the hand, and had a word for everyone. His red weatherbeaten face was unlike that of a King; he lacked the stature of his brother; and the people liked him for it.
It was going to be very different now he was the King. He was a faithful husband; it was true his wife was by no means beautiful but she had a royal air which was acceptable; and she was fond of him and he of her; and it was not her fault that she had not given him an heir.
He had declared that the royal parks should be opened to the public; they were for everyone to enjoy, he said; the public might wander through the grounds and look in at the windows of Windsor Castle. The Sovereigns belonged to the people; that was William’s maxim.
He sent a note to Mrs Fitzherbert telling her that the late King had been thinking of her at the last and that she was to put her household into mourning for him. This was another popular move. Maria was a respected figure; the late King had been disliked for treating her badly and for the new King to behave as though she were indeed the widow of George IV appealed to the people’s sense of chivalry.
In those first few weeks William could do no wrong.
It was true Adelaide had to remonstrate with him to curb his high spirits. It was unseemly to go to a funeral in such a jocular mood. But there was no subtlety about William; he was overjoyed to have reached his goal and he was not going to pretend otherwise.
And so, amidst rejoicing and a certain amount of frivolity, the remains of George IV were laid to rest in St George’s Chapel at Windsor.
In the late King’s apartments his effects were being sorted out. Such a medley of souvenirs had rarely been seen. He had been a great letter-writer and had revelled in his correspondence with numerous women with whom during a long and amorous life he had believed himself to be in love. He had been a hoarder who could never bring himself to destroy anything. There were thousands of letters tied up with ribbons; there were women’s gloves and locks of hair, all carefully preserved. He had cared passionately for clothes and had in fact designed many with and without the help of Beau Brummel. It had been impossible for him ever to lose sight of these garments on which he had expended so much loving care. Now they were hanging in good condition and in chronological order in his wardrobes. His servants said that he never forgot one of them and was apt to ask to see some garment which he had not worn for fifty years. With regard to money he was less careful. Among his possessions were found five hundred wallets each containing sums of money the total of which amounted to £10,000.
This strange collection caused some amusement, and was discussed throughout the Castle; and then William began to change everything. He dismissed his brother’s French chefs. English cooks were good enough for him,
The FitzClarences were delighted. They were now the sons and daughters of the King. This was going to make a great difference. Lots of honours should come their way.
His daughter Lady Erroll with her husband and their children were in residence at Bushy at the time and they came out to look at him in his admiral’s uniform and listen to him rehearsing the declaration.
Wellington felt that never could a King’s accession have been received in such a way, but the only member of the household who seemed to be aware of this very odd behaviour was the new Queen.
Wellington was glad when it was time to leave for St James’s with William that they might attend the first Privy Council under the new reign.
On a hot July day George IV was buried. It was some three weeks since his death and during that time William had succeeded in making himself quite popular with his subjects. His complete lack of ceremony endeared him to them; in any case they were prepared to love anyone who was not George IV. He showed a lack of concern for ceremony; he walked about the streets; he would shake any man by the hand, and had a word for everyone. His red weatherbeaten face was unlike that of a King; he lacked the stature of his brother; and the people liked him for it.
It was going to be very different now he was the King. He was a faithful husband; it was true his wife was by no means beautiful but she had a royal air which was acceptable; and she was fond of him and he of her; and it was not her fault that she had not given him an heir.
He had declared that the royal parks should be opened to the public; they were for everyone to enjoy, he said; the public might wander through the grounds and look in at the windows of Windsor Castle. The Sovereigns belonged to the people; that was William’s maxim.
He sent a note to Mrs Fitzherbert telling her that the late King had been thinking of her at the last and that she was to put her household into mourning for him. This was another popular move. Maria was a respected figure; the late King had been disliked for treating her badly and for the new King to behave as though she were indeed the widow of George IV appealed to the people’s sense of chivalry.
In those first few weeks William could do no wrong.
It was true Adelaide had to remonstrate with him to curb his high spirits. It was unseemly to go to a funeral in such a jocular mood. But there was no subtlety about William; he was overjoyed to have reached his goal and he was not going to pretend otherwise.
And so, amidst rejoicing and a certain amount of frivolity, the remains of George IV were laid to rest in St George’s Chapel at Windsor.
In the late King’s apartments his effects were being sorted out. Such a medley of souvenirs had rarely been seen. He had been a great letter-writer and had revelled in his correspondence with numerous women with whom during a long and amorous life he had believed himself to be in love. He had been a hoarder who could never bring himself to destroy anything. There were thousands of letters tied up with ribbons; there were women’s gloves and locks of hair, all carefully preserved. He had cared passionately for clothes and had in fact designed many with and without the help of Beau Brummel. It had been impossible for him ever to lose sight of these garments on which he had expended so much loving care. Now they were hanging in good condition and in chronological order in his wardrobes. His servants said that he never forgot one of them and was apt to ask to see some garment which he had not worn for fifty years. With regard to money he was less careful. Among his possessions were found five hundred wallets each containing sums of money the total of which amounted to £10,000.
This strange collection caused some amusement, and was discussed throughout the Castle; and then William began to change everything. He dismissed his brother’s French chefs. English cooks were good enough for him,
Similar Books
