Princess Dowager decided that something should be done. She went to the Queen’s apartment just as Charlotte, simply clad without her jewels, was about to leave for Communion.
‘But you are not going to Communion like that!’ cried the outraged Princess Dowager.
‘I am,’ answered Charlotte. Oh, yes, thought her mother-in-law, she is arrogant.
‘No, my dear. We would consider that a direct insult to God.’
‘I am sure He would not.’
So she was flippant, blasphemous. A very firm hand was needed.
‘My dear daughter, now you are here you will want to learn our customs. You will not want to offend people by behaving as you do in your brother’s little dukedom.’
Charlotte flushed. ‘I cannot see what difference …’
‘You will learn, my dear.’
The Queen replied: ‘I shall first of all learn the language.’
The Princess Dowager stood like a redoubtable old general blocking her way. The Queen was not going to pass.
She saw Elizabeth Chudleigh and told her rapidly in English to bring Lord Bute to her without delay.
Elizabeth, smiling secretly, hurried off. Meanwhile Charlotte, flustered, uncertain, never having considered that she would have to face such a situation, was undecided how to act.
‘Let us sit down,’ said the Princess. ‘Where is your tiara? Pray fetch it,’ she said to one of the maids. It was brought and she put it gently on Charlotte’s head. ‘How becoming! Why it makes you pretty.’ The eyes which regarded Charlotte were as cold as a snake’s. ‘I cannot think why you do not wish to wear the King’s gift on every occasion.’
‘It is charming,’ said Charlotte. ‘I have never possessed such jewels; but I do not consider them suitable to be worn at Communion.’
Lord Bute had arrived. He looked deeply concerned; he kissed the Queen’s hand and that of the Princess Dowager. The latter’s eyes softened at the sight of him; hard as she was where everyone else was concerned, she was soft for this man. Even now that they had been lovers for years her affection was apparent whenever she looked at him; it was in the inflection of her voice when she spoke to him.
‘Lord Bute, the Queen wishes you to set her right on this little matter of custom. Lord Bute, my dear, thinks as the King thinks. They have never had a disagreement. He will tell you what should be done and you may believe him. Her Majesty wishes to go to Communion without her jewels. I have told her that she should wear them … that it would be considered most unseemly if she did not. She would offend people here if they thought she was not paying due respect to God and religion. That is so, my lord, is it not?’
‘It is assuredly so,’ said Lord Bute.
‘I do not find it so,’ persisted Charlotte stubbornly. She was almost in tears, and angry with herself that she should be so over such a silly matter.
‘I have told Her Majesty that she will learn our ways,’ said the Princess. ‘She must not be despondent if she does not grasp them all at once.’
‘I am sure Her Majesty will know our customs as well as we do ourselves … in a very short time.’
‘In the meantime …’
‘In the meantime,’ interrupted the Princess Dowager, ‘you wish us to advise you. Rest assured, my dear daughter, that we shall be most happy to do so and save you from the embarrassment which would otherwise result.’
Charlotte continued to look stubborn. It did not improve her looks.
What a plain creature she is! thought Bute. I wonder George doesn’t rebel. Serve her right if he makes Sarah Lennox his mistress. Not that that sly old Fox will allow that. A pox on these silly squabbles, but Augusta was right of course to take this stand. The girl must not have her head turned by hearing herself referred to constantly as the Queen of England.
‘I will have a word with His Majesty,’ he told her benignly. ‘I am sure when you hear his ruling you will be convinced.’
There was one thing Charlotte had been taught
‘But you are not going to Communion like that!’ cried the outraged Princess Dowager.
‘I am,’ answered Charlotte. Oh, yes, thought her mother-in-law, she is arrogant.
‘No, my dear. We would consider that a direct insult to God.’
‘I am sure He would not.’
So she was flippant, blasphemous. A very firm hand was needed.
‘My dear daughter, now you are here you will want to learn our customs. You will not want to offend people by behaving as you do in your brother’s little dukedom.’
Charlotte flushed. ‘I cannot see what difference …’
‘You will learn, my dear.’
The Queen replied: ‘I shall first of all learn the language.’
The Princess Dowager stood like a redoubtable old general blocking her way. The Queen was not going to pass.
She saw Elizabeth Chudleigh and told her rapidly in English to bring Lord Bute to her without delay.
Elizabeth, smiling secretly, hurried off. Meanwhile Charlotte, flustered, uncertain, never having considered that she would have to face such a situation, was undecided how to act.
‘Let us sit down,’ said the Princess. ‘Where is your tiara? Pray fetch it,’ she said to one of the maids. It was brought and she put it gently on Charlotte’s head. ‘How becoming! Why it makes you pretty.’ The eyes which regarded Charlotte were as cold as a snake’s. ‘I cannot think why you do not wish to wear the King’s gift on every occasion.’
‘It is charming,’ said Charlotte. ‘I have never possessed such jewels; but I do not consider them suitable to be worn at Communion.’
Lord Bute had arrived. He looked deeply concerned; he kissed the Queen’s hand and that of the Princess Dowager. The latter’s eyes softened at the sight of him; hard as she was where everyone else was concerned, she was soft for this man. Even now that they had been lovers for years her affection was apparent whenever she looked at him; it was in the inflection of her voice when she spoke to him.
‘Lord Bute, the Queen wishes you to set her right on this little matter of custom. Lord Bute, my dear, thinks as the King thinks. They have never had a disagreement. He will tell you what should be done and you may believe him. Her Majesty wishes to go to Communion without her jewels. I have told her that she should wear them … that it would be considered most unseemly if she did not. She would offend people here if they thought she was not paying due respect to God and religion. That is so, my lord, is it not?’
‘It is assuredly so,’ said Lord Bute.
‘I do not find it so,’ persisted Charlotte stubbornly. She was almost in tears, and angry with herself that she should be so over such a silly matter.
‘I have told Her Majesty that she will learn our ways,’ said the Princess. ‘She must not be despondent if she does not grasp them all at once.’
‘I am sure Her Majesty will know our customs as well as we do ourselves … in a very short time.’
‘In the meantime …’
‘In the meantime,’ interrupted the Princess Dowager, ‘you wish us to advise you. Rest assured, my dear daughter, that we shall be most happy to do so and save you from the embarrassment which would otherwise result.’
Charlotte continued to look stubborn. It did not improve her looks.
What a plain creature she is! thought Bute. I wonder George doesn’t rebel. Serve her right if he makes Sarah Lennox his mistress. Not that that sly old Fox will allow that. A pox on these silly squabbles, but Augusta was right of course to take this stand. The girl must not have her head turned by hearing herself referred to constantly as the Queen of England.
‘I will have a word with His Majesty,’ he told her benignly. ‘I am sure when you hear his ruling you will be convinced.’
There was one thing Charlotte had been taught
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