British Monarchy – Cottage Capers

On this day in history….29th January 1820

On this day in history : 29th January 1820 – King George III dies insane at Windsor Castle, a decade after having to retire from public life because of his mental health….

George had been England’s longest ruling monarch before Queen Victoria…. He came to the throne in 1760 at the age of 22 and there he remained for 59 years and 96 days….

Coronation portrait by Allan Ramsay 1762 – Public domain

A year after becoming King he married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the daughter of a German duke…. It was a political union – but a successful one, the couple went on to have 15 children….

His reign saw the end of the Seven Years’ War and also the American Revolution…. When people nowadays think of George III two things spring to mind – his madness and the loss of the American colonies….

George’s first severe bout of insanity occurred in 1778 and lasted for a month…. So violent was he that a straitjacket had to be used to restrain him…. However, he was to recover and resumed his reign proving to be a very popular monarch….

Portrait by Sir William Beechey 1799/1800 – Public domain

His next severe bout was in 1804…. Once again he made a recovery – but in 1810 he was to lapse into an illness from which he would not recover…. By this time he was also virtually blind from cataracts and in constant pain from rheumatism…. By the end of 1811 he was permanently insane and lived in seclusion at Windsor Castle…. His son, the future George IV, became Prince Regent….

George’s health continued to decline…. He was unable to understand that he was King – or that his wife had died in 1818…. Eventually he was completely blind, more and more deaf and for the last few weeks of his life unable to walk….

He died at Windsor Castle at 8.38pm on the 29th of January 1820 – his son Frederick, Duke of York, was with him….

It has long widely been thought that George may have suffered from a condition known as porphyria, an inherited blood disorder that can cause confusion, paranoia and hallucinations…. Doctors at the time, knowing no different, may have made this worse by treating him with arsenic….

Engraving by Henry Meyer of George III in later life – Public domain

However, a more recent study, a research project at St George’s, University of London, argues against porphyria…. One of the symptoms of the illness is blue urine – and there is little evidence to suggest George III suffered from this….

Using thousands of handwritten letters by George, a computer was used to analyse his language…. His sentences were much longer during his episodes of mental illness…. As many as 400 words could be used in one sentence – that in turn could contain up to 8 verbs…. He also had a tendency to often repeat himself….

This is also something seen today in the writings of those suffering from illnesses such as bipolar…. Therefore, it is argued that King George III actually suffered from bipolar and/or dementia….

George III by Allan Ramsay 1762 – Public domain

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….22nd January 1901

On this day in history : 22nd January 1901 – The death, at the age of 81, of Queen Victoria – who had reigned for 63 years and 7 months….

Photograph of Queen Victoria 1882 – Image credit : Alexander Bassano – Public domain

When the announcement came from Osbourne House ~ that at 6.30pm, surrounded by her family, Queen Victoria had drawn her last breath ~ it somewhat took the nation by surprise…. The Queen had been on the throne for nearly 64 years, for most people all of their living memory…. An imperative question arose…. ‘Just how exactly does one bury a monarch?’ Nobody could actually remember ever having to do so….

It had been kept from the public just how quickly the Queen was fading away….and even her family were in denial…. She had lost so much weight that she was but a shadow of her former self…. She was confined to a wheelchair, had all but lost her eyesight and suffered bouts of memory loss….

Queen Victoria had seen in the New Year with a sense of trepidation ~ “Another year begun, I am feeling so weak and unwell, that I enter upon it sadly”…. 1900 had been one hell of a year for the Queen…. Her daughter Vicky, Dowager Empress of Germany, had been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer; her son Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, had died from throat cancer…. Her much loved grandson, Prince Christian Victor, had been lost to fever whilst serving with the British Army in South Africa…. And only just a few days before, Queen Victoria’s dear friend, Lady Churchill, had died in her bed whilst staying with the Queen at Osbourne House…. Then to top it all, there was the continual worry of the ongoing Boer War….

Queen Victoria aged 80, 1899 – After Heinrich von Angeli – Public domain

The government was totally unprepared for what was to come…. Queen Victoria had expressed her wish for a full state military funeral, “befitting for a soldier’s daughter”…. There was to be no lying-in-state, no embalming and ~ even though she herself had worn widow’s weeds since the death of her beloved Albert ~ no mourning black…. She wanted a white funeral with purple trimmings, with a gun carriage and white ponies….

With only a few days to organise such a grand funeral chaos reigned…. The family argued amongst themselves and officials panicked….

The preparation of Queen Victoria for her coffin was a closed affair, with only her doctor and a long-trusted woman servant in attendance…. The Queen was dressed in a white silk gown and her wedding veil placed over her face…. Unbeknown to the family there were some items Queen Victoria had instructed that she wished to take with her…. Secreted inside the coffin was a lock of hair, photographs and the pocket handkerchief of one John Brown…. Upon her finger she wore the wedding ring that had belonged to Brown’s mother – and which Queen Victoria had worn since his death in 1883…. John Brown was Queen Victoria’s devoted Scottish Highland servant – the two of them had been very close….

Queen Victoria and John Brown at Balmoral, 1863 – Photograph G.W.Wilson, Public domain

On the 1st of February the funeral cortège began its long journey…. The coffin was carried onboard the Royal Yacht ‘Alberta’ across the Solent from the Isle of Wight to the mainland…. An eleven mile procession of battleships and cruisers lined the way….each firing a gun salute as the little yacht passed by…. The cortège stayed in harbour overnight before continuing by train to London’s Victoria early the next morning….

(c) Walker Art Gallery; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation — The Passing of a Great Queen ; painting by William Wyllie – Public domain

What was to follow was the largest procession since 1852 and the state funeral of the Duke of Wellington…. Through Hyde Park and on to Paddington, the Queen’s coffin high on a gun carriage was drawn by eight white ponies…. The streets, lined with mourners, remained silent….

Queen Victoria’s funeral procession – Russell & Sons : http://www.royalcollection.org.uk – Public domain

From Paddington the coffin was taken by train to Windsor – and then to the waiting gun carriage…. It was here that disaster almost struck…. The horses, which had been kept standing in the freezing conditions for perhaps too long, broke away – nearly causing the coffin to topple…. Unable to re-harness the horses 183 bluejackets from the naval guard of honour attached ropes to the gun carriage – they then proceeded to drag it to St. George’s Chapel….

After the official funeral service a further ceremony was held on the 4th of February just for the family…. It was then that Queen Victoria’s coffin was lowered into the mausoleum that she’d had built for her Albert ~ they were together again….

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….25th December 1950

On this day in history : 25th December 1950 – The ‘Stone of Scone’ – also known as the ‘Stone of Destiny’ – is stolen by Scottish Nationalists from Westminster Abbey – where it had been for 650 years….

Coronation Chair with the Stone of Scone, Westminster Abbey – Cornell University Library via Flickr

The oblong block of red sandstone, weighing 458lb (208kg) is said to have been captured by King Edward I as ‘spoils of war’ in 1296…. He took the stone from Scone, near to Perth…. The stone, a powerful, ancient symbol of the Scottish monarchy had been used in the coronation of Scotland’s kings for centuries…. Edward I had it taken to Westminster Abbey – and incorporated into his own throne…. Most British sovereigns have been crowned upon it ever since….

On Christmas Day 1950 four Scottish students – Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart – removed the stone from the Abbey….during the process the stone broke into two pieces…. They buried the larger piece in a field in Kent….but a few days later dug it up again and took it back to Scotland…. A short while later they also brought back the smaller section and the two pieces were given to a senior Scottish politician who had the stone professionally repaired, by stonemason Robert Gray….

Replica of the Stone of Scone at Scone Palace – Aaron Bradley CC BY-SA 2.0

Meanwhile, the British government had launched a major search for the stone but were unsuccessful in discovering its whereabouts…. On the 11th of April 1951 the Stone of Scone was left for safekeeping by the Church of Scotland on the altar of Arbroath Abbey…. The police in London were informed – and the stone was returned to Westminster Abbey…. At the time it was rumoured that a copy had been made and the one returned was not the original….

In 1996 it was decided that the Stone of Scone should be returned to Scotland…. It now resides alongside Scotland’s Crown Jewels – the ‘Honours of Scotland’…. The only time the stone will ever leave Scotland now is when it is needed for the coronation of future kings and queens of the United Kingdom….

Illustration of the Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey, 1855 – Anonymous engraver – public domain

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….16th December 1485

On this day in history : 16th December 1485 – Catherine of Aragon, the first of King Henry the VIII’s six wives, is born in Spain….

Catherine of Aragon – attributed to Joannes Corvus – Public domain

Born Catalina of Aragon, she was the daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile – a union that had united Spain…. On her maternal side Catherine’s great-grandmother was Catherine of Lancaster, for whom she was named – and so was related to English royalty….

Catherine had a strong Roman Catholic upbringing and was an extremely well-educated young woman…. She was tutored by Alessandro Geraldini, a clerk in Holy Orders…. She studied classical literature, history, religion, theology, philosophy, arithmetic, law, genealogy and heraldry…. She could speak, read and write in both Spanish and Latin….and could converse in French and Greek…. She was able to cook, draw, sew, spin, weave, embroider and make lace…. She was educated in etiquette and music….

Portrait by Juan de Flandes – of what is thought to be of an 11-year-old Catherine – Public domain

Catherine was ideal material for a future Queen of England and at the age of three was betrothed to Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry VII – and who was a year younger than her…. In 1501, at 16-years-old, she arrived in England for the marriage, which took place in St. Paul’s Cathedral on the 14th of November 1501…. Afterwards they lived in Ludlow Castle, on the Welsh border – but sadly it was to be a short-lived marriage, as five months later Arthur became ill and died….

Rather than return to Spain, as was expected, Catherine remained in England….and became betrothed to Arthur’s younger brother, Henry – six years her junior…. A dispute between King Henry VII and her father King Ferdinand II, over her dowry, meant the pair were not to marry for a number of years….

King Henry VII died on the 21st of April 1509 and the young 17-year-old Henry came to the throne…. He married Catherine in a private ceremony on the 11th of June and a few days later, on the 24th of June, the newly-weds were crowned King and Queen of England in a joint Coronation at Westminster Abbey…. And for the first few years they were happy together….

16th Century woodcut of the Coronation of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon – Public domain

In January 1510 Catherine gave birth to a stillborn daughter…. Her second child, Prince Henry, was born in 1511….there was much celebration as a male heir had arrived – but the baby was to die soon after…. Catherine bore six children in total but only one was to survive – a daughter born in 1516, who was later to become Queen Mary I….

Henry was desperate for a male heir and he began to turn his attentions elsewhere- namely to Catherine’s lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn…. He blamed his doomed marriage on an old curse that a man should never marry his dead brother’s widow…. In 1527 he asked the Pope for an annulment of his marriage – but was refused…. There was much public sympathy for Catherine….

For seven years the Pope continued to deny Henry’s request…. It was in 1533 that King Henry VIII secretly married Anne Boleyn, who was already pregnant with their child…. He then passed the Act of Supremacy, declaring himself head of the English Church…. Thomas Cranmer was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury and he annulled the marriage with Catherine…. Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen in June 1533…. Catherine was re-titled Dowager Princess of Wales – a title she was never to accept – and was forced to leave Court…. She was also prevented from seeing her daughter…

Catherine spent the rest of her days cut off from the life she had previously known…. She died on the 7th of January 1536, probably from cancer, at Kimbolton Castle, Cambridgeshire…. She was given a small, unremarkable funeral and was buried in Peterborough Abbey….

Grave of Catherine of Aragon in Peterborough Cathedral – Photo credit : TTaylor – Public domain

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….15th December 1785

On this day in history : 15th December 1785 – The Prince of Wales (the future King George IV) secretly marries Maria Fitzherbert – a marriage not only secret but also illegal….

NPG 5389; King George IV by Richard Cosway — Miniature by Richard Cosway, watercolour on ivory, 1792 – Public domain

Maria was born Maria Smythe – and was raised in the Catholic faith…. She had already been widowed twice when she met a 22-year-old George at the opera one evening…. Maria was a few years older than the Prince….

George had always liked the ladies and was prone to falling in love easily – when he met Maria he was instantly smitten…. He asked her to become his mistress – an invitation she demurely declined…. Unthwarted, George proposed marriage….but once again Maria refused…. It is said George then threatened to kill himself if she did not become his wife….

Maria Fitzherbert – by Joshua Reynolds – Public domain

George and Maria were married in a ceremony conducted by Robert Burt – who was paid £500 to keep quiet…. The Royal Marriage Act of 1772 required members of the royal family to seek the permission of the Sovereign to marry…. King George III would never have allowed his son to marry Maria….the Act of Settlement 1701 forbade Roman Catholics from sitting upon the throne….

For nearly ten years George and Maria lived together at Brighton Pavilion, as husband and wife…. George liked to live an extravagant lifestyle and managed to get into considerable debt – (equating to more than £65 million in today’s terms)…. He could never have hoped to pay this kind of sum back – and so he approached the government for help…. Parliament agreed to increase his allowance….but there was a condition…. In exchange he had to give up his life with Maria and marry a Protestant of their choice – Caroline of Brunswick…. He had little alternative….

Caroline was also his first cousin, although the pair had never met…. By all accounts Caroline was quite disgusting – she was ugly, lacked discretion, rarely changed her underwear and hardly ever washed…. She didn’t fancy George much either – saying he looked “nothing like as handsome as his portrait”….

Caroline of Brunswick – by James Lonsdale – Public domain

Nevertheless, the reluctant couple married on the 8th of April 1795….nine months later they had a daughter, Charlotte Augusta…. After the birth George distanced himself from his wife….and a year later took their daughter away to be brought up by a governess….

Charlotte had a lonely, loveless childhood – eventually she rebelled and ran away to be with her mother…. George managed to persuade his daughter to return to Windsor – but was always worried his estranged wife would coax her away again…. So he made Caroline an offer she could not refuse….an allowance of £35,000 per year if she left Britain for good….

Sadly Charlotte died in childbirth in 1817…. George tried to rekindle his relationship with Maria after his separation from Caroline…. In 1800 they did indeed reunite – but things became strained between them, especially when George began to take mistresses…. In 1811 she decided enough was enough and leaving him a farewell letter departed for good….

George became King in 1821…. Caroline, demanding her position as Queen, returned to British shores – even turning up at Westminster Abbey on the day of the Coronation….but to no avail…. Ironically, she died three weeks later….

Coronation of George IV – James Stephanoff – Public domain

King George IV died in 1830….his brother King William IV succeeded the throne…. Eager to make amends to Maria he offered her Brighton Pavilion as a home….where she lived until her death in 1837….