Free Queen Victoria by Richard Rivington Holmes

Groom-in-Waiting, from which post he was shortly afterwards promoted to be Master of the Household. On his arrival at Windsor, he writes, “I was presented and kissed hands, after which I joined the cavalcade, consisting of twenty-five or thirty equestrians, and we made a promenade about the Great Park for two hours. There was little or no form or ceremony observed as to precedence. The Queen rode generally in front, accompanied by the Queen of the Belgians (who was here on a short visit with her royal husband), and the King, the Duchess of Kent, and now and then she called up Lords Conyngham, Wellington, or Melbourne to ride beside her. Her Majesty’s seat on horseback is easy and graceful, and the early habit of command observable in all her movements and gestures, is agreeably relieved by the gentle tone of voice, and the natural playfulness, with which she addresses her relatives or the ladies about her. I never saw a more quick or observant eye. In the course of the ride it glanced occasionally over every individual of the party, and I am sure that neither absence nor impropriety of any kind could escape detection. At halfpast seven the guests and the household again met Her Majesty in the corridor, and we proceeded to dinner, the arrangements for which were handsome and without parade. The ladies retired to the drawingroom, and we followed in a quarter of an hour. The band was in attendance at and after dinner, and played some excellent music, chiefly of Rossini and Bellini. During the evening Her Majesty conversed with her principal guests. She also played two games at draughts with the Queen of the Belgians, both of which she gained.
Quod
felix
faustumque
omen
. There was a whist table, consisting of the Duchess of Kent, the King of the Belgians, Duke of Wellington, and Lilford.”
    A few days after he writes: “We rode out at four, and as the King and Queen of the Belgians were of the party, we went rather slow and had but a short ride… Our young Queen’s manner to King Leopold is most respectful and affectionate; indeed, her manner to everyone about her is perfectly winning and appropriate, and her countenance lights up with the most agreeable and intelligent expression possible. September 10th. - This being Sunday we accompanied Her Majesty to the Chapel, and the party included her royal visitors, as well as the Chancellor, the Premier, Master of the Horse, etc. In the afternoon she took a short drive in the Great Park, and I went out on the terrace, which presented a very gay and beautiful appearance, as the bands both of the Grenadier and Life Guards were playing near the new fountain, and all the officers of the two regiments, as well as the belles of Windsor and the neighbourhood, were enjoying their holiday promenade. At dinner I had a very interesting conversation with Baroness Lehzen, who has been for many years Her Majesty’s governess and preceptress. I know of nothing more creditable to herself or to her illustrious pupil, than the fact that one of the first acts of her reign, was to secure and retain her preceptress in an honourable situation about her own person. Her Majesty treats the Baroness with the most kind and affectionate confidence, and the latter tells me that she has carefully copied every letter of
private
correspondence of her young mistress, both before and since her coming to the throne; but that, since she has been Queen, Her Majesty has
never
shown her one letter of Cabinet or State documents, nor has she spoken to her, nor to any woman about her, upon party or political questions. As Queen she reserves all her confidence for her official advisers, while, as a woman, she is frank, gay, and unreserved as when she was a young girl. What a singular and excellent judgment is shown in this - Heaven grant it may be kept up, and rewarded by the affection and prosperity of her Subjects. I had a long conversation with her on the 24th, while riding, chiefly on the subject of modern