The Duke of Gloucester left Copenhagen a few days after the Queen's birthday, and returned to England. Though Christian had prepared all these festivities in his brother-in-law's honour, he did not hesitate to exercise his wit at the expense of his guest. The Duke was silent and dull, and his lack of conversation was made a subject of ridicule by the garrulous King. One day Christian asked Holck what he thought of the Duke, and the favourite replied: "He reminds me of an English ox!" The Duke was very stout for his age, and had a broad red face and large ruminating eyes. The King laughed at Holck's witticism, and maliciously repeated it to the Queen, who was incensed at the impertinence. If the truth must be told, the English Prince did not appear in the most favourable light at the Danish court. He stared and said little, and chiefly distinguished himself by his enormous appetite. When her brother left Copenhagen the Queen found herself once more alone. His visit had been to a great extent a disappointment to her, for he had little in common with his sister, and not much sympathy for her in her troubles. These, as time went on, grew from bad to worse. Despite all her efforts Holck continued in the ascendant, and his influence was wholly against the Queen. He was known throughout Denmark as the man whom the King delighted to honour, and even Matilda was forced to show public marks of favour to the man whom she considered her worst enemy. For instance, in September she was compelled by the King to attend Holck's wedding to a daughter of Count Laurvig, "an honour," to quote the English envoy, "never before conferred in this kingdom upon any subject when the ceremony was performed out of the palace; but indeed the whole of this had more the appearance of the nuptials of a prince of the blood than those of a private person, the King having conveyed Count Holck in his Majesty's chariot, at the same time giving him the right hand from Frederiksberg to Copenhagen, the Queen and all the court following".[117] Holck's marriage made no difference to his mode of life, and Christian's infatuation for his favourite continued as great as before. Mounted couriers tore along the road between the Blaagaard, where Holck lived, and the King's palace at all hours of the day and night, and on one occasion two horses were killed in the wild haste with which the horseman rode to convey the King's message to his favourite. [117] Gunning's despatch, Copenhagen, September 30, 1769. [Illustration: WILLIAM HENRY, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, BROTHER OF QUEEN MATILDA. _From the Painting by H. W. Hamilton, 1771._]