Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
'At twelve o'clock, a Royal salute was fired from the batteries; and,
immediately after, two of the Royal carriages came out, the first,
drawn by four bays, with two postilions dressed in blue striped
jackets, and brown beaver hats; in this carriage were Viscount and
Viscountess Melbourne, Lord Erskine, and Mr. Dalmy; in the second,
her Royal Highness, the Princess Charlotte of Wales, attended by the
Dowager Lady De Clifford, and another lady; the carriage was drawn
by six fine bay horses; after which, followed his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, mounted on a beautiful iron grey charger. His Royal
Highness was most superbly dressed in the hussar uniform, and wore a
diamond belt, with a diamond crown on his breast: the feather in his
cap was most superb, encircled with diamonds round the bottom, and
fixed in a diamond loop: never did we witness his Royal Highness in
better health and spirits. The accoutrements of his charger were most
superb. They proceeded slowly to the ground, where the troops were
formed in a line, which was on the beautiful hills at the four mile
course, which command a grand view of the sea.
'At within half a mile from the ground, his Royal Highness the Duke of
York galloped up to the line, extended upwards of a mile, and passed
them without any form. At half past twelve the whole of the Royal party
arrived on the ground, and took their station in the centre of the
line; her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte of Wales's carriage
stood just behind her Royal father. As soon as the party had taken
their station, a royal salute of twenty one guns was fired from the
horse artillery; the ranks formed into open order, when the Royal party
went down the front of the line, returned by the rear, and retook their
station in the centre, when the whole of the line passed in ordinary
and quick time, the different bands playing "God save the King." Some
ships passing at the time, received signals from the telegraph; they
immediately fired a Royal salute, and hoisted a Royal Standard.
'There was, also, a sham fight on the sea with small boats, which had a
very pretty effect. The day was uncommonly fine, and not one accident
occurred to damp the joy manifested on this happy occasion. A good
deal of mirth was occasioned by the firing, several of the horses that
had been taken from the carriages, having broken loose, and run in all
directions, leaving many of the company fixed in their carriages until
the horses were caught.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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