Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
'_Never was a monarch more heartily and joyfully welcomed, than
was William the Fourth, on Monday last, by the inhabitants of this
town._'[102]
Poor Florizel! only absent a little more than three years from the
town which he had made; superseded in a moment by another rising sun,
and all but clean forgotten; and even his own brother, as soon as he
possibly could, began alterations on poor Florizel's Folly!
'His Majesty, as early as nine o'clock the next morning after his
arrival, attended by Sir Frederick Watson, and Mr. Nash, walked from
the Palace Grounds to the gravelled space outside the south gate
of the Palace, fronting East Street, where he continued for some
time, familiarly conversing, and marking the ground with his stick,
evidently suggesting certain alterations; after which, his Majesty
and attendants retired into the Palace. It is conjectured that the
unsightly boards, which hide from public view the western front of the
Palace, and the beautiful grounds, will be removed, and a light iron
fence and gates, extending from Messrs. Brewster and Seabrook's to the
Royal Kitchen, will be substituted in lieu thereof.'
A few days afterwards (on August 30), the King, with Queen Adelaide,
visited Brighton, and stayed at the Pavilion until October 25. Anent
this visit, I cannot refrain from quoting an anecdote of the present
Duke of Cambridge, who was then not twelve years old.
_Brighton Herald, October 2, 1830._--'The following has been related to
us as a fact: A few days since, Prince George of Cambridge went into
a saddler's shop, in the King's Road, and requested to be shewn some
whips. An assortment being produced, his Royal Highness selected one of
costly manufacture, and enquired the price. The cautious shopkeeper,
ignorant of the rank of his visitor, stated the charge, and added:
"Perhaps, Sir, you had better consult your friends before you purchase
so expensive an article." The Prince, with infinite good humour,
acquiesced, and left the shop; and a servant was, soon after, sent
for the whip, and announced to the astonished saddler the name of his
customer.'
The Pavilion was altered and added to according to the King's
instructions; in 1831 the southern gateway and the dormitories were
completed, as were the northern gateway and Queen Adelaide's stables
in the next year. The Queen was very fond of Brighton, and the royal
visits were frequent. None, however, deserve a notice, except,
perhaps, that which commenced on October 19, 1836, the only noteworthy
episode in which was that on Saturday, December 24, the whole royal
establishment were unable to stir forth owing to the very heavy fall
of snow. Several people were frozen to death; the theatre was closed,
and no carriages, except in cases of absolute necessity, left the town.
One short paragraph out of a long account in the _Brighton Patriot_ of
December 27, 1836, will suffice to show the severity of the storm:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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