His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VII — John Shaqi
His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VIILowndes, Marie Belloc
History
His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VII
Lowndes, Marie Belloc
Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 1841-1910
“It is impossible not to like him, and to be constantly with him brings
out his astonishing memory of names and persons.… I am more and more
struck by the amiable and endearing qualities of the Prince.… His Royal
Highness had himself laid down a rule that there was to be no shooting
to-day (Sunday), and though he was sorely tempted, as we passed flocks
of cranes and geese seated on the bank in the most inviting crowds, he
rigidly conformed to it; a crocodile was allowed to be a legitimate
exception, but none appeared. He sat alone on the deck with me, talking
in the frankest manner, for an hour in the afternoon, and made the
most reasonable and proper remarks on the due observance of Sunday in
England.”
A sad event which occurred in March was destined to draw closer
together the ties which were now binding His Royal Highness and his
chaplain, for on 23rd March the news was broken to Dr. Stanley that his
mother was dead. The Prince of Wales showed the kindest and most tender
consideration for his bereaved travelling companion, and was much
gratified that Dr. Stanley very wisely made up his mind to continue the
journey instead of hurrying home at once.
A few days later the Royal party reached Palestine, and it is
interesting to note that this was the first time that the heir to the
English throne, since the days of Edward I. and Eleanor, had visited
the Holy City. King Edward landed at Jaffa on 31st March, and both on
his entrance into the Holy Land and during his approach to Jerusalem
he followed in the footsteps of Richard Cœur de Lion and Edward I. The
cavalcade, escorted by a troop of Turkish cavalry, climbed the Pass
of Bethhoron, catching their first glimpse of Jerusalem from the spot
where Richard is recorded to have hidden his face in his shield, with
the words, “Ah, Lord God, if I am not thought worthy to win back the
Holy Sepulchre, I am not worthy to see it!”
The King, accompanied by Dr. Stanley, carefully explored Jerusalem
and its neighbourhood, riding over the hills of Judæa to Bethlehem,
walking through the famous groves of Jericho, and staying some time at
Bethany.
“Late in the afternoon,” writes Dr. Stanley, “we reached Bethany. I
then took my place close beside the Prince. Every one else fell back
by design or accident, and at the head of the cavalcade we moved on
towards the famous view. This was the one half-hour which, throughout
the journey, I had determined to have alone with the Prince, and I
succeeded.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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