Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 1 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of EnglandWraxall, Lascelles, Sir
History
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 1 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England
Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir
Caroline Mathilde, Queen, consort of Christian VII, King of Denmark, 1751-1775; Denmark -- History -- Christian VII, 1766-1808
The only mark of attention shown Christian by his brother-in-law, was
in re-furnishing his suite of rooms in the Stable Yard of St. James's
Palace, at an expense of £3,000. When Count Holck first saw the palace,
he exclaimed: "By God, this will never do; it is not fit to lodge a
Christian in." According to the official report of the "Annual Register,"
the royal suite consisted of,--Count von Bernstorff, his principal
secretary of state; Baron von Schimmelmann, treasurer; Count von Moltke,
grand marshal; Count von Holck, grand master of the wardrobe; Baron von
Bülow, one of the lords of the bed-chamber; Mr. Schumacher, councillor
of conferences, private secretary; Baron von Düring, aide-de-camp; MM.
Temmler and Sturtz, councillors of embassy of the foreign office; Dr.
Struensee, physician; and several officers and servants.
So soon as Christian arrived in London he was waited on by the Earl
of Hertford and Lord Falmouth, who complimented him on his arrival.
George III., however, displayed no _empressement_ to greet his guest;
on the contrary, he behaved with a sullenness which, though it might be
justifiable, was certainly impolitic, considering the connection between
France and Denmark, which England considered as of such vital importance
to break off. As usual, Horace Walpole the indefatigable supplies the
best account of this fresh piece of scandal:--
"By another mistake, King George happened to go to Richmond about an hour
before King Christian arrived in London. An hour is exceedingly long,
and the distance to Richmond still longer; so, with all the despatch
which could possibly be made, King George could not get to his capital
till next day at noon. Then, as the road from his closet at St. James's,
to the King of Denmark's apartments on the other side of the palace,
is about thirty miles (which posterity, having no conceptions of the
prodigious extent and magnificence of St. James's, will never believe),
it was half an hour after three before his Danish Majesty's cousin could
go and return to let him know that his good brother and ally was leaving
the palace (in which they both were) to receive him at the queen's
palace, which, you know, is about a million of snail's paces from St.
James's. Notwithstanding these difficulties and unavoidable delays,
Woden, Thor, Frigga, and all the gods that watch over the kings of the
north, did bring these two invincible monarchs to each other's embraces
about half an hour after four on the same evening. They passed an hour
in projecting a royal compact, that will regulate the destiny of Europe
to latest posterity; and then, the fates so willing it, the British
prince departed for Richmond, and the Danish potentate repaired to the
widowed mansion of his royal mother-in-law, where he poured forth the
fulness of his heart in praises of the lovely bride she had bestowed upon
him, from whom nothing but the benefit of his subjects would have torn
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