Russian invasion of the Crimea--Announcement of an heir disbelieved by the Queen--Princess of Wales conveyed to St. James’s by the Prince in a state of labour--Birth of a Princess--Hampton Court Palace on this night--The palace in an uproar--Indignation of Caroline--Reception of the Queen by the Prince--Minute particulars afforded her by him--Explanatory notes between the royal family--Message of the King--His severity to the Prince--The Princess Amelia double-sided--Message of Princess Caroline to the Prince--Unseemly conduct of the Prince--The Prince an agreeable ‘rattle’--The Queen’s anger never subsided-- The Prince ejected from the palace--The Queen and Lord Carteret --Reconciliation of the royal family attempted--Popularity of the Prince--The Queen’s outspoken opinion of the Prince--An interview between the King, Queen, and Lord Hervey--Bishop Sherlock and the Queen--The King a purchaser of lottery-tickets. The parliament, having passed a Land-tax bill of two shillings in the pound, exempted the Prince of Wales from contributing even the usual sixpence in the pound on his civil-list revenue, and settled a dowry on his wife of 50,000_l._ per annum, peremptorily rejected Sir John Bernard’s motion for decreasing the taxation which weighed most heavily on the poor.[33] The public found matter for much speculation in these circumstances, and they alternately discussed them with the subject of the aggressive ambition of Russia. The latter power was then invading the Crimea with two armies under Munich and Lasci. The occupier of the Muscovite throne stooped to mendacity to veil the real object of the war; and there were Russian officers not ashamed to be assassins --murdering the wounded foe whom they found lying helpless on their path.[34] The interest in all home and foreign matters, however, was speedily lost in that which the public took in the matter, which soon presented itself, of the accession of an heir in the direct hereditary line of Brunswick.