Chapter IV: Courtship and Marriage

English Chartism in the Summer of 1839--Riots in Birmingham--Principal Leaders of the Chartist Party--Excesses of the Artisans in Various Parts of Great Britain and Ireland--Chartist Rising at Newport, Monmouthshire--Conviction of Frost, Williams, and Jones--The Queen and Prince Albert--Early Life of the Prince--His Engaging Qualities--Desire of King Leopold to Effect a Matrimonial Engagement between Prince Albert and the Princess Victoria--First Visit of the Former to England--His Studies in Germany--Informal Understanding between Prince Albert and Queen Victoria--Difficulties of the Case--The Prince’s View of the Matter in the Autumn of 1839--Second Visit to England, and Formal Betrothal--Letter of Baron Stockmar on the Subject--Announcement of the Royal Marriage to the Privy Council and to Parliament--The Appointment of the Prince’s Household--Subjects of Difficulty and Dissension--Question of the Prince’s Religion--Reduction of his Annuity by a Vote of the House of Commons--Progress from Gotha to England, and Reception at Buckingham Palace--Marriage of Prince Albert to the Queen at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s 57