Chapter XXXII: Royalty and the War

Financing the War--The Queen’s Opinion of War Loans--A Dreadful Winter--Distress in the Country--The “Devil” in Devonshire--Bread Riots--War Loans and a War Budget--The Queen and the Wounded Soldiers--Her Condemnation of “the Hulks”--Presentation of War Medals in Hyde Park--Visit of the Emperor and Empress of the French--A Plot to Capture the Queen--Councils of War at Windsor--The Grand Chapter of the Order of the Garter--Imperial Compliments--Napoleon III. in the City--At the Opera--The Queen’s Birthday Gift to the Emperor--Scarlet Fever at Osborne--Prorogation of Parliament--A Court Intrigue with Dom Pedro of Portugal--The Queen Visits Paris--Her Reception at St. Cloud--The Ball at the Hôtel de Ville--Staring at the “Koh-i-noor”--At the Tomb of the Great Emperor--Prince Bismarck’s Introduction to the Queen--Home again--Lord Clarendon on the Queen’s Visit to Paris--How the Prince of Wales Enjoyed himself--At Balmoral--The Bonfire on Craig Gowan--Sebastopol Rejoicings--“A Witches’ Dance supported by Whisky”--Courtship of the Princess Royal--Prince Frederick William of Prussia--His Proposal of Marriage--Attacks of the _Times_--Visit of Victor Emmanuel--His Reputation in Paris--Memorial of the Grenadier Guards--Fresh Charges against Prince Albert--His Vindication of the Crimean Officers 643