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pleased at the thought that she would be her own mistress after marriage. Soon, however, it came to her ears that, under the arrangements entered into by the Prince Regent, she would have to reside in Holland, the throne of which her future husband would one day ascend. This was so far from her liking that, in fact, she would have none of it. Was she not heir-presumptive to the British throne? she asked. And what was Holland compared to Britain? On April 16 she wrote to her father asking to see the marriage-contract, expressing her astonishment at not having heard anything of an establishment, and demanding that a clause should be inserted, if, indeed, that had not already been done, that she should not be taken from or kept out of England against her desire.

To this came the reply that neither the Princess nor the Hereditary Prince had any right to see the marriagecontract, which had been arranged between the Prince Regent and the King of Holland. She was told, however, that £50,000 a year would be settled on her; that her eldest son, as a future sovereign of England, would be sent to this country at the age of three or four; and that her second son would in the course of nature be King of Holland, and would be brought up there. To a girl of Charlotte's strength of character this tone was worse than useless. It aroused the fighting spirit which she had inherited from her mother. At once she declared that the engagement must be broken off, for she was resolved not to live abroad. Neither threats nor coaxing would induce her to alter her decision. The Duke of York was sent to "reason" with her, and so was Sir Henry Halford. Their efforts were in vain.

Then William Adam, Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, came from Carlton House, and, in the course of an interview presumably he lost his temper, for he

was so ill-advised as to say that after she had received presents and made a promise she could be compelled to marry the Prince of Orange. Charlotte, who had been well advised and was an intelligent girl, looked innocent, and, expressing her ignorance of the law, asked so that she might make no mistake-Adam to put this opinion in writing, so that she could submit it to Brougham. It is needless to say that the opinion was not put into writing.

As a last resource the Hereditary Prince was sent for from Holland, but this availed nothing. In the presence of Lady Charlotte Lindsay, Princess Charlotte told the Prince that she would not marry him unless the clause was inserted by which she could remain in England at will.

The reason underlying the Prince Regent's attitude was that he was jealous of his daughter almost to insanity, and he would have gone to any lengths to get her out of England-keep her out of England. When he found himself defeated his rage knew no bounds. He himself came on July 12 to Warwick House to tell Charlotte that she would be confined for five days at Carlton House, and then go to Cranbourne House, in Windsor Forest, where no one would visit her except the Queen.

The Princess Charlotte said little or nothing in reply, but in the evening she slipped out of Warwick House, hailed a hackney-coach, and drove to Connaught House, which was now her mother's town residence. Caroline was at Charlton, and a messenger was sent to ask her to come immediately to town. This, of course, she did, accompanied by Lady Charlotte Lindsay. Brougham was summoned, and he, in his turn, asked the Duke of Sussex, who was fond of his niece, to join them. The flight was soon discovered, and the news conveyed to the

Prince Regent. Then from Carlton House in rapid succession came the Lord Chancellor, the Bishop of Salisbury, Lord Ellenborough, and others. In vain they begged Charlotte to return, and it was only when Brougham told her it was her duty to do so that she consented. "Look here, Madam," he said, taking her to a window that overlooked the park, "in a few hours all the streets and the park, now empty, will be crowded with tens of thousands." (The election of Cochrane, after his expulsion, was to take place that day, and there was certain to be great excitement). "I have only to take you to this window, and show you to the multitude, and tell them your grievances, and they will all rise in your behalf. The commotion will be excessive; Carlton House will be attacked-perhaps pulled down; the soldiers will be ordered out; blood will be shed; and if Your Royal Highness were to live a hundred years it would never be forgotten that your running away from your father's house was the cause of the mischief; and you may depend upon it, such is the English people's horror of bloodshed, you never would get over it." When at last she agreed to follow Brougham's counsel she insisted that a Minute should be drawn up to the effect that she was resolved not to marry the Hereditary Prince of Orange, that any announcement of such a marriage would be against her will and without her consent, and that if any such announcement was made this Minute should at once be made public. Having thus safeguarded herself in so far as she could, she then drove with the Duke of York, who had by this time come upon the scene, to Carlton House.

The Prince Regent carried out his threats, and for a while made the life of his daughter almost unbearable. She was to all intents and purposes imprisoned at Carlton

House. Even her correspondence was intercepted. She contrived, however, to send to her uncle, the Duke of Sussex, a letter complaining of the strictness of her confinement. He, thereupon, in writing, demanded permission to see his niece, but the Prime Minister replied: "The Prince Regent has seen the letter, but has no commands." Upon receiving this answer the Duke made one of his unaccustomed appearances in the House of Lords and put the following question :

"

Whether, since the removal of Her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte to Carlton House, Her Royal Highness has been allowed communication with her friends and connections, which she previously enjoyed? Whether Princess Charlotte, since her going to Carlton House, has been permitted the free exercise of her pen, and to communicate without let or control with whatever friend she may choose to write to; and has been given the same liberty of using and disposing her papers according to her own inclination as she had while residing at Warwick House? Whether Her Royal Highness had been allowed the same personal freedom which she had before coming to Carlton House, and such as people, not in confinement, are used to? Whether the same advice with regard to sea-bathing was given to Her Royal Highness in the course of the last year which was suggested in the present? Whether Her Royal Highness, having exceeded by a half-year the eighteenth year of her age (the period after which Parliament has acknowledged the fitness of members of the Royal Family to preside over the Government of the country), there is any intention of making for Her Royal Highness such a provision as might enable her to mix with the high ranks of the land, she that is destined to possess a situation of the first

eminence and power which the Constitution of Great Britain recognises."

To this Lord Liverpool answered: "The Prince Regent has his daughter's benefit, interest, and advantage in view in his conduct towards her."

The Prince Regent was furious with his brother; but he had the good sense to send the Princess Charlotte to Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor, where the vigour of the confinement was somewhat mitigated. "I saw Princess Charlotte on Saturday, two days before I set out; she seems much more calm and resigned to her prison at Cranbourne Lodge than I expected," the Princess of Wales wrote. She is to go afterwards to the seaside. Warwick House is to be demolished, and a new wing built to Carlton House; and the Regent is to remove to the Duke of Cumberland's apartments in St. James's Palace."

The Princess of Wales had delayed her departure so as to be at hand during the trouble between the Prince Regent and Princess Charlotte. Now that this affair had been more or less settled there was nothing to detain her, and she announced her intention to depart. At the last moment, however, it seemed as if there would be a hitch, for a rumour was reported to her that after her departure the Prince Regent would institute proceedings for divorce.

"The

However, Canning was able to reassure her. alarm suggested by Her Royal Highness's friends appear to Lord Liverpool to be highly visionary. No proceeding for a divorce could be instituted in Parliament on behalf of the Prince Regent on any other ground than such as would form a foundation for such a proceeding in the case of any subject of the realm. Her Royal Highness will therefore be as safe from any such danger abroad

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