Source:
Letters, in the original, with translations, and messages, that passed between the King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales; on occasion of the birth of the young Princess, 1737
Above: Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales, painted by Charles Philips.
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (born November 19/30, 1719, died February 8, 1772) was a Princess of Wales by marriage to Frederick, Prince of Wales. She was one of only four Princesses of Wales who never became queen consort, as her eldest son succeeded her father-in-law as King George III of the United Kingdom in 1760 rather than her husband, who had died nine years earlier. Augusta was presumptive regent of Great Britain in the event of a regency between the death of her husband in 1751 until the majority of her son in 1756, though in the event that King George II, her father-in-law, lived until 1760.
Augusta wrote this letter to her father-in-law shortly after the birth of her daughter, also named Augusta.
The letter:
SIRE,
C'est avec tout le respect possible que je prens la liberté de remercier trés humblement Vôtre Majesté de l'honneur qu'elle a bien voulu me faire d'etre Parain de ma Fille. Je n'aurois pas manqué de venir moy même Vous rendre mes devoirs à Hampton Court pour vous en remercier de bouche, mais comme j'ai le malheur d'etre privée de cet honneur à present, J'espere que Vôtre Majesté ne trouvera pas mauvais que je prenne la liberté de le faire par ecrit. Ma Douleur est d'autant plus grande, que par la Tendresse du Prince je me trouve la Cause innocente de sa Disgrace; et je me flatte qui si j'avois eu la permission de me mettre aux pieds de Vôtre Majesté, j'aurois pu expliquer la Demarche du Prince d'une maniere à adoucir le ressentiment de Vôtre Majesté. Que je suis à plaindre, Sire, quand une circonstance si flatteuse pour moy, et en même tems si agreable au Publique, est malheureusement devenue le triste sujet d'une Division dans la Famille. Je n'impertunerai pas davantage Vôtre Majesté que pour vous assurer que, comme je vous dois tout mon Bonheur, je me flatte que je vous devrai aussi bientôt le Repos de ma vie. Je suis avec tout le respect imaginable,
Sire,
De Vôtre Majesté,
La trés humble et
trés obeïssante
fille, sujette, et
servante,
AUGUSTE.
English translation:
SIR,
It is with all possible Respect that I take the Liberty to thank your Majesty most humbly for the Honour you were pleased to do me in being Godfather to my Daughter. I should not have fail'd to come my self and pay my Duty to you at Hampton-Court to thank you by Word of Mouth, but as I have at present the Misfortune to be debarr'd that Honour, I hope your Majesty will not be displeased that I take the Liberty of doing it in Writing. It is a great Aggravation of my Sorrow upon this Occasion, to find, that by the Prince's Tenderness for me, I am the innocent Cause of his Disgrace; and I flatter my self if I had had leave to throw my self at your Majesty's Feet, I could have explained the Prince's Conduct in a Manner that would have softened your Majesty's Resentment. How much am I to be pity'd, Sir, that an Incident so grateful to me, and at the same Time so agreeable to the Publick, should unfortunately become the unhappy Cause of a Division in the Family! I shall trouble your Majesty no farther than to assure you, that as it is to you I owe all my Happiness, so to you, I flatter my self, I shall likewise soon owe the Quiet of my Life. I am with all the Respect imaginable,
Sir,
Your Majesty's most
humble and most
obedient Daughter,
Subject, and
Servant,
AUGUSTA.
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