Source:
The letters of Queen Victoria: a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1831 and 1861: published by authority of His Majesty the King, edited by Arthur Christopher Benson and Viscount Reginald Baliol Brett Esher, 1907
Above: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Ireland, drawn by Edmund Thomas Parris.
Above: Leopold I, King of the Belgians, painted by Auguste-Alexis Canzi after Franz Xaver Winterhalter.
The letter:
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 19th November 1837.
... Now, dearest Uncle, before I say anything more, I will answer the various questions in your letter, which I have communicated to Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston. (1) With respect to Ferdinand's question to you, it is impossible for us to say beforehand what we shall do in such an emergency; it depends so entirely on the peculiar circumstances of the moment that we cannot say what we should do. You know, dear Uncle, that the fleet has orders to protect the King and Queen in case they should be in any personal danger. As to Lord Howard, though what you say about him is true enough, it would not do to recall him at present; it would give Bois le Comte all the advantage he wishes for, and which would be injurious to our interests and influence.
(2) With regard to Spain, a very decided mention is made of the Queen herself in the speech which is to be delivered by me to-morrow in the House of Lords.
We have great reason to know that, of late, the Queen has positively declared her intention to remain at Madrid to the very last.
Villiers' conduct has been, I fear, much misrepresented, for his own opinions are not at all those of the ultra-Liberal kind; and his only aim has been, to be on good terms with the Spanish Ministry for the time being.
(3) Concerning France, I need not repeat to you, dear Uncle, how very anxious we all are to be upon the best and most friendly terms with her, and to co-operate with her.
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