THE QUEEN ATTEMPTS TO RESTRICT PRINCE LEOPOLD'S MOVEMENTS VICTORIA (1819-1901, Queen of Great Britain)

Fine Autograph Letter in the Third Person to Arnold ROYLE (Prince Leopold's physician) saying that the Queen has heard from Leopold that he is "very anxious 'if' he 'is able' to attend Mr Royle's marriage - a desire she entirely enters into, feeling that her son wd. wish to assure Mr Royle all possible respect on such an occasion in return for his care of him. But the Queen feels sure from Mr. Royle's own acct. of Leopd's legs - that he is unfit for the exertions just before the journey to Osborne & she trusts Mr Royle will himself ask the Prince not to do so - & even insist on his not doing it - in his present weak & lame state. Getting in & out of Carriages & standing wd, the Queen feels sure, be a gr. Risk, and he surely ought to go straight from Claremont to Osborne. Perhaps Dr. Legg or Dr. Poore shd. be with him on the 20th & go as far as Portsmouth with him, where Dr Marshall shd. be sent to meet him ...", 4 sides 8vo., on her black edged monogrammed mourning paper, Windsor Castle, 15th December

As an adult, Leopold was stifled by the Queen's attempts to restrict his actions and found various means to assert his independence. Arnold Royle, who was the Prince's personal physician from 1876 until the Prince's death from a cerebral haemorrhage in 1884, found himself caught between his strong-willed patient, determined to live an active life, and his equally strong-willed mother. Furthermore, the Queen evidently had somewhat limited faith in Royle and constantly wished him to defer to her favoured physician, Sir William Jenner. Eventually, however, the medical skill and diplomatic aplomb with which Royle carried out his duties did gain acknowledgement from the Queen, who appointed him a Groom of the Privy Chamber in November 1884, some months after Prince Leopold's death.

Item Date:  1880

Stock No:  40505      £775

             Add to Wish List     Order/Enquire