"THE QUEEN WOULD BE CERTAIN TO HEAR OF IT - & I SHOULD LOSE CLAREMONT STRAIGHT OFF!" LEOPOLD (George Albert, 1853-1884, 4th Son of Queen Victoria, Duke of Albany, a haemophiliac, died after an accident on 28th March in Cannes)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed, marked 'Private' to his physician Arnold Royle thanking him for his letter and saying that "your driving me will not interfere with you going to Lady Octavia's ball - But of course I could not go, very much as I should like it. 1. I am in mourning and could not go to a ball. 2. If I could, the Queen would be certain to hear of it - & I should lose Claremont straight off! I shall wire to the Club as soon as I know when I shd. like dinner - or what's better, meet me tomorrow ... at Naval & military ...", 4 sides 8vo., on his crested black edged mourning paper, Windsor Castle, 15th May no year, circa

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.
Victoria bought Claremont for Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, when he married Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont in 1882. Autograph Letters from Prince Leopold are rare.

Item Date:  1883

Stock No:  40506      £975

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