 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
2 July 1880 — Langham House, Portland Place | |
Friday. 2nd July [1880]. When we got up we found a note from the M. under our door telling us she had met Sir Hy Ponsonby who told us he had just had a telegram from Windsor to invite us to dine there today– At breakfast a letter to that effect came. We were to have dined with Blanche so we sent her word. At 12 Nelly & I set out in the brougham. I called on Mrs Kay & went up to see her in her room. She talked a great deal abt Switzerland & recommended us a place called . We also talked over our prospects as to what we shd do– Henry told me when I woke this morng that he had made up his mind to take me to Switzerland then to Venice—to winter abroad—perhaps in Egypt—(all of course if he is not sent back to Consple) & if he gets his Peerage & pension to return in spring—take a house in London & settle down & take to public life again. Went with Nelly in search of a hat & got one at last. Returned home to lunch– In afternoon had calls from a Mrs Hill sister to Mr Alison (Henry’s old friend now dead)—& Mr Boyd May’s brother– The latter seemed a nice young man– At 5.30 we went to Paddington Station & travelled to Windsor with Sir Rd & Lady Cross & Sir Daniel Gooch the Cross were also going to the Castle. We were lodged in the Lancaster Tower & had small but nice rooms with a small sitting room & had tea at once. The Page who attended to us was one Fritz who had been Ld Cowley’s servant at Therapia & had 40 years ago nursed Henry thro’ an attack of fever there– He was venerable looking & made much of us. When it was time he fetched us to dinner & we found that we assembled in the long corridor. There were the Dss (Dow) of Athole, the Archbp. of Canterbury & Miss Tait, Lord Zetland, Sir J. Cowell & Col. . We waited some time till there was a cry of “The Queen” when we all went & stood of a row near the door leading to the Queen’s appartments. She soon appeared—shook hands with the ladies—bowed to the men & then went in to the dining room followed by Pss Beatrice. The Archbishop sat on her left—the Pss on her right. Next her Lord Zetland—then me—then Sir Rd Cross—Miss Tait, Col. , Sir J. Cowell, Lady Cross, Henry, Dss, Archbishop. We all talked freely. The dinner was not very good—but was quickly served. We dined in an oval room in wh was a portrait of H.M. at one end by Angeli—at the other end a portrait of Dss of Edinboro. After dinner we all filed back into the passage & stood close to the dining room door. Then H.M. came & spoke to us one by one beginning with me. She asked after Mama & Connie—& praised the latter’s playing on the piano & said she was so useful to Pss Federika of Hanover—& said “Her family were so unkind to her poor thing—the Queen (of Hanover I suppose) treated her so very badly.” I showed H.M. my Turkish order of the Chefakat wh I wore & she asked what was my bracelet. I explained that it was only the centre of the snuff box given to Henry by the Sultans Father—Abdul Medjid– She passed on to Sir Rd Cross & then Pss Beatrice came & chatted with me abt Bradlaugh & Challemel Lacour & the expulsion of the Jesuit orders from France & said she thought Republic Govts were far more tyrannical than others. We all stood the whole eveng. I was dropping with fatigue—& was glad when H.M. moved to go. She shook hands with me & said pleasantly “Glad to have seen you” shook hands with the other ladies, bowed to the men & then went out to her own room. We joined the household & had tea & then were glad to go to bed– H.M. gave Henry Vol. No 5 of the Life of the Prince Consort. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |