to be absent. I am never easy a
moment, if I am not on the spot, and see and hear what is going on,
and everybody, including all my Aunts (who are very knowing in all
these things), says I must come out after the second day, for, as I
must be surrounded by my Court, I cannot keep alone. This is also my
own wish in every way._

Now as to the Arms: _as an English Prince you have no right, and Uncle
Leopold had no right to quarter the English Arms, but the Sovereign
has the power to allow it by Royal Command: this was done for Uncle
Leopold by the Prince Regent, and I will do it again for you. But it
can only be done by Royal Command._

I will, therefore, without delay, have a seal engraved for you.

You will certainly feel very happy too, at the news of the coming
union of my much-beloved Vecto[5] with Nemours. It gives me quite
infinite pleasure, because then I can see the dear child more
frequently.

I read in the newspaper that you, dear Albert, have received many
Orders; also that the Queen of Spain will send you the Golden
Fleece....

Farewell, dearest Albert, and think often of thy faithful

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 5: The Princess Victoire of Saxe-Coburg, cousin of
Queen Victoria.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCE'S GRANT]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

BRUSSELS, _31st January 1840._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I am most grateful for your long letter of the
27th and 28th inst. I send a messenger to be able to answer quite
confidentially. I must confess that I never saw anything _so
disgraceful_ than the discussion and vote in the Commons.[6] The whole
mode and way in which those who opposed the grant treated the
question was so extremely _vulgar_ and _disrespectful_, that I cannot
comprehend the Tories. The men who uphold the dignity of the Crown to
treat their Sovereign in such a manner, on such an occasion! Even in
private life the most sour and saturnine people relax and grow gay
and mildly disposed on occasions like this. Clearly, as you are Queen
Regnant, Albert's position is to all intents and purposes that of a
male Queen Consort, and the same privileges and charges ought to be
attached to it which were attached to Queen Adelaide's position. The
giving up the income which the Queen-Dowager came into, and which I
hope and trust Albert would never have, or have had, any chance of
having had himself, was in reality giving up a thing which _custom_
had sanctioned. That Prince G