she could not write to you or Albert _now_, she says! why, I don't
see. There certainly never was such devotedness as hers, to all our
family, although it sometimes shows itself rather foolishly--with you
it always was a sort of idolatry, when she used to go upon her knees
before you, when you were a child. She and poor old Louis did all
they could to spoil you, if Lehzen had not prevented and scolded them
nicely sometimes; it was quite amusing."

[Footnote 7: Baroness Spaeth, Lady-in-Waiting to the Duchess of
Kent.]

[Pageheading: WILLIAM IV.]

The Princess was brought up with exemplary simplicity at Kensington
Palace, where her mother had a set of apartments. She was often at
Claremont, which belonged to her uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians;
holidays were spent at Ramsgate, Tunbridge Wells, Broadstairs, and
elsewhere.

In June 1830 George IV. died, and William IV. succeeded to the Throne.
He had no legitimate offspring living; and it consequently became
practically certain that if the Princess outlived her uncle she would
succeed him on the Throne. The Duchess of Kent's Parliamentary Grant
was increased, and she took advantage of her improved resources to
familiarise the Princess with the social life of the nation. They paid
visits to historic houses and important towns, and received addresses.
This was a wise and prudent course, but the King spoke with ill-humour
of his niece's "royal progresses." The chief cause of offence was that
the Princess was not allowed by the Duchess of Kent to make her public
appearances under his own auspices, as he not unnaturally desired.
He also began to suspect that the Princess was deliberately kept
away from Court; a painful controversy arose, and the Duchess
became gradually estranged from her brother-in-law, in spite of the
affectionate attempts of Queen Adelaide to smooth matters over. His
resentment culminated in a painful scene, in 1836, when the King, at
a State banquet at Windsor, made a speech of a preposterous character;
speaking of the Duchess, who sat next him, as "that person," hinting
that she was surrounded with evil advisers, and adding that he should
insist on the Princess being more at Court. The Princess burst into
tears; the Duchess sate in silence: when the banquet was over, the
Duchess ordered her carriage, and was with difficulty prevailed upon
to remain at Windsor for the night. The King went so far in May 1837
as to offer the Princess an inde