This morning I was
startled by a very alarming bulletin of Prince Albert's state, dated yesterday,
viz. that H.R.H. had passed a restless night on Thursday, and that the symptoms
had assumed an unfavourable character during the day. It also stated that the
Prince of Wales had been summoned to Windsor, and had passed through town at
two this morning. I at once considered this account as nearly hopeless. On
going out, I heard that at four yesterday afternoon, whilst the Queen was
driving out, a sort of syncope had come on, and the doctors considered the case
so critical, that they thought it right to announce the great danger of the
Prince to Her Majesty, and they say she received the news with fortitude and
calmness. From this fit he rallied, and he passed a somewhat better night, and
this morning the report was that there was some mitigation of the dangerous
symptoms. I heard, however, from a very good source that the doctors, and
particularly Watson, had the worst opinion of the case.
I called at Stafford
House and found that the Duchess had gone to Windsor. At six
she returned, having only seen Lady Augusta Bruce, who told her the Queen was
calm, but the state of the Prince most critical. Later in the day I saw
Clanwilliam, who had heard through Colonel Maude that at Windsor every one
considered the case as hopeless. I dined with the Flahaults, and at eleven
received a note from the Duchess of Beaufort to tell me that Dudley de Ros
had just come back from Windsor, and that the Prince was fast sinking. Lavradio
dined with us, and told me the Prince's malady resembled that of the late King
of Portugal, and that Prince Albert had been deeply impressed by that event,
and was constantly harping upon it during his illness; he, indeed, had been
very desponding all along.
At twelve I was at
the Club, where a telegram arrived stating that the Prince had expired at a
quarter before eleven. Every one present (and the room was full), both young
and old, seemed consterné by this event, so unlooked for, and
possibly pregnant with such disastrous consequences. I tremble for the Queen.
SOURCE: Alice
Countess of Stratford, Leaves from the Diary of Henry Greville:
1857-1861, pp. 416-7
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