Miss Knight’s Settlement at Windsor—Gaieties at 260 Court—Lord St. Vincent—Rejoicings at Windsor—Death of Princess Amelia—State of the King’s Health—Princess Amelia’s Funeral—Progress of the King’s Malady–The Regency Act—Conduct of the Regent
EXTRACTS FROM MISS KNIGHT’S ANECDOTE BOOKS.
James Boswell—Madame Piozzi—Lord Nelson—The Queen 285 of Naples—Sir Thomas Troubridge—The Bronté Estate—Admiral Barrington—Cardinal de Bernis—Italian Anecdotes—The Princess Dashkoff—Louis Philippe—The Emperor Joseph II.—Miss Knight’s last Records—Her Religious Faith
Exclusion of the Princess of Wales from the 343 Queen’s Drawing-Room
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MISS KNIGHT’S NARRATIVE OF EVENTS ATTENDING THE RUPTURE OF THE ORANGE-MARRIAGE—DISMISSAL OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE—LETTER TO THE REGENT—MISS KNIGHT’S PENSION.
[THE following additional narrative of the transactions related at the close of the first volume, was drawn up by Miss Knight for the perusal of a female friend:]
Princess Charlotte having had a long discussion with respect to residence in Holland, of which all the papers were preserved by her Royal Highness, it was at length granted by the Regent’s confidential servants that an article should be inserted in the marriage contract to prevent her being taken or kept out of England against her own consent and that of the Regent—at least, this was the meaning of the words.
The Prince of Orange had always appeared to prefer an establishment in England to one in Holland, and had always said that when his father’s consent to the insertion of such an article came, he would look out for a house, and take one, in case one was not provided by Government.
This consent came, and the article was prepared; but the Regent wished Princess Charlotte even then to waive it as a compliment to the House of Orange, but her Royal Highness persisted in claiming the article. Nearly a fortnight passed after everything appeared to be arranged, and her Royal Highness, seeing the Prince of Orange daily in presence of Miss Knight, often asked him what preparations were making with respect to a house, establishment, &c. He always answered that nothing had been said to him, appeared to be ignorant, and did not then talk of taking a house himself.