[Footnote 29: In the course of an elaborate reply, Lord Palmerston stated that the country had never been in a better condition of defence than at the present time, but he insisted that the Militia, which from 1815 to 1832 had been allowed to become extinct, must be maintained in an efficient state--120,000 strong.]
[Pageheading: PRECEDENCE OF PRINCE ALBERT]
It is a strange omission in our Constitution that while _the wife_ of a _King_ has the highest rank and dignity in the realm after her husband assigned to her by law, the _husband_ of a _Queen regnant_ is entirely ignored by the law. This is the more extraordinary, as a husband has in this country such particular rights and such great power over his wife, and as the Queen is married just as any other woman is, and swears to obey her lord and master, as such, while by law he has no rank or defined position. This is a strange anomaly. No doubt, as is the case _now_--the Queen _can_ give her husband the highest _place_ by _placing_ him _always near her person_, and the Nation would give it him as a _matter of course_. Still, when I first married, we had much difficulty on this subject; much bad feeling was shown, and several members of the Royal Family showed bad grace in giving precedence to the Prince, and the late King of Hanover positively resisted doing so. I gave the Prince precedence by issuing Letters Patent, but these give no rank in Parliament--or at the Council Board--and it would be far better to put this question beyond all doubt, and to secure its settlement for _all future Consorts of Queens_, and thus have this omission in the Constitution rectified. Naturally my own feeling would be to give the Prince the same title and rank as I have, but a Titular King is a complete novelty in this country, and might be productive of more inconveniences than advantages to the individual who bears it. Therefore, upon mature reflection, and after considering the question for nearly _sixteen years_, I have come to the conclusion that the title which is now by universal consent given him of "Prince Consort," with the highest rank in and out of Parliament immediately after the Queen, and before every other Prince of the Royal Family, should be the one assigned to the husband of the Queen regnant _once and for all_. This ought to be done before our children grow up, and it seems peculiarly easy to do so _now_ that none of the old branches of the Royal Family are still alive.