| Collection | Victorian Papers, Main Series |
| Description | With regard to the French Royal Family, as it seems they, or some of them, will take up their residence for a lengthened period in this country, and as their position is now that of exiles, their treatment should be defined and established. At first everything seemed temporary; the public were inclined to criticise all that was done, or omitted by the Court, and all their movements were recorded in the press, etc.. The lapse of three months has altered this; the French family have lived in complete retirement and are comparatively forgotten, and their poverty and cheerful resignation to their misfortunes have met with much sympathy. Queen Victoria is anxious to take the right line, desiring to do nothing which could hurt the country's interests, but equally to show every possible kindness towards the French Royal family. Does Lord John Russell object to the following course? She has asked her cousin, the Duchess de Nemours [daughter-in-law of King Louis Philippe and formerly Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha] to Osborne for 2 or 3 nights privately; the Duchess of Kent would bring her. The Duke will not come with her, feeling that it would be unbecoming until their fate, as to their fortunes (for they are already banished), is decided. The Duchess wishes not to appear in the evening, but to remain alone with the Queen and the Prince. The Queen thinks that while staying in the country she might be able to lodge members of the French family for one or two nights, if they wished to visit her. They are exiles, not pretenders, as the Duc de Bordeaux and Count Montemolin are (who, for that reason, are not received at Court). In all countries where illustrious exiles are living, particularly when they are related to the Sovereign of the country, they have always been received at Court, as the Duc de Bourdeaux and the Duchesse d'Angoulême have invariably been at Vienna, where there is a French Ambassador and an excellent understanding between France and Austria. It is quite customary in other cases and countries. The Duke of Orleans (Louis Philippe) in former times was constantly received by the Royal Family and was a close friend of the Duke of Kent. If their fortunes are restored, the Fench Royal family will probably go out into society eventually, as former Royal exiles did; and if the state of France becomes consolidated, there may be no need for extreme privacy. These suggestions by the Queen are not likely to take place immediately, except in the case of the Duchess of Nemours, but are what may occasionally occur when the Queen is permanently settled in the country; and they relate strictly to private visits, not state occasions. Of course events may arise which would render such suggestions inadvisable, in which case the Queen would ask Lord John for his advice. |