On the 1st of July the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice, and Prince Leopold visited the National Memorial erected in Hyde Park to the memory of the late Prince Consort. This was a strictly private visit, the monument being at the time incomplete.
Between the 15th and 20th of August the Queen broke her journey to Balmoral, and resided at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, for a few days. Though her visit was private, she was so gratified with the reception she everywhere received that she caused Viscount Halifax to address the following letter to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh:--
“DEAR LORD PROVOST,--It is not the practice unless the Queen has visited any city or town in a public manner, to address any official communication to the chief magistrate or authority of the place. I am commanded, however, by her Majesty to convey to you in a less formal manner the expression of her Majesty’s gratification at the manner in which she was received by the people of Edinburgh in whatever part of this city and neighbourhood her Majesty appeared. Her Majesty has felt this the more because, as her Majesty’s visit was so strictly private, it was so evidently the expression of their national feeling of loyalty. Her Majesty was also very much pleased with the striking effect produced by lighting up the park and the old chapel.”
The death of the amiable and accomplished Princess Feodore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg on the 23rd of September plunged the Queen into deep despondency. The Princess was half-sister to her Majesty, and the tie that bound them together through life had been close and affectionate. “All sympathise with you,” wrote the Princess Louis to the Queen when she heard of her mother’s bereavement, “and feel what a loss to you darling aunt must be, how great the gap in your life, how painful the absence of that sympathy and love which united her life and yours so closely.”
A Lull Before the Storm--Dissent in the Dumps--Disastrous Bye-Elections--The Queen’s Speech--The Irish University Bill--Defeat of the Government--Resignation of the Ministry--Mr. Disraeli’s Failure to Form a Cabinet--The Queen and the Crisis--Lord Derby as a Possible Premier--Mr. Gladstone Returns to Office--Power Passes to the House of Lords--Grave Administration Scandals--The Zanzibar Mail Contract--Misappropriation of the Post Office Savings Banks’ Balances--Mr. Gladstone Reconstructs his Ministry--The Financial Achievements of his Administration--The Queen and the Prince of Wales--Debts of the Heir Apparent--The Queen’s Scheme for Meeting the Prince’s Expenditure on her Behalf--The Queen and Foreign Decorations--Death of Napoleon III.--The Queen at the East End--The Blue-Coat Boys at Buckingham Palace--The Coming of the Shah--Astounding Rumours of his Progress through Europe--The Queen’s Reception of the Persian Monarch--How the Shah was Entertained--His Departure from England--Marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh--Public Entry of the Duchess into London.