The Queen after receiving many members of both Houses of Parliament, bearing addresses--received large delegations from the State Church--the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland--the English Non-Conformists, and the Society of Friends--all walking peacefully enough together to the throne of Victoria, but having widely different ways to the "throne of grace;"--all uniting in loyal prayers for the divine blessing on the fair head of their Sovereign, and in the hope that the comely young man of her choice might do virtuously, and walk humbly, and gingerly by her side-- but a little in the rear, as became him; not, of course, as a husband, Scripturally regarded, but as the German Consort of an English Queen _regnant_.
This subordinate view of her husband's place the Queen did not fully accept from anybody, at any time. At that period, it is probable she would have gladly taken off the crown, to place it on his dear head, and doffed the ermine mantle to put it on his manly shoulders, and would have been the first to swear allegiance to "King Albert."
She thought that he might, at least, have the title of "King-Consort," and perhaps because of this hope, she deferred for years--till 1857-- conferring on him, by Royal Letters Patent, the title of Prince-Consort.
Doubtless the English people, if they had been on the lookout for a King, might have gone farther and fared worse,--but the four Georges had somehow got them out of conceit with the word "King," and William, the Sailor, had not quite reconciled them to it;--then they were jealous of foreigners, and last, but not least, there were apprehensions that the larger title would necessitate a larger grant. But the Prince did not need the empty honor, which in his position would have been "a distinction without a difference." I do not believe he cared much for it, though titles are usually dear to the Teutonic soul, determined, as he always so wisely was, to "sink his individuality in that of the Queen," and when at last, the second best title of Prince-Consort, that by which the people already named him, was made his legal right, by his fond wife, grieved to have kept
--"the best man under the sun, So many years from his due,"