Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, the only child
of George and Caroline, had been born on January 7 1796, and, in 1813, it was
decided that she was old enough to be formally presented at Court. The day was
decided, January 18, and Charlotte waited in the drawing room with her mother.
However, it had been planned that the Duchess of York, or another female member
of the royal household would present the Princess to the Regent, but Charlotte
was adamant – ‘Either my Mother, or no one.’
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| Princess Charlotte |
Entreaties were made but
she would not be moved, and so, in the end, the presentation did not take
place. She continued to show her wilfulness. George decided that she should be
married, and William, the heir to the House of Orange was selected as the
prospective groom. Charlotte was not overly impressed with William when they
met, and when she learned that she would be required to go and live in the
Netherlands following the marriage, she stipulated that her mother must be
allowed to live there with her, knowing full well that her father would not
agree to this condition.
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| Caroline, Princess of Wales |
When George refused, Charlotte broke off the
engagement, and her father, incandescent with rage, ordered her to be detained
at Carlton House, before being moved to Cranbourne House, in Windsor forest,
where her grandmother, Queen Charlotte, would be the only permitted visitor,
and that limited to one visit per week.
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| Princess Charlotte |
After Charlotte was told about this, in
an acrimonious meeting with George, in the evening of the same day, she slipped
out of the house, in bonnet and shawl, was helped aboard a hackney-coach in
Cockspur Street by a bystander, and was driven to Connaught House, where she
hoped to find her mother. Caroline was actually in Blackheath, and a messenger
was sent post-haste to bring her back to her daughter. She rushed back, where
she was joined by Brougham, Charlotte’s uncle (the Duke of Sussex), and then a
steady stream of emissaries from Carlton House, including the Lord Chancellor,
Eldon, the Bishop of Salisbury, and Lord Ellenborough.
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| The Duke of Sussex |
It was not until the
following morning that Brougham persuaded her to return to Carlton House, and
only then by advising her that if news of her flight became known, the public
would rise up on her behalf, they would riot and storm Carlton House, the army
would be called out and bloodshed would be inevitable.
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| Carlton House |
She insisted that a
royal coach was sent for her, and that Brougham draw up a declaration that she
had no intention to marry the Hereditary Prince of Orange, that if any
announcement of such a marriage was made, it was made without her consent, and
that should a announcement be issued, it was to be made public immediately.
This declaration was then signed by the Princess of Wales, the Duke of Sussex,
Brougham, and Lady Charlotte Lindsay.
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| Caroline, dressed for a masquerade, 1812 |
Realising the lengths to which the Prince
Regent was prepared to go to separate her from her daughter, and appreciating
that their meeting would be limited in the future, Caroline decided that she
would leave England and, following the defeat of Napoleon, return to Brunswick,
where she would visit her brother. With help from Lord Liverpool, Caroline
received assurances that George would not intervene if she departed; he was
probably delighted just to see the back of her, if the truth be known.
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| Samuel Whitbread |
Some
counselled her not to quit the country, Samuel Whitbread being one of the most
vociferous, with warnings of what might befall Charlotte if she was left alone,
without her mother’s protection. But Caroline was not to be swayed. She
insisted that she would visit her daughter at Connaught Lodge, where she would
be admitted, and they would dine together, with no attempts at intervention by
the Prince.
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| William Austin |
This was accomplished, to the satisfaction of all, and Caroline and
her suite, including the adopted William Austin, then aged about thirteen, left
for Worthing, and then on to South Lancing, where she boarded the Jason
and sailed for the continent. She arrived in Brunswick to great acclaim, with
loud public welcomes and parades, and she spent many happy weeks there,
surrounded by friends and supporters.
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| Caroline, Princess of Wales |
Then she left for Switzerland, where she
caused quite a stir amongst the sober local peasantry, but Switzerland had
little interest for her and she took to the road again, destined for Italy. In
October 1814, her party passed through Lombardy, and came to Milan, where
Caroline asked for the services of an Italian courier. The Austrian General,
Pino, recommended a man, and provided a letter of introduction for him to the
Princess of Wales.
Thus, Bartelomeo Pergami came into her life. And thereby
hangs another tale.
Tomorrow, the German Princess and the Italian
adventurer.
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