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I.THEPREGNANCIESANDCONFINEMENTS
andthePrincewiththedaughtersofthehighnobility”.
89
However,on
25Aprilthepressreportedthatuitiswhispered,incircleslikelytobe
acquaintedwiththefact,thatHerMajestyisinawaylikelytopreventthe
successiontothethronefrompassingintoanyother
90
thanthedirectline.
ThereportderivesstrengthfromHerMajesty’srecentabstinencefrom
herfavouriteexerciseonhorsebackandalsofromdancing,inwhichshe
isknowntotakemuchpleasure”.
91
On12MayLordHollandwasreporting
thatutheknowingladiesareallconfdentshe[theQueen]iswithchild”,
92
andtwoweekslaterMrsStevensonsaidthatutothegreatjoyofherlieges
sheis,as’Ladieswilltobe,wholovetheirLords’andIsupposeImayadd
inhercase,wholovetheirsubjects”.93On15MayPrinceAlbertinformed
hisstepmother:uWearenowcertainthatVictoriaisgoingtohaveababy,
andherconfnementisexpectedfortheendofNovember.Thisismost
importanteventforusandwillbringfreshdevelopmentsintoourlife,
andyouwillbecomeagrandmother!”94
*
Theadvicegiventopregnantwomenwastolivenormallyduringpreg-
nancy.uUsemoderateexerciseandliveasnearasyoucaninyourusual
way”LadyJudithMilbanke(1751-1822)wasadvisedbyheraunt.AsLewis
convincinglyargued,contrarytopopularopiniontherewasnosocial
tabooagainstappearinginpublicwhenvisiblypregnant,andindeed
whenpregnantwomenrefrainedfromparticipatinginsocialactivities
itwasbecauseoftheirhealth,ratherthanimpropriety.Consequently,
womenusuallystayedathomeduringthefrsttrimesterofpregnancy
whennausea,dizziness,andvomitingweremostlikelytooccur.95Lady
FrancesChurchill,forexample,wenttotheoperaseventeendaysbefore
shegavebirthwhileLadyCharlotteGuestgaveaconcertatherhomeonly
twoweeksbeforeherconfnementandrecalled,uAtthebeginningofthe
eveningIattemptedtositdown,butIwassoonexpelledfrommyseatby
thecrowd,andobligedtostandatthetopofthestaircase”.96
Heavilypregnantwomenwerealsoacceptedintotheroyalpresence.
In1831,duringthereignofWilliamIV,LadyClanwilliamattendedtheroyal
drawingroominherninthmonthofpregnancy,97MaryElizabethLucy
waspresentedatCourtwhenshewasfvemonthspregnant,98andQueen
VictoriawelcomedLadyCharlotteGuestwhowassixmonthspregnantto
aballatthePalacein1840.
99
InthecaseofLadyJohnRussellwhovisitedthe
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