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I.THEPREGNANCIESANDCONFINEMENTS
walking’ssake.Notwithstandingthis,Melbourneinsistedthatsheshould
getoutmoreinthefreshair(andbeprudentaboutherdiet)ifshedid
notwanttocontinuegainingweight.Melbourne’sadvicewasseconded
byUncleLeopold,whoalsourgedhertowalkandsaidthatunotwalking
hadhurt”PrincessCharlottesomuch.131
Greville,aspreviouslymentioned,noticedthatthemorningafterher
weddingnighttheQueenwasseenwalkingwithPrinceAlbert,achange
fromherformerhabits.
132
Indeed,aftertheweddingthePrincesoonestab-
lishedanewdailyroutine.Insteadofsleepingininthemorning,they
hadtheirbreakfastat9a.m.andtookawalkearlyeverydayunlessthe
weathermadeitimpossible.Thentheywouldworktogetheruntillunch,
whichwasservedat2p.m.,afterwhichtheQueenwouldmeetMelbourne
todiscussoffcialbusiness.Between5p.m.and6p.m.thePrinceusually
drovetheQueeninaponyphaetonor,whenhewentriding,shedrovewith
theDuchessofKentorherladies.Dinnerwasat8p.m.,andafterplaying
gamesorconversingwiththeirgueststheQueenandPrinceAlbertretired,
usuallybefore11p.m..
133
Onlywhentheywenttotheoperaorthetheatre
wouldtheygotobedlater.
AttheendofJuly1840,PrinceAlbertwrotetohisstepmotherthat
theQueenu[…]standsherconditionsatisfactorilythoughitistryingto
bekeptsolongintown…Ilookforwardwiththankfulnessandpleasure,
tothemovetoWindsor,whichwillbesogoodforherineverywayand
whereshecanremainquietlytillshehastoreturntotownforthegreat
event”.
134
Whilepregnant,onmostdaystheQueencontinuedtowalkwith
Albert,weatherpermitting.On12Augusttheytooktheirlastwalkinthe
BuckinghamPalacegardensbeforemovingtoWindsorforthesummer,
andtheQueencommentedthatuwhenwereturninNovemberitisforan
event,whichIcannotsayIamquitelookingforwardtowithpleasure”.135
InWindsor,theyalsotooktheiruusualwalk”afterbreakfast,136gener-
allyforhalfanhour.InSeptember,LadyLytteltonnoticedthattheQueen
ulooksinverygoodhealth,andisveryactive;outwalkingbeforetenthis
morning,andseemingdeterminedtobearupandcomplainofnothing.”
137
InOctober,shewonderedhowtheQueencouldwalksomuchandnever
betired,ubutsoitis”.
138
Thewalkwasnotmissedeveniftheweather
waswindyorcold:uWewalkedoutafterbreakfast,&therewasatremen-
douslyhighwind,butIamsostrong&active,thatIbraveallthat”,wrote
theQueenafewdaysbeforeherconfnement,139butsometimes,usually
becauseofrain,theyremainedindoorsanduwalkedaboutinthecorri-
dor”.140Now,accompaniedbyherubelovedAlbert”,theQueenenjoyed
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