Sir Robert Peel
The Queen became embroiled in the first serious constitutional crisis of her reign when, at the beginning of 1839, she heard the alarming news that Melbourne's Whig government, facing defeat on a colonial issue in the House of Commons, would have to resign. The Duke of Wellington was shocked by her petulance at the time, and by her tearful distress at the prospect of having to deal with Tories, which were one of the things, she said, like insects and turtle soup, she hated most in all the world.
Although he was a confirmed Tory, the Queen could have tolerated Wellington as Melbourne's successor; but he protested that he was too old and deaf, and told her that she must summon the Tory leader, Sir Robert Peel. She was mortified by this: Peel was so difficult to talk to; his extreme shyness in her presence made her feel shy too, while his nervous mannerisms, his irritating habits of pointing his toes and thrusting out his hands to shake down his cuffs, reminded her of a dancing master.
When he tentatively asked for some changes in her household, in which most of her ladies were Whigs or married to Whigs, she refused to consider the matter. Faced by her stubborn pertness, Peel was compelled to give way, and Melbourne remained in office.
'...when he was forced to resign, she was as sorry to part with him as he was to leave her.'
In 1841, however, after a general election, the Tories came to power under Peel and the Queen, by then married to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, was persuaded to take a less hostile view of her new Prime Minister. Indeed, under the influence of Prince Albert, she came to share her husband's high opinion of Peel's character and attachments, and to approve his policies. He, for his part, in his dealings with the queen, did all he could to follow the advice of Melbourne, who asked Charles Greville to pass it on for him:
'Whenever Peel does anything or has anything to propose [Melbourne said] let him explain to her clearly his reasons. The Queen is not conceited; she is aware there are many things she does not understand, and she likes to have them explained to her elementarily, not at length and in detail but shortly and clearly.'
Some time later, on this occasion through Prince Albert's private secretary, Sir George Anson, Melbourne added another piece of advice for Peel: 'Don't irritate her by talking at her about religion'. Peel took care to follow this advice also, and, when he was forced to resign, she was as sorry to part with him as he was to leave her. It was, he said, 'one of the most painful moments' of his life. And when he died in 1850, she deeply lamented the loss of 'a kind and true friend', her 'worthy Peel, a man of unbounded loyalty, courage, patriotism and highmindedness'.
Published: 2001-01-01
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