The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-16 00:00:00

THE DEATH

ITHE PRINCE CONSORT.'

The news of the serious illness of the late Prince
Consort alarmed and amazed all England on Satur-
day. To the attentive readers of the Court Circular
it was only known that bis Royal Highness was.
slightly indisposed, and the bulletin which on Satur- -
day announced that his illness had taken an un-.
favourable turn spread dismay and astonishment
throughout the country. Then, all at once, the fear-
ful affliction which threatened her Majesty was seen,
and on every side information as to the state of his
Royal Highness's health was sought for with the
most intense eagerness. The announcement which :1
we published in The Sun of Saturday, that a
change, slightly for the better, had taken place in
the illustrious patient's condition, was welcomed as,
almost a relief from the state of feverish anxiety
under which all had waited for news. Unhappily,
this slight improvement, which raised such ardent
hopes wherever it was known, proved to be but a
precursor of the fatal issue. During Saturday morn-
ing—at least in the early part—his Royal Highness
undoubtedly seemed better, and, notwithstanding
that his condition was in the highest degree precari-
ous, the change, though sudden, was marked, and
almost justified the strong hopes which were then
entertained that he would recover. This change was:'
but for a short time, and, in fact, but one of those
expiring efforts of nature which give delusive
hopes to the mourners round so many death-beds.
Soon afterwards his Royal Highness again relapsed,
and before the evening it became evident that it was
only a question of an hour more or less. The Prince
sank with alarming rapidity. At 4 the physicians
issued a bulletin stating that their patient was then
.'in" a most critical state," which was indeed a sad
truth, for at that time almost every hope of recovery
had passed away. Her Majesty and the Prince of
Wales (who had travelled through the previous night
from Cambridge), the Princesses Alice and Helena,
and the Prince and Princess of Leiningen, were
with their illustrious relative during all this mourn-
ful and most trying period. The approach of death
from exhaustion was so rapid that all stimulants
failed to check the progressive increase of weakness,
and the fatal termination was so clearly foreseen
that even before 9 o'clock on Saturday evening a
telegram was forwarded from Windsor to the city.
stating that the Prince Consort was then dying fast.
Quietly and without suffering he continued slowly
to sink, so slowly that the wrists were pulseless long
before the last moment had arrived, when at a ler
minutes before 11 he ceased to breathe, and all wall
over. An hour after and the solemn tones of the
great bell of St. Paul's—a bell of evil omen—told all
citizens how irreparable has been the loss of their
beloved Queen, how great the loss to the country.
Daring yesterday the intelligence was received
; everywhere with a feeling so painful that it
would really be difficult to exaggerate the amaze-
ment and grief manifested. The first fear—a
wide, deep, and general fear—was, that the great
: and keen affliction with which it has pleased
Heaven in its wisdom to visit the Royal Family
might prove too much for the strength of her
Majesty, and that she herself might sink under her
irreparable bereavement. A bulletin, however.
posted at Buckingham Palace, stating that the
Queen, tl”ugh overwhelmed with grief, bore her

loss with calmness, and had not then suffered ir
health, was soon known everywhere—such was the
eagerness with which news of the Queen at such r.
heavy time was sought for.
Yesterday intelligence of the national calamity
was communicated to the citizens of London.
through the Lord Mayor, at the Mansion-house, it
the subjoined official letter from the Secretary ID!
Siate for the Home Department :

" Whitehall, Dec. 15.

" My Lord,—lt is with the greatest concern that
I inform your Lordship of the death of his Royal
Highness the Prince Consort, which took place at
Windsor Castle last night at ten minutes to eleven
o'clock, to the inexpressible grief of her Majesty
and the Royal Family.
,‘ I request your Lordship will give directions for
tolling the great bell of St. Paul's Cathedral.—]
have the honour to be, your Lordship's most obe•
dient servant,
"The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor."

" G. GREY.

Again, yesterday afternoon his Lordship received
by special messenger the following bulletin, copies
of which he immediately caused to be posted on the
most conspicuous places in front of the Mansion-
,house

" Windsor Castle, Sunday, Noon, Dec. 15.
"The Queen, although overwhelmed with grief
bears her bereavement with calmness, and has no
suffered in health.