Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-01-22
QUEEN VICTORIA.

Victoria was awakened out OF oeep
sleep at 8 o'clock 10 the morniug oil
June 20, 1887, to learn that she wa
@ ieen of England. She received the
news clad in her nightgowp. her bsied
feet In slippers and her hair falling
loosely over her shoulders.
On that eventful morning she was o
young girl. Ooly 27 days before, on
May "a, she had celebrated her eieh-
teenih birthday, when she became legal
ly OF age
King William Nv had died at q. N.
In Windsor, three hours before Victoria
was notified of her accession in Ken
sington Palace, where she lived with
her mother. the Duchess OF Kent.
10 expectation of the Kings death .
carriage bad been kept ready ct Wind
sor. As soon as the King breathed his
last the Archbishop OF Canterbury and
the Lord Cham berlaiD, Lord CoDyng-
ham left the death chamber and enter
ipg a csrrisge we're driven with all
speed to Kensington.
Victoria had retired the night before
with no thought of the vast change that
A. few bours would make In her life.
Kensipgton Palace was wrapped in
siumber when the two emissaries ar
rived, What followed Is told 10 the
DIARY ofa Lady of Quality" 10 this
wsy:
"Tney knocked, they rang, they
,humped for considerable time before
hey could rouse the porter at the gate;
they were again kept waiting 10 the
courtyard, then turned into one of the
lower rooms, where they seemed to be
forgotten by everybody. They raug
the bell and desired that the attendant
of the Princess Victoria might be sent
TO inform Her Royal Highness that
they requested an audience on busint ss
oi importance.
"Af,er another delay and another
ringing to inquire the cause, the attend
ant was summoned. who stated that
the Princess was 10 eucn sweet sleep
that she could not venture to disturb
her.
"Theu they said:" we are come on
business of state to the Queen, and even
her sleep must give way to that. II did.
"In q few moments che came into
The roc m in loose white night gown
aud shawl, her night cap thrown ofl
and her hair falling upon her shoulders,
her feet in slippers, tears 10 her eyes,
out perfectly collected and digni6ed.
1.-THE attendant, Notwithstanding the
ureings of the visitors, had not called
ner mother. The Duchess Of Kent had
aroused the young girl and sent her
alone into the room where Lord
Copypgham and the Archbishop were
waiting.
"The Lord Chamberlain knelt down
aud presented q paper to the astonished
girl, announcing the death of her uncle
and notifying her that she was his sue
cessor.
"The girl could cay nothing and the
Archbishop announced that he had
come By desire OF Queen Adelaide,
widow OF King William, who wanted
Victoria to know Of the peaceful deatf
| Of her uncle.
"The Q1een's first words we're ad
dressed to the Primate. She said: :!
beg your grace to pray for me- which
/ he did.
| "Victoria's first written communities
ton as Queen was dispatched an houl
later to Queen Adelaide 10 reply to
re quest tnat she miebtremain at Wind
sor until after the funeral. She ad
dressed this letter to Her Majesty th'
Queen Victoria was told that !
snould be directed to the Queen Dow
ager.
81 am aware of that" answered Vic
toris, "but / will not be the fist to re-
mind her OF her altered position"
"At III o'clock on the same morning
she had to preside at her first Privy
Council. An extemporized throne hat
been placed at the head of the table
around which were grouped the great
est men in the kingdom. Without an!
embarrassment she read to them be-
first speech, which had been prepared
by some older and wiser head.
Her only embarrassment came whel
the old men, whom she had beel
taught to revere from infancy, knel
before ber to swear allegiance sn'
kiss her hand.
An hour after the Privy Council sh,
was called upon again to preside at
gathering of Cabinet Ministers.