By George! It's Time to Party!

At long last Prince George had been made regent. (See last week’s post for details) Any guesses what he did first?

And now that the long awaited Regency had finally begun, there was but one thing on the Prince’s mind. Napoleon? Don’t be silly. Reconciling the Whigs and Tories for the sake of better government? Oh puleeeeeeeeze! The Prince Regent wanted a party. The grandest party that ever was, ever had been or ever would be.

Alas, it was pointed out to him that a party to celebrate his regency might smack of celebrating dad’s illness. That wouldn’t do at all. The Prince agreed and nothing more was said of the idea. Officially. Unofficially, the Prince didn’t stop planning for it. When the moment was right, like, maybe after dad snuffed it, the Prince Regent would be ready!

There wasn’t much in the realm of government that the Prince had any talent for. There was damned little in the realm of adult relationships that the Prince could handle. But the Prince had a genius for parties. The Prince could handle every detail of the biggest blow-out and pull it off like no one else. And this was going to be a BIG party.

Finally, the Prince set June 9 as the date for the party. Was dad better? Nope. It wasn’t going to be a party to celebrate the Prince’s Regency, it was going to be a party for those poor French aristos that got chased out of Paris by The Mob.(wink, wink) Wasn’t it just too, too, sad what had happened to them? (nudge, nudge) Of course it was. That’s why the Prince wanted a party for them!(wink, wink, WINK.) To buck up their spirits!

He even remembered to invite a few of them. Far be it for my humble pen to describe the scene. I’ll turn it over to someone who was actually there. In a letter to his mother, Thomas Moore describes the party…What? Who was Thomas Moore? I dunno, some guy. But he was invited to the party and wrote to his mom about it. That’s the important thing.

“The extraordinary part of it was that so large a number should have been served (2,000 people had been invited) in such a style. Tureens, dishes, plates, even soup plates, were everywhere of silver with as many changes as were wanted.

There were hot soups and roasts, all besides cold, (hot and cold dishes served together) but of excellent and fresh cookery. Peaches, grapes, Pine Apples, and every other minor fruit, in and out of season were in profusion. Iced champagne at every three or four persons, all the other wines also excellent. Their was no crowding, hurry or bustle in waiting; everything was done as in a private house…Nothing was ever half so magnificent! It was in reality all that they try to imitate in the gorgeous scenery of the theater…Such an assemblage of beauty, splendor and profuse magnificence…Women outblazing each other in the richness of their dress…I really sat for three quarters of an hour in the Prince’s room after supper, silently looking at the spectacle… The Prince spoke to me, as he always does, with the cordial familiarity of and old friend.”

At 2:30 that afternoon, the Prince sat down to dine with two hundred or so of his very closest friends. “On the table in front of him was a miniature fountain whose waters flowed in a silver bedded stream to the right and left of him. The stream was bounded by mossy banks, water plants and flowers; Tiny gold and silver fish swam through the arches of miniature bridges or, sadly, lay dead, floating on top of the water. A model lake was surrounded by miniature urns from which rose breathes of fragrant smoke.”

The Duchess d’ Angouleme sat on the Prince’s right, the Duchess of York on his left. Mom wasn’t there because she knew damned well why her boy was throwing his party and she wanted nothing to do with it. And, because she wouldn’t go, none of the Prince’s sisters were allowed to go although they had all been invited and were desperate to attend.

Princess Caroline was not there because she hadn’t been invited. But then, she didn’t expect to be. Her Ladies in Waiting had been invited and in keeping with her nature, not only said they could go, but bought new dresses for them so they would look their best. The Prince didn’t deserve the women in his life. Speaking of which…

Mrs Fitzherbert was invited. When she asked if Lady Hertford would be present, the Prince replied “Sure. Why shouldn’t she be?” Mrs Fitzherbert demanded to know where she stood, not only with the Prince, but in society. When she pressed him, he finally told her “You know, Madam, you have no place.”

“None Sir, but such as you choose to give me.” Was her reply. She didn’t attend the party nor did she and the Prince ever speak to one another again. Mrs Fitzherbert, who had put up with the Prince for 24 very long years, had been dumped for good. The Duke and Duchess of York, as well as all of his sisters begged him to reconsider. Maria Fitzherbert was practically a member of the family. Even mom and dad liked her! And he was dumping her for another man’s wife? The Prince refused to reconsider. Lady Hertford was in. Mrs Fitzherbert was out. Forever.

– Mr. Al