Advent Day 17: Christmas Eve 1853 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Princess Helena, “Pont de Malay”, dated 24 Dec 1853, pencil, touches of bodycolour, RCIN 981049, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.

“We walked out rather late, going through the new Home Farm, which is getting on beautifully. — Was terribly busy all day with Xmas preparations. Alas!, as the 2 preceding years, the joy of the season was much spoilt by the anxiety respecting external & internal Politics. —

Took a short walk after luncheon. On coming home we found Ld Aberdeen came & saw him immediately. He said he had come to inform me of the state of the negotiations with Ld Palmerston, & then read the latter’s letter to him & his admirable answer, written since he got here. I annex copies of both. For what passed between between us I will make use of a Mem by Albert, the greater part of which I will copy. Ld Aberdeen said that some of his colleagues, Sir C. Wood, the Duke of Newcastle, & Mr Gladstone, had been very anxious that Ld Palmerston should be readmitted into the Cabinet & had had interviews with him, in which he had expressed his hope to be allowed to reconsider the step he had taken. Ly Palmerston had been most urgent with her husband on this point, saying “this must be arranged & settled”, & working herself into a great state of excitement, to get him back again into the Govt.

All the people most conversant with the Hse of C. stated that the Govt had no chance of going on with Ld Palmerston in the Opposition & with the present temper of the public which was greatly excited about the Oriental Question, & the disaster at Sinope. Even Sir Wm Molesworth shared this opinion. Ld Palmerston, in his letters, puts all on a misapprehensions that there could be no reconsideration of the details of the Reform Measure. After the letters (which Ld Aberdeen read) had been received he saw Ld John Russell & Sir J. Graham, who convinced themselves, that under the circumstances, nothing else remained to be done. Ld Aberdeen asked Ld John, whether he could tell me that it was a political necessity, to which Ld John answered: “yes, you may”. We repeated our fear as to the harm Ld Palmerston’s return might do, & the danger of taking in such a man, whom Ld Aberdeen said he believed “not one in the Cabinet respected. Ld Aberdeen owned that the step must damage the Govt, although it ought to damage Ld Palmerston still more. Ld John answered “yes, it would ruin anyone, but Palmerston.” Indeed Ld Aberdeen had thought it quite impossible that Ld Palmerston should have done what he has. He thinks that Ld P. has quarrelled with the Radicals, but that he can however make no further difficulties about the Reform Bill.

Ld Aberdeen, Ld John, & Sir J. Graham were determined to make no material alterations in the Bill “We shall carry that with a high hand”. Sir J. Graham is suspicious lest the wish of some of the members of the Cabinet, to get Ld Palmerston in again, may be an intrigue to get the measure weakened & modified. Neither Ld Aberdeen, nor we believe that Ld John had much to do with it, though we think that the dislike to see Ld John take the entire mastery in the Cabinet, may have had some influence. We know that this autumn the Peelites were very indignant when Ld J. coolly expected Ld Aberdeen to retire in order, that he might again be Prime Minr. He must know that Ld Palmerston’s presence in the Cabinet, would make this now more impossible than ever. Ld Aberdeen said that Ld John had been “much more cordial”, having even made a sort of speech to him, thanking him for his kindness, which I think pleased Ld Aberdeen very much. Altogether, I thought him much more cheerful than the last time I saw him. In his letter to Ld Palmerston he gives him a good set down for mixing up the Eastern Question with the other matter.

We then talked of the selfsame & most gloomy affair & read the letter of the Empr of Russia, which all think very unpromising. Ld Aberdeen still hopes that the Emperor will not declare war as the result of this — viz: a general war which would be too fearful. — Lord Aberdeen further told us, that Ld John & Sir J. Graham would have preferred going on without Ld Palmerston, & that Sir G. Grey, though anxious not to take office, as he looks to being eventually Speaker, — could have been persuaded to take office. Ld Aberdeen left us at ½ p. 5.

Copies of Letters sent by Ld Aberdeen on the 26th, with the prefixed note. — Ld Aberdeen with his most humble duty has the honour of enclosing for Your Majesty copies of Ld Palmerston’s letter to him & his answer. Ld Aberdeen was not without apprehension of receiving a rejoinder, but instead of this a note arrived this morning, merely asking if a Cabinet was likely to be summoned in the course of this week, as he was going into the country, — in fact a vote, just as if nothing whatever had taken place!

Were very much busied after seeing Ld Aberdeen, with arranging the Xmas trees & gifts & giving ours to our personal servants &c. — At length at ½ p. 6 we went with Mama in the room where the Children’s tree was, the 7 Children jumping & shouting with delight. Toys, without end, for the little ones, books, prints articles for work, games for Boys, &c — were given to them all & an undress uniform of the Grenadier Guards, to little Arthur. We went then to the Red Room, where my table was, & the numerous & most beautiful gifts from my beloved one, were most beautifully arranged. From Mama I also received pretty things & the Children’s work, drawings & writings were very nice indeed. Mama’s table & tree was in the same room as mine & she was very pleased with all we gave her.

Next, we went into dear Albert’s room, & he was delighted with my different gifts. We remained looking at all our & the Children’s gifts, & then after 7 I gave the Ladies & Gentlemen their tree & gifts, in the Oak Room, taking them to our’s afterwards, the rooms with their different trees, all looking so pretty & gay, & the Children enjoying themselves so much. — No one to dinner, but ourselves. — Good Leopold of Coburg again changed his plans, only arriving at 11, so that we did not see him at all. —”

RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) [24 December 1853] (PRINCESS BEATRICE’S COPIES), VOLUME 36, p198-208, RETRIEVED [30 November 2025]. Supplied by Royal Collection Trust / © HM King Charles III,