On the 25th March 1861, Victoire, Duchess of Kent, mother of Queen Victoria, was buried at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Rather unusually, Queen Victoria did not attend her mothers funeral because she thought it would be too overwhelming.
"The dreaded day had come at last! It was gloomy, with a drizzling rain, but it cleared later. - My dear Albert came in in his black coat & scarf, he was going as Chief Mourner, supported by Bertie & Ernest L. & followed by dear little Arthur, Victor, Fritz Holstein, George C, Nemours, Alencon & Philip Würtemburg, Paris, Robert & Edward S. W. Embraced my dearest Husband & begged him to pray for & think of me! At 11, they all left. I heard nothing, but the carriages drive off & saw nothing. Heard that all have been so quietly & properly conducted this morning. At ½ p. 4 the sad removal from Frogmore took place, the dear remains accompanied to St. George's Chapel by Ld James Murray Col: Ponsonby, the 3 faithful maids, her steward & 2 Pages. The coffin was first placed close to Pss Charlotte's monument, & remained there watched by the servants, till the service began. - Our 4 daughters joined me with prayers, & in reading comforting Hymns, whilst the service was going on & I felt calmed. Albert returned whilst we were reading, still visibly affected. He said it was as well we had not been there for it had been terribly trying. All had been very quiet & solemn, & there had hardly been a dry eye! The music, simple & fine. - Had a such touching unhappy letter from dearest Feodore, who is thank God! not ill. - After luncheon we were again much & long occupied with the dear bust, which is getting speakingly like, almost overpoweringly so. - Walked down to Frogmore, where I saw dear Aunt Augusta Bruce, who talked of the sad, but most touching & impressive service at St. George's. She Ly Fanny Howard, Ly Couper (for whom it was a fearful ordeal) Ly Susan Melville, Ly C. Harcourt & Ly Cust (the 2 last, formerly dear Mama's ladies) had been the Pall Bearers. Took leave of poor dear Ly Fanny, a very trying & painful moment for us both. Ld James Murray had left directly after the sad ceremony. - We walked back again. - Before my dinner, which still take alone saw Ernest L. & Then Fritz Holstein for a moment. - Albert came to me after I had been reading awhile, & I showed him, the letters from dearest Mama to her friend Poluie Wagner, giving accounts of my poor Father's illness & death, which are very touching & distressing. That illness lasted a fortnight. Albert read the greater part of the letters aloud, & we remained up till ½ p. 11 reading them. Thus ended this sad, sad day. -"
© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2012
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