Note 64 — Chapter IV

The Princess Charlotte in 1811. “She is grown excessively, and has all the fulness of a person of five-and-twenty. She is neither graceful nor elegant; yet she has a peculiar air et tous les prestiges de la royauté et du pouvoir. The Princess is above the middle height, extremely spread for her age; her bosom full, but finely shaped; her shoulders large, and her whole person voluptuous, but of a nature to become soon spoiled; and without much care and exercise, she will shortly lose all beauty in fat and clumsiness. Her skin is white, but not a transparent white. There is little or no shade in her face, but her features are very fine. Their expression, like that of her general demeanour, is noble. Her feet are rather small, and her hands and arms are finely moulded. She has a hesitation in her speech amounting almost to a stammer—an additional proof, if any were wanting, of her being her father’s own child; but in everything she is his very image. Her voice is flexible, and its tones dulcet, except when she laughs, then it becomes too loud, but is never unmusical. She seems to wish to be admired more as a lovely woman than as a Queen. Yet she has quickness both of penetration and fancy, and would fain reign despotically, or I am much mistaken. I fear she is capricious, self-willed, and obstinate. I think she is kind-hearted, clever, and enthusiastic. Her faults have evidently never been checked, nor her virtues fostered.”—Lady C. Campbell’s Diary, vol. i. p. 65.