Page:The Letters Of Queen Victoria, vol. 2 (1908).djvu/52

34 apartments can at once hold, is much wanted. Equally so, improved offices and servants’ rooms, the want of which puts the departments of the household to great expense yearly. It will be for Sir Robert to consider whether it would not be best to remedy all these deficiencies at once, and to make use of this opportunity to render the exterior of the Palace such as no longer to be a disgrace to the country, which it certainly now is. The Queen thinks the country would be better pleased to have the question of the Sovereign’s residence in London so finally disposed of, than to have it so repeatedly brought before it.

, 18th February 1845. The Queen has received Sir Robert Peel’s letter, and is glad that the progress in the House of Commons was so satisfactory. The Queen was much hurt at Mr Borthwick’s most im- pertinent manner of putting the question with respect to the title of King Consort, and much satisfied with Sir Robert’s answer. The title of King is open assuredly to many difficulties, and would perhaps be no real advantage to the Prince, but the Queen is positive that something must at once be done to place the Prince’s position on a constitutionally recognised footing, and to give him a title adequate to that position. How and when, are difficult questions. . ..