Prince George, Duke of Cambridge: A Series of Anecdotes
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| The Duke of Cambridge in 1855, 1865 and about 1900. Images from Wikimedia Commons |
Here are some anecdotes about the life of the Duke of Cambridge:
There are many good stories told of the duke, one incident occurring at Dover when, as Commander-in-Chief, he was making an inspection. Going into the barrack-room during the dinner hour, he asked if there were any complaints, and one Tommy said that his food was not of the best quality. Sitting down at the table the duke took up a knife and fork, and himself consumed the dinner. Then, remarking that he could not find any fault with it, he gave the astonished soldier a half-crown to buy another.
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Like all the rest of the Royal Family, the duke was a good linguist, but of dead languages he had not an extensive command. Therefore, when he made up his mind to call upon Pope Leo XIII he carefully polished up his Latin, which he understood was the language spoken at the Vatican. The duke, upon his arrival, listened for a salutation in Latin, was charmed to hear in good English, “This way, your Royal Highness.” Everywhere he went the same thing happened, until he was presented to the Pope.
Now he nerved himself for his best Latin. To his amazement His Holiness greeted him with a very dear, “Pray, your Royal Highness, sit down.” This was the culminating surprise.
“Well, I'm…” said the duke so this story goes, stopping short at the second word. He was not quite sure what word to utter, curious and confused as to what extent the Pope has mastered the English tongue.
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The language of the Commander-in-Chief was always picturesque, and the soldiers liked to be within earshot if aught ruffled his temper. On one occasion a couple of battalions had got into disgrace for fighting in the barracks. The duke had them out and addressed them, “You-deserve to be sent to— er, well, a place not in her Majesty's dominions. As it is, you'll go to — Mauritius.”
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Until the last, the Duke of Cambridge retained his wonderful physical powers almost unimpaired. His memory failed a little at times. On one such occasion he invited a friend to dine with him. He fancied on the appointed day that the friend was to be host. So the duke went to the friend's house while the friend went to the duke's. The result was neither the friend nor the duke found dinner or host.
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An interesting personal view of the Duke of Cambridge in the Crimea is afforded by & letter of his sister, the late Duchess of Teck, in a letter which she wrote giving a précis of several she had had from him: “George was himself so hotly engaged in the battle (Inkerman} that they all say it is a wonder he escaped; for five hours and upwards he was in a perfect hailstorm of shot and shell. As it is, he had his horse shot under him; and a ball grazed his arm, tearing up his sleeve, but fortunately, not wounding him, as it was turned by a pair of gold buttons he wears with our hair in them.”
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Regarding military education an amusing story is told. A subordinate appointment at the Horse Guards was vacant, and the Military Secretary brought to his Royal Highness's notice the name of Major A., whom he recommended as in every way suitable for the post.
On the duke's hearing the name of “A.”: “Is there not something against him?'
“No, sir. Nothing at all; he is a very good officer.”
“I am sure though,” continued the duke, “there is something against him. He has written a book or something of that sort.”
“No, sir, you are mistaken; he never wrote a book in his life.”
“Hum ! Then he has got ideas.”
“I assure Your Royal Highness he has none,” replied the Military Secretary.
“Very well, then,” said the duke, only half-convinced, however, “you may put him in orders.” The next day, when the duke met the Military Secretary, he exclaimed, “I knew there was something against Major A., and I have remembered what it was. He has gone through the Staff College (the Duke had an aversion towards the Staff College), and I won't have him.”
“Too late now, sir,” answered the Military Secretary, “his name has already appeared in orders.”
More royal anecdotes here:
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