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.[4]

[Footnote 4: Peel replied that, as a renewal of the Income Tax
was about to be proposed, it would be better to postpone the
application to Parliament till the public feeling as to the
tax had been ascertained.]

[PAGEHEADING: TITLE OF KING CONSORT]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

PAVILION, _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 impertinent manner of
putting the question with respect to the title of King Consort, and
much satisfied with Sir Robert's answer.[5] 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.[6] _How_ and _when_, are difficult questions....

[Footnote 5: A paragraph had appeared in the _Morning
Chronicle_, giving credence to a rumour that this title was
about to be conferred on the Prince, but, in answer to Mr
Peter Borthwick, Sir Robert Peel positively contradicted it.]

[Footnote 6:

_Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert._

WHITEHALL, _15th February 1845._

SIR,--I received yesterday the accompanying note from Mr
Borthwick, and in conformity with the notice therein given,
he put the question to me in the House of Commons last evening
respecting the paragraph which appeared in the _Morning
Chronicle_ respecting the intention of proposing to Parliament
that your Royal Highness should assume the title of King
Consort.

I very much regret that the _Morning Chronicle_ inserted that
paragraph.

The prominent place assigned to it in the newspaper, and a
vague intimation that there was some authority for it, have
caused a certain degree of credit to be attached to it. It has
been copied into all the country newspapers and has given rise
to a good deal of conjecture and speculation, which i