d she was
the source of constant anxiety and annoyance. Often, when in obedience
to the king's [George III.] commands, my grandmother took her young
charge to the Charlton Villa, the Princess of Wales would behave with a
_levity of manner and language that the presence of her child and her
child's governess were insufficient to restrain_. On more than one
occasion, Lady de Clifford was obliged to threaten her with making such
a representation to the king as would tend to deprive her altogether of
the Princess Charlotte's society. These remonstrances were always taken
in good part, and produced promises of amendment."[23] The Hon. Amelia
Murray tells us in her "Recollections from 1803 to 1837": "There was
about this period an extravagant _furore_ in the cause of the Princess
of Wales. She was considered an ill-treated woman, and that was enough
to arouse popular feeling. My brother was among the young men who helped
to give her an ovation at the opera. A few days afterwards he went to
breakfast at a place near Woolwich. There he saw the princess, in a
gorgeous dress, which was looped up to show her petticoat covered with
stars, with silver wings on her shoulders, sitting under a tree, _with a
pot of porter on her knee_; and as a finale to the gaiety, she had the
doors opened of every room in the house, and selecting a partner, she
galloped through them, desiring all the guests to follow her example! It
may be guessed whether the gentlemen were anxious to clap her at the
opera again." Now this was the personage whom certain classes of the
community persisted in regarding, sixty years ago, as a royal martyr.
Small as is the respect or esteem which we owe to the memory of George
the Fourth, we may almost sympathise with him when he calls such a
consort "uncongenial."

A person so little fitted for the high position which she occupied was
certain to give trouble; and as far back as 1806, her indiscreet conduct
had induced the king [George III.] to grant a commission to Lords
Spencer, Grenville, Erskine, and Ellenborough, to examine into the truth
of certain allegations which had been made against her; and, although
their report expressed the most unqualified opinion that the graver
charges were utterly destitute of foundation, such report, nevertheless,
concluded with some strictures made by the commissioners "on the levity
of manners displayed by the princess on certain occasions."[24] In
consequence of this official report