came the Emperor
Frederick, and parted from the sister "Vicky," to whom he was much
attached, with evident sorrow.

On April 1, 1858, when nearly seventeen years of age, the Prince was
confirmed in the Chapel Royal at Windsor. Writing of this ceremony, the
Prince Consort observed to Baron Stockmar that Lord Derby, Lord
Palmerston and Lord John Russell were amongst those who were present and
that the event "went off with great solemnity and, I hope, with an
abiding impression on his mind." At the examination before the
Archbishop of Canterbury and his Royal parents the Prince was described
as acquitting himself "extremely well." On the succeeding day he took
the Sacrament. Shortly afterwards followed a two weeks walking tour in
the south of Ireland in which the Prince was accompanied by Mr. Gibbs,
Captain de Ros--afterwards Lieutenant-General Lord de Ros--and Dr.
Minter. Succeeding this came a short period of steady study and the
formal establishment of the young Prince at White Lodge in Richmond
Park, under the tuition of Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Tarver and with three
companions carefully selected by his father--Lord Valletort, the present
(1902) Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, Major Teesdale V.C. and Major Lindsay
V.C. Of the first named the Prince Consort wrote privately that he had
been much on the Continent and was "a thoroughly good, moral and
accomplished man," who had passed his youth in attendance on his invalid
father. He also referred to the manner in which Major Teesdale had
distinguished himself at Kars and Major Lindsay at Alma and Inkerman and
of the latter said: "He is studious in his habits, lives little with the
other young officers, is fond of study and familiar with French and
Italian."[2] These considerations are interesting as indicating with
what care the companions of the young Prince were selected by his wise
father from time to time. Here the Prince had, amongst his elements of
instruction, lectures on History from the Rev. Charles Kingsley, the
well-known author of _Westward Ho_ and, for ten years following,
Professor of History at Cambridge. They were given by special desire of
the Queen and must have proved deeply interesting. Canon Kingsley was,
during the rest of his life, an object of special liking to the Prince
and always an honoured guest at Sandringham and Marlborough.

[Illustration: EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, AT THE AGE OF SEVEN
In Sailor's Dress]

[Illustration: EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, AGED F