What was The Bedchamber Crisis

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Q.� More please.

A.� From her accession in 1837 until 1839 Lord Melbourne, the Liberal (Whig) Prime Minister, had been the Queen's private secretary and close friend. Whigs surrounded the Queen. Melbourne resigned in 1839 and Conservative Sir Robert Peel succeeded. Peel had only a minority and felt that he needed some mark of confidence from the Queen.

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Q.� Whom Peel thought was a Whig supporter

A.� Quite. He thought she might make some changes in her household. He considered those ladies in higher offices who were related to Whig ministers should be replaced by Tory ladies.

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Q.� What did young Victoria think to that

A.� Not a lot. She found Peel, an unsubtle man at the best of times, rather cold. Peel asked Lord Ashley (later the Earl of Shaftesbury) to take over the household, telling him that it was a great responsibility to provide the attendants and companions - known as ladies of the bedchamber - of this 19-year-old woman who ruled over millions of subjects. Peel then proposed alterations in the appointments but the Queen said no.

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Q.� Then what

A.� Peel asked the Duke of Wellington to see her but he could not persuade her to give way. Victoria then wrote to Melbourne;� Melbourne replid that he and his cabinet would stand by her. Peel, therefore, refused to form a ministry - and resigned.

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Q.� All a total storm in a teacup

A.� Absolutely. All Peel wanted were one or two changes for the Queen to show good faith in his government. Victoria later wrote that from her point of view, 'some' and 'all' were the same thing.

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Q.� So Peel was the bad guy

A.� Not really. Victoria was unreasonable; the Whigs were meddling and Peel was acting desperately

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Q.� So it all ended unhappily ever after

A.� Not at all. The question was settled in a friendly manner between the two parties before Melbourne's final resignation in 1841. The Queen's marriage to Prince Albert in February, 1840, made the crisis history.

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By Steve Cunningham

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