The marriage of the Princess Royal took place January the 25th, under the circumstances referred to in a previous chapter.

One of the earliest incidents connected with the court, of any general interest, was the investiture of the King of Portugal with the order of the garter. This event took place in Lisbon, where the Marquis of Bath and Sir George Young officiated, as her majesty’s plenipotentiaries, in conferring the honour. The ceremony took place on the 27th of May, 1858.

On the 15th of June her majesty, accompanied by Prince Albert, visited Birmingham, on occasion of a “People’s Park” being set apart. Her majesty was the guest of Lord Leigh, of Stoneleigh Abbey.

A distribution of the Victoria Cross took place on Southsea Common, by her majesty in person, on the 2nd of August.

Soon after, her majesty, attended by a brilliant court, proceeded to the inauguration of Cherbourg as a great port and arsenal, and the opening of the Napoleon Dock at that place. The attendance of the Queen of England upon an occasion intended to celebrate a work accomplished for the menace of her dominions, and more especially of her naval power in the Channel, was generally regarded abroad as a sign of timidity on the part of the English government, and of a willingness to conciliate the French emperor at all costs, even of national respect.

On the 10th of August her majesty sailed from Gravesend for Germany, to pay a visit to her daughter, the Princess Frederick William of Prussia.

The year 1858 was remarkable for the number of visits paid by the court. On the 6th of September her majesty visited Leeds. Avast concourse of people, from every part of the great West Riding of York, thronged the town, and the demonstrations of loyal attachment made by the people were most gratifying to their sovereign. The object of the visit was the opening of the Town Hall. A great musical festival followed, one of the most successful ever held in England.

The court, during that portion of 1859 which falls within the limits of this History, was not in any especial way connected with great public events.