The final illness and death of Prince Albert through Queen Victoria’s letters and journals, 9th December 1861:

Queen Victoria’s journal:

“When I woke at 4 sent to enquire & heard dear Albert had slept very quietly & well & had only woke to take his food. At 7 saw D’ Jenner, who reported favourably, thank God! At 8 went over to my beloved one, who himself admitted that it had been his first good night & that it was “a great thing”. He seemed much more himself. When he took his broth, he quite sat up, as usual, & shows great strength, but is now entirely in bed. Wrote some letters in his room. — Sir James arrived & I was startled by his saying he wished Albert to see Sir H. Holland & D’ Watson dreading that Albert might be frightened at seeing the doctors. However he was quite ready to see D’ Watson, & the visit went off well, Albert saying D’ Watson was a quiet sensible man. — Drove out quite late with Alice, with the little Sardinian ponies. — Dear Albert sent for me, when I came in & said D’ Watson was “quite the right man”. He wanders frequently, which they say is of no consequence, though very distressing. It is such an anxious, anxious time! But God will help me through it. — Dinner as usual. As dear Albert was sleeping. I did not like to disturb him, but at ½ p. 10 went over to wish him goodnight. M’ Brown was to sit up. —“

Letter from Queen Victoria to her uncle Leopold’s, King of Belgium:

“My beloved Uncle,—I enclose you Clark’s report, which I think you might like to hear. Our beloved invalid goes on well— but it must be tedious, and I need not tell you what a trial it is to me. Every day, however, is bringing us nearer the end of this tiresome illness, which is much what I had at Ramsgate, only that I was much worse, and not at first well attended to. You shall hear daily.

You will, I know, feel for me! The night was excellent; the first good one he had. Ever your devoted niece,

Victoria R”

http://www.queenvictoriasjournals.org/
© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2012 © Bodleian Libraries © ProQuest