But God in mercy interposed
His shadow for her panoply.

Then let ten thousand lyres be swept,
Let paeans ring o'er sea and land--
The Almighty hath our Sovereign kept
Within the hollow of His hand!

In July 1840, it was considered necessary to appoint a Regent in case
of the Queen's death. A Bill for this purpose was brought in and
passed, naming the Prince as Regent. This pleased the Queen, for it
was a clear proof of the golden opinions the Prince had won everywhere
since his marriage, and it was passed, as she herself said, entirely
on account of his noble character. At an earlier period it is certain,
as Lord Melbourne assured her, that Parliament would not have passed
such a Bill.

The Queen was soon to lose her chief adviser and friend, for in June
1841 Parliament dissolved and the Whigs were not returned to power.
Lord Melbourne could, however, resign with an easy mind, for he
himself recognized how valuable a counsellor the Queen now possessed
in her husband. After handing his resignation to the Queen, he wrote
to her: "Lord Melbourne has formed the highest opinion of His Royal
Highness's judgment, temper, and discretion, and he cannot but feel
a great consolation and security in the reflection that he leaves
Your Majesty in a situation in which Your Majesty has the inestimable
advantage of such advice and assistance." The Queen was exceedingly
proud of these words of praise, coming as they did unasked from a
minister of such long experience.