and upholder in her brother Leopold, husband of the late Princess
Charlotte, and afterwards King of the Belgians. On discovering her
straitened means he gave her an allowance of L3000 a year, which was
continued until it was no longer necessary in 1831. As the duke came into
a separate income only at a late period of his life, he had died much in
debt. Long afterwards the Queen said to Lord Melbourne: 'I want to pay all
that remains of my father's debts. I must do it. I consider it a sacred
duty.' And she did not rest till she did it. In reply to an address of
congratulation on the coming of age of the Queen, the Duchess of Kent
said:

'My late regretted consort's circumstances, and my duties, obliged us to
reside in Germany; but the Duke of Kent at much inconvenience, and I at
great personal risk, returned to England, that our child should be "born
and bred a Briton." In a few months afterwards my infant and myself were
awfully deprived of father and husband. We stood alone--almost friendless
and alone in this country; I could not even speak the language of it. I
did not hesitate how to act, I gave up my home, my kindred, my duties [the
regency of Leiningen], to devote myself to that duty which was to be the
whole object of my future life. I was supported in the execution of my
duties by the country. It placed its trust in me, and the Regency Bill
gave me its last act of confidence. I have in times of great difficulty
avoided all connection with any party in the state; but if I have done so,
I have never ceased to press on my daughter her duties, so as to gain by
her conduct the respect and affection of the people. This I have taught
her should be her first earthly duty as a constitutional sovereign.'

The little princess was brought up quietly and wisely at Kensington and
Claremont. In a letter from the Queen to her uncle Leopold, written in
1843, we find the following: 'This place [Claremont] has a particular