Last week closed with touching events for her Majesty; in the leave-taking of her third son the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, on his departure to take command of a brigade in Egypt, and in the reception and taking leave of various officers attached to the Egyptian expedition, including Sir John M'Neill, on being named by the Queen as Equerry in attendance on the Duke of Connaught while in Egypt; Surgeon Major Scott, on his appointment to his Royal Highness's staff; Lieutenant-General Sir Garnet Wolseley, Lieutenant-General Sir John Adye, Lieutenant-General Willis, Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Hamley, Major-General Sir Evelyn Wood, Major-General Earle, and Colonel Drury Lowe. The Duke left Osborne on Saturday, the ladies and gentlemen of the household taking leave of him in the entrance-hall, her Majesty and Princess Beatrice accompanying his Royal Highness and the Duchess to Osborne Pier, where the Queen took leave of the Duke, who with the Duchess, embarked on board the Alberta, and proceeded at once to London, Colonel the Hon. Charles Lindsay attending them to Portsmouth. The Duke was accompanied by his wife to the Orient to take leave, on his embarkation at the Albert Docks on Sunday morning with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards for Egypt. The Prince and Princess of Wales, with their daughters, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Duke of Teck also took leave of his Royal highness on board. The Duchess of Connaught, with her infant daughter, proceeded by special train in the afternoon to Portsmouth, en route for Osborne, where she remains with her Majesty. Her Royal Highness walked and drove with the Queen and the Royal family the nest day. Her Majesty and the Prince of Wales sent special messages to the Duke in the Orient as she passed Dover at midday on Monday, her course being stopped for the purpose.
The routine of the Court during the week has been quiet. Her Majesty, Princess Beatrice, and Princesses Sophie and Margaret of Prussia, attended Divine service at Osborne on Sunday, the Rev. Arthur Peile, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Ventnor, officiating. On Monday the Duke and Duchess of Albany arrived from Boyton Manor, where they had passed a week. Princess Beatrice met them on landing from the Alberta at Trinty Pier. East Cowes was gaily decorated, and the inhabitants gave them a hearty welcome. A guard of honour was in attendance of the Shropshire Regiment, and the Cowes companies of the Isle of Wight Volunteers.
The Queen, in a letter through General Sir Henry Ponsonby to Colonel Knox, expressed her regrets that she was unable to witness the embarkation of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, and conveyed her best wishes for their welfare. Her Majesty also had a letter sent to Colonel Ewart expressing her regret that she could not see the embarkation of the Household Cavalry; whereupon the prince of Wales telegraphed to Captain Milligan, of the Holland, the request that the ship might pass through Cowes Roads on Wednesday morning, in order that the Queen might communicate with the troops on board—which arrangement was acted upon, much to her Majesty's gratification.
The Duke of Edinburgh dined with her Majesty before his departure for France. The Hon. Hugh Tyrwhitt and Lieutenant-Colonel and Lady Adela Larking have also dined, and the Prince of Leiningen has lunched, with the Queen.
The Lord Chamberlain and Lord Kensington have had audiences of her Majesty to present addresses from the Houses of Parliament, in reply to a message from the Crown.
The Princesses have been afloat in the Royal yacht and in the steam-barge on the Medina and on the Solent.
Her Majesty has sent a letter of sympathy to the widow of Mr. Shannon, warrant officer, who was killed at the bombardment of Alexandria.
The Queen has sent £30 to the Royal Hospital for Incurables, West-hill, Putney-heath; and the same sum to the British Home for Incurables.
Source: The Illustrated London News, No.2257—Vol. LXXXI, Saturday, August 5, 1882, p.138