‘After Lady Elgin had been with the Princess for six months, Miss Garth was replaced by Miss Hayman, who was described as “rough in manner, right in principle, blunt in speech, tender in heart”. She arrived at Carlton House on June 1, 1797, and is the first person to give us a description of Princess Charlotte.
“My little charge was playing about. I took no notice of her at first, except to admire her great beauty and great likeness to the Prince. She soon began to notice me; showed all her treasures and played all her little antics, which are numerous. She is the merriest little thing I ever saw – pepper – hot too: if contradicted she kicks her little feet about in a great rage, but the cry ends in a laugh before you know well which it is”.’
[an extract from ‘Prinny’s Daughter: A Biography of Princess Charlotte of Wales’ by Thea Home]
Picture: a detail from the portrait by Thomas Lawrence
