1897
June 10th
This morning to my great surprise Father read out of the Globe Charles’ arrival at Southampton so I suppose we shall see something of him soon.
June 21st
Went up on the 10.56 (to London). As we were to dine at the Cafe Royal with Poppet and CWM (Charles) we started at a quarter to six and arrived at seven the crush was so fearful we could scarcely get along. Charlie was looking more beautiful that ever but not very well and so thin however down at home we will fatten him up!
They then treated themselves to a cab to their next destination: Mother and HC in one and I and CWM in another as far as he was concerned I think he enjoyed himself but I cannot say that drive amused me as I was the whole time trying to make him see reason, which needless to say he won’t. We arrived home at 10 minutes to 1 having had a regular spree.
June 22nd: Jubilee Day. (Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee)
Today at 5.30 we arose from our downeys in order to arrive in time at our seats after a hurried breakfast consisting of a cup of coffee. We tore off with Alice, Rachel and Harry in a bus to Piccadilly- having ridden as far as possible we got off and walked to our seats in crowded and broiling streets which all looked lovely being hung with flags and decorated up to the roofs, the Baroness Burdett-Coutts house being among the finest was all hung with purple and gold. St James Street was wreaths all over and our house in Pall Mall was beautifully decorated with white and mauve orchids and ferns it was just too beautiful for words.
We arrived before 8 and had to wait until eleven. I cannot describe it properly and exactly because I’ve forgotten how they all came but I know our street was lined with the Manchesters and in the procession first came hundreds of soldiers Colonial and English, next all aide-de-camps, equerries etc and then the Royal carriages with all foreign representatives, the Royal family and lastly the Queen – in her carriage was the Empress Frederick and the dear Princess of Wales who as usual was looking sweet, the queen looked very well and the cheers were simply dense as she drove along, people went nearly mad with excitement and the street was a perfect sight with waving hats and handkerchiefs. The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Connaught rode beside her and her carriage was drawn by five or six pairs of horses almost buried in gold trappings and led by men in most gorgeous livery. When it was once started it didn’t take long and the whole show was past us soon after 12 o’clock. I am indeed glad I saw it, as of course none of the present generation will ever see such a sight again.
So Charles was forgotten temporarily, She did not see him till the next day after she had attended the summer exhibition at the Royal Academy.
June 23rd
When I returned I found the beautiful Charles awaiting me and…he took me down to the New Gallery which is better than the Academy. Poor old C isn’t in the best of spirits I fear and every time I say anything I seem to put my foot in it. I hope he is not going to be depressed because of a certain affair.
He need not have worried. By April of the following year his status has changed – to “Dearest”. By then he was abroad again, and the diary written between July 1897 and March 1898 which would have explained things has been lost, almost certainly suppressed by Wynne herself. In the first entry of the new diary, Charles is in Sierra Leone and in action.