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the throne.
    The happy couple honeymooned at Richmond. Although the affair was kept very secret, something was leaked to the press and again the papers were rife with speculation. Maria was most afraid of being labelled the prince’s mistress, although she didn’t want to be put into prison either. She sent queries to Cardinal Weld, the Pope’s emissary, as to whether or not what she had done constituted a proper marriage in the eyes of God. The answer was affirmative.
    When things got difficult for the prince in Parliament, Maria, faithful to her husband, hid all documentary evidence of the marriage. She removed the signatures of her relatives so there would be no recriminations against them and had the marriage certificate buried in the vault of her bank. The crisis was removed but in the process Maria found that her lover was not prepared to declare his marriage to her openly for fear of being disinherited. Maria went along with it so that he would not be ruined but she was very hurt by his actions and refused to have anything to do with him for two months.
    Because she sincerely loved the prince, he was able to worm his way back into Maria’s affections. She knew they were married but she let herself be publicly acknowledged as his mistress; in 1786 they moved to Brighton where it was hoped they could live more economically and reduce some of the prince’s debts. Even though the prince’s debts had been paid off after his promise to his father to make a politically correct marriage, they had mounted up again. The prince had magnanimously allocated an entertainment allowance to Maria so that she could preside over dinners and gatherings for him and his friends. It was little more than a gesture and ended with Maria having to pay for it all herself. She rented a house in Brighton that was to be her official residence, while the prince bought himself a rundown old farmhouse on which he would spend huge amounts of money doing it up.
    Although Maria had to pay for her own upkeep and for entertaining the prince’s friends, the time she spent in Brighton with her husband was some of the happiest. They went bathing in the sea out of the bathing machines, little wooden huts on wheels that were drawn into the surf by horses. Steps at the back went down into the water and men and women could immerse themselves in the water in private. They went for walks, had dinner parties and were able to enjoy each other’s company more or less without restriction. It was noticed that the prince was in better health and that he had lessened his gambling and drinking. Maria was so entranced by Brighton that she had a house built there.
    Like all things, good ones come to an end too. They both returned to London. The prince had official business to attend to and Maria had a house in the city to maintain. While back in London the prince dined with his parents; the king suddenly got up in the middle of dinner, went around to his son and began attacking him. He tried to throttle him with his bare hands. After being subdued by his attendants the king was then put to bed. It appeared to everyone that the king might be losing his sanity and that the prince would have to step in as regent. Yet it wasn’t quite the time for that, the king got better and was able to resume business as usual. Maria returned to Brighton, followed soon after by the prince.
    It was a tumultuous time. The French had executed their royal house and French aristocrats were seeking refuge in England. Many of them brought jewellery and heirlooms with them to be converted into cash. The prince was in his element buying up French artworks and getting further and further into debt yet again. England was preparing for war with France and was not able to overlook the prince’s extravagant ways. The king issued an ultimatum to his son: marry one of two German Protestant princesses, both of whom were his cousins, or else.
    Lady Jersey, one of the queen’s ladies-in-waiting, at her