From the Archive of Queen Victoria’s Head of Household: Her First Reactions to the Death of the Giant of 19th Century Britain, and Her Personal Favorite: Benjamin Disraeli

An observer in the Queen’s household writes, “It’s an awful blow to the Queen – in every way she feels it immensely & one cannot but feel deeply for her too, in the severing of a connection with the whole political life of Her Reign…”

Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, was a British statesman and Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Disraeli is remembered for his influential voice in world affairs, his philosophy of conservatism called “Tory democracy,” that led to the Tories being associated with social reform, and his political battles with the Liberal Party leader William Ewart Gladstone. He also made the Conservatives the party most identified with the glory and power of the British Empire. He was intimately involved with events surrounding England’s Indian possessions,
> and had Queen Victoria crowned Empress of India, which much pleased her. He is the only British prime minister to have been of Jewish birth. He was also a noted and popular novelist, publishing works of fiction even as prime minister.

He maintained a close friendship with Queen Victoria, who in 1876 elevated him to Earl of Beaconsfield. Disraeli’s second term was dominated by the Eastern Question—the slow decay of the Ottoman Empire and the desire of other European powers, such as Russia, to gain at its expense. Disraeli arranged for the British to purchase a major interest in the Suez Canal Company in Egypt, securing its access to India and Middle East oil. In 1878, faced with Russian victories against the Ottomans, he worked at the Congress of Berlin to obtain peace in the Balkans on terms favorable to Britain (and unfavorable to Russia, its longstanding enemy). This diplomatic victory over Russia established Disraeli as one of Europe’s leading statesmen. It was at this conference that Bismarck famously said, “”Der alte Jude, das ist der Mann (The old Jew, he is the man).”

After his electoral defeat, he carried on a correspondence with Victoria, with letters passed through intermediaries. When Parliament met in January 1881, he served as Conservative leader in the Lords, attempting to act as a moderating influence on Gladstone’s legislation.

Suffering from asthma and gout, Disraeli went out as little as possible, fearing more serious episodes of illness. In March, he fell ill with bronchitis, and emerged from bed only for a meeting with Salisbury and other Conservative leaders on the 26th of March, 1881. As it became clear that this might be his final sickness, friends and opponents alike came to call. Disraeli declined a visit from the Queen, saying, “She would only ask me to take a message to Albert.”

On April 19, 1881, he died. His last confirmed words before dying at his home were, “I had rather live but I am not afraid to die”.

Queen Victoria was prostrated with grief. He was buried with his wife in a vault beneath the Church of St Michael and All Angels which stands in the grounds of his home, Hughenden Manor, accessed from the churchyard. There is also a memorial to him in the chancel in the church, erected in his honour by Queen Victoria.

Sir John Cowell was Master of the Household under Queen Victoria. This is his retained archive of 3 letters relating to this momentous event in British history and in the life of Queen Victoria.

Victoria Writes Her Head of Household, the Day of His Passing, Calling Disraeli Her “dear and valued friend and counsellor, whose loss is a universal misfortune”

Autograph letter signed, by the Queen in third person, to Cowell, April 19, 1881, just hours after learning of Disraeli’s passing. “The Queen thanks Sir John Cowell for his sympathy in her deep grief for the loss of her dear and valued friend and counsellor, whose loss is a universal misfortune. (annotated by Sir John -“on Lord Beaconsfield’s death/ 19 April 1881”).

Autograph document, parts in Cowell’s hand and parts in the hand of Queen Victoria, detailing how she learned of the details of Disraeli’s passing, intended for publication, April 21, 1888. Cowell wrote, “The Queen and Princess Beatrice drove out yesterday afternoon attended by the Honorable Harriet Phipps, and Her Majesty worked and drove this morning with Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice. Lord Rowton arrived at Osborne yesterday and had the honor of an interview with Her Majesty.” The Queen added in her hand, “where he communicated to the Queen the touching details of the last hours of H.M. valued friend, Lord B.” (Lord Rowton was the private secretary to Lord Beaconsfield.).

The third item is an Autograph letter signed, Osborne. April 19, 1881, from Mrs. Cowell, also on the Queen’s staff, relating to the Queen’s deep grief at Disraeli’s passing the very day it happened. “My dearest Mother, Ere this reaches you, you will have heard that Lord Beaconsfield passed away this morning at 4.30 am. most calmly & peacefully – last night’s telegram was very bad even I think bad enough to make the Queen realize that the danger was insignificant – I know that Lord Rowton – who knew him best of all – said from the moment he saw him, that he felt [Disraeli] would get over this illness through the rally on Friday & Sat’y and so decided that there seemed some hope that he might recover for a time …. One of the most prominent lights of this century has gone out – shall we say ‘saved from the evil to come?’ It looks very like it. His earthly work was done, & a most remarkable career ended – of course, it’s an awful blow to the Queen – in every way she feels it immensely & one cannot but feel deeply for her too, in the severing of a connection with the whole political life of Her Reign – where one of these blanks come to her, one knows only too well, they cannot be filled up – as each of the old ones go, so one more link with her early days is broken – when she has so few left whom she knows intimately, or cares for personally She is dreadfully low, & all present circumstances make Her feel that she stands so very much alone – things are all so gloomy & threatening, that one can, in a measure realize. Her personal loss – or rather the sense of solitude & isolation, where one after another, death has taken nearly all those who were connected to her past life, & with the trials & troubles that have come so thickly in these later years & which are not softened by the ‘powers that be’.”