vehicles left for Ernst's ideas were covertly sponsored articles in the Coburg press, which became increasingly bitter against England. In public and in private he had become a problem. 'Dear Uncle Ernest does us all a great deal of harm by his odd ways and uncontrollable tongue with his very lively imagination.'23

But in November 1876 the Crown Princess was pleased to pass on a piece of good news to her mother. 'A certain horrid Fraulein Grone in whose power Uncle was, is on the eve of a marriage, and departure from Coburg. What a good thing! May she never have a successor. I am sure Uncle would be much happier, and Coburg would be another place again.'24 Her mother probably knew better. Ernst was now a thoroughly disreputable old roué who enjoyed the outrage provoked by his actions, while his wife trotted loyally in his wake. He gossiped - and was usually right. He put on weight. He was always in debt, though on paper his wealth was immense. This became an issue for Victoria at the end of 1882 when he decided to sell the collection of Old Master prints which was (and still is) one of the treasures of the Veste in Coburg. Alfred, as his heir, was in complete agreement, but Prince Albert had secured the collection's future by negotiating an agreement by which all male agnates of the Coburg line had to agree to any proposed sale. The Queen had no direct say but her other sons did, and she lost no time in making her views known to them. The collection had been precious to her grandfather, even in times of financial hardship, and to her husband: the collection must not be touched - and she had her way.

She was not best pleased with Ernst at this time anyway, because she knew that he was writing his memoirs and had somehow been advised of their contents. 'I think it monstrous to insinuate what he does,' she said, 'and if he does anything to throw a wrong light on beloved Papa I shall be obliged to publish letters he will not like. It would be well he should know this.'25 The anxiety lasted. In June 1883 she told her daughter, 'That book of Uncle E.'s must be stopped for if he contradicts what Sir T. Martin wrote we will contradict him and bring forward proofs.' A week later she was still worried: 'I wrote a line to say I hope to hear from you that something has been done to stop Uncle Ernest's book. As you truly say in your last letter of the 9th he will only do himself more harm than he has already done - I fear the scandal at Gotha is beyond everything.'26

Ernst had found two successors to 'horrid Fraulein Grone', and was living with them and Alexandrine in an improbable ménage which made the couple a laughing-stock to all but their family. Much as she loved Alexandrine, Victoria was appalled by her willingness to accept the unacceptable. 'Uncle E.'s conduct is perfectly monstrous and I must blame Aunt very much. They have not written to me yet - but when they do I shall have to write very strongly.'27 Prince Alfred was due to give a ball in Coburg and decided to refuse invitations to his uncle's ladies - an action his mother applauded, though his normally judgmental sister seemed rather sorry for Ernst. 'It is so difficult to defend poor Uncle Ernest, who is his own enemy,' she told her mother, 'still I always think that the family must not show up his faults and stand by him as much as they can as alas! through his extraordinary ways , he has so few friends.'28 It would not be long before she found her own friendship scorned, in the cruellest possible way.

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