The woman whose friendship endured the longest, and who has the strongest claim to have been the love of Beau Brummell’s life was a royal duchess: Princess Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherine, Princess Royal of Prussia and Duchess of York and Albany. They met in 1800 through her husband; Frederick, Duke of York and Albany - George IV’s brother. She was twelve years his senior, spoke with a strong German accent, and corresponded in French; with Beau replying in English. She shared with him a love of animals, of sketching and of house-party frolics.
He gave her a dog - which they immediately christened as ‘Fidelité’. He even once essayed that most reckless of gifts from a man to a woman: a dress. It was made entirely out of Brussels lace and he thought it would suit her - it cost him one hundred and fifty guineas. In return, for Christmas 1815, she gave him a tortoiseshell and gold-inlay snuff-box. She sent him lavish presents and also tenderly home-wrought items including hand-sewn cushions. They once bought a lottery ticket together, with what future spending in mind one can only speculate.
"Believe me that no one can feel the loss of your society more keenly than I do. I will never forget the tender moments that I have had because of you, and the only thing that can compensate me would be the certainty of your welfare."
When Beau died, one of the few possessions he had kept from his days in the high life was a miniature of a woman’s eye. An odd keepsake - but one in its day was given as a token between lovers. George IV kept a miniature exactly the same style of Mrs Fitzherbert, the love of his life; it was buried with him. Beau’s miniature was of the left eye of Princess Frederica.
