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THE Queen and Prince Albert remain at Windsor ; and will still do so, it is said, notwithstanding the opening of Parliament ; Dr. Locock having forbidden her Majesty to undergo the fatigue of the public ceremonies incidental to the occasion. Her Majesty continues to pre- serve her health by her usual assiduity in out-door exercise. On Thursday, the Royal pair drove to Bagshot Park, to pay a visit to- the Datchess of Gloucester, in a carriage and four with outriders, and followed by another carriage and four with part of the suite.
Viscount Melbourne has been backwards and forwards between Windsor Castle and London : he arrived in town on Saturday, returned to the Castle again on Monday, came back to town on Wednesday, and on Thursday he was at the Castle again. Prince Ernest of Hesse Philippsthal, who is staying at Bushy, has also been on a visit to the Castle.
On Tuesday, Mr. Partridge submitted to the Queen and Prince Al- bert his portraits of themselves, painted by command for a birthday present to the Dutchess of Kent. Tuesday was her Royal Highness's birthday. The belle were rang at Kensington at an early hour, and also at intervals during the day. The tradesmen of her Royal Highness dined together at the King's Arms Tavern. In the evening, the tradesmen of the Dutchess, in town and in Kensington, illuminated their houses. The Duke of Cambridge, the Dutchess, Prince George, and the Princesses, are staying at the Duke's residence in Kew. The Duke and Dutchess and the Princess Augusta came to town on Saturday and Tuesday, to the Italian Opera.
An alarming accident occurred to some members of the Royal suite on Saturday, near Windsor. A party, consisting of the Queen and several of the Household, assembled in carriages and on horseback, on the mount which overlooks Virginia Water, to witness the hunting of Prince Albert's pack of beagles. The little hounds were brought near, that the Queen might closely inspect them. Presently, some of them, which bad run between the legs of the four ponies harnessed to a phaeton, containing Lady Ida Hay and Miss Cavendish, and driven by the Earl of Errol, gave tongue so loudly and suddenly that the leader reared up and threw the postillion off his back ; the whole team became uncontrollably affrighted, turned abruptly round, and rushed down the steep towards the open lake. The few instants between the first fright of the leader and the rush of the whole team, but just sufficed for the Earl of Errol to leap out over the door of the phaeton and pluck the ladies from the seats behind. By the time that the phaeton turned the crest of the hill, several persons on horseback and on foot had already run to the heads of the ponies and were trying to hold them in check ; but nothing could stop them till they came to the very brink of the lake : one of the leaders was indeed thrown into the deep water, and it was only by the instant cutting of the traces that the rest were saved from going after him ; he was afterwards drawn out. Unfortunately, Hann, the postilion, who was at first thrown off, was both kicked by the ponies and run over by the phaeton, as he lay on the ground. He received. Royal aid and sympathy, however : Prince Albert helped to undress him, and the Queen sent for the Household Surgeon, who soon came to the spot ; and Rann was bled, and carefully attended to. The Queen has since called on him twice to learn how he was. No wonder he is doing well.
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