"the Oppettator," December 22 , 1849 The Prince of Wales has
had an escape. The Globe quotes the narra- Iftive from the Bucks Herald of Saturday.
" A few days ago His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, was per- mitted to accompany his parent in one of his shooting excursions in the neighbourhood of Osborne ; Her Majesty also, with the usual Royal 'attendants, being present in a carriage as a spectator of the sport. It appears that just as Lord Canning was about to shoot at a hare, a bird fell from the gun of another of the party, and the Prince of Wales, running forward in playful eagerness to pick it up, placed himself exactly between Lord Canning's gun and the hare he was about to shoot ; when Colonel Grey, observing the danger, rushed forward so as- to cover with his person the object of the nation's hopes, and in so doing received in the skirt of his coat upwards of twenty shots from Lord Canning's gun, which, but for Colonel Grey's promptitude, would in all probability have taken effect on the head or face of the Prince of Wales. The shock, which was communicated to the whole of the Royal party, was electrical. Lord Canning, not knowing what mischief he might have perpetrated, fell down in a fainting fit at the moment of the discharge of his gun ; whilst Lady Canning, who was of the party, observing her
noble husband fall, was impressed with the idea that his gun had burst, and was for a few moments in a state of indescribable suspense. The sensation of the whole party, especially of Her Majesty and. the Prince Consort, when it was ascertained that no real mischief had ensued from the discharge, may be readily conceived ; Colonel Grey's coat having fortunately been of sufficient thickness to prevent the shots from entering his body."
The Globe adds the remark—" We believe the risk incurred by the Prince is a little overstated "
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