“You are wrong to think that I am not fond of children. I am. I admire pretty ones–especially peasant children–immensely but I can’t bear their being idolised and made too great ojects of–or having a number of them about me, making a great noise.”
“I don’t dislike babies, though I think very young ones rather disgusting, and I take interest in those of my children when there are two or three … but when they come at the rate of three a year it becomes a cause of mere anxiety for my own children and of no great interest.”
“The higher the position the more difficult it is. –And for a woman alone to be head of so large a family and at the same time reigning Sovereign is I can assure you almost more than human strength can bear.”