KING'S MESSAGE RESPECTING THE ROYAL FAMILY. (Hansard, 3 July 1806)

§ Lord Grenville

rose. He observed, that the communication front his majesty which their lordships had just heard, resolved itself into two heads, or might be considered in two points of view. The general object was the concurrence of their lordships in such measures as might be deemed necessary to enable his majesty to make a more effectual provision for the younger branches of the royal family; and the present application arose, in some degree, out of an omission in the act of 1778, under which part of the existing provisions for the younger branches of 900 the royal family was authorized. The particular circumstance, his lordship stated, which brought the omission into notice, was the loss which his majesty had suffered, in the lamented death of his royal brother, the late duke of Gloucester; which made it necessary to inquire how far the provisions were continued with respect to the present duke. It was found that under the former act, the provision was only of a contingent nature, consequently no transfer could be made at the time, of the charge in question, to the consolidated fund. On this head there could not exist a doubt of their lordships cordial concurrence in the necessary steps, to enable his majesty to rectify the omission, and to carry into effect what was intended on that head. With respect to the second part of the message, relative to the proposed increase of the allowances to the younger branches of his majesty's family, he also conceived there could be no doubt as to its propriety. It was certainly necessary, in our present circumstances, that every one should make great sacrifices to maintain the dignity, preserve the honour, and secure the interests of the country, and to uphold the monarchy and the constitution. To these sacrifices every one convinced of their necessity cheerfully contributed. To keep up the splendour of the throne and support the dignity of the illustrious branches of his majesty's royal house, was a part of the constitution, and an object to which every one who venerated that constitution, would readily contribute. There must be, he was certain, a full conviction, as the fact was, that his majesty would not have made this appeal to his parliament had there not been a real necessity for making that increase at which his majesty's message pointed. No increase had taken place in the provision made for the younger branches of the royal family since the year 1778, a period of nearly 30 years; and when it was considered how much circumstances had altered in the course of that period, and how greatly the price of every article necessary to the establishment of a household had increased,when it was considered also, that the illustrious persons for whom an increased allowance was now asked, were, from their age, and period of life, compelled to an increase of expenditure, 901 he was convinced their lordships would feel no sort of surprise at such an application being now made, but be surprised at its not having been made before; that their lordships would shew, not only no reluctance, but an anxious desire, not only out of their personal affection for his majesty, and his royal family, but on the broad constitutional grounds he had stated, cheerfully to concur in the measures to be proposed for enabling his majesty to act as desired. As to any detailed consideration of the steps to be adopted, it would regularly come before their lordships when the bill to be brought in for the purpose should come up from the other house of parliament. In the mean time, he was confident of their lordships cordial assent to the address he should now have the honour to propose. His lordship then moved an address to his majesty on the occasion of his message, assuring his majesty that their lordships were desirous of availing themselves of every opportunity of spewing their attachment to his royal person and family, and that they would cheerfully concur in the objects of his majesty's most gracious message. On the question being put, the address was voted nem. dis.