About the Perceived Robbery of the Jewels of Queen Charlotte

On the death of Queen Charlotte (Nov. 16th, 1818) there were strong suspicions that a robbery of the royal jewels had been effected. The queen left an enormous quantity of precious stones, the diamonds alone having been valued at nearly a million. After wearing them on public occasions, her Majesty invariably consigned them to the care of the court jewellers, Rundell and Bridges, but the "George" and the diamond-hilted sword worn by the king were placed in a cabinet at Windsor Castle. This was examined after the queen's death by the regent, but the contents were missing. Inquiries were made, but fruitlessly. It was surmised, however, that George III. had put them away, especially as the queen had, on one occasion, missed from her room a gold ewer and basin of exquisite workmanship, enriched with gems. They were missed previous to the last mental indisposition of the king, who professed that he knew nothing whatever about them, but greatly feared they had been stolen by a confidential servant. Many months after his malady set in, the ewer and basin were discovered behind some books in his study, to which the king alone had access. It is supposed that, having concealed them by excess of caution, he totally forgot the circumstance through growing infirmity of intellect.