‘The grandest scenes perhaps ever witnessed’

This is how the local paper summed up the visit of the Allied Sovereigns to Portsmouth in 1814. After 20 years of war with France, national celebrations for the recent safe despatch of Napoleon to Elba took place not in London, but the country’s premier naval port, Portsmouth. For the duration of the visit on 22 – 25 June, Portsmouth became host to not only the Prince Regent, the Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia and the Duke of Wellington but also a of number more minor princelings and militarists. The eyes of the known world were upon Portsmouth. The festivities were impressive. A flotilla of over 1000 boats reviewed the Fleet, state dinners occurred at Government House during which ‘every delicacy in and out of season was served’, a grand ball held at the Crown Inn, the ancient keys of the town were presented to His Royal Highness and the Governors House, then in the High Street, had an innovative display of variegated lights spelling the word, Peace. All of this was met with an enthusiastic response from the townspeople who formed cheering crowds at every turn. A local newspaper thankfully reported that ‘not a life was lost during the bustle’ and ‘the military and the populace behaved extremely orderly and well’. Despite their success, these revels proved premature. Napoleon escaped resulting ultimately in the Battle of Waterloo which was fought the following year.