William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne and writing to her, and she responded with enthusiasm and grew in wisdom. On 7 May 1839, Melbourne announced his intention to resign. This led to the Bedchamber Crisis. Prospective prime minister Robert Peel requested that Victoria dismiss some of the wives and daughters of Whig MPs who made up her personal entourage, arguing that the monarch should avoid any hint of favouritism to a party out of power. The Queen refused to comply—supported by Melbourne, although he was unaware that Peel had not requested the resignation of all the Queen's ladies as she had led him to believe—and hence,
William Waldegrave, Viscount Chewton William Waldegrave, Viscount Chewton William Frederick Waldegrave, Viscount Chewton (29 June 1816 in Cardington, Bedfordshire – 8 October 1854) was a British army officer. Waldegrave was the eldest son of Hon. William Waldegrave and was educated at Cheam School. While still at school, he served as a midshipman aboard his father's ship, HMS "Seringapatam" from 1829–31 and later graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1837. He then emigrated to Canada and served with the militia which put down the rebellions of 1837 and returned to Britain in 1843 and served with the British Army. In 1846, his father had inherited