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 Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy (1650 or 16533 August 1692), was an Anglo-Irish peer and soldier. Stewart was born in 1653 or around 1650, the son of Sir Alexander Stewart, 2nd Baronet, of Ramelton. His family was from Donegal, Ulster Scots, and Protestant. He was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance and colonel of a regiment of foot. In 1682 he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Viscount Mountjoy and Baron Stewart. In 1686 he served in Hungary at the siege of Buda, where he was twice dangerously wounded, and on his return to