Walter George Stirling was tutor to Leopold for a few months in 1866. Both Louise and Leopold ‘liked’ him. After a few months service he was dismissed for no known accurate reason. Some sources suggest that Victoria considered him inappropriate to tutor Leopold and regretted her earlier decision to appoint him. Other versions suggest that Stirling and Archie Brown did not see eye-to-eye on how Leopold was treated. The most interesting reason is that Louise and Stirling were too fond of each other and that there may even have been intimacy. We may never know the real reason as very little is known about Louise for the period 1866 and early 1867. What we do know is that Victoria appointed Stirling as her Extra Groom-in-Waiting, the only person to be appointed to this position in 1866. Why was he so rewarded? One might ask whether he was the extra bridegroom in waiting!
Who was Walter Stirling. It seems most unlikely that he and his family were strangers to the royal family. His father, of the same name, was a Baronet and frequently attended royal events at which the Duke of Argyll was also present. Walter, Lorne and Louise were of similar ages and had probably met in the past. Had Walter already been ‘selected’ as a possible husband.
After his dismissal Stirling returned to his military career where he was promoted several times. On his father’s death he became Sir Walter and in 1875 married Countess Clifden. Not only did he invite both Louise and Leopold to his wedding but they both signed the marriage certificate.
For his last 30 years he lived at 50 Lennox Gardens in Kensington which is about 1 mile from Louise at Kensington Palace. His first wife , Eliza, who died 23/4/1896, was the widow of Viscount Clifden, and a year after his death in 1866 she was appointed Lady of the Bedchamber. Hence Walter and Eliza held similar positions within the royal household. In 1903 he remarried Emily Frances de L’Isle & Dudley 25 years his junior
This marriage was the least to say different. I set out below extracts from her affidavit as petitioner for the divorce which became absolute in 1910. From the June following the marriage they lived apart. One is led to several differing conclusions. Did Walter not commit adultery at all between 1903 and 1908? Did Emily have a very good memory recall to be able to quote what had ben said 6 years earlier? Why did she wait six years ? Why did they get married? Was the whole situation just a charade ? Who was the unknown woman with whom Walter committed adultery on 15th and 16th July 1909 at the Great Central Hotel Marylebone ?
The Princess Louise (under construction) 