And that's an accurate portrayal of their relationship, because when it came to affairs of state, she was the one in charge, which left poor old Albert here, certainly in the early years, rather bored and frustrated. What was needed was something to keep Albert busy, and sorting out Buckingham Palace was just the thing. Prince Albert quickly realised that the Palace was in need of urgent reform. Despite the extortionate amounts spent on it, there were some shocking design flaws. There was poor heating, bad lighting and a desperate lack of hygiene. The kitchens in the basement were built without windows. And then the sewers underground often flooded into the kitchens. And as if that wasn't bad enough, then a terrible stench would rise throughout the entire Palace.


这是对他们的关系最精准的描述，因为国家大事，都是由女王决定，把阿尔伯特撂在一边，刚开始呢，他也感到无趣和沮丧，当然阿尔伯特也需要找点事情来做，整理白金汉宫是最好的选择。阿尔伯特很快意识到白金汉宫需要紧急维修，尽管已经花了大本钱来修整宫殿。但是设计上的缺陷仍让人感到震惊，糟糕的供暖系统，照明系统，还有让人绝望的卫生。地下室的厨房竟然没有窗户，下水道的水经常涌进厨房，似乎这还不算最糟的。最糟的是，导致整个宫殿里弥漫着恶臭。