General Probyn, 1897

His full title at this time was General The Right Honorable Sir Dighton Probyn VC GCB GCSI GCVO ISO. Although his life in India was full of daring deeds and adventure his later life was spent in England as part of the Royal Household in the service of the Royal family until the end of his life in 1924. He was equerry to the Prince of Wales from 1872, Comptroller to the Prince of Wales 1877-91, Keeper of the King's Privy Purse 1901-10 and Comptroller to Queen Alexandra 1910-24. He was praised for his 'competence, his fidelity and his faculty for rigorous finance'. In course of time he was given responsibility for the gardens at Sandringham where, according to Edward Duke of Windsor 'My Father watched with unconcealed misgivings while Sir Dighton created at Sandringham costly rock gardens, complete with rustic wooden shelters, all dedicated with respectful adoration to The Beloved Lady , as he affectionately referred to my grandmother.' Little is written about Probyn and he did not leave any autobiographical work to help us but he wrote about 50 letters to his friend and protege, Major W R Birdwood, later Field-Marshal Lord Birdwood from 1899 until his death. Birdwood had been an officer in the 11th but was 32 years his junior. He referred to Queen Alexandra only rarely but said '..poor dear thing, she is indeed good to me but I have been with her now for over 50 years - just 51 years - and she has never on one single occasion said one single cross or unkind word to me during this time.' His devotion to the Queen did not preclude romance. He was married to Letitia Thelluson, a first cousin, from 1873 to 1900. There were no children. Later he was believed to be on the verge of matrimony to Charlotte Knollys, the Queen's principal Lady-in-Waiting. Apparently Charlotte was very ugly. Near the end of his life he was afflicted with a medical problem that he wrote about to Birdwood 2 years before his death: 'My head is bent down into my chest and I positively cannot move it up or down, or to right or left...my easiest position is at the desk writing: and as that is my chief occupation, if I am to have an ailment I could not have a more fovourable one...' He died on 20th June 1924 at the age of 91. Queen Alexandra placed a cross of flowers on his coffin with a hand written note: 'For my beloved General Probyn, with thanks for all he has been to me all these years - 52 years. We shall miss him so much, but he will draw us up to Heaven, where he is sure to go. God bless. From his devoted ALEXANDRA.'