290 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



showed considerable promise as a two-year-old 

 and won the Champion Breeders* Foal Plate 

 (^^1064) at Derby ; but she did not train on in 

 the way we had hoped. 



When the Prince came to Kingsclere to 

 see his horses, he generally travelled by the 

 nine o*clock train from Waterloo to Overton, 

 where he was met by a " fly." I awaited him 

 at the foot of the Downs on a hack. The Prince 

 would mount my old grey cob " Jack,'* and then 

 off we would go to the training-ground. When 

 the morning's work was completed we pro- 

 ceeded to Park House for lunch about noon, 

 and, after two hours in the bracing Down air, 

 His Royal Highness had a very keen appetite. 

 Sometimes he brought a friend or two with him. 

 For instance, on one occasion in 1889 he was 

 accompanied by Count Kinsky, Lord Arthur 

 Somerset (his Master of the Horse), Sir James 

 Mackenzie, and Colonel Davidson. The Prince 

 took a great interest in his racehorses. He was 

 always most kind and considerate, and very 

 grateful for anything that was done which added 

 to his comfort and enjoyment. 



The Prince's kindness to me assumed many 

 forms. On several occasions I was his guest 

 in the Royal Yacht. I was on board her during 

 the great Naval Review which formed part of 

 the Jubilee festivities in 1887; ^^^ again at the 

 time of the Review at Spithead in honour of the 



