[LEOPOLD

The father of Leopold's Godson, Arnold Royle, was the Prince's personal physician from 1876 until the Prince's death from a cerebral haemorrhage in 1884. He found himself caught between his strong-willed patient, determined to live an active life, and his equally strong-willed mother. Furthermore, the Queen evidently had somewhat limited faith in Royle and constantly wished him to defer to her favoured physician, Sir William Jenner. Eventually, however, the medical skill and diplomatic aplomb with which Royle carried out his duties did gain acknowledgement from the Queen, who appointed him a Groom of the Privy Chamber in November 1884, some months after Prince Leopold's death.Francis Boone THOMAS, was a firm of retail gold and silversmiths, dating from the mid 18th century. It was taken over by John William Thomas in 1848 trading as J.W. Thomas & Son. On his death in 1852 his two sons, John William Thomas II and Francis Boone Thomas continued the firm as J.W. & F.B. Thomas. F.B. took control of the business in circa 1862/1867 on the death of his brother.