Event of 1839: The Bedchamber Crisis begins in the United Kingdom, after Prime Minister Lord Me

Background. The crisis occurred early in Queen Victoria's reign, involving her first change of government. Lord Melbourne, a leading Whig, intended to resign after a government bill passed by only five votes. Victoria, fond of Melbourne, resisted requests from his rival Robert Peel to replace her ladies-in-waiting, who were primarily from Whig-aligned families, with Conservative substitutes as a condition for forming a new government.

Political Standoff. Victoria initially asked the Duke of Wellington to form a government, but he declined. Robert Peel refused to become prime minister unless the Queen replaced some of her ladies-in-waiting. Victoria mistakenly assumed Peel wanted to replace all her ladies, when he only sought to replace six of twenty-five. This misunderstanding contributed to the crisis, as Victoria viewed the ladies as her closest friends.

Resolution. Following false moves toward a Conservative government, Melbourne was reinstated until the 1841 election. After Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840, she relied less on her ladies for companionship. In 1841, Peel's Conservatives gained a majority, and Victoria appointed Peel as prime minister, conceding to the replacement of six of her ladies-in-waiting.