2 June 1891
Royal Baccarat Scandal

Previous event | Timeline | Next event

In 1890, at a weekend party at the home of shipping magnate Arthur Wilson near Hull, a group of the guests, including the prince of Wales and his long-standing friend Sir William Gordon-Cumming of the Scots Guards, played baccarat, with the prince serving as banker. Several of the players noticed Gordon-Cummings fiddling with his counters in a way that could boost his winnings. When they confronted him, he denied cheating, but eventually agreed to sign a paper swearing never to play games of chance again, in return for the silence of all the members of the party. Several other men signed the paper as witnesses, including the prince.

Despite the agreement for silence, the story soon got out. When Gordon-Cummings was ostracised at his clubs, he knew that his name had been ruined, so he brought suit for slander against the signers of the paper. As one of those, the prince of Wales was called as a witness, becoming – on 2 June 1891 – the first member of the royal family to give evidence in a civil court action.

Public opinion turned against the prince. One cartoon showed the prince of Wales' emblem, but instead of the motto 'Ich dien, it said 'Ich deal'. Queen Victoria stood beside her son publicly, but was furious with him in private.

Gordon-Cummings lost the suit, was dismissed from the army and retired in disgrace to his estate in Scotland. The prince of Wales continued to gamble, but more discreetly and mostly at the racetrack. He also switched from baccarat to bridge.

Top