Theodore Majocci
Encyclopedia
Theodore Majocchi was an Italian servant to Caroline, Princess of Wales
, the wife of George, Prince of Wales
. George was the heir of King George III of the United Kingdom
. After the death of George III in 1820, Prince George became King of the United Kingdom
and Hanover
, as George IV. Caroline became Queen, but George despised her and sought a divorce by accusing his wife of infidelity. Majocchi appeared as a prosecution witness in her subsequent trial for adultery
. Though the foundation of his evidence was held to be true, he was widely suspected of perjury and caricatured.
Majocchi was hired by Caroline's major-domo, Bartolomeo Pergami, as a manservant in 1815 in Naples
. By 1818, he had left her service, and in 1819 he gave evidence to the "Milan commission", which had been set up by the Vice-Chancellor
John Leach
on the instructions of Prince George to gather evidence of Caroline's adultery. George and Caroline had been estranged for many years, and had led separate lives since 1796 but divorce was illegal under English law unless one of the parties could prove adultery.
By mid-1820, George had inherited the throne from his father, George III, and he felt he had enough evidence to get the Parliament of the United Kingdom
to agree to a divorce between him and Caroline. On 5 July, a bill was introduced into Parliament "to deprive Her Majesty Queen Caroline Amelia Elizabeth of the Title, Prerogatives, Rights, Privileges, and Exemptions of Queen Consort of this Realm; and to dissolve the Marriage between His Majesty and the said Caroline Amelia Elizabeth." The bill charged that Caroline had committed adultery with Bartolomeo Pergami, the head servant of her household, and that consequently she had forfeited her rights to be queen consort
. The bill was effectively a public trial of the Queen, whereby the government could call witnesses against Caroline, who would be cross-examined by her legal advisors. By voting on the bill, members of the Houses of Parliament would be both jury and judges.
Majocchi was the first witness for the prosecution. The prosecution's reliance on Italian witnesses of low birth led to anti-Italian prejudice in Britain. The witnesses had to be protected from angry mobs, and were depicted in popular prints and pamphlets as venal, corrupt and criminal. Street-sellers sold prints alleging that the Italians had accepted bribes to commit perjury. On 21 August, the day Majocchi's testimony opened, Caroline entered the chamber of the House of Lords
. Shortly afterward, Majocchi was called. As he was led in, Caroline rose and advanced towards him, flinging back her veil. She apparently recognised him, exclaimed "Theodore!", and rushed out of the House. Her sudden sensational departure was seen as "burst of agony" by The Times
, but others thought it the mark of a guilty conscience. It led her defence team to advise her against attending in future unless specifically requested.
Under examination by the Solicitor General for England and Wales
John Singleton Copley
, Majocchi testified that Caroline and Pergami eat breakfast together, had adjoining bedrooms, and had kissed each other on the lips. He said Pergami's bed was not always slept in, and he had seen Pergami visit the Queen wearing only underwear and a dressing gown. He said that they had slept in the same tent during a trip around the Mediterranean, and that Pergami had attended the Queen, alone, while she was having a bath. The following day, his astonishing testimony continued with the revelation that when Caroline and Pergami were travelling together in a carriage, Pergami kept a bottle with him so he could relieve himself without having to step down from the coach. The situation in the House became more absurd, as the Solicitor General asked Majocchi about a male exotic dancer employed by Caroline, after which Majocchi demonstrated a dance by pulling up his trousers, extending his arms, clicking his fingers, and shouting "vima dima!", while moving his body up and down in a suggestive fashion. The Times newspaper was disgusted, and informed its readers that it regretted being "obliged" to report "filth of this kind". During Majocchi's cross-examination, conducted by Henry Brougham
, Majocchi replied "Non mi ricordo (I don't recall)" more than 200 times. The phrase was repeated so often, it became a national joke, and featured in cartoons and parodies. Majocchi's credibility as a witness was destroyed. Eventually, the bill failed but Caroline died less than a year later. She was excluded from the coronation
, and was never crowned.
The examination of Majocchi led to a significant ruling by the Lords on the legal tactic of witness impeachment
by use of the witness's prior inconsistent statement
which is still studied in classes on the law of evidence to this day.
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
, the wife of George, Prince of Wales
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
. George was the heir of King George III of the United Kingdom
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. After the death of George III in 1820, Prince George became King of the United Kingdom
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
and Hanover
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and joined with 38 other sovereign states in the German...
, as George IV. Caroline became Queen, but George despised her and sought a divorce by accusing his wife of infidelity. Majocchi appeared as a prosecution witness in her subsequent trial for adultery
Pains and Penalties Bill 1820
The Pains and Penalties Bill 1820 was a bill introduced to the British Parliament in 1820, at the request of King George IV, which aimed to dissolve his marriage to Caroline of Brunswick, and deprive her of the title of Queen of the United Kingdom....
. Though the foundation of his evidence was held to be true, he was widely suspected of perjury and caricatured.
Majocchi was hired by Caroline's major-domo, Bartolomeo Pergami, as a manservant in 1815 in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. By 1818, he had left her service, and in 1819 he gave evidence to the "Milan commission", which had been set up by the Vice-Chancellor
Chancellor of the High Court
The Chancellor of the High Court is the head of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. Before October 2005, when certain provisions of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 took effect, the office was known as the Vice-Chancellor...
John Leach
John Leach (Judge)
Sir John Leach, KC was an English judge.-Life:The son of Richard Leach, a coppersmith of Bedford, he was born in that town on 28 Augusr 1760. After leaving Bedford grammar school he became a pupil of Sir Robert Taylor the architect...
on the instructions of Prince George to gather evidence of Caroline's adultery. George and Caroline had been estranged for many years, and had led separate lives since 1796 but divorce was illegal under English law unless one of the parties could prove adultery.
By mid-1820, George had inherited the throne from his father, George III, and he felt he had enough evidence to get the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
to agree to a divorce between him and Caroline. On 5 July, a bill was introduced into Parliament "to deprive Her Majesty Queen Caroline Amelia Elizabeth of the Title, Prerogatives, Rights, Privileges, and Exemptions of Queen Consort of this Realm; and to dissolve the Marriage between His Majesty and the said Caroline Amelia Elizabeth." The bill charged that Caroline had committed adultery with Bartolomeo Pergami, the head servant of her household, and that consequently she had forfeited her rights to be queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
. The bill was effectively a public trial of the Queen, whereby the government could call witnesses against Caroline, who would be cross-examined by her legal advisors. By voting on the bill, members of the Houses of Parliament would be both jury and judges.
Majocchi was the first witness for the prosecution. The prosecution's reliance on Italian witnesses of low birth led to anti-Italian prejudice in Britain. The witnesses had to be protected from angry mobs, and were depicted in popular prints and pamphlets as venal, corrupt and criminal. Street-sellers sold prints alleging that the Italians had accepted bribes to commit perjury. On 21 August, the day Majocchi's testimony opened, Caroline entered the chamber of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. Shortly afterward, Majocchi was called. As he was led in, Caroline rose and advanced towards him, flinging back her veil. She apparently recognised him, exclaimed "Theodore!", and rushed out of the House. Her sudden sensational departure was seen as "burst of agony" by The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, but others thought it the mark of a guilty conscience. It led her defence team to advise her against attending in future unless specifically requested.
Under examination by the Solicitor General for England and Wales
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
John Singleton Copley
John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst
John Singleton Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst PC KS FRS , was a British lawyer and politician. He was three times Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.-Background and education:...
, Majocchi testified that Caroline and Pergami eat breakfast together, had adjoining bedrooms, and had kissed each other on the lips. He said Pergami's bed was not always slept in, and he had seen Pergami visit the Queen wearing only underwear and a dressing gown. He said that they had slept in the same tent during a trip around the Mediterranean, and that Pergami had attended the Queen, alone, while she was having a bath. The following day, his astonishing testimony continued with the revelation that when Caroline and Pergami were travelling together in a carriage, Pergami kept a bottle with him so he could relieve himself without having to step down from the coach. The situation in the House became more absurd, as the Solicitor General asked Majocchi about a male exotic dancer employed by Caroline, after which Majocchi demonstrated a dance by pulling up his trousers, extending his arms, clicking his fingers, and shouting "vima dima!", while moving his body up and down in a suggestive fashion. The Times newspaper was disgusted, and informed its readers that it regretted being "obliged" to report "filth of this kind". During Majocchi's cross-examination, conducted by Henry Brougham
Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux
Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux was a British statesman who became Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.As a young lawyer in Scotland Brougham helped to found the Edinburgh Review in 1802 and contributed many articles to it. He went to London, and was called to the English bar in...
, Majocchi replied "Non mi ricordo (I don't recall)" more than 200 times. The phrase was repeated so often, it became a national joke, and featured in cartoons and parodies. Majocchi's credibility as a witness was destroyed. Eventually, the bill failed but Caroline died less than a year later. She was excluded from the coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
, and was never crowned.
The examination of Majocchi led to a significant ruling by the Lords on the legal tactic of witness impeachment
Witness impeachment
Witness impeachment, in the law of evidence, is the process of calling into question the credibility of an individual who is testifying in a trial...
by use of the witness's prior inconsistent statement
Prior inconsistent statement
Prior consistent statements and prior inconsistent statements, in the law of evidence, occur where a witness, testifying at trial, makes a statement that is either consistent or inconsistent, respectively, with a previous statement given at an earlier time such as during a discovery, interview, or...
which is still studied in classes on the law of evidence to this day.