Edward got his wish that royalty would "cross his path" and he would have the opportunity "of a cat to look at a king." He seems to have approved of the royal family's ordinariness in dress and manner.
June 9:
Spent the Sabbath in West Cowes. In the morning attended Whitingham Chapel & sat within ten feet of the Royal Family, the Queen Victoria, her mother, her daughter, the Princess Royal, Prince Albert, etc. Nothing very peculiar in their dresses or appearance or demeanor & but little in their faces to distinguish it [sic] or them. They engage in the devotions except that Albert did not repeat the apostles creed. He wears his beard on the upper lip & looks like a respectable German, as he is. The Queen Mother, Duchess of Kent, looks like a very respectable old lady.
When prayers were offered to the Queen by name, I noticed that she signified her hearty assent to them by one of those shakes of the head that always indicate strong emotion.
The queen looks rather old, I judge, for a woman of 30, although apparently in good health.