The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-02 00:00:00

[Stamped. id. Additional

one who had asked a question respeotfetit. Sven
the place in which the ceremony was to be performed
was up to the last moment a matter'of uncertaiut►.
By some persons I was informed it was to take
place in Whippingham Church, by others in the
new chapel at Osborne, and finally I got the true
account, namely, that the ceremony was to be per-
formed in the dining-room at Osborne-house, in
the presence of the Queen and the Royal Family,
the Grand Ducal family of Reese, the Cabinet Minis-
ters, and the few of the nobility who had been
honoured with invitations.

The Grand Ducal family arrived, as announced
in the Court Circular,on Saturday, and were received
on their binding by his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales ; hit Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge came down from town yesterday even-
ing ; and such of the Cabinet Ministers as could be
spared from town arrived at Osborne-house at
shortly after 12 this morning.
• For the ceremony an altar had been erected in
tin dining-room, covered in purple velvet and gold,
and surrounded iby a handsome gilt railing, the
work of Mr. Robinson, of Newport, a local deco-
rator- Beyond titia, I understand that not a tingle
special arrangement was made for the ceremonial.
The Raiding df tho Prifslossiltopf, public as it coni-
piitilliari—vai,iiii-tioniddered attt of doonter too
private for the interest which the public took in
every event connected with the Royal Family ; but
the sad bereavement which has so recently taken
place made it imperative in this case that the
utmost seclusion should be preserved; and it cer-
tainly was a strange and solemn sight for the
few of the public who flitted about the Osborne-road,
to see no indications of life about the park, beyond
a few servants, in the deepest mourning, passing
almost stealthily up and down the avenue.
The bride, I was told, wore a dress of white
silk, of a new description, called "Crystalline,"
with a single flounce of Honiton lace, and a border
of orange flowers at the bottom of the skirt. I was
also informed that nearly the whole of the company
wore second mourning, and that there was a singe
lar absence of flowers, jewellery, or decoration o
any description. The ceremony was performed by
the Archbishop of York, assisted by the Dean of
Windsor, and the Rev. William Protheroe,
rector of Whippinghani, the office of bridesmaids
being sustained by the younger Primness.,
and the Duke of Saxe Coburg giving the bride
away. Her Majesty was present at the ceremony,
and amongst the company were the Grand Ducal
family of Hesse, the Duchess of Cambridge,
Prinoess Mary and Duke of Cambridge, his
Serene Highness tae Prince of Saxe Coburg Gotha,
the Duchess of Wellington, the Lord Chancellor,
, Earl Granville, Viscount Palmerston, Sir George
Grey, Sir G. C. Lewis, Earl Russell, Hon. C. P.
Villiers, drc.

Alter the ceremony the wedding presents
were inspected. Prominent among these were
those offered by the Duchess of Athol, the
Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, and the Countess of
Fife. The Duchess of Athol's present was •
Prelate Papier, the base formed from a piece of
green variegated marble from Blair Athol, mounted
with mouldings of oak leaves and acorns, having on
one side in relief the arms of Prince 14911i1l of
Hesse and her Royal Highness's arms with coronet
over ;on the other aide the following inscription :
"To her Royal Highness the Princess Alice of
England, on her marriage, July 1, 1862,
by the Duchess of Athol." The whole was
surmounted with a finely modelled royal stag,
ascending a rocky peak, designed by Frederick
Taylor, Eat., R.A., the whole in silver gilt. His
Highness the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh's present
was a magnificent jewelled fan in gold ; on one aide
the Rose of England carved from a large ruby,
with emerald leaves, surrounded with large pearls,
and relieved with lilac enamel, having her Royal
Highness's monogram of A. M. M., the initials of
Alice Maud Mary, in diamonds, rubies, and emeralds
blended. The reverse side is somewhat similar in
design, but having orange blossoms and buds com-
posed of large pearls with leaves of cut emeralds,
and the monogram as before, bat in Gothic letters.
The loop of the fan is formed by the letters D. S.
in Sanscrit, his Highness's oriental monogram,
from which is suspended a gold chain with two
large emeralds for tassels., and • number of pearls
placed at intervals between the links. The
Countess of Fife's gift upon the occasion was a
richly silver gilt jewel casket, with a guardian angel
at each corner, surmounted by a large cairngorm
set in gold, engraved around, "Cairngorm from
Mar Forest," the key formed of her Royal High-
ness's coronet, the whole richly engraved with
Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle, with monogram, and
bearing a suitable inscription. The atone is a
remarkable specimen, and is found of great beauty
and size on the Mar estate. The whole of the above
presents were made by Messrs. London and Ryder,
of 17, New Bond-street.
For the wedding breakfast a pavilion, 53 feet by
33, lined and elegantly decorated, and with a
boarded floor covered with crimson cloth, had been
erected on the lawn by Mr. Benjamin Edgington,
and connected with the palace by a decorated
corridor. The pavilion was so much liked that for
several days the distinguished visitors had dined
there—twenty on Saturday, thirty ou Sunday, and
upwards of forty on Monday. About seventy
guests were at the breakfast this morning. A
trophy of silk flags, with the royal standard in the
centre, bad been put up, and the Prince of Wales's
ahield.

Shortly after the repeat the company dispersed,
the Royal bride and bridegroom, attended by Ge-
neral Seymour and Lady Churchill, proceeding to
St. Clair, the seat of General Harcourt ; and the
Duke of Cambridge and the Cabinet Ministers re-
turning to town by special train.
So little did the public seem to know about the
event, that when the 5 o'clock express train to town
was shunted at Basingstoke to allow the special royal
train with the visitors at Osborne to pass, it was
almost impossible to make the passengers by the
former believe the true reason. They had a
strong impression that some accident had happened
on the line, and were only re-assured when they
saw the royal saloon carriage shooting past on the
main line, with the visitors at the wedding seated
in it, all in mourning.

NORWICH, TIIMIDAT.

The Town Council held a special meeting to-day
for the pupae, of agreeing to aa address to her Majesty oa
the happy mosaic* of the Princess Alice's marriage. Aa
address of the mail character was voted. The Mayer (Mr
J. 0. Taylor) afterwards sate:Mined a large party cd the
loading citizens at a dijrfner in St. Andre iv's.lialL Bomb
Dem was to • considerable extent suspended, mid the day
was observed more or learn as • holiday. In several other
seigbbottling towns also the day was not suffered to ;ma
over without maw steps being taken to mark the =seem