The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-10 00:00:00

HER MAJESTrS STATE BALL.

The Queen yesterday evening gave a State Ball, tdo,
which a party of between 1,600 and 1,700 were invited;
and for which the whole of the State rooms of Bucking-
ham Palace were appropriated and brilliantly illumi-
nated.
The three entrances were arranged as follows :—The
Royal family alighted at the Garden entrance ; the Fo-
reign Ministers, Privy Councillors, and Officers and La-
dies of the Royal Household at the Pimlico entrance,
and the rest of the company at the Grand entrance.
The Royal family were ushered, on their arrival, to
the White Drawing-room. All the other guests assem=
bled in the Picture Gallery and the Promenade Gallery,
which, for the first time, was opened for a State Ball.
The Yedman of the Guard were on duty on the stair-
case and in the Grand Hall, under the command of Cap-
tain Sir John Kincaid, the Exon in Waiting.
A Guard of Honour of the Guards was stationed in
front of the Palace, with the band of the regiment.
and
dThteiiire
Princess
lesHa
Maryhne sses the Duchessquarter
arrived
at a
o'clock, attended by Lady Suffield and Major Home
PurvPs, and were received by the Maids of Honour and
o f Cambridgebefore
the Grooms and Equerries in Waiting.
, His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was at-
tended by the Hon. James Macdonald and Colonel Tyr-
whitt.

His
Royal Highness the Duke of Saxe-Coburg was
attended by le Cunseiller Charles Samwer and Barou
do Treskow.
His Highness the Maharajah Duleep Singh was also
present. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince
Albert left the White Drawing-room shortly before 10
o'clock, accotnpanied by their Royal Highnesses the
Duchess of Cambridge the Princess Mary, the Duke of
Cambridge, and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, their Serene
Highnesses the Princess of Hohenlohe Langenburg and
the Princess Adelaide and Prince Victor of Hohenlohe.
The Queen wore a dress of pink tulle over pink silk,
trimmed with five flounces of white blonde and orna-
and
mentediamond with bouquets of pink roses, and white jessamine
ds.
Her Majesty's headdress was composed of diamonds
and pink roses.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a dress of grey glacoS silk, covered with beautiful white Brussels lace to within a short distance of the bottom, which was trimmed with
a triple border of white and grey marabout feathers
looped up with rosettes of silver crape. The body was
trimmed with Brussels lace to correspond. The
stomacher was covered with sapphires and diamonds ;
the necklace and the tiara were en suite. Her Royal
Highness, in addition to the tiara, wore white and grey •
marabouts in her hair.
The Princess Mary of Cambridge wore a dress of blue
tulle over a rich silk glacti petticoat, trimmed with
bunches of pink roses and tulle. The body was also
trimmed with roses. The stomacher was ornamented
with diamonds. The necklace pearls and diamonds.
The Princess wore round her head a wreath of pink
roses having diamond stars intermixed.
The Princess of Hohenlohe Langenburg wore a dress
of white satin, trimmed with riband. The necklace of
diamonds—her Serene Highness's head-dress was formed
of a garland of flowers and diamond ornaments.
The Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe wore a pink
satin dress, trimmed with pink tulle and flowers. Her
Serene Highness wore a garland of flowers to correspond
with the dress.

The Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T., Lord Chamber-
lain ; Earl Spencer, K.G., Lord Steward ; Lord Ernest
Bruce, Vice-Chamberlain • and the Earl of Mulgrave,
Treasurer of the Household, conducted her Majesty and
the Prince to the Ball-room, the Ladies and Gentlemen-
in-Waiting, and afterwards the general company, follow-
ing the Royal circle. A quadrille was formed, and the
Queen opened the ball with his Royal Highness the
Duke of Saxe-Coburg Gotha at 10 o'clock.
The quadrille bands in the Ball-room and the Throne-
room played a selection of the newest and most fashion-
able dance music during the evening. In the intervals
of the dancing the company retired for refreshment to
the Green Drawing-room, and also to the new Promenade
Gallery. This gallery has an arched glass ceiling, span-
ning the whole width of the apartment, which is divided
into fern compartments by ribs of stucco, enriched
with architectural ornaments. The glass is ground and
ornamented with a very elegant pattern. The mode of
illumination is by external lights of Cannel gas; the
rays pass through the ceiling and light the gallery in a
very novel and effective manner. All the doors leading
panelled in looking-glass with very
into
handsometheggalilletry are
mouldinge.
The sculptured white marble chimney-piece was filled
with choice and beautiful plants in flower. This and
the Picture Gallery aro connected by a small anteroom,
also new, having a miniature dome—the walls, cornice,
and ceiling of which are adorned with colours heightened
with gilding, producing the utmost richness and variety
of effect of which the modern style of decoration is ca-
pable. The room was lighted with gilt branches filled
with waxlights.
Supper was served on the State service of gold plate.
A. lofty buffet lined with crimson was erected in the
supper room opposite the entrance, on which, among a
very numerous selection of rare and beautiful specimens
of gold plate, were the magnificent Epergne, known as
the " Prince of Wales's" Epergne, and an extremely
curious ancient gold dish of large size and oblong form
from America, and called the " Mexican Dish."
A profusion of roses in full bloom placed in golden
vases ornamented the buffet and tables ; the whole being
brilliantly lit with waxlights in candelabra and sconces
of silver gilt.