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

ZVI 3f4.711373 srAtrx 84z34

The Queen yesterday et enine gave a Stale Ball, to
which a party of between 1.600 and 1,700 were invited,
and fer ilia, the whole of the State roams of Bucking-
ham Palace were appropriated and brilliantly
illumi-
rated.
The three entrances were arranged as follows .—The
' Royal family alighted at the Garden entrance; the Foe
reign Ministers, Privy Councillors, and Officers and Lee
dies of the Royal Househiald at the Pimfico 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 Yeoman 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 iftationed in
front of the Palace, with the band of the regiment.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and the Princess Mary arrived at a quarter before 10
-et'elock-,----attended by -Lady -Suffield '-t1 Homo
Purees, and were received
the Grooms and Equerries in Waiting.ofambridge was His Royal Highness the Duke _a .
Colonel
Tyr.
by the Maids of Honour and
at-
tended by the Hon. James Ilacdmaald• onr
e hitt.
His Royal Highness the Duke of SaxerCoburg was
attended by le Conseiller Charles Samovar and Baron
de Treskow.
His Highness the... Maharajah Duleep .Singh was also
by their Royal Highnesses the
present,_
.Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince
Albert left the White Drawing-room shortly before 10
o'clock, accompanied
Duchess of Cambridgrß, the Princess Mary; the Duke of
Cambridge, and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, their Serene
Highnesses tLe 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•
mented with bouquets of pink roses, and white jessamine
and dia,mnds.
Her Maje-ty's headdress was composed of diamonds
and pink roses.
Tue .D uchesl of Cambridge wore a dress of grey glace
silk, covered with beautiful white Brussels lace to within
a short distance of the battorn, 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 glad 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 bas an arched glass ceiling, span-
ning the whole width of the apartment, which is divided
into seven 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 doofa leading
into the gallery are panelled in looking-glass with very
handsome gilt mouldings.
Time sculptured white marble chimney-piece was filled
with choice and beautiful plants in flower. This and
the Picture Gallery are connected by ar 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
witti wax'ights.

Sopptr was served on the State service of gold plate.
A lofty buffet lined with ciiui on was erected in the
supper room opposite the entrance, on which, among a
very numerous selection of rare and beautiful specimens
of gold plate, weie he pagniacent 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 k. liver gilt.