The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-25 00:00:00

THE BRIDESMAIDS.

The bridesmaids to the Princess Royal aro nearly
of the same age as her royal highness, though none
of ihim are as youthful; her royal highness was 17
last November. The youngest of the bridesmaids,
Lady Caroline Villiers, daughter of the Earl of
Clarendon, was 17 on the 2d of September last,
and Lady Catherine liamilton, daughter of the
Marquis of Abercorn, was the same age on the 9tit
of June, in last year. The next most youthful of
the bridesmaids is Lady Victoria Noel, who was 18
on the 30th of June. Lady Susan Clinton, daughter
of the Duke of Newcastle, was of the same age on
the 7th of April, 1857. Lady Cecilia Molyneux,
daughter of Lord Sefton, attained her 19th year on
the 7th of November last ; and Lady Cecilia Len-
nox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond, was also
nineteen on the 13th of last April. Lady Susan
Murray, daughter of the Earl of Dunmore, arrived
at her 19th year on the 7th of last July ; and Lady
Emma Stanley, daughter of the Earl of Derby, who
has the honour of being the eldest of the fair group
of ladies, was 22 on last Christmas Day. Of the
bridesmaids, two were born in the same year as her
Royal Highness, two in 1838, one in 1837,
.and
one in 1835.

The dresses of the bridesmaids are from a design
furnished by the illustrieus bride herself. They con-
sist of a white glace petticoat, entirely covered by
six deep tulle flounces, over which falls a tunic
of tulle, trimmed with ruches a tulle looped
up on one side with a bouquet of pink roses and
white heather. The body is trimmed with draperies
of tulle, with hangeng sleeves of the same material
trimmed with ruches. This dress is an exquisite
artistic combination, and curious readers will be in-
terested to know that: the heather has been modelled
from a sprig gathered by her Royal Highness in her
parting walk on the mountains of Balmoral.
At the marriage of her Majesty there were 12
bridesmaids. They were Lady Adelaide Paget,
Lady Sarah Villiers, Lady Francis Camper, Lady
Mary Augusta Grimstone, Lady Eleanor Paget,
Lady C. Gordon Lennox, Lady Elizabeth Georgina
Howard, Lady Adelaide Hay, Lady Catherine
Stanhope, Lady Jane Harriet Bouverie, and Lady
Mary Howard. Every one of her Majesty's brides-
maids have since required for themselves the like
good offices of hiiiesmaidA. The whole of them
are married, and with one except ion (Lady Eleanor
Paget) all are living. One of them is new a widow,
viz., Lady Francis Couper, now the Dow;iger
Viscountess Jocelyn. One of the leddesmeels,
Lady Catherine Stanhope' has been twice married,
hot first husband being Lord Dalmenv, and the
secon I and present one, Lord Harry Vane ; ant
one Lady Caroline Lennox, daughter of the Duke
of Richmond, is a second wife of the Earl of 13,11-
borough. This lady is the sister of Lady Cecilia
Lennox, one of the bridesraeids of the Princess
Royal. Two of the Queen's bridesmaids were mar-
ried in the same year as her Majesty. Lady Mary
Grimstone, daughter of the Earl of Verulem,
became Viscountess Folkestone on the 3d Oct.,
and is now the mother of 13 children ; and
Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of the Earl
of Carlisle, was married to the .on. and Rev.
Francis Grey. Of the bridesmaids who attended
her Majesty ten were younger than the royal bride.
Her Majesty was born the 24th
May, 1819, and
was in hse 21st year when married. Lady Catherine
Stanhepe was younger by a wcek only, and Lady ,
Caroline Lennox by a few days ; she was born ou
the 18th June of the same year. L ,cly Frances
Co-iper (Dowager Viscountess Jocelyn): L 'dY
Mary
Grims'orte (Viscountess Folkestone),
and Lady
Eleanor Paget (Lady Sandford arahara) were in
their twentieth years. Lad Adelaide
nineteenth year,
Adelaide Hay (Vis-
ceuntess Campilee) h was in
Lady Mary Howard, daughter of the late Duke of
Norfolk (Lady Foley), Ives but eighteen, and Lady
Sarah Villiers, daughter of the Earl of Jersey, now
the Princess Esterhazy, was of the same age.
Lady Adelaide Paget, daughter of the Marquis of
Anglesea, now Viscountess Maidstone, who was
o , now the
seventeen. The bridesmaids older than her
Majesty were Lady Jane Bouverie, now the Hon.
Mn.s Ellice, who was about six weeks the senior of
her Majesty, and Lady Elizabeth Howard,
Hou. Mrs. Grey, who was three years older than
the royal bride. The Princess Royal might have
selected for her bridemaids some noble daughters
of the ladies who, in 1840, attended at the marriage
of her Majesty, and thus established as a branch of
the peerage, the honour of hereditary bridesmaids.
THE PROCESSION TO THE
ROYAL.
CHAPEL

Her Majesty's procession having been marshalled in
the Throne-room by Garter, Principal King
of Arms,
moved through the state apartments, down the state
staircase, to the Chapel Royal, in the following order :