The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-26 00:00:00

- r ,
iffratt* ts!C t7i Len

HER MAJESTY•

-o-
WI NDSOR CASTLE, May 25.
To-day is the anniversary of the birth
of her
Royal Highness Princess Helena.
The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon
_in a
carriage and four, accompanied by her Royal high-
ness Princess llelena and attended by the Dowager
Duchess of Athole.

Her Majesty went out in the grounds this morn-
ing with the Princess Helena. Princess Louise,
Princess Beatrice, and Prince. Arthur walked and
drove.

His Serene highness Prince Edward of Saxe"
Weimar dined with the Queen and the Royal falndY
yesterday.

Her Majesty's Visit to Cliveden.
Her Majesty the Queen is expected to arrive at
Cliveden, the seat of the Dowager Duchess or
Sutherland, to-day. Nearly all the Duchess's ser-
vants have left the mansion, and have been re-
placed placed by a large number of the Royal domestics,
expressly sent to Cliveden to attend the Queen
Royal family. Wines, liqueurs, and other article:
have been forwarded to the house, and it was
first intended that the Royal purveyors who supPlY
the Castle should also do the same for Cliveden'
Her Majesty, however, has issued orders that the
tradespeople of Maidenhead (which is nearer than
Windsor) should provide for the Court during Its
stay at the Duchess's seat. Few of the country
palaces of our nobility can vie with Cliveden for the
loveliness of its situation and the beauty of the sur-
rounding scenery. The present mansion, a stately
edifice, consisting of a central block, v(ith two wing`'
enclosing a courtyard, and in the Italian style 01
architecture, was erected by the Duke and Duchess
of Sutherland in 1851 from the designs of Sir C.
Barry, an inscription to that effect running round
the upper portion of the four sides of the central
building. The inclosed courtyard faces the northovhile
opposite the entrance is a broad and handsome drive
lined on each side with stately elm and other tree?,
and terminating in a dense mass of shrubbery. 0141:
nally, there is no doubt, this was the grand en-
trance. trance. The house is, however, now approached
from the Burnham-road. From this a windlega
carriage drive, hedged with laurels, shrubs, an
trees, leads to the house through what gardener:
call the " wilderness," but which at the prese:l
moment is a perfect Eden, thronged with nightie'
gales, blackbirds, and thrushes in full song, and e 11:,
joying an atmosphere loaded with perfume from ,
wild narcissus and myriads of spring flowers which
here abound. On the north-west of the house are
the kitchen garden and stables, and close to these le
a handsome Italian campanile, 110 ft. high, the
~,
upper balcony being reached by a spiral staircase'
It is not, however, till the visitor passes through
the mansion to the south front that the beautY °f
the site can be appreciated. In front of the terrace
lies the great flower garden, a broad and slightly
sunk expanse of turf, with flower beds in the Frenen
style. These are backed on the east and west hi
trees the continuous foliage of which forms an elc;
tensive vista, stretching away down the slope of is
hill upon which Cliveden is perched to the Thames'
the river being seen winding among the meadows
4
and trees in the direction of Maidenhead. the
Cliveden " great flower garden" is famous for its
spring and winter flowers, and the disposal of these
in serpentine ribands along the base of the soul_
terrace by the Duchess's gardener, Mr. J. Fleur'
ing, the author of " Spring and Winter Flower
Gardening," is highly ingenious. Cliveden gens
(anciently Cliefden), erected by Villiers, second
Duke of Buckingham, was successively used as e
residence by the Earl of Orkney, Frederick Frille,
of Wales, the Earl of Inchiquin, Sir George NV arf
render, and, finally, the Duke and Duchess
Sutherland. It has been twice destroyed by fire
The south terrace, already mentioned, is 443 w
long, and beneath it, in the centre, is a circular
vaulted chamber, with an ()relied opening to the
" great flower garden." From the house numerous
walks and drives lead to the " Alcove," bowling,:
green, apiary, and Cliveden springs ; while through
the openings in the foliage beautiful views of the
Thames, Cookham and its ancient wooden bridge/
Maidenhead, and the adjacent country can 190$
gained. Not far from the bowling-green
" Garibaldi's Oak ;" it was planted shortly after
his arrival, while the General was visiting Cliveden'
two years ago. Her Majesty will occupy the ce:
tral portion of the mansion, the drawing re°-'O,
library, dining room, and boudoir, which are °IIII
level with the south terrace, on to which they -a
open. The bedrooms are above. The east an
west wings will be placed at the disposal 0, %,,.-.11
Royal household and domestics. Her Majesty
ela
remain at Cliveden for about ten days, and t-
return to Windsor Castle.