The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-10 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The ceremony ur i,Le
of the late Princess Sophia Mathilda took place yester-
day at her Royal Highness's residence, the Ranger's
Rouse, Blackheath.
A guard of honour of the Coldstream Guards was
on duty at the principal entrance, the colours of the
regiment covered with crape, the officers wearing
black silk scarfs with crape fittings, and the drums
illualed. The troops lined the corridor leading to
the,oth
hall, which was entirely covered with black
c.
The Earl Delawarr, Lord Chamberlain of her
Majesty's Household, arrived in the forenoon at the
Ranger's House, from town.
The dining-room was appropriated for the mournful
solemnity. At twelve o'clock the Lady Alicia Gor-
don, Lady in Waiting on her late Royal Highness,
entered the apartment, conducted by the Lord Chem-
Her Ladyship, who was attired in the
deepest mourning, took her seat, as chief mourner, at
the head cf the royal corpse, supported by Miss
Cotes and the Hon. Mrs. Gust, Bedchamber Women
to. the late Princess, also attired in deep mourning
rages of her Royal Highness stood at the feet of the
corpse.
The ceiling, sides, and floor of the room, were com-
pletely covered with black cloth. Over the royal
corpse was a large canopy, the interior fluted, and
pthered to the centre, formed by a white rosette.
e corniche of the canopy was silvered, and the
drapery black, with white fringe.
. The body was covered with a very large pall of
black velvet, having a deep border of white satin,
lach side of the pall having three escutcheons, con-
'lining the arms of the Princess in a lozenge, and her
Royal Highness's coronet above. The pall was removed
at the feet of the body displaying the coffin of crimson
velvet, with silver ornaments.
The following was the inscription on the coffin :
Depositum
IllustrissimEe Principissm
SophiEe Mathildm
Felice Illustrissimi Principis
Gulielmi Henrici
De Brunswick Lunenburgh
Duels Glocestrim et Edinburgi
Comitio Connaciaa
Et Nobilissimi Ordinis Periscelidis
Equitis defuncti
Obiit vicesimo nono die Novembris
Anno Domini MDCCCXLIV
iEtatis sum LXXII.
On the coffin rested the coronet of her Royal
11ghness, as a junior Princess of the Royal Family,
wing a cross pate with strawberry leaves instead of
the fleur-de-lis.
Above the chief mourner, at the back, was a large
and handsome escutcheon of the Royal Arms, with
BllPPorters, accompanied by a number of silver
sconces with wax tapers.
On each side of the coffin were massive silver
candlesticks, with large wax burners, placed on cir-
cular pedestals, covered with black cloth.
The room was lighted by silver sconces, each
aconce containing two wax candles, and at the sides
of the room, between the rows of sconces, were in-
serted small escutcheons of the arms of her late Royal
"ugliness, in a lozenge, surmounted by a coronet.
The chief mourner and her supporters being seated,
be public were admitted to witness the ceremony
athe grand entrance, passing thence into the hall,
e ceiling, sides, and floor of which were entirely
coveredf with black cloth, sconces with wax tapers
Iglating the apartment. From the hall the public
entered the dining-room, and after viewing the lying
r,state, quitted the mansion by a different entrance,
tough an ante-room, which was covered with black
drage4 two o'clock the Hon. Mrs. Legge relieved the
cn• Mrs. Cust. The Pages of the late Princess
were relieved every hour.
A succession of spectators continued to pass through
thezl rooms, without any intermission, from the com-
mencement of the ceremony until its close, preserving
throughout the greatest order and regularity.
The fitting up of the different rooms and arrange-
ments for the ceremony were executed by Mr. Bunt-
lil", 'within a very limited period, under the direction
t
the Lord Chamberlain.
d A, Party of the metropolitan police was on duty
Ittitupg the day, under the command of Mr. Malalieu,
Inaintainoi the greatest facility for ingress and
°tress.
ptThe domestic household of her late Royal Highness
pulrl throuh the roams a short time previous to the
lc being g
admitted to the ceremony.