The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-21
THE COMING ROYAL WEDDING
Growing Event of the Present Social
Season in Merry England.
Beatrice Described as can American Looking
Girl" With Fine Figure-Her Future
Husband Poor German Princeling.
Ansnn Lntter In Philadelphia Press.

VA0SOn Letter in PhllaGelphla PresS.
The wedding of Queen Victoria's youngest
daughter, the Princess Beatrice. and Prince
Henry, of Battenberg, will take place at Whip
bingham Church Whippngham Parish is In
the Isle Of Wight The Queen has selected the
wedding day-Thursday, July %. The hour
will be between 1 and 2. The Archbishop OF
Canterbury the Bishop of Winchester, the Dean
Of Windsor. and Canon Prothero will officiate,
and the services will be fully choral. The cere-
1nony will begin at l o'clock. The bridegroom
will be attended at the altar by his unmarried
brothers-Prnce Alexander, of Bulgaria, and
Prince Francis, of Battenberg. The Princes will
be supported by the Queen and the Princess of
Wales, and she will be given away by her Maj
esty. There are 10 be ten bridesmaids all nieces
Of the bride-The daughters of the Prince Of
Wales (threel, of the Duke of Edinburg (three),
of Prince Christian (two). and Of the Grand
Duke of Hesse (twol.
The Duchess of Bedford will act as Mistress
Of Robes at the wedding in place of the Duchess
of Roxburghe. who cannot actend. The Duke
and Duchess have lent their Norris Castle
their Isle Of Wight seat which adjoins Osborne
to the Queen, and several of Her Maiesty's
royal guests from abroad will stay there. the
accommodation at Osborne is very limited.
Sir Henry Ponsonby has been busily engaged
during his stay at St James Palace with the
officials in the Lord Chamberlans and Lord
Stewards departments, in arranging the order
Of the ceremonial to be observed at the wedding.
Sir Spencer Ponsonhy Fame has been engaged
at Osborne for some hours, and also with Canon
Pr0thero at Whippingham, in arranging the
various details The officials are not hampered
by precedents, as it is the first time that a
daughter of the sovereign has been married in
parish church. This arrangement has been
made because Whippingham Church was re-
stored under the superintendent Of the Prince
consort, who always attended service there when
he at Osborne. There will be present the
royal relatives of the Princess, a number of
guests, a few ministers and private friends, and
all the people who have been in any way asso
Cated with the Princess's early life.
Her Majesty has issued orders to increase the
invitations to the wedding and the bridal cake
which is to be something quite extraordinary, in
Che confectoners art, will weigh $50 pounds.
This big sweet piece is to be built up in three
tiers and to repose upon pedestal of gold. 1t
is really three cakes, one above the other and
the plateau upon which it rests, and surrounding
the lower cake, is wreath Of lilies white, inter
sper5ed with ivy. embematic of purity sweet
ness, and friendship. Surrounding the lowest
cake are large skeleton shields. bearing on in
closed shields the coat of arms of the Princess
Beatrice ana Prince Henry of Battenberg, inter
spersed with passion flowers 1t will be adorned
with 500 sprays of flowers. Surrounding the
second cake are jasmine, and round the second
and third cakes are passion flowers, ivy and
roses On the top cake are cupids, and large
vase containing an immense bouquet composed
Of variety of emblematic flowers The cake
stands six feet hight Lady Sydney, wife of the
Lord Lieutenant of Kent, will present the we'd
ding cake made by Messrs. Buzzard, of Oxford
street, to the order of ladies of Kent at Osborne
the 2lst Of July.
The chief interest naturally centers in the
hnf1 '1a pr Pao tc;oo 10 all LII
haired, slender girl not at all like her mother
and much prettier than the other royal children.
She has-as many people have said-'an Amer
lean look" small, delicate features trihe
tip tilted like flower" and very line brown
eyes, sweet red lips and luxuriant brown hair.
The Princess is two inches taller than the
Queen with form-not face-descrbed as
being 80 perfect that, it is said, art add no
beauty to its outline.
The eighth and youngest child of Queen Vic
toria, the Princess Beatrice, was born April IA,
1857. She is thoroughly educated and accom-
plished girl, and possesses more than usual abil
ity as artist. Her life has been singularly
quiet and uneventful For fifteen years past
she has been the almost daily companion of her
mother. The English people consider her
martyr to maternal selishness. Beatrice is
fayorite with the masses, who despise the young
fellow to whom she has become engaged, because
he Is willing to permit her assumption of the
wifey position while burdened with the hum
drum duties Of the last daughter and mothers
companion.
The Princess Beatrice has been the not IN
frequent subject of such gossip as all women,
and possible all men, delight to hear. In 1877
she was reported to have fallen in love- with
young man who has since attained distinction as
q preacher. The eminent success of Canon
Duckworth in the church is attributed to his
having resisted the fascination of the Princess
when engaged to one of her instructors. There
seems to be no question that her marriage to the
Prince Imperial Of France had been determined
upon by the mothers of the young people, who
often drink dish Of tea together. Among
other eligible men who are said to have aspired
to the hand of this fair damsel when she was
younger than she is now are Prince Oscar of
Sweden, Amedeo, late King of Spain, and Louis
OF Battenberg, an elder brother of the young
man who has actually engaged her maiden troth.
The belief is general that but for the English
law which forbids marriage with deceased
wifes sister, Prince Louis of Hesse, who had
been the husband of Queen Victoria's daughter
Alice, would have taken Beatrice in second
nuptials. Prince Louis had behaved badly to
his first WIFE
The coming alliance has not met with favor
anywhere. 1t is said the Prince of Wales does
not like the marriage at all, and that it is the
Queens we'll known obstinacy which prevails
IN permitting her youngest and favorite daughter
TO make match which is by 10 means an
ambitious one. The Crown Prince of Prussia
does not like it, as it makes him brother-in-law
70 very inferior little German princeing who
Will be his subject one day. However, royal
alliances are getting scarce. Marriages with
subjects are thought to be out of favor, for they
say tn, Marquis of Lorne and the Princess
Louise have not hit it off very we'll, and So
unless the royal Beatrice was to be left the last
ungathered rose to meet the winters snow of
cold celibacy," there seemed to be none other
than Prince Henry, of Battenberg
Nor are our English cousinsany better pleased
with Prince Henry, of Battenberg because he is
poor and expects to settle down as a pensoner
on the British government to the tune of $780, 600
a year, additional to dowry of $3.50 000
Although the bridegroom to be is one of the
handsomest men in Europe, said to be
worthy in every respect and an exemplary
soldier as lieutenant of the First Regiment Of
she Prussan Gardes du Corps, he is the most
unDOnular ma m in TIpitad -