Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-25
AROYAL HOUSEHOLD.
The Men and Women Who Bask in
the Smiles of Queen Victoria.
GOOD SALARIES 60 FOR NOTHING.
Nearly Two Millions Every Year to Keep
Up the Establishment.
THE pETTICoATED OFFICERS RANK
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DlsrATcH.I

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPArcH.I
! LONDON, Jan. 16.-"Eight bed-chamber
women at salary of 81 800 year"
This item appears in the annual list of
official household expenses for the Queen.
The title is very misleading to one who has
never had chance to learn from those who
know of the inside workings of Her
Majesty's service. In fact all. or nearly
all, English titles are misnomers to the
American mind, for in a majority of cases
they are only guise for adding to the in
come of some titled and favored person.
| Concealed under the gauze of a singular
name they pass without notice or inquiry
by the subjects even who pay for the caprice
of royalty. doubt if one person in 10, 900
outside the charmed circle, which is made
upof nobility, know why and for what good
purpose these bed-chamber women are called
and named. Yet they occupy very signifi-
cant place near the Queen and earn all they
receive if not more.
| Queen Victoria's Duties.
The Queens household is a remarkable
affair and organized upon what may truly
be called broad basis. There are 80 well
known officers wearing petticoats, who wait
upon the commands of Her Majesty, and
they hold rank and grade as fully defined
as the officers OF regiment. They do not
command nor control companies nor
battalions of servants that wait upon her
as many people may suppose. Neither do
they have any duties to perform, except of
the high social and dIgnifed order of assist
ance which the sovereign needs in the
control of her household, and the exacting
work which her exalted station imposes
upon her. For no woman in the world, no
matter what her age, accepts and fills into
every "a hours of life so many tasks, both
on her own account and to meet the wishes
of her people.
Yet, they are dissatisfied because they do
not see more of her and long for the day when
| Albert Edward snail become King. This
is partly because they want more pomp and
show at their ceremonials, and wish to see
the royal carriage with its rich trimmings,
drawn with the finest of horses, ridden by
| gaily dressed riders, and surrounded with
all that inspiring style that belongs to roy
atty. There is serious discomfort that the
! Queen has not opened Parliament for five
years and has given the public very little
view of herself upon great occasions.
From the Poorer Mobility.
"Bedchamber women" hold the highest
rank among those who are paid for their
services of the many who wait upon the
Queen. They are the Major Generals of her
household, and are drawn from that ella IS
| OF nobility that are not overburdened with
money, and yet, hold rank and have attain
ments that pleases Her Majesty. In other
words they are her favorites among the asso-
ciates of her later life. and the 81, 500 a year
which she accords them out of the public es-
Inmates, simply pay their expenses in going
| from or coming to her as she wishes, few
dollars for the extra garments and other in
cidentals that belong to people of their
class.
They are at the call of the Queen when
ever she desires their presence, which is as
often as she wants to change the surround
ings of her home and have fresh faces and
| new minds to give variety to her everyday
| life. They are not as often called as some
others of her sex who hold honorary POSI-
tions only, upon the natural theory that
those whom you pay and can always direct
are not as often asked as those who come
| without drawing a salary. Ladies of the
bedchamber" are the honorary Major Gen.
erals of the Queens household, and are not
paid. They are women of higher rank than
| "bed-chamber women" and the names
| given to the two classes indicates the differ
|
| ence.
The Queens Favorite Lady.
Lady Dowager Churchill, who belongs by
some remove OF kinship TO the family Of tle
Duke of Marlborough and Lord Randolph
| Churchill, is one of the Queens favorites
among all her female attendants. When I
last saw Her Majesty she was driving with
| this noted woman, who is one of the eight
| ladies of the bed chamber. She is middle
| aged person OF engaging manners and far
| more than ordinary accomplishments, and
| her frequent presence at Her Majesty's side
gives her high place among all the ladies
| OF the kingdom. At least two of the ladies
| of the bed cham Der hold the rank of Duchess,
and the other six represent nearly as high a
| degree of social power, while bed-chamber
women, although the duties of the two grades
are of the same character, never reach higher
than Viscountess.
There are four extra "ladies Of the bed
chamber" among them Duchess and four
| extra "bed-chamber women" making 12
! honorary and II paid females of high rank
| whose duties are simply to wait upon the
Queens pleasure, assist in entertaining her,
| and in entertaining the people whom she
admits to her presence. These appointments
are much sought after by ladies of rank and
| are regarded as a very high honor. The
In waiting" which is better sounding title
! than bed-chamber women and ladies of the
bed-chamber," but it is also misleading, and
| is often the cause of some strange views as
| to what their real duties are.
An American Lady's Impression.
Only the other evening I sat next to a very
intelligent American lady vino is full of the
! independence of her race. There was gen.
| eral chat about the board and guest nearby
told her story about one of ''the ladies-in-
waiting" to the Queen. He took occasion
to speak of her strong intellectual attain
ments and high character, also of the promi-
nent position she held near the Throne.
| The American could not understand the
situation and said, with considerable show
| of feeling: "Well, cannot understand how
any lady of education can consent to be
servant I should like to see myself wait
upon any Queen"
There was general smile around the
| table among those who know the habits and
conditions of the country, and the converse
! ton was turned 20 a more general subject.
! The Hop. Harriet Phipps is maid OF
| honor" and there are SIX others who like
herself receive 81 500 year salary for being
bright and useful. Two extra maids have
nj