Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-04-07
COURT LIFE IN ENGLAND.
DAILY PLEASURES AND DUrrES~
QUEEN vICTORIA'5 HOUSEHOLD.
Dining With the Queen Is Delightful.
bnt Standing About is Fatiguing
How Appointments Are Made.

How Appointments Are Made.
T ELIEVING the public always
X welcomes snv fresh details
II concerning roval places and
. their royal occupants, writes
Stuart Erskine in the New York
Herald, determined TO apply myself
to the fountain head. and if possible
10 procure first class information from
a member OF Queen Victoria's house
hold. A gentleman consented 10 tell
me all | wanted to know upon nv
giving q guarantee that l would not
publish mis- name. These terms / was
obliged to accept, and the result Of nv
interview appears beloF.
MAY ask" | began, "how the
various waits as 1 believe they are
called, are arranged at court?'
"Well," said my informant, "the
principle on which they are arranged
is simplicity itself. The waits Of the
varions gentlemen employed In Her
Malesty's household correspond, SO
far AS the system is concerned, with
those o. IN ordinary constable. 4
constable is told off to watch a particu-
lar thoroughfare or guard u particular
spot III the same way that We are told
III wait as Her Maiesty's servants. 1
have just zone off my beat" said my
informant laughing. "My next Wait
viii not take place for some time yet"
"Is there any special rule or prin-
clple,' / hezt inquired. "upon which
appointments in Her Majesty's house
hold are made to operate? Most of
the gentlemen Of the Queens house
hold are, | believe, ex-ofice1s of the
British army, bat suppose the Queen
is at perfect liberty TO exercise her
o"E discretion AS regards the appoint
ments IL her household"
"Well, OF course you know" said
my informant, "that some OF these
appointments to which you refer are,
50 to speak, III the gift Of the Govern
IN mt OF the day"
They are exclusively political APP
pointments, and though the consent
q her Majesty to a particular appoint
lnent IS necessary, according to the
terms of the constitution, still they
are not upon the same footing with
the minor appointments which Her
Majesty can fill up without consulting
any one, and which indeed, as you say,
are generally bestowed upon officers of
the army, men, in fact, who, having
done their Queen and country good
service, are III need of a little assistance
to make life pass pleasantly for them
when they retire"
MAY | ASK l then said, Sin what
your duties as a member Of Her Ma
iesty's household mainly consist 2"
"As to that" replied my informant,
81 suppose our duties as members of
Her Majesty's household would be
much on a level with those of a private
individual in a private household,
supposing it were the custom to en-
ploy gentlemen in such capacities.
We have, Of course, to be in attend
ance on Her Majesty whenever it is
required Of us; to look after the dis
tlnguished strangers whenever they
come on a visit 10 Her Majesty, and
generally to mako ourselves useful as
servants to the Queen "What us
called the Windsor uniform is mos:
generally affected by persons employed
at court. Officers, generals, etc, who
are members of Her Maiesty's house
hold, are allowed t. wear the army
uniforms suitable to their rank in the
service. The ordinary court dress,
which you can see at any levee or royal
function, is also much worn at court"
Glow do gentlemen of Her Majesty's
household live when they are in at
tendance on the Queen?" 1 then said,
addressing my informer.
Each individual" he said, '.nas. OF
course, private bedroom, etc, at
court, whether it be at Windsor, Bal
moral or elsewhere, but there is a
general mess or dining room for the
various officers employed in this par
tlcular branch of the Queens service.
Very often we receive commands from
the Queen to dine, etc, with the
Queen, not, Of course, il a body, but
Ill such numbers as it may suit her
pleasure to invite US, or the exigency
Q 7 the Moment may decide. A day
rarely passes at court without some
one of our number being called upon
to perform this agreeable sort Of duty,
for Her Majesty is one of the kindest
and most gracious hostesses that ever
li-ed."
about the duties" ] then said.
Taking them as a whole, l suppose
they are light and pleasant enough?"
'0h, yes," replied my informant,
eve have nothing TO complain Of On
that heal. We have plenty of leisure,
| plenty Of time IN which to amuse our.
selves. Sometimes the work is Of g
very fatlgulng nature. For instance,
there Is sometimes an immense amour,
@. standing about To be done, which
| for mea lot exactly IN their frs,
youth, IS q source OF great lnconveni-
eace and even physical trouble. Hang.
in5 about passage for hours togethe,
clad IL heavy uniforms and fully
equipped. is e service which. though
). may seen, pleasan, aud easy enough
10 those who have never experienced
Il. 70 those who have done SO Is not b,
an meal the thing Of Joy and dellgh