The Portland daily press., 1894-06-22
THE QUEENS HOUSEHOLD,
What the Women Who Surround the
Sovereign Do and Are Paid.

From reliable guide to royal households
you may see that Victoria has the following
ladies officially gazetted to their posts. The
mistress of the robes, whose duties are con-
fined to state ceremonials and official &C.
casions, must be of the rank of Duchess,
and as this is the only office held by lady
which is changed under each political ad-
ministration the choices must lie between
those ladies of that rank whose husbands
are adherents to the existing Government.
has been named for the appointment, it has
been the Queens pleasure that the position
should remain vacant, and upon the few
occasions when the attendance of the mis-
tress of the'robes is an absolute necessity,
Her Majesty has appointed one of her ladies
to act. The mistress Of the robes accom-
panies the sovereign on all state occasions,
such as drawing opening of Parlia-
ment. &C., andher place is close to the Queen
at such times.
A state carriage is always set apart for the
use of the mistress of the robes, and is sent
from the Royal News for her convenience
to the palace when her presence is required
at the drawing-room, &c. Among many
distinguished women who have held the
office, which appears to have existed for
many centuries, may be mentioned the
Countess, Lady Harvey and the Duchess of
Marlborough, who held not only the post of
mistress of the robes but also of groom of
the stole and keeper of the privy purse. 1t
appears that the Office of mother of the
maids was eventually merged into the
higher one though of late yearsythe mistress
of the robes has been only associated with
state ceremonia1s, and has not any author
ity or responsibility connected with other
ladies of the household. Formerly the mis-
tress of the robes wore gold key as a badge
of office, the same as is still worn by the
Lord Chamberlain, and even unseemly quar-
rels are recorded when Sarah, Duchess of
Marlborough, was requested to deliver up
the key to her successor, the Duchess of
Somerset.
The Duchess of Sutherland was appointed
Mistress of the Robes on Queen Victoria's
accession and held the Office for many
years. The Duchess of Manchester, Duchess
of Bedford, Duchess of Wellington and the
Duchess of Roxburgh have also been Mis-
tresses of Robes during Her Majesty's reign.
Eight ladies of the bed--chamber, who are
usually called Ladies-in-waiting, attend
personally on the Queen during their waits,
and during that time reside in the royal
palace. These ladies drive or walk with
Her Majesty, and are always in attendance
to fulfill any duties which are required.
May letters and requests of all kinds are sent
to these ladies', which have to be acknowl-
edged. and they often write letters for the
Queen. During their attendance the
Ladies-in-waiting are always at hand, but if
Her Majesty drives or walks with any MEM
bers of the royal family, and does not re-
quire the attendance of one of the ladies,
they are free to go out, and a carriage is
always at their disposal at Osborne, and
Windsor and Balmoral.
In Her Majesty S published Diary of Life
in the Highlands we see on what intimate
terms these ladies are treated, and no one
but peerless can hold the Office.
Bedcbamber women do not now fulfill the
duties which apparently fellto their share
when the Office was created, or, indeed. as
late as the reign of George H.. when we
had to attend Her Majesty toilet at morning
and evening. At present the duties are very
trifng, and the eight ladies are only re-
quired to attend any court ceremonies or re-
ceptions which may occur during the time
OF waiting dppOlnIeu TO 6dcH during Ine
year. Her Majesty has of late appointed
several extra ladies and women of the bed
chamber without salary.
The eight unmarried ladies who hold ofic
as aids OF honor have some privileges. They
are given the prefix of honorable and on
marrying receive from the Queen the gift
of 81 900. One or two maids of honor reside
for a fortnight at time at Windsor OF Os-
borne, but Her Majesty seldom takes more
than one to Scotland.
The distinctive badge worn by maids Of
honor is bow of scarlet ribbon on the
shoulder, while the ladies in waiting wear a
white bow with the Queens cameo portrait.
The dowry of a maid of honor has been
given for at least one hundred and fifty
years, but is according to Her Majesty's
pleasure, and in 1768 it was refused to one
lady who engaged herself in marriage with
out the consent of her royal mistress. In
the domestic arrangements for the comfort
of the royal suite a bed and sitting room is
appointed to each lady, and the household
dinner includes all who have not been spec
tally commanded to join the royal circle.