The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-30
WAYS OF ENGLISH ROYALTY.
MANY THINGS NOT KNOWN TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC.


There are so many things pertaining
to royalty Of which the general public has
only the most vague idea, that it is a
pleasure to give a correct insight of some
of them.
In regard to royalty going to the thea
ter. there is a very general belief that
these high people do not pay for their
theater boxes. and that everything is free
to them in opera and drama. On the con-
trary, however. the royal box is paid for
at the same rate as it would be by any
ordinary playgoer.
The Prince of Wales is the mostardent
play-goer, but he pays for his box always.
He does not himself drive up to the box
Office, or even send his equerry or secre-
tary to engage the royal box, the matter
being settled in much more private man
ner; the principal Of one of the Bond
street libraries" as the West End thea
ter ticket offices are somewhat anomal-
ously known in London, is periodically
summoned to Marlborough house. and
takes with him list OF all the plays on
the stages of the various theaters.
The prince goes through the list, and Sc
lects the theater or theaters which he pro-
poses to visit during the next few days,
and instructions are given to the libra
ry'' to engage the royal box for the nights
named at the theater selected.
Sometimes theater managers in London
find themselves in very unpleasant po-
sition when they receive an intimation
that the royal box is required for a night
for which 1t has already been engaged
by private Individual
Cases have been where it has been i'm
possible to refuse the box to royalties,
and it has been necessary to let it twice
over, and when the first purchaser has
arrived he has been asked to accept an
other box in exchange. Sometimes he
shows considerable vexation, but play
goers of the upper classes, who are us
ually the purchasers of the royal box, are
generally intensely loyal, and very anx-
ious to meet the requirements OF any
member Of the royal family.
Royalties are somewhat influenced in
favor of particular theaters where the
arrangements are peculiarly convenient
in regard TO the private entrance to the
royal box, although the Prince of Wales
is doubtless well aware that in some of
the older theaters it is impossible to pro-
vide for the comfort of the royal family
would wish.
At the Haymarket the royal entrance is
in small street at the back of the thea
ter, which, ending in cul-de-sac is al
most as private as if it were a court yard
belonging to the house. In former years
this entrance and the passage connecting
1t with the royal box formed no part Of
the theater itself but belonged to a lodg-
ing house adjoining the theater. For
some time an annual rental was paid 10
the proprietor Of the lodging house for the
privilege of using this passage whenever
royalty visited the theater; and one of the
conditions of the arrangement was that
on such occasions none of the dodgers
should be allowed to appear in the pas
sage, or to open any doors communicat.
ing with it. When the theater was en-
larSed the lodging house was purchased.
There are certain rules of etiquette
which are observed in the great theaters,
when members of the royal family at
tend When the box has been secured
through one of the library ticket offices
the manager of the office himself escorts
the royal visitors from their carriage to
the box. in place of the usual theater at
| tendant; and the business manager OF
the theater receives them at the door, as
the representative of the management.
In the theaters OF modern construction
there are handsomely furnished retiring
it is the custom to place cigarettes ana
coffee
When a princess forms one of the
party, bouquet is usually put on a
chair in the retiring room. her royal
highness taking, the flowers into the box
with her. The programmes placed in the
royal box on these occasions are invari-
ably printed on white satin.
The Prince of Wales often sends for
some member or members OF
the company, or the manager,
between the acts, and converses
with them or him in the royal retiring
room This is always accepted as evil
dence that his royal highness has en-
joyed the play
The prince has a great objection to
any demonstration in the theater when
he enters or leaves; consequently he does
not wish the orchestra 10 play God
Save tho Prince Of Wales" as is gener-
aby done on other public occasions when
MS royal hlghuess enters.
II Us also worth mentioning that the
Prince of Wales and all other members
OF the royal family are remarkably pune
tual in the time Of arriving at the the