The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-05-06
ANNOYED HER MAJESTY.
TOBACCO LOST HIM THE ORDER
OF THE GARTER.

How the Duke Of Teek Smoked a Pipe
at Windsor CastIe-EVen the Prince
of Wales Could Not Appease the
Queen.
The Duke of Teck was a great
smoker, and seems TO have been priv
ileged to smoke on all occasions, ana
even in the houses Of his illustrious
reatlons, when other guests had to be
most strict in their conformity to the
rules of tobacco.
| myself have seen the Duke of Teck
driving through the Strand, accom-
panied by the princess, his wife, ana
by the Grand Duchess of Meckleh'
burg Schwerin, putting furious clouds
from a huge cigar between his teeth.
| have also seen him, on the terrace
of Marlborough House, standing anna
a group of his royal highness rela-
lions of both sexes, not only smoking
but the only one smoking. Indeed
it is said that this habit of his for a
cigar lost him the Order of the Garter,
which he very nearly received at the
time of his daughters wedding.
There had been family dinner at
| Windsor, and the Tecks were present,
and had also been invited to sleep at
the castle. The rooms assigned to the
| duke and duchess were in close yicin-
ity to those of her majesty. Now, the
! queen never was a lover Of tobacco.
| Her late husband was not much OF
smoker. She was brought up in an
| age when tobacco never came near
| ladys drawing room, and certainly re-
! manned very far from her Doudoir'
! Her son, the Prince of Wales, and his
| brothers. are all smokers, but 1t Is
stated that they never smoke in their
mothers presence, except in the open
air.
on the particular night Of the fam
lily dinner mentioned above, after the
queen had retired to bed, and when
presumably she had made up her
mind that Francis of Teck should be
told the following morning at break
fast that he should have the garter,
she suddenly detected the smell OF
smoke. Her majesty at once touched
the bell beside her couch.
"Who dares to smoke in the castleT
exclaimed the queen.
The two bedchamber women gazed
at the great old lady with fear and
amazement, but they We're soon or
dered to find out, and for the next
few minutes there was dreadful
ttYtN lu
of Windsor castle.
There was ringing of bells tramping
of sentries, rousing Of deputy assist
ant chamberlains from their beds,
hasty summonlng of the lord high con
troller of the household and scurry
into garments on the part of equerrles
and deputy gold and silver sticks in
waiting 1.-THE queen smells smoke!
was banded from mouth to mouth
Tobacco smokew At last the smell
was traced, and definitely traced, to
the apartment occupied by his high
ness, the Duke, and her royal high
ness. the Duchess of Teck The lower
court officials, such as equerries and
chamberlains, scarcely ventured to
lhUlllltI lllt luNtl NAOOif bhN 'iAS SAthAiN
controller of the household did ven
ture to knock and he hammered with
such effect upon the panels that the
Duke of Teck himself opened the
door. attired in pajamas somewhat
short in ankle, and awful to relate,
short briarwood pipe in full opera
ton clenched between his teeth.
His hlghness looked surprised natur-
ally. Then he asked what was the
matter, and the chorus of royal myr-
midons yelled "Tis the pipe, your
highness the pipe. Her majesty
smells smoke"
But the next morning, when the
Prince of Wales ventured to remind
his royal mother Of the Duke of Teck
and the garter, he was peremptorily
silenced with No, BERTHE, no; l am
very angry with him. He woke me up
with his awful tobacco" And the
Duke of Teck had to die garterless!-
| London Letter