Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-10-04
PETTICOAT COLONIES
Royal Ladies of Europe Who Don
RegimentalS.
Queens and Princesses Lead Troops.
Participate In Drills, and Ride
with skill and Grace Kings
Are Poor Horsemen.

II is not generally known that most
OF the royal ladies of Europe are col
ones of both infantry and cavalry
regiments, and that some OF them
even devote a good deal of time and
attention to their subordinate sol
diers. Nearly all of them, when ar
rayed in their regimental garb, seem
to lose every vestige of feminine APP
pearance, and at distance they GER
tainly look very mannish.
Foremost among the feminine royal
colonies is the German empress. Her
majesty is chief of the famous First
regiment of imperial cuirassiers'
Often on parade days the empress
may be seen riding at the head OF
this military body, and, after salut'
ing the emperor, rein in beside him
and let the regiments pass. She cuts
@ dashing figure, as she is tall and
we'll formed. Her regimental uniform
Is very showy-red facings on a pure
white material, surmounted by a
three-cornered hat with large, droop-
ing heron's plumes.
Queen Margherita of Italy has
grown quite stout of late, and just
before King Humbert's assassination
ordered a brand new colonePs uni
form, in which she appeared at the
head of a regiment of Hessian ran
gers. This royal amazon is very sell
dom seen on horseback in her own
country, but when on a visit to the
duchy of hessia she delights in honor
ing her regiment, of which she was
made an honorary chief by Kaiser
Wilhelm, her late husbands most de-
voted friend and ally.
The kaiser's mother, eX-Empress
Frederick, is chief of the Second regi-
ment of imperial hussars. She is per-
haps the only royal woman who has
retained her feminine looks on horse
back. Despite her advanced age she
looks quite pretty. She is also COM
manding officer of the Eightieth in
fantry, battalions of which are sta
toned at Homburg and Wiesbaden,
within a couple of hours ride of her
summer residence. During her stay
there she frequently invites the act
ing colonel, staff and the line officers
to dine with her and discuss regi-
mental matters, and at times she at
tends the field exercises OF her men.
A very manly appearance has the
Grand Duchess Victoria of Hess when
dressed in her regimentals as colonel
of the Third regiment of Hessian in
fantry. She is very enthusiastic
about her soldiers, and does not re-
gard her position as honorary. She
is often on the parade ground, even
when the regiment is at work. Then
she appears in undress uniform, con-
sisting of a dark blue coat, red collar
and cuffs, edged with blue, and a
heavy black shirt. What gives her
manly appearance more than any
thing else is her peaked helmet
tightly strapped about her chin.
The Crown Princess Maria of Rou'
mania is another royal female colonel
who considers herself bound to her
regiment in more than name. She Is
the chief of the Fourth regiment OF
Roumanian hussars. She looks very
imposing at the head Of her troops
and is a very skillful horsewoman
This petticoat colonel is a woman OF
versatile talents; she has written vol
uminously in the sphere of fiction and
histrionics. AS an amateur actress
both in the German and Roumanian
languages, she has displayed wonder
full talents, and it is said of her that
she is the power behind the throne in
Roumania.
Among younger royal female colo
nels are the Crown Princess Charlotte