The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-05-29
THE SCHLOSS GILBENSANDE.
Country House in Mecklenburg-
Schwerin Where the Betrothal
ny Herbert A. White.


Schwerin Where the Betrothal
ny Herbert A. White.
Special Staff Correspondence to News
paper Enterprise Association.
BERLIN. May APPROPRIATIONS
FOR the marriage of the German
crown prince. Frederic William, to
Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-
schwerin. are rapidly approaching
completion. The state ceremonies
held In connection with the wedding
will form a series of festivities I'M
rivaled in modern times. Duchess
Cecilie win certainly be bewildered
by the boundless luxury and gorgeous
display which will characterize her
own wedding arrangements.
Mocklenburg-Schwe one OF the
smaller states of the German empire,
covers an area of 5000 square miles
and Its total population is barely
100000. It's capital, Schwern, is
little town with population of less
than 10000. The Duchess Cecilies
brother, Grand Duke Frederic Fran
els ~, is now it's reigning monarch.
The grand ducal family is so poor
that it's members must almost be
classed as royal paupers. The
duchess herself, born at small
country house, was brought up with
less luxury than the daughters of
any average wealthy merchant. Her
summers have been spent at small
hunting lodge near the Baltic coast, !
where the family lived unceremoni- !
ously ana attended by only two or
three domestics. Her winters have
been regularly spent at Cannes, whore
her mother possesses a modest villa. |
Duchess Cccilie is thus a simple. |
unaffected girl, whose mode of life
has been more akin to that of young
ladies of the middle classes than to
that of a princess destined to be
empress of a mighty empire.
The wedding celebrations begin on
Saturday, June 3, when the Duchess
Cecilic will make her state entry into
Berlin. She will arrive in Berlin at
noon. The crown prince, with other
members of the imperial family, will
meet her at the station, but the gem
eral public will be rigidly excluded
from all approaches to the platform.
Duchess Cecilie will then be escorted
to Bellevue castle, n former residence
of the kings of Prussia, situated In
the northwestern district OF the capt.
tai on the outskirts of the magnifl~
cent Tiergarten. The crown prince
will then leave her in order that she
may rest and prepare for her public
entry into the capital.
Early in the afternoon this public
entry, the most interesting and pie
turesque feature of all the wedding
cession In which Duchess Cecilie will
be the central figure will start from
Bellevue castle and will proceed
along n route between two and three /
miles in length to the imperial castle,
situated In the center of Berlin.
The beginning and end of the pro- |
cession will consist of infantry and !
cavalry The duchess and her suite |
will be in the center of the procession.
She will drive in gorgeous state
car with gilded frame and rich golden
ornaments The state car will be
closed. but she will be plainly visible
through the wide windows of the |
vehicle
The car will be drown by eight |
white horses. Outriders in many coll
ored medieval uniforms will sit
astride the first two pair of eight
horses.
The procession VIII proceed
through the two main avenues OF
the Tiergarten, a beautiful park OF
600 acres. and will cross the famous
Avenue of Victory, lined by the mar
Bile statues of Germany's rulers,
thence through the Brandenburg gate,
at the western end of Inter den Lin
den, to the Pariser Platz, where the
burgomaster of Berlin, accompanied
by his councillors and chief officers.
will present an address OF welcome.
Close by 100 young virgins, arrayed
In white. will scatter flowers In the