New-York tribune., 1910-06-01
MISTRESS OF ROBES
Highest Feminine Office Under
The British Crown.


Mistress Of the robes is the highest Of
fee 70 which any woman in the British
Empire can aspire. but she must be British
horn ana the daughter OF a peer. More
ever il is required by old established
usage that she should be a duchess. It IS
an Office that in this new reign viii be
fgIed by the young Duchess Of Devonshire.
who is succeeding 10 il on the retirement
Of her aunt. the Duchess Of Buccleuch- The
latter celebrated only the other day her
golden wedding. and having served both
the late Queen Victoria and Queen Alex
endra as mistress Of the robes feels that
she should give way TO some younger wom-
an. and has accordingly rendered her resig-
nation.
In the DAYS Of Queen Victoria there was
sometimes a difficulty in securing duchess
for the post Of mistress Of the robes, for,
owing TO the fact of her being a queen
reEnaut instead of merely a queen consort.
& was necessary that the mistress should
belong 70 the same political persuasion as
the administration in power. and then as
now duchesses. especially duchesses quail
Hed by birth ard by knowledge Of court
life for the post. were rare in the ranks
Of the liberal party. In the case Of Queen
Alexandra and Queen Marv-that is 10 say.
queens consert-the mistress Of the robes
does not change with the administration,
end there is nothing to prevent the Duchess
of Devonshire from remaining at the head
Of Queen Nary's household throughout the
new reign.
The mistress Of the robes exercises powers
equivalent 10 those Of grand mistress Of
the court At St Petersburg. Berlin and
Vienna. and to thatsef camarera mayor de
palacio at Madrid: Wat is 10 say. she Is
e. the head Of the entire household Of the
Queen. having fun authority over the lat
rer's ladies-in-V waiting and maids Of honor
i is she who is supposed 10 arrange the
''waits'-thst is 10 say. the terms OF at
tendance Of the various ladies of the queen
and the latter's lord chamberlain. vice
Chamberlain. treasurer. private secretary
end eouerrv are also under her orders.
She has all sorts Of prerogatives and
perouisites the latter including the robes
Of state worn by the Queen at the corona
lion. on that occasion only she bears the
Queens train. hut at al other court tunc-
tfons and official ceremonies stands either
Immediately by the Queens side or else
walks right behind her. The salary Is
merely nominal amounting to about 5000
wear and. Of course, the mistress has
certain OF the royal carriages and royal
servants always at her disposal
So far as can be ascer1ained the Office.
as now constituted. dates from the reign
Of Queen Anne. when II was held by
Sarah. Duchess Of Marlborough. who. as
every reader Of English history knows.
exercised the most extraordinary despot-
ism. not to say terrorism. over that mon
arch Under Queen Victoria the mistresses
of the robes were in turn the Duchess OF
Sutherland. wife OF the second duke; the
late Duchess Of Buccleuch. the late Duchess
e- A:hoIl. the late Duchess Of Wellington.
she late Duchess Of Argyll. the late
Duchess OF Bedford, the mother Of the
present Duke Of Sutherland and the now
Dowszer Duchess OF Roxburghe-
The new mistress Of the robes, the
present Duchess Of Devonshire. who
mus not be confounded with the
dovaCer duchess. is just as much \
personal friend of Queen Mary as her
aunt and predecessor in Office, the Duchess
of Buccleuch. is a friend Of Queen Alex
sndra. She is the eldest daughter Of the
Marquis Of I,ansdowne. the leader in the
fight OF the Lords against the Commons.
and I'm turn Secretary Of State for Foreign
Affairs. for War. Governor General of
Canada and viceroy Of India. LADY Lans-
1ovne has long been q lady-in-waiting Of
Queen Alexandra. is z sister Of the Duke
O. Abercorn. and figures conspicuously
under q transparently disguised name in
Lord Beaconfeld's novel. ''Lorhair." The
Duchess Of DevOnshire Is about forty wears
Of age. has six children. and her favorite
crother. Lord Charles Fitznaurice. who
married Lord Ninto's daughter. Lady Violet
Elliot, has for some time been an equerry
a King George
There are few women in London who
possess a more perfect knowledge Of all
TIL ins and cuts Of English society and
q more extensive experience of The Brit-
fsh ard foreign courts than Lady Lans-
dowue. while her exquisite tact is unrivalled
at any rate in Mayfair. The Duchess Of
I,evonshire has had The advantage Of hav-
1rE been trained by her mother and has
Inherited most II the latter's gifts These,
together with her husbands great wealth.
he rank and her vast social influence.
combining. as il does that Of the powerful
CaveDdish and Hamilton families. render
particularly happy her appointment . mis-
tress Of the robes TO Queen Mary.