The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-08
NEW REGULATIONS
OF BRITISH COURT


Balmoral last summer they had under
consideration a number Of alterations in
the existing regulations OF the court,
some OF which have already come into
effect, though others will not come into
operation until the court is in permanent
residence at Buckingham Palace
one of the most important of tie new
regulations is that by which the four chief
officials OF the household, namely, the lord
chamberlain. the master OF the household.
the master of the horse. and the lord
steward. will meet at regular periods TO
confer on the working of their respective
and to settle questions that
constantly are arising among them.
Under the old regime, when the work OF,
say. the department Of the master of horse
brought that official into conflict with the
lord ehamberlain's department etiquette
forbade a meeting of these two officials.
and the question at issue between them
was referred to the Kings secretary for
the Kings instructions on the matter
When Lord Farquhar was regulating
the late Kings household, be proposed
snch d scheme as has row been adopted.
but for various reasons it was never
carried out. The new arrangement will
not only relieve the Kings private sec
retaries OF a great deal OF unnecessary
work. but will greatly expedite the work
OF the departments concerned.
The number of equerries and Iords-in-
waiting in residence is to be reduced.
but the number of nonresident equerries,
who are put on the list in rotation every
| fortnight for attendance at the palace.
will be increased. This regulation will
make for economy without putting extra
work on the officials affected by il.
The presence of the mistress OF the
robes at court will be required far more
constantly than was the case in the last
| few years Of King Edwards reign. when
| Queen Alexandra only required the pres
| ence Of her mistress Of the robes on oc-
| casions of great state ceremony. and
many OF the duties attaching TO her Of
/ fee as a matter OF fact, were per-
! formed by Miss Knollys.
| It is the wish of both King George and
Queen Mary that the mistress of the
/ robes should resume chief control Of the
| Queens household. and in consequence
/ the Duchess OF Devonshire will be q
great deal at court. When the court IS
at Windsor Castle the duchess will be
/ in residence, but when the Queen is al
| buckingham Palace the duchess, OF
course. will reside at her own town
residence, Devonshire House
The maids of honor in future viii be
notified by the mistress of the robes
when their presence and attendance al
court is required When the court is al
Windsor one of the maid always will bt
required TO be in attendance.
/ Queen Mary intends 10 revert 10 the old
custom OF giving a dOwry 81 fl0o 10 a
maid OF honor when she marries but
against this her pay will be reduced by
E1O0 a year. Queen Alexandra raised the
pay Of her maids OF honor by this amount
annually. but she stopped the dowry
money In the present reign the maid:
I will receive three hundred a year in
stead OF four hundred
! Queen Alexandra only had four maid.
/ OF, honor, while Queen Victoria had ten
Queen Mary probably will appoint six
but not more than two are to be in at
/ tendance at the same time. She vii
present each of her maids with d goic
and pearl locket. which the maid mus
wear when she is in attendance.
Several new regulations are pending ii
connection with the work OF the LORD
Chamberiain's department One OF the
most important Of these deals with the
granting 10 societies and institutions of the
right TO use the prefix royal All insu-
tutions that are properly entitled TO use
that prefix are registered in the book.
at the Lord Chamberlain's ofice, but {
f - nh az EnTiflaf
10 do so. for the simple reason that j
acts as "a great help in obtaining subserip
tons Except in one or two glaring in
stances OF misrepresentation OF the prefix
no trouble was ever taken 10 Investigate
the right Of any society or institution L
STYLE itself royal and numbers of so
cieties availed themselves of this state o
affairs 10 do so without proper authority
Under the new regulations they wi
no longer be permitted TO do so. Alread
one institution has been peremptorily or
dered TO cease designating itself royal
and as a result several others, not en-
titled to use the prefix. have dropped
voluntarily. In one case that recent
came TO light, it was ascertained tina
a society which existed practically 70
pushing the sale Of a certain America
patent medicine described itself on il
circulars as royal" though il CAREFUL
RETAINED from doing so more openl!
In future no society not registered a
royal will be allowed to designate i
self as such. and the privilege TO use tn
J prefix will not be so readily granted a
] heretofore. The King always was of tn
) opinion that it is one which has been "a
! easily secured. OF course the right I
t designate itself as royal" will not I
taken from any institution that is prof.
erly entitled TO use IL
In the same way the claims of roy;
! warrant holders viii be investigated wit
, equal care. There are a number of pc,
! pie claiming to be royal warrant hoIC
ers who are not, though they or the
predecessors in business may have bee
at one time All the royal warrant
TO trades people expire automatically
the death Of the sovereign in Engian
and there is no obliga ton on the part
the new King to renew them. In the la
reign little attention was given 70 Sc
ing that the royal warrants were T,
newed, and a large number OF trade
people continued to describe themselv'
as warrant holders who never apple
for permission to do So
The registered lists OF the royal wa
rant holders now will be carefully invest
gated, and viii be examined by the Xii
in person. There is no question tn
there are many bogus royal warral
holders, and 1t is a matter of much in
portance, both to the public and 10 Il
genuine warrant holders. that the matt
should be carefully investigated.
And, by the way, | am told that in Il
matter of bestowing orders, King Georl
| viii not be nearly as liberal as was b