The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-31
SOCIETY IN LONDON
BY LADY MARY MANwAR1NG

|
London. July 30.-(special.) -When the
Duke Of Connaught takes up his official
duties as the Kings representative in
the Domain Of Canada one member Of his
family will remain In England. Prince
Arthur of Connaught cannot very well
be spared, as 1t has been about decided
that he will. until the Prince of Wales
reaches his majority, act as understudy
to the King.
This is a most important place in the
official life Of Great Britain.
| There are many functions, which re-
quire the presence of royalty and which
the king Is unable to attend in person.
| When King Edward was unable to at
tend function he usually sent the Prince
of Wales.
| The accession of King George, of course
changed all that and as the newly Gre
| ated Prince of Wales is thought to be
still rather young to be thrust into Of
| fetal life
| Certainly no more popular Prince
could have been chosen, for Prince Ar
thur has an almost extraordinary way
| Of making friends wherever he goes.
This Is probably due to trait he has
inherited from his father; he has no
side He Is always dignified as befits
| a kings representative, but he Is also
always good humored, always keenly
interested in what is going on, and al
ways ready to make friends with every
| body. re
This friendliness makes him I'M
| mensely popular when he Is sent abroad,
sent him on quite a large number of
foreign missions Indeed, King Edward
once suggested that he should add to his
visiting card; 'Monarchs understudied
on short notice.
He has made. one may say. a special
ty of christenings He went to the
christening of Prince of the Austrias,
reply at the state banquet for all the
assembled foreign Princes, and he also
attended the christening OF the little
italian Crown Prince and of the Son and
heir of the German Crown Prince.
When he went to Japan to invest the
Mikado with the Order of the Garter
the prevailing opinion was we'll expressed
by the little Japanese lady who said to
him. in quaint. broken English. You
welly nice.'
Princess Victoria who recently cele-
brated her 32d birthday has been her
mothers closest companion for many
years. She is fond OF country life, and
takes an active interest in outdoor sports.
Like Queen Alexandria. photography has
a prominent place among her hobbies.
The health of the Princess Victoria Is
once more causing considerable anxiety to
her family. and for this reason Queen
Alexandria will probably postpone her
departure to Denmark, winch had been
Professionally fixed for July ~. and stay
for time at Sandringham instead.
Princess Victoria was devotedly attached
to the late King. and his death caused
great shock to her far from robust
system. There Is nothing organically
the matter with the Princess, but she is
suffering at the present time from a fit
of very severe depression from which 1t
is apparently quite impossible to rouse
her. 1t had been hctoey that a yachting
cruise in the bracing air of northern
Europe would have had a beneficial ef-
feet upon her, but 1t has just been de-
cided that 1t would be inadvisable for
her to risk this for some little time to
come.
1t is expected that her Royal Highness
will spend large amount of her time
abroad in the future, principally with
the King and Queen of Norway in
Christiania.
The flower girls round the base of the
are again threatened with removal.
Among them is Mary Connard. aged Y
years. She has sold flowers In the cir
Gus for over forty years. She has two
daughters working on the same stand,
one of whom Is forty years of age. In
spite of her advanced age she attends
Convent Garden every morning at five
o'clock to purchase her flowers.
m trpo Ia
1t costs a commoner to become a peer,
several newspapers have fallen Into the
error of adding the costs of the robes
and coronet As matter of fact, fully
half the peeraxe possessed neither robes
nor coronet. and seeing that practically
the only time these are used Is at coro-
nation 1t would only be unnecessary ex-
pense to purchase them.
At the coronation Of Edward VII, it
was asserted that great numbe- of the
coronets then worn were hired for the.
occasion, and there IL the authority of
leading West End firm of jewellers for
stating that not one coronet a year is
sold In London,
Not many years ago a veil known
coronet cost Il am dashed II
know was the reply: but can tell
you that you can always pawn the thing
for Z 'tenner'!'
The lord mayor has just received the
first password to the tower issued in
the new reign. 1t bears the Kings
sign-manuel. George r. l." and 1t en-
ables the Lord Mayor at any time Of
the day or night, even though the guard
Is set, to pass through the gates to,
see the constable. or for any other pub
lie duty. Every three months a new
password IL sent to the mansion house.
prised mayoral usage, although there
10 no record. In recent times at least. Of