The Washington herald., 1911-10-04
A DAY IN THE LIFE
OF A MODERN KING

is supposed TO bear upon MS shouloeTs
the cares of the British Empire, and he
has private interests besides. the extent
of which the general public cannot
realize. Even when, as at the present
moment, he rs nomtnally holiday max
ing, he must devote several hours a day
to downright hard work. The Kings
valet has strict orders to waken him at
7:3O o'clock every morning, no matter at
what hour the King has retired to rest
the night before. He has a cup of coffee
brought to his dressing-room, together
with a roll and this he takes while
dressing. When at Buckingham Palace.
or at Windsor Castle, he makes it a rule
to have an early morning ride, and he
finds his horse awaiting him, with either
his private secretary, Lord Stamford
ham, or his equerry in waiting, ready to
accompany him. King George is an ex
cellent horseman, and often has declared
he would not give the toss OF a button
for a horse that had not "a spice of
the devil" in it. His most recent ia
vorite steed is a fine chestnut that was
bred at Sapdringham.
When the King returns from the ride
he finds his breakfast ready in his pri-
vate room. At buckingham Palace this
is pleasant little apartment. overlook
ing the beautiful grounds. The meal
completed, the King begins his days
work in good earnest. Entering his
workshop" he finds his secretaries busy
going through the mornings mail The
mass of correspondence which arrives
daily is positively bewildering, and it is
hN- - ntZRn
system that he is able to cope with it.
King George by instinct and training
is a man of business. The room in
which he works is a large apartment on
the first floor of Buckingham Palace. and
is but plainly furnished. 1t is the office
of a prosperous merchant or a banker
rather than that of the monarch reign
ing over the greatest empire of the
world The walls are covered with plain
paper and a few good pictures are hung
upon them here and there. including
some Tater-color sketches by NJ. de E.
MARITIME. the marine painter who is to
accompany the King and Queen on their
trip to India.
There is very large handsomely
carved. knee-hole writing table in the
corner OF the room, and on this are
placed dispatch boxes and letter trays
OF bright crimson leather. Each Of the
latter holds a number Of the letters for
the King which he glances over. This
one is for charitable appeals. another
for invitations to undertake public
duties in various parts OF his kingdom,
a third for personal letters from his
very large number of friends. and so on.
1t may be said at once that only very
small proportion OF the letters addressed
to his majesty fail to come under his
personal notice. The number Of letters
lie receives from 'cranks" and persons
of weak intellect is positively amazing.
Barely a week passes but what he re-
ceives a letter from some half-witted in
divdual asserting his prior claim 10 the
throne and demanding his abdication in
the writer's favor.
Rapidly the King skins through his
letters, penCiling brief notes upon each
TO indicate the nature Of the reply he
desires TO be sent A few are placed
upon one side to be dealt with person
ally later in the day. These are chiefly
from members of his family and his
closer friends. The King does not main
tain that constant correspondence with
almost the whole of the crowned heads
of Europe that the late King Edward
did. Among the rulers who write to him
fairly regularly. however. are the Ger
man Emperor the Car OF Russia, the
King of the Hellenes, and the King of
Norway. while at less frequent intervals
come letters from the King of Spain and
King Albert of the Belgians. Needless
TO say, these letters are for his eyes
alone They are opened by either Lord
or Lord Stamfordham-which
ever happens to be on duty-and are
placed before the King almost the mo-
ment they are received.
About the middle of the forenoon the
King pauses in his work to visit Queen
Mary. when their arrangements for the
balance of the day are discussed. There
Is very real affection between the King /,
and the Queen, and he frankly confesses ,
that this is about the happiest hour that /,
he spends during the day. A light /.
luncheon. consisting of few sandwiches .
and a little white wine and mineral :
water, is usually served in the Queens !
room. and the King then re- /
turns to the duties that still await his .
attention.
BY this time his secretaries have pre- .
pared for him rather a full summary ,
IF the proceedings in Parliament during .
The previous day. and this he reads very
carefully. making many notes in the (
documents are then filed away so as to /
De available at any time they may be
'equired. The King is very up-to-date
n his methods, and there is no labor
saving device put upon the market that
iOes not receive his close examination.
The system of filing the royal letters
Ind documents, for instance. is one OF
he most unique that could possibly
,e devised, and has been entirely evolved
Turing the present reign. 1t is so ar
'anged that any particular paper that is
'equired by the King can be found at
notice.
The King likewise has installed the
typewriter as a permanent institution in
he royal palace. Typists as well as short
land writer's now are recognized officials
# the household. Quite frequently the
King himself dictates to the stenographer
,irl, while the telephone is utilized at
Buckingham Palace to an extent never
lreamed of in previous reigns.
Noon is the favored hour for giving
audiences to the prime minister, to the
secretaries Of state. to the heads
# the army and navy. to foreign diplo-
mats. and to others who have the right
4 entree to the royal presence. King
George makes it a rule that all who de-
ire an audience should intimate as much
t least eighteen hours previously, in
icating the matters they desire to bring
lnder his notice. The sole exception to
his is made in the case of Mr.. Asquith,
whom the King has received upon sew