The Washington herald., 1912-03-08
GOSSIP OF FOREIGN COURTS

l Tne european press continues TO al
tach especial significance to the fact
that in addition to the Order Of Hane-
dani-kIi- osman. the Sultan Of Turkey
has conferred upon King George OF
Great Britain the Order OF Imtiaz. set
with briiliants. II is without precedent
that the two highest decorations OF the
Ottoman empire should be bestowed ST.
multaneously upon the same person.
Doubtless this was done in honor Of the
durbar and to the ruler over millions Of
Mohammedans in India. There was no
special envoy to deliver the insignia,
which were handed to the King by the
Turkish Ambassador in London.
King Georges expressions of surprise
at the luxury Of the civil camps as COM
pared with the simplicity Of the military
camps at the Delhi durbar celebration
are being corroborated In Bombay and
Calcutta papers. Accustomed TO the sim
pie life Of a sailor. King George Is
known to disapprove Of waste and luxu-
ry such as he saw at Delhi. and he ex-
pressed himself strongly In this sense.
In the light OF these expressions II is
surprising that the Indian government
officials should have lavished the Indian
taxpayers cash on themselves without
imposing any check on such uncalled-
for self-indulgence.
The published announcement that King
George is TO be present at the Aintree
for the Grand National" the finest
sporting event in the world, will draw
a much greater assemblage than usual,
though as a rule the crowd is enormous.
The King will stay for the meet with
Lord and Lady Derby, both keen racing
people, at Knowsley Hall. the very
roomy red sandstone building on their
estate, which will be flied with the
smartest of the smart set for the oc-
casion.
The great feature Of Know sley is its
park. which Is stocked with deer, has
several lakes. is encircled by a wall,
and is entered by twelve lodges. The
more than a century. and in the great
library OF the hall is the chair in which
one of the ancestral Lords Derby sat to
be beheaded
The members Of the British royal fam
lily who attended the obsequies OF the
late Duke of Fife assembled with their
suites at Balmoral Castle. The funeral
took place in the neighboring royal seat
of Braemar. King George did not at
tend in person. but sent the Prince of
Wales. Others who were there were
Prince Arthur OF Connaught. Prince Louis
OF Battenberg. the Duke Of Teck, Prince
Alexander OF Teck, the Duke OF Argyll.
and representatives Of the kings of
Denmark and of Norway. The old fam-
lily burial place OF the Dufts is a Gothic
mausoleum in the park Of Dun House.
but some years ago the late duke pre-
sented this domain TO the towns OF Banff
and Macdun.
The dead duke was a Knight of the
Garter and also Knight of the Thistle.
He received the blue ribbon OF the for
mer last year. in honor OF the corona
ton. and Mr.. Gladstone, when premier.
gave him the Thistle" in 1851. His
death does not create a vacancy in
either order. The duke was an extra"
Garter. and he would have become an
ordinary knight companion on the stat
utory foundation OF the order on the
first vacancy. The vacancy among the
knights OF the Thistle will be filled by
Lord Reay, who was created an extra
member OF the order on the occasion OF
the coronation.
Again l have to take issue with a
statement in a leading London pI.bli-
cation regarding facts and occurrCnces
among the British reigning family. 1
read that Queen Victoria strongly ap-
proved the marriage of her grandchild.
daughssD and the Duke-then only
eaTl-of Fife, because she believed II
wrong that a daughter of her eldest
son and her should wed outside OF the
rank Of royalty. This is as untrue rs
II is foolish. for that Queen had per
mitted two of her own daughters and
her first cousin to marry out OF the
rank OF royalty" What is more she
was quite in favor and even urged the
match.
Queen Victoria was nothing IL not
shrewd and farsbghted She had what
we uuld call "a long head" She
knew and fully appreciated the inter
marriage of royal offspring with the
peers OF her realm as a prop to her dy-
nasty. II is well known that the late
Queen of Denmark was anxious to ar
range a marriage between the then
Princess Louise of Wales and her
granddaughter. the present Grand Duke
of Luxembourg "a good thing she did
not succeedO. and in 1857 there was a
project for the betrothal OF the prin-
cess to the Grand Duke Michel Mich
ailovitCh. who then came to England
for few weeks but neither of these
plans advanced beyond the early stages
of courtship.
1t appears that Lord Howard de Wal
den, Londons. richest landowner and
what We would call here a crank"
fooled society by giving the wedding
rushers" the slip by turning the great
social event Of the week into a quiet. |
modest wedding just as the daughter OF
Lord Winchilsea did the other day when
she announced the details of her we'd |
ding post festum.'
All that there Is to say about Lord |
Howard de Walden-his wealth. his ar
tistic leanings. his sportsmanship, his
green marble staircase. his monocle. his !
unconventionality. &c.-already has
been said many times. Miss Van Raalte, |
the new Lady Howard de Walden. who |
Is of Dutch extraction and whose father |
was a stock exchange magnate. is tall |
and elegant and dresses quietly, though |
always up-to-date, in fashionably cut
gowns.
The bride has very handsome features |
and a fine figure and will make a worthy |
hostess in the great house at Belgravia |
Square, with its aforementioned grand |
that we're made for nothing but receiving. |
Lord Howard de Walden has given his |
bride quantities of lovely jewelry. Since |
his mother. Lady Ludlow. died there
has been no one TO wear any of the |
things contained I'm the Ellis
but both bride and bridegroom |
are so very rich that the choice of pres
ents for them must have presented un-
usual difficulties-they already possess all
the luxuries OF life.
The illness of the aged Duke of Graf
ton and of his widowed son and heir