The Washington herald., 1912-09-05
COURT GOSSIP OF FOREIGN
LANDS OF GENERAL INTEREST

and Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, Nher
mother being Princess Charlotte of P-us-
sia, eldest sister of the Emperor William
The Dowager Grand Duchess OF Baden
(Princess Louise of Prussia(, the Kaiser's
aunt. has arrived at her chateau on the
island OF Mainau. near Constance. from
Lausanne, where she had been staying
for few weeks The Grand Duchess
returned to Baden-Baden at the end of
August for visit OF two months
King George, like the late King Ed
ward. does everything that lies in his
power to prevent undue trouble or ex-
pense being incurred by those whom he
visits. and everything that savors of
ostentation is obnoxious to him. At the
same time. 1t is necessary that certain
amount of formality should be observed.
and all this runs into money. The King.
for instance, is invariably accompanied
by an equerry, who. by reason OF his
position. becomes a member OF the house
party. while. IL the Queen travels with
the King, her lady in waiting has like
wise to be included among the guests
1t Is very rarely that the King Is at
tended by more than two body servants;
Queen Mary's requirements.
The King, upon all occasions, mus,
have a suite OF apartments to himself
and 1t Is desired that these should be as
far removed from the rooms OF the
other members OF the house party as
possible. A similar suite has to be pro-
vided for Queen Mary, when she is pres
ent. Not many years ago a well-knowr
nobleman, who was entertaining 1.-The
present King for the first time, spent
over s2.ooo in providing a new suite OF
rooms for the Kings occupation.
Whenever II Is possible, the King also
desires that he should be placed in tele.
graphic and telephone communication
with the, royal palaces. SO that he may
be within easy reach of his secretaries
and the chief officials OF his household
Most country seats are, of course, to-day
connected with the telephone. but the
telegraph is a very different matter, and
when the late King Edward was once
staying In the North OF England his
host spent fl50 to provide a special tele.
graph wire. The King. as 1t happened
only required to make use OF 1t upon
eight words to Buckingham Palace; the
most expensive telegram that was ever
dispatched.
The King lives very simply. so that IN
reality very little extra cost need be In
CURED for food and drink upon his ac-
count Naturally, however, those hon.
ored with his company find II incumbent
upon them to exert themselves to the ut
most to provide every delicacy-in or out
OF seasen-that can possibly be obtained.
As much as a sovereign has been paid
for quails for the royal table, and as
fA. L.,
while L shillings a basket. holding con-
less than a pound Of early
Strawberries regarded as nothing out
of the ordinary upon these occasions.
A short time before his accession to the
throne. II was estimated that one lunch
eon-table for ten guests, at which he was
present. had cost between G310 and $500
TO prepare. And then all that the King
ate was a plate OF cold roast beef and
some salad,
Both King George and Queen Mary
have a great liking for good music, so
that those who are their hosts and
hostesses spend almost fabulous sums 10
obtain the services of the most talented
vocalists and instrumentalists of the day.
The hostess Of royalty is likewise call
ed upon to disburse large sums 1t is not
good form for her TO appear in the pres
ence OF the King and Queen twice in the
same costume, and during a weeks visit
as much as fl,ooo may be, and often is,
spent upon gowns alone. Thus II will be
seen that to entertain the King and
Queen is something that, on account of
the expense alone, can only fall to the
lot OF the very favored few. But this
cost is cheerfully borne, and there are
many people moving In society to-day
who would willingly spend half their
income. and more, to be able to say that
the King and Queen. had passed a single
night under their roofs.
Many of the leading British aristocratic
families inherit not only wealth and posi-
ton, but-what many of them seem 10
value almost as much-the right TO per-
form various meniaI services for the
reigning King. For example, the COM
paratively simple function Of washing the
royal hands is. on the occasion of a coro-
nation banquet, shared between two gen.
tlemen of-high degree. The lord OF the
Manor OF Hayden first receives a gilt
ba sin, ever, and towel from the Officer
OF the jewel house. He then pours the
water over the Kings hands. while the
lord Of the Manor of Worksop stands
in waiting with a towel.
Most Of these hereditary Offices are
connected with the banquet, at nearly
er has special menial service to per-
form. This is true even OF the earlier
stages-the cooking. For no less exalt-
ed parsonage than the Archbishop of
himself can be legally called
upon 20 make soup with his own hands
for the sovereign's consumption.
The taking of wine, which in the olden
days was always accompanied with a
certain amount of ceremony among the
nobility and gentry, naturally affords a
wide field for these honorary services.
Thus II is the task of the Duke of Nor
folk. as hereditary lord chief butler, to
see that the wine is properly decanted.
He has no fewer than thirteen assistants
for this. consisting OF the Lord Mayor
and twelve citizens OF London, who have
also the right TO approach the King after
the second course and offer wine in a
golden cup. Further. these thirteen as
sistants have nine subassistants in the