The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-06
NEWS AND GOSSIP
| OF LONDON SOCIETY
Duchess of Marlborough
Guest of English Rulers
AMERICAN INVASION
Many People From United States Are
Taking Houses in London for the
Summer-"Chaperon Faith
ers' Quite the Rage
BY LADY MARY

London, April 5.--(Special.)-Th
nrescnce of the Duchess of Marlborough
and of her grace of Westminster at she
small dance given by the King and
oueen at Buckingham palace recently
and at the dinner given by the Princess
Iiehnowsky to meet their majesties
caused a good deal of discussion among
the members of their set. King Ed
wards edict concerning unaappily mar
ried people was stern in the extreme,
as you will remember; they We're not
allowed in the royal circle on any pre-
text whatever. no matter how innocent
. one party might be- The American
duchess received no royal commands
after she and her husband separated,
and though in the case of the West
minister. no open breach has occurred,
yet their matrimonial relations are so
we'll known that she would not have
been received at court in the late Kings
day.
But, in this reign it is the unex
pected that has happened. Though King
George and Queen Mary are decidedly
''prim, compared with their lively pre-
decessors, more latitude certainly has
been given to people whose matrimonial
affairs are not of the smoothest. The
Duchess of Marlborough was received
at court, and was included in more than
one house party last year to meet their
majesties. Finally she was invited by
the King and Queen themselves to the
dance given to their personal friends
pt Buckingham palace and was one of
the few with whom the Queen found
time to have chat.
There is a story going about that
three ''incompatibly spoused" danes
had banded themselves together
and presented a sort of round robin to
the powers that-be at court. threatening
to take action simultaneously If they
were not more leniently treatedl This
Is regarded by most people as bunk
um," to put in plainly. and the real
solution is thought to be that the King
and Queen prefer 10 show some con-
sderation to those who, though they
have grievances, are not in too great
hurry to ''launder' them in tho
columns of the newspapers.
Her grace OF Marlborough has never
looked so well as she is doing just now.
The rest cure that she took a little
while ago certainly worked wonders. On
her way home from abroad, too, like
every sensible woman, she took the op-
portunity to lay I'm a stock of lovely
frocks in Paris, and her tall, graceful
figure. crowned so fascinatingly by the
small, pretty head, attracts much admir-
ing attention wherever she goes. There
isn't a woman in society, young or old,
whose head Is so beautifully put on her
shoulders as the little duchess" as
she is called by her friends, and this
accounts for a good deal for her inva-
riably striking appearance among more
strictly beautiful women
There is no sign of any abatement in
the invasion of London society by Amer
leans this year. Plenty of people have
prophesed and continue to prophesy it.
year after year, but it never happens.
This year 1t has started unusually early,
and formidable advance guard arrived
on the "Mauretania'' last week. Mr..
and Mrs. Drew, who were so popular
here last year. have taken 80 Grosvenor
Square from Mrs. James Henry Smith
for the season and wtl go into it soon.
Mrs. Smiths daughter, the Duchesse de
Vizer, has Eeen there all the winter with
her two children. Mr. and Mrs. James
Mcdonald, who also were here last year,
have taken 81 Cadogan Square, where
they will do a great deal of entertaining.
They have been in the Riviera for most
of the winter and will pay visit to
America before settling down In their