The Washington herald., 1913-02-27
COURT GOSSIP ON SUBJECTS
OF GREAT GENERAL INTEREST

, studying at Munich for a year, and ID
now at Murren, in the Swiss Alps. with
her mother and brother Anthony.
In the absence Of an American Am
bassador from the court, the duties which
were formerly performed by Mr.. White
law Reid will devolve upon Mr.. Irwin
Laughlin, the Charge d'Affaires, whose
wife, a bride of last autumn. was one
Of the first ladies to be presented to the
British majesties. The most important
presentation was that OF Princess Lich-
nowsky. wife of the new German Am
bassador, who. however, was received
by the King and Queen before this Off
cial court.
The Invitations to this years courts
are so numerous that in order to secure
freedom of movement in the throne
room a royal command has gone forth.
as took occasion to narrate before. for
the abbreviation of court trains by
eighteen inches. This was sad news
for ladies OF short stature. who hoped to
gain in height by spreading train as
they swept past the chairs of state. No
table young married women who were
presented and still are to make their
bows at court this year are the March
ronesses of Anglesey and Tweadale.
Lady Holford. Lady Howard de Walden.
Lady Northland. Lady st. Cyres. Lady
Of Baltimore. Lady Theo Cadogan. Lady
Evelyn Jones. Mrs Give Wigram. Mrs.
Oliver Brett, and Lady Williamson.
Strict orders have been issued by the
lord chamberlain Of England that on no
account are ladies' to be allowed to at
tend court oftener In that country than
once in three years. This rule is TO be
enforced vigorously, and 1t appears neces-
sary. considering the great number Of
applications for attendance received by
the lord chancellor.
The fact is that nowadays a great
many persons send their names and re-
quests TO St James Palace. who two or
three decades ago never would have
thought of such a thing. 1t battles un-
derstanding what the middle classes eN-
pect to gain by their attendance. I'M
less II were the delusion that those who
have been to court are likely to be in
vited to n state ball.
The three years rule does not apply
to ladies whose husbands are in official
positions that require an annual attend
ance at court functions. OF course. all
the members OF the corps diplomatique
are exempted.
The arrangements for state entertain
ments at buckingham Palace now are
under the personal consideration of the
King and Queen. Formerly there were
two state balls. about 1000 guests being
invited to each; also, two state concerts.
with about 1000 attendants at each. or
late years however. there have been
only two state balls. but no concerts.
and il has therefore become necessary to
increase the invitations. licECc these
balls have been greatly ovcrCrowded.
This year there will be no state enter
tainment at all until after Whitsuntfde
King George has held an inv"stiture
for the New Year honors. namely. tho
bcstowal OF the orders of the Bath. the
ST. Michael and ST. George, and the In
dian orders. AZ buckingham PalaC" last
week. 1t was very large ceremonial.
because the King receives the cOmpan-
ions of the various orders instead Of
limiting the investiture to the knights
Grand Cross and the Knights Command
ers. as was formerly the usage. The
new knights were all summoned to the
recent great court function.