The Washington herald., 1913-10-13
Court Gossip of Interesting
Epents on Two Continents


I lRomanoaes Is the wish to leave the Queen
In the hands of soul advisor, should
an assassin prove a sure shot.
Though Queen Mary Is known to have
excessively simple tastes in an matters
relating to her dress. her wsrdrobes never
theless are Of necessity rar more elab-
orateIy filed than are those OF most Of
her subjects. The Queens gowns are
kept In a large robe room adjoining her
bedroom in her apartments. The walls Of
this room are lined with large mahogany
wardrobes divided into two sections. ono
for the state robes. worn at courts and
other state ceremonies. and the other for
the Queens ordinary dresses.
The state section OF the royal ward
robe contains from fifty to sixty gowns,
which are termed court robes; two Of the
wardrobes in this section contain gowns.
as rule, worn only during a visit OF q
sovereign to the Court of st. James
Apart from the foreign gowns the
queens state robes and dresses generally
NIL ten wardrobes Each Is dressed on
a steel model and hung from a plated
ran that runs lengthwise through the top
OF the wardrobe. These wardrobes are
satin lined throughout. The Ordinary
dresses NIL about five wardrobes. The
room is in charge Of the head robe maid,
who has. three assistants. On the night
before the head maid receives instruc-
lions as to the gowns the Queen will
require, and the hour when each viii be
wanted the following day. and il is her
business TO have each Of these gowns
ready for wear at the time mentioned.
The mascot" engagement ring Is the
latest thing in jewels. Sometimes II is
| one which has belonged to some lucky
member of the family. and is given TO
the bride-elect to bring her good for
tune. II Is said that Prince Arthur has
given the Duchess of Fife an old ring
which belonged to the family Of the
Red Prince" CFriedrich Karl OF Prus-
sia). OF which house the Duchess OF
Connaught is a descendant The ring
has a history. II was given by an an
cestor of the duchess to her fiancee,
when be was going to the wars. 1t Is in
the shape OF nine, within which are
nine magnificent diamonds taking the
form OF an anchor. Indicative of faith
and trustfulness. Good fortune attended
the efforts of the recipient. and hence
forth 1t became a mascot In the family OF
the Red Prince" of the Hohenzollern
house. For years this mascot ring has
been in the possession of Prince Arthur's
mother.
1t seems extraordinary how slightly
the claims of Scotch women to beauty
are realized in England. Irish beauties
are now constantly heard of. but some
how the Ioveliness of the daughters of
the heather appears to escape attention.
This neglect OF Caledonian Ioyeliness
seems strange, especially when it is re-
membered that one OF the most beauti-
full. most romantic. and most fascinating
women in history was Mary Queen lof
Scots. The Countess OF Minto Is a most
distinguished and charming Scotswonnan.
She was the daughter of Gen. Grey, who
was pCivate secretary to Queen Victoria;
accordingly, Lady Minto had the priv
ilege, as a child. and as a young woman,
of being constantly with the late Queen,
who had a great affection for her. Short
ly after Miss Grey's marriage to Lord
Mimic he was appointed military secre-
tary to Lord LanSdowne, then Governor
General of Canada; thus he and his wife
early learned something Of the country
over which they were ultimately TO pre-
side, and il was there that the future
vice-reine became an expert skater. Like
so many modern women, Lady Ainto has
done many things in many lands. and
done them well She Is an amateur art
ist. and delights In wood carving; she Is
a fearless horsewoman, and was one OF
the first in society to discover the charm
OF cycling. Lady Minto is the mother of
five children, three OF whom had Queen
Victoria for their godmothsr-