The Washington times., 1914-09-11
BRITISH QUEEN LIVES
QUIET, HOME LIFE
Wife of George Devotes Time to
ChiIdren-KnoWs Ali Her
Servants Personally.

LONDON, Sept. 11.-ThOuch royalties
practically live in the lmclGht. less Is
heard and known of Queen Mary, owing
to her dislike of publicity, than Of most
queens and the writer considers himself
fortunate to have come across one who
could tell of the intimate life led at
buckingham Palace. Windsor and at
SandrnGham
\ very special interest attaches to the
private home life of those exalted per-
sonagcs who dwell In palaces. That
side Of their lives touches the common
bond of human feeling. The Queen pour
ing out tea with her husband and chill
drrn around her. appeals more to the
average mind than the Queen. glittering
In Jewels at 4 court junction.
Queen Mary is wel-known to he in
tcnsey Brith;sh in her sentiments. and
in nothing is her majesty more thorough
~ national than in her home s.-c; In
each of the royal palaces is suite Of
rooms designated the private apart
ments," which form the inner shrine
of family life. There arc situated the
private sitting rooms of the King and
Queen. the dining and drawing room
for family use. the sleeping Apartments
and the nurseries and the schoolroofoA.
nurseries NO" OutS1o"u.
The royal family have outgrown the
nurseries now. and Prince John reisun
alone in the schoolroom, the four eiGer
princes being away from home fhe
Prince of Wales at Oxford. Albert Win
his ship. Henry at Eton and George al
Broa dstairs Princess Mary, too, u
only engaged now with her finishing
studies Probably the Queen would
take exception to the word 'finish 9e,
for she teaches her children that their
education goes on through lHe, II 10
never finished"
Whether the court is at Royal Wind
sor OF at Buckingham Palace the
Queens home life specially centers IN
the private apartments: There her m
dividual tastes are chiefly seen. Tho
furniture is almost exclusively of Brit
ish manufacture. Artistic things may
have been copied from foreign designs.
hut the Workmanship is British. When
the Queen left Marlborough House Tor
buckingham Palace she took with hcr
the furniture which had been specially
made in this country for her rooms.
The Queen Is fond of rich materials
IN uphOlstcry, as in her gowns. and
lovely silk brocades and veiVets woven
on the Spitalfield or Braintree looms are
apartments also. Carpets. curtains.
chintzcs all come from home manufac-
turers.
She Likes Water Colors.
Her majesty has a fine collection or
water colors IN her rooms, largely OF
English landscapes. garden scenes and
groups OF rowers. These have been
chosen by herself when visiting picture
exhibitions in London. The Queen Is
really Judge Of pictures and rarely
misses A good exhibition. As girl.
when in Florence. sh" made some pretty
sketches Of landsCaD" scenery, ana at
one time was an enthusiastic photog-
r3nher. hut these accomplishments. and
music and singing also. have occupied
hut little Of the Queen time during her
busy married life,
she is very fond OF reading, and.
strange as il ma seem. she often cos els
in vain a little leisure in hcr HON" lie
for this recreation. He books hel"Nes
show her taste TO he chiefly for histori-
cal works. books of travel, md those
dealing with social and economic Iucs-
tions. She is not Il greet reader OF either
novels or poetry. Nc"dl""Ork. for phil
lnthrorir purposes ard for presents to
humble friends. occupies much f her
ha rd- won leisure.
4 characteristic" scene in the Queen s
home liCn occurs on those rare OCCASIONS
when Shc and the King have a leisure
evening. After dinner tho Queen bUSies
herself with some Charitahl" needle
work while tho King reads aloud His
ma icsty. Il may bc said. Is as good
reader as he is n speaker. on other
occasions. II tho young princes aro at
home. tho l"lS Iro cycnin. !S pasScd
with musiC. Princess Mary plays nicely.
and tn" Prince Of Wales S:nGs we'll
P'inC" Albert rr"bahly 4,lIe . sailors
yarn. and the King lives his m'.!dy days