Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-28
BRITISH ROYALTY GIVES STATE !.
DINNER IN HONOR OF PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Wilson Escorts Queen
Mary into Dining Hall While
King George Gives His
Arm to Mrs. wilson.

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London, Dec. 27.-No more regal
setting ever had been arranged in
Buckingham palace than that which
greeted President and Mrs. Wilson
when they were escorted into the
banquet hall tonight for the prece.
dent-breaking state dinner.
Every royal formality, which had
attended epochal occasions at the
palace for 200 or 800 years, was car
ried out before and during the ban.
quet. President Wilson, with Queen
Mary, led the procession into tho
dining hall, preceded by officials oi
the palace splendidly costumedl
bearing wands and walking back.
wards and making obeisance to the
guests.
Immediately behind the president,
and the queen came King George
and Mrs. Wilson. They were fol.
lowed by members of the royal fam.
lily.
Mrs. Wilson Wears Few Jewels.
Queen Mary wore a cream color.
ed gown of silk with a long train
and tiara of diamonds and many
other jewels. Mrs. Wilson's dress
was black with 'spangles and was
made at the White House. She
wore very few jewels.
The military and naval officers
were in full ambassadorial uniform.
President Wilson and Ambassador
Davis wore formal American eve
ming clothes. The British civilian
guests wore court dress and the
insignia of many orders.
At the head of the table IL per-
sons were seated, with King George
in the middle. President Wilson sat
at the kings right and Mrs. Wilson
on his left. To the right Of Presi-
dent Wilson was Queen Mary and
then the French ambassador, Prin-
cess Christian, the Spanish ambas-
.sador and Princess Patricia, daugh
ter of the duke of Connaught. At
Mrs. Wilson's left sat Princess
Mary, the Italian ambassador, Prin-
cess Beatrice and the Japanese am
bassador in the order named. The
American ambassador, John w
Davis, had the first place at side
rectangular table on President Will
sons fight.
Scene One Of Splendor.
Prior to the dinner President and
Mrs. Wilson were escorted from
their apartments TO the great white
drawing room, where the royal FAM
lily had gathered with their other
| guests. These guests were presenr
ted to President and Mrs. Wilson
and the dinner party Immediately
| proceeded to the dining hall.
The scene was one Of splendor.
In the dining salon was a great coi-
lection of solid gold plate and huge
gold ornaments valued at $4,000, ,OOO-
600. They had been brought from.the
vaults for the occasion. One of
three buffets contained pieces OF
plate too large or otherwise too
cumbersome for use. These includ-
| ed one piece of great size taken
from the wreck of the Spanish ar
mada.
| In color the gold laden table
blended with the decorations in thf
hall, which are white and gold, with
crimson carpet and upholstering tc
match. The crimson effect was wei
carried out by the exclusive use y
| poinsettias as floral decorations. II
the balcony at the end of the room
was military orchestra, not hiddeu
| from view by floral or other decora.
tions. The attendants were in full
state dress which was heavy with
| gold lace.
| The banquet hall, which is 2ut
| feet long by Is feet wide. was ap.
| preached by the guests through 2
state hallway approximately a
| block long, richly furnished and dec
GRATED with paintings and porcelain
The banquet hall occasionally Il
used for banquets and other pur-
poses and has a throne at one end.
Backs to Throne.
| The main table was arranged Sc
that the backs of President Wilson
and King George were toward tne
throne.
| The permanent decorations seem.
ed strinkingly simple when compaf'
ed with the regal table. The only
art on the walls was one Gobelir
tapestry. On each side six cut glass
chandeliers hung from the extreme.
ly high ceiling, but for the ban.
quet tonight l2S candles in gold
candelabra, each surmounteds by Z
pink silk shade, were shed. Othei
light was obtained from fancy wal
fixtures.
The general body of the guest,
preceded the royal family and thu
presidential aid ambassador;a'
guests into the banquet haK ThcJ
rose and remained standing whit
the main guests and the hosts en-.
tered in procession. Heading th,
procession was the lord chamber.
lain and the lord steward and othel
officials in state regalia. Yeomef
of the guard in red Elizabethan cos.
tunes and with halberds were Il
attendance.