The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-03-13
COURT OF SPAIN ALONE
RETAINS FORMALITIES
Due to Influence of the Queen Mother
Maria Christina, Who is Stick
ler for Ceremony

Madrid, March 13.-The Royal
house of Spain, despite the democratic
nature of the King and people, alone
among the remaining courts of Europe
reta MS all the old world 70. malities.
which up to the outbreak of the war
we're so vigorously observed in Vienna,
St Petersburg, Berlin and to a more
or less extent in London, Rome and
some of the smaller capitals of Europe.
This is due to large extent to the
influence of the Queen mother, Maria
Oh. istina, who remains all powerful
in court circles and is stickler for
| the observance of those forms and
lceremon es which marked all occas-
ions at the court of Austria, where, as
a Grand Duchess, she learned them.
King Alfonso. after receiving in the
throne room at the palace in the morn
ing, may rub shoulders with jockeys.
bootblacks and the general run of
racegoers at the track in the after
noon, but when he returns to the pal
ace in the evening he resumes, as it
were, the crown. 1t Is generally re-
lported that to him the afternoon, free
/ from cOnventionalities, Is the hap
lpiest mar Of his day and that he has
often exp. essed desire when harass-
ed by the political troubles Of his
country, which seem never to settle
down, to leave it all and take his fam
lily off to some South American repub-
lie and engage in the breeding of
horses, of which he is passionately
| fond.
The strict formality of the court was
observed at the banquet and reception
given to the diplomatic corps short
time ago when for the first time the
representatives of all counties had
been invited to the same function
since the summer of 1914 The guests
saw display of jewels, which probably
could not be matched outside of Asia.
Although the diplomats were the
guests of the evening, the younger
members of the royal family preceded
them and were to the right and left
of Queen Victoria at the tables, the
Ambassadors and Minister'S of State
coming after them.
Dinner over, the King and Queen
with the royalties and dinner guests
formed in procession down long re-
ception hall where the foreign repres-
entat!yes presented the members of
their staff. The King and Queen stop
ped at each group to pass a few words
but this was the only informality of
the evening. Later in the throne room
guests not belonging to the diplomatic
co ps were presented.
The finest scene, however, was on
the grand staircase, on either side of
which stood row of brilliantly garb-
ed servitors. AS the beaut fully gown
ed women wearing many jewels and
the men in their brilliant uniforms,
passed up and down this staircase a
changing color scheme was presented.
Queen Victoria in a dress of cloth
of gold, wonderful diamond tiara on
her fair head, two great diamond neck
laces reaching to her waist, was a
stately and dazzling figure.
The Queen mother was equally res
plendent in pearls of which she wore
collar Of six rows, a tiara, two neck
laces and many clusters. Ladies-in-
waiting wore jewels formed of every
precious stone known, with whom
We'd the wives and daughters of the
grandees of all Spain.