ROYAL MARRIAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9617, 15 September 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

ROYAL MARRIAGE.

INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS AT ST. PETERSBURG.

The marriage of the Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovnu, the Czar's eldest daughter, and her first cousin, the Grand Duke Alexander Michaelaivitch, fifth son of the Grand Duke Michael Nicolaivltch, the Czar's uncle, was celebrated at the Imperial Palace of l'eterhof recently. Early in the morning the inhabitants of this city were apprised of the impending event by the booming of cannon, and shortly afterwards carriages commenced to arrive at the Palace in rapid succession, carrying the various distinguished guests who had been invited to attend the ceremony. These comprised the heads of the clergy, the Ministers, the diplomatic body, heads of State departments, the various Court i officials, and numerous other personages. After an interval of waiting and preparation, a salute ot 2.1 guns was fired in the grounds of the Palace as a signal for the formation of the bridal procession, which, besides the bride and bridegroom, the Czar and Czarina, and various members of the Imperial family, included tho Queen of Greece, with the Princess Nicolas. and Andre and Princess Marie of Greece, Prince Christian of Denmark, the Princess of Wales, with the Princess Victoria and Maud of Wales, and the Grand Duke and Duchess of Meoklenbursr-Schewerin. The gentlemen present were in full uniform or Courb costume, while the ladies wore the Russian national costume. The Grand Duchess of Xenia wore over her bridal dress a long scarlet mantle, lined with ermine, which was thrown back from theshoulders, and the train of which was carried by four chamberlains and the master of the bridegroom's household. The procession was met at the entrance to the chapel by Mgr. Palladium, the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, surrounded by the members of the Courb clergy. The Czar then advanced and led the bridal couple to a raised platform in the centre of the chapel, where the Metropolitan performed the marriage ceremony, and a salute of 100 guns announced its conclusion, and the procession then formed in the same order as it had arrived at the chapel, and returned to the private apartments in the Palace, where the newly-wedded pair received the congratulations of their relations and friends, the Czar and Czarina repeatedly embracing their daughter. A grand banquet was given at the palace at six o'clock in the evening in honour of the event, and was attended by the bride and bridegroom, the Czar and Czarina, and a large and distinguished company. The toasts given in honour of the Emperor and Empress were followed by salutes of 51 guns, and those of other distinguished guests by salutes of 31 guns. At nine o'clock the Imperial party and their guests proceeded to the hall of Peter the Great, where an orchestral and vocal concert took place, and subsequently witnessed a brilliant display of fireworks in the vast grounds surrounding the Palace. Shortly afterwards the Grand Duke Alexander and his bride left thelmperialPalacefortheCha teau of Kopscha, near Krasnoe Selo, where they spent a couple of days. A Te Deum was sung in all the churches of the metropolis. The service was witnessed by great crowds of people, and vast numbers thronged the approaches to Peterhol throughout the day. ______________