The Empress of Russia.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 77, 3 April 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Empress of Russia.

Her Home Life

The home life of royalty interests every reader. 'The Lady'a Realm' recognises this, and nearly every number of thab interesting magazine containa a chatty accounb of the manner in which regal personages pass their unofficial time. In the January number tho Empress of Russia ia the Bubject. Sho is thus described :—*'la person the Empresa is vory tall—bailer them her husband. Her manner fco strangers.is full of repose as a statue —full of a cold and exceedingly stately charm. Her complexion is of greab fairness, hor feattu.es regular, with delicately arched brows over large eyes of dark greyish blue. Her voice, ordinarily low and deep, breaks when ehe is laughing into a kind of fal.ebto. Ia privato life, her statolinesa and coldness of manner vanishe*. She is brimming over wifch good nature and mischievous humour.'

The Empress of Russia is miaferess of Wffllve vast palaces in or near Sb. Petersburg, including bhe enormous Winter Palace. Although the Empress has but to lift fcho finger of choice, she bas nob yeb lived in any of these magnificenb palaces. Tho corouofc of bhe Empress surpasses rail tbe other treasures and ornaments in loveliness. It ia an encrusted mass of one hundred diamonds—all of fcbe purest and inoefc perfecb wafcor—in traceries foliate clusters round an immense sapphire* and the whole esfc in a mulbibude of other faultless stones. The writer of tho article- ra question had also examined closely tbe dresses worn by the Empress and the Empresa Mother at the late carana_taa. Tbab of fche Empreas waa plainly enfe-artd outlined ot pure cloth of silver. Ifc waa embroidered down the bodico and tbafron* and all round fche lengthy train with scw-H« of silver and pearls, and haa long hanging sleeves in fifteenth century style. Over theso both ladies wore vast cloaks of«cl.-_a of gold, embroidered all over with vast Russian eagles and trimmed, of course, with

ermine. The libtlo slippers worn by tfea Empress wore un jewelled and of plain whits ' savin.

The presenb Czarina, ib is said, will have none of the tedious and vulgar magnificenc_ of her predecessors. Both ehe and her husband have determined 60 surround themselves with tho simplest furniture and decorations. The broad comfortable sofa in the bed-chamber ia covered with simple English cretonne. Tho bedroom crockery, covered with a preb.y, pink pattern, is vi plain English make. The chairs are of th_ plaine. b design in oak. The change in the intimate life of the young Czarina is no affectation ; it is rather a sign of tier English blood. Like her mother, the Prince^d Alice, and also ths Uucbo.a of York, she uaturnlly prefers simplicity, and an easy life. She remembers well the fun ehe i._d a'b Harrogate in the plain lodging-liou-e there when _ho was Princess Alix. In a word, the Czarina is thoroughly English ia ■ her mode of life.

The Czarina's private badroam in the old Moscow Palace is said to be ' not artistic' This ia a description of ib :—'Tiie roomie nob large. It is hung with lighb blue sadn brocade. A thermometer, in carved case, to regulate the heatings in winter, hanga by the right hand window. The four-post b_d, with blue hangings, atanda in s n cess. To the right of it, in tho usual earner, bangs the ueual case of little '(.-.ikons' and rol c. for evening devotion. Thi. c_se contains a triptych of the Transfiguration of the Virgin (presumably far ; the Czarina's uso), and an enamelled portrait of Sb. Nicholas, name-uke of tbo Czax. Ther. is an absence of taste and ease abon_ ! this chamber—the nuptial chamber of two ! years ,\_>o. No pictures hang on tho wall _. The electric lights aro fixed to ebam was* candles. The furniture is of tbe ordinary kind ©fa wealthy hotel-keeper. Tbe table and cbo.t of drawers, are inlaid and encrusted wvth brass and torboiaeshoil in heavy Louio Seize style. The ladias of the bedchamber and a maid sleep in the next _com en fuitt' witn this bedchamber. Tbe next room ia the Cring-ehainber, where dresses are koi."t inside a sanctuary with a high wooden screen. Through a door io this bhe audacious, if feminine, may pe»»trate and find themselves in the Empress's covered bath, in which, compl. te'y hidden abovo and below, .\ho is invi-ibi ■ _ from tho ceilieg of the room. .