VICTORIA'S LIKES AND DISLIKES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

VICTORIA'S LIKES AND DISLIKES.

HATES COLD MEAT, SUEDE GLOVES, ARTIFICIAL FLOWEBS, AND ODOUE OF FUltS— PPJNCE FOND OF INCOGNITOS.

Queeu Victoria dislikes cold meat, suede gloves, artificial flowers, and the odour of furs.

Her alias, when she finds it advisable to use an incognito, is either the Countess of Balmoral or the Duchess of Lancaster —the latter is one of her numerous titles.

When members of the Queen's family or any German relatives visit London and occupy Buckingham Palace, 'by invitation,' they pay their board just like common folks in a first-class hotel.

'Queen's bounty' costs Victoria on an average 1,500 dollars a year. The Queen, when she sent three sovereigns to a mother who had given birth to three children, forty years ago, probably did not foresee to what vital dimensions the 'bounty' would grow.

Her majesty was recently presented with 100 dollars by an Indian chief of British Columbia, doubtless as a thank offering for the 5,000 dollars he recently received for 60,000 fish he had caug-ht and sold. The Queen acknowledged the gift by letter, accompanied by an engraving of herself and two plaits of sheep's wool.

There is said to be only one man who has ever dared to make a joke in the presence of the Queen of England. This was Canon Shore, an Irishman, and one time tutor in the royal family. Dismissing the infidelity and heterodoxy of shoemakers as a class, he said: 'One could hardly expect a shoemaker to believe in the immortality of the sole' (soul). Her Majesty enjoyed the joke and laughed heartily over it. The Qiieen is the possessor of one of the best-toned pianos in the world —it is a magnificent Georgina, made of Amboyna wood. There are in all sixty pianos in her various palaces.

According to a panegyric of womankind, delivered recently by the Bishop of London, England owes more to her Queens than to her Kings. The three names most famous in English royal history are Bertha, who helped to introduce Christianity into England; Elizabeth, and Victoria.

'Mrs Wales and daughters' is the entry made by the Princess of Wales in the visitors' book at a country inn, where she once stopped for luncheon. His lloyal Highness, the Prince of Wales, is often plain Mr Moulton, and, at such times, so democratic is the gentleman that one would not hesitate to ask Mr Moulton for a match or the time of day

The Prince of Wales is an expert shoemaker, a handicraft he chose to learn when a boy, being obliged by his royal parents to learn some trade. He has even worn shoes of his own make. King Humbert of Italy is also a royal cobbler.

Princess Victoria of Wales travels incognito as Miss Mills, and once upon a time was a guest for many days at a house party under this name—her identity not being revealed to the other guests -until after her . departure. ■ ■ ■

The Emperor of Germany never ndopts an. incognito, preferring to be William the Emperor to the end of the chapter. >>,