A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 58, 9 March 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

GOSSIP FROM LONDON HONEYMOON TALKIES.

(From Our London Lady Correspondent.)

Whilst at Himley Hall the Royal honeyinooners are able to choose their own film shows. The mansion is equipped with a perfect talkie cinema, and no doubt the first thing the Royal couple wanted to see was the news films of their own wedding. It must be a fascinating experience, even for Royalty, to be able thus to see themselves as millions o f others saw them only a few hours before. If they want other film entertainment they can switch on "The Iron Duke," with George Arliss in the title role. But on any subsequent day they can pick and choose practically any film that takes their fancy. The one proviso will be, however, that they must be British pictures. Only these will be available at call.

GRECIAN INFLUENCE. This is to be a winter of Grecian effects. The Grecian influence is already being felt in clothes and fashions. Grecian parties are being arranged by smart hostesses. Grecian dishes are introduced into festive menus. All this, of course, in honour of Princess Marina of Greece, who is delighted by the tribute paid to her native country. Inquiries are being made, in the fancy dress departments of the large stores, for the picturesque Grecian native costume, in which the Princess has appeared more than once at galas in Paris, as well as at a dance given by lier brother-in-law, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, at Bled, a little wlrf-c after the announcement of her betrothal. It is a particularly charming affair, full of colour like all the native costumes associated Avith the Balkan States, and the headdress and apron arc usually beautifully embroidered. There is every prospect of its being a favourite dress for the fancy costume balls this winter. ONLY ONE CRUET! Silver cruets used to be favourite wedding presents. Where a bride was well known she frequently had quite a collection to take to her new home, and jewellers often found themselves faced 'by the problem of "changing" half a dozen or more of these useful little silver articles when a big wedding was over. The Duke and Duchess of Kent had one cruet among their wedding gifts —a dainty little silver affair —and it has been sent to them by that most modern of young women, the one-time Miss Margaret Whighain, and her husband, Mr. Charles Sweeny. The Princes of the Eoyal House have played a great deal of golf with Mr. Sweeny, a blever American golfer, at different times, and, until the Prince of Wales took up gardening, they were frequently partners in friendly rounds. NURSE BLACK'S LETTER-BOX. One does not usually expect to find great originality in wedding presents, but Nurse Black, the resident nurse at Buckingham Palace, who attended the King during his illness, certainly has introduced it in the letter-box which she pave the Duke of Kent for his wedding. Her gift is an exact miniature of the P.O. letter-boxes which are so familiar in the streets. It is of leather, and painted red, with the word "Letters" printed neatly across the front. The gift is a serviceable one, and is intended fo stand on a small table in the hall of No. 3, Belgrave Square, where all and sundry, may post their letters for the different collections during the day. The Duke prizes the gift highly, not only for its originality, but as an expression of the mutual esteem that exists between the donor and the recipient. WOMEN IN THE HOUSE. A session or two ago women belonging to the younger generation developed a keen interest in politics, a»d the .Strangers' Gallery in the House of Commons was frequently filled at night by parties of young men and women listening intently to the debates. The interest continues, and while there is a social side to the House of Commons visits — they usually follow a dinner party given by the wife of some distinguished young member—there is no doubt that these voung people follow the political questions of the day with much more intelligence than used to be the case. Lady Diana Cooper is quite a frequent visitor, and in the Upper House nobody is in her place in the Peeresses' Gallery more frequently than Lady Klelchett, who attracts the attention of her husband and any friends who may be present by waving to them with a tiny handkerchief. Lady Oxford and Asquith goes to one House or the other a good deal; ■so does the Dowager Lady Airlie. TO BE IN LONDON. The Duchess of Marlborougli has begun, since her husband succeeded to his father's title, to take a great deal of interest in London's social problems. She has always been very enthusiastic about hunting and a country life, and is one of the younger society women rarely if ever seen at a ball or a big social function. She will do a certain amount of entertaining at Blenheim Palace as soon as the period of mourning for her father-in-law is over, but she also intends to put in more time in London. After the Eoyal wedding ceremony she spent several hours making the final arrangements for a dinner in aid of the IMaistow Maternity Hospital, and presided at the dinner at night, at which the made a charming and impressive chairwoman. Always a great friend of and Lady Derby —the duchess is a sister of Lady Stanley—she had persuaded Lord Derby to make an appeal, and the results were very satisfactory. JIG-SAW PUZZLES. •Jig-saw puzzles arc the latest society craze, and they arc being solved in their dozens, not by the older people with leisure, but by the young folk. Sometunes their afternoon and evening engagements arc regulated by their progress with the latest jig-saw, and sometimes even luncheon and cocktail hours are overlooked or deliberately ignorpd because a tiny scrap of cardboard which is the key to a good part of the picture has hidden itself. Backgammon had a tremendous run while the novelty of it lasted—it is still played a good deal uv enthusiasts—but it was never allowed to interfere with daytime programmes. Jig-saw puzzles, on the other hand, are quite frequently got out immediately after breakfast, and one or two an; carried in six out of ten suitcases taken lo the country at week-ends.