BLOW TO ROMANCE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 35, 4 November 1933, Page 18

BLOW TO ROMANCE

Famous Marriage Offices To Go

Two of London's famous register offices—Henrietta Street aud Princes Row—the scenes of some of the most romantic marriages in recent years, were closed recently Royalty, the cream of society, American millionaires, and members of foreign nobility, made a special point of going to one of these register offices to be married. And, conversely, few Covent Garden porters would be married elsewhere than at Henrietta Street. Probably the last fashionable society wedding to take place there was the marriage of Lord Claud Hamilton, Equerry to the King, to Mrs. Violet Newall. There is now only one register office for the Citv of Westminster, at Caxton Hall. Henrietta Street, just off the Strand, has probably seen more colourful and romantic weddings than any other register office in the world. Some of them and the strange incidents that accompanied many of them were recalled by one of the registrars to a “Sunday Chronicle” representative. “I have' married people in evening dress, in full military kit complete with medals and orders, in ordinary working clothes, and in fancy dress.” the registrar said. “I have married actors aud actresses still wearing their stage clothes and make-up, who have nipped out from the theatre between acts to be wedded. ••The society marriages have been far too numerous to recall. Among the outstanding ones I remember the very popular wedding of Prince Henry of Pless, when throngs of people lined

the streets outside and cheered him. “American millionaires I have bad in plenty. Many of them write from their homes to ask if they can come over and be married in Henrietta Street. They come over and apparently get a great thrill out of it. “We also get a considerable number of people from the Continent, chiefly France. Henrietta Street seems to be well known in that country. “The curious thing about French bridegrooms is that they insist on being married in evening dress, even if the ceremony takes place during the morning. “Then, of course, we have the Pearly Kings of London, who arrive here to be wedded to their ‘Queens.’ All their relatives seem to come, too, complete with donkeys and carts. “Again there are the fruit porters from Covent Garden nearby, and we even have people who ‘reside’ in Bruce House where one may live for a shilling a night. “There have been pathos and human drama as well as the ‘high spots’ of romance. I have seen too many instances of the bride waiting patiently for the bridegroom who never turned up. “Now we are leaving this office, whose walls have seen and heard so much, for a bigger building. But there can never be another ‘Henrietta Street.’ ” Princes Row register office has been noted chiefly for its fashionable weddings. Last, year Prince Lennart, grandson of the King of Sweden, was married there to Miss Karin Nissvandt, daughter of a prominent Swedish business man.