QUEEN MARY’S INTEREST

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 274, 15 August 1936, Page 6

QUEEN MARY’S INTEREST

Renovating of Marlborough House Every morning at 10.30 a large green limousine drives through the gates of Marlborough House in Pall Mall. Policemen salute and passers-by who catch a glimpse of the grey-haired, erect woman sitting inside, doff their hats, writes a London correspondent. It is’ Queen Mary, going t<o inspect the preparation of her new home. She is taking the closest personal interest in every detail ot the work of getting the two hundred rooms of the great red brick mansion ready for oocupabion in middle of September. Every day at Buckingham Palace Queen Mary interviews designers and experts and officials from the Office of Works, who have charge of the alterations, as Marlborough House is the property of the Crown. She has made a score of visits to West End stores bo select now curtains and carpets, hangings and decorations, and has made innumerable telephone calls herself to tradesmen because she believes in choosing everything herself and not leaving it to others. A few days ago, for instance, she rang up a famous flooring company, and said that some of the parquet floors at Marlborough House wanted renewing, while three other rooms wanted only scraping and polishing. A day or two later she rang up another firm, remarking that* certain hangings were not of the exact shade she required, and asking that they should be changed. Certain parts of Marlborough House are being furnished in the modern manner. Other parts are being left almost exactly as they were when the first Duchess of Marlborough moved into her new house in 1709. In the State rooms, the Queen has had the scarlet and green damask wall coverings renewed, and for her own private sitting-room on the first floor she has decided on walls hung in silk of an exquisite pale green. Four magnificent chandeliers of pure crystal in the great entrance saloon—and three more in the red drawing-room—the principal State room —have been taken down and every piece of crystal separately cleaned. One of the most modern notes introduced by Queen Mary is fehe provision of telephones - in every room in the house. The Queen is retaining one of her greatest treasures, a miniature of her eldest son, King Ediward, done when he was six. Queen Mary has always taken the little painting with her wherever she has gone.