ROYAL PRESENTS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 151, 23 December 1921, Page 12

ROYAL PRESENTS

THE QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS SHOPPING j The Queen goes shopping at Christmas, states the Daily Telegraph. In her quest for what will be most acceptable to the honoured recipients she goes to tome of theleading shops and stores, making her purchases across the counters or in the j show-rooms in the same way as any of | the less exalted customers. Her Majesty, I it may be said, does her shopping in a I manner that sets an admirable example. The class of article desired is mentioned, and the Queen soon sees .what.meets her wishes, inspecting each item before final selection. Further, her Majesty is a good judge of value, and docs not hesitate to decline anything submitted to her inspection if tho price seems at all unreason- ] ably high. Priuoess Mary has not only accompanied tho Queen on somo of these visits to the ehopi, but also goes with her lady-in-waiting on similar expeditions for, herself. :

In this connection it is interesting to note how much change has oomo during the present reign into the Royal method* of selecting the seasonable gifts. Queen Victoria, it is said, hardly ever entered a shop at all though the long-gone establishment of Me«6rs. Howell and James could claim that her late Majesty had accorded them the extremely rare distinction of a personal visit. In the diary of Queen Victoria, however, there is an interesting description of her Christma* gifts in. her 17th year spoat at Claremont: —

Christmas Eve.—Went down to arrange mamma's table.for her. At six We dined. •Very soon after dinner mamma sent for us into the gallery, where all the. things were arranged' on different tables. From, my dear mamma I received a beautiful gold buckle in the shapVof two serpents, a lovely iittlo delioate gold chain with, a turquoise claap, a lovely coloured sketch of /barest Aunt Louise, by Partridge, a beautiful drawing by Munn, one lovely seapieca by Purser, and one beautiful cattle piece of Cooper, a book called "Findon's Tableaux,"' Heath's "Picturesque Annual for 1837," "Ireland" —both these are very pretty —two handerchiefs, a pretty black satin apron trimmed with red velvet, and two almanacs . . . I took mamma to the library where my humble table was arranged. I gave her a bracelet made of my hair and the "Keepsake" and the "Oriental Annual."

During her long reign Queen Victoria used to issue orders early in December to the Royal Warrant holders to send to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or wherever the Court was in residence, selections of their wares, and a room or two was allotted for their display. When convenient to herself, tho Queen would come to inspect them ohoosing what she liked best and regarded at appropriate for different members of the Royal family, the household;-.and those outside whom she desired to remember. Duplicates or replicas would'sometimes be ordored.

The same plan was followed generally by Queen Alexandra, though rather more elasticity began to creep into it, as Princess Victoria began to visit a few of the shops for herself. King Edward, who bestowed seasonable gifts most generously, also made his selections from the collections sent for his examination, and books in beautiful bindings figured largely in them. Perhaps the changes in' the shops themselves have had much to do with the present altered attitude of the Royal family towards them. The midVictorian shop, even of tho highest order, was very different from the palatial establishments of to-day, with their spaciousness and artistio arrangement, their methods of display, and beyond all, the enormous variety that they can offer. No one enjoys seeing novelties more than Queen Mary, and in visiting the big stores Her Majesty comes into direct touch with all the latest developments. Tho great houses,, on their part, s are extremely proud of the honour' of the Queen's personal inspection and patronage of their goods, and probably not, a few customers will be assisted to a decision as to what they shall buy when the assistant can say, "That, madam, is similar to the one just purchased here by the Queen."