SECOND COURT BALL

Evening Star, Issue 22682, 23 June 1937, Page 15

SECOND COURT BALL

A BRILLIANT SCENE A scene of dazzling brilliance was presented in tho great ballroom at Buckingham Palace, when the King and Queen were host and hostess to more than 2,000 guests at the second Court ball of their reign. It began shortly after 10 o’clock. The King and Queen entered, walking in procession. The Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Cromer, and the other officers of State in the uniforms of their offices and carrying their staves walked backwards before their Majesties. Behind came Queen Mary and the other members of the Royal Family—3l in all. The band played the National Anthem, and the guests stpod while the King and Queen took their seats on gold and crimson damask chairs in the centre of the Royal dais. Queen Mary had a seat of honour beside them. The "King wore the full-dress uniform of the Cameron Highlanders. The Queen’s gown was of gold brocade, embroidered in a leaf design in diamante, which glittered and shone as she moved in the soft light of the rose candelabra in the ballroom. Her tiara was of diamonds and rubies, and she wore a necklace of the same stones. The Ribbon of the Garter was across her corsage. On the King’s command to the Lord Chamberlain the band began to play a fox-trot. The King led his sister, the Princess Royal, who was in a gown of white and silver, on to the floor and began to dance. The Queen was partnered for the first dance with King Parouk of Egypt. Queen Mary, with the Blue Ribbon of the Garter across the corsage of her gown of white and silver, sat watching the scene. For the second dance the Duke of Gloucester, a fine figure in scarlet and gold military uniform, with the Order of the Garter, danced with the Duchess, who was dressed in a pale shade of peacock blue. The Duke of Kent, also in military uniform and wearing the Garter, danced with the Duchess, who was in a dress of shot silver and green, with a diamond tiara in her hair.

Masses of pink and red rhododendrons and gold laburnum, pink roses, and pink and blue hydrangeas softened the gold and scarlet magnificence of tho State ballroom. The first few dances, all fox-trots, were danced by the King and Queen and tho other royalties, while the general company stood watching.

The King and Queen led the procession qf members of the Royal Family and foreign royalties in to supper. This was served at buffets in tho State apartments, and Royal servants in full State liveries of scarlet and gold with powdered hair waited on tho guests. After supper tho general company began to dance. The dancing continued till tho early hours of the morning. A spirit of friendliness pervaded the ballroom, making the occasion most enjoyable. New Zealanders who had tho honour of being invited to one or other of the two magnificent functions which have been held were; Mr Savage, Mr and Mrs W. J. Jordan, Mr and Mrs H. T. Armstrong, Mr AV. Nash, Mr Justice Blair, Mrs Blair, Dr and Mrs Macnamara, Mr C. G. Rodda- and Mrs Rodda, Mr and Mrs C. A. Berend'sen, Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., and Mrs Wilkinson, Miss Iris Martin, Mrs Knox Gilmer, Miss Jean Gilmer, Mr and Mrs C. A. Jeffrey, Mr J. A. Hanan, M.L.C., and Mrs Hanan, Mr W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., and Mrs Broadfoot, Captain L. V. Morgan, M.V.0., D.S.C., R.N., Mrs Morgan. Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., and Mr F. W. Schramm, M.P.

Mr Savage, Mr and Mrs Jordan, and Mr and Mrs Nash were at the State banquet the niglu before 1 lie ball.