A Princess of France

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 January 1928, Page 9

A Princess of France

Spectacular Royal Wedding

EPRESENTATIVES of JytwWO practically every reignIl in & family in Europe assembled at Naples for th® we ddi n £ of Hie Puke 01 Apulia and Princess " “ ’ Anne of France, -daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Guise. The Crown Prince of Italy, the bridegroom’s cousin, was best man, and Princess Giovanna of Italy a bridesmaid. Four Kings were expected to be present—the King of Italy, King Alfonso, King Boris and ex-King George of Greece. The Royal guests were housed in the Palace of Capodimente. After the civil ceremony the religious marriage was performed in the Church of St. Francis and St. Paul, the votive basilica erected by King Ferdinand of Bourbon in 1816 when he regained his throne. For the first time in history the Royal coat of arms of the House of Savoy decorated the facade of the church, which was brilliantly illuminated. The night before the marriage ceremony, a grand ball was held at the Royal Palace, attended by 1,500 guests. - The civil ceremony began in the Royal Palace at 11 o’clock.

All the ladies present were in the fashion of the Spanish Court, with long, flowing gowns and brightlyrcoloured’ silk shawls. Their hair was dressed in the fashion of the ladies of Seville, with a high ornamented comb at the back of the head. t This type of costume was recently approved at a congress of Italian bishops. The use of the Royal Palace at Naples for the celebration of the wedding and also for the banquet and ball shows Signor Mussolini’s .desire to lend his assistance tow'ard ensuring the success of Royal functions. The Royal Palace was some time ago turned into a museum, hut, on the orders of Mussolini, it has received back, temporarily, its former glories. The rooms have been redecorated and the banqueting hall in yellow and gold is one of the largest in the world. At the religious service the bride was conducted to the high-altar by her father, the Duke of Guise. Only those holding special invitations were allowed inside the church, but large crowds assembled along the route from the Royal Palace to the church, a distance of 300 yards, the whole of which was carpeted. The carriage used by the Cardinal was overlaid with gold and had a beautifully carved crown on top. it is

a replica of that used by Pope Pius IX.

Over a thousand invitations were issued for the luncheon at the Royal Palace, and a second wonderful banquet took place at 8 o’clock in the evening, followed by a gala entertainment at the San Carlo Theatre, which lasted till midnight. All the evening coloured Vghts were ablaze along the sea front. Princess Anne’s wedding gown was of white satin, ornamented simply by a bunch of orange blossom at the waist.

The hem was uneven, reaching practically to the ground on one side, but ending a little above the knee on the other. The train bore the arms of the Houses of Orleans and Savoy. The Prince qualified as an air pilot a short time ago,- and has travelled extensively by air. He is .also an enthusiastic mountaineer.