ENGLISH ROYALTY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1932, Page 2

ENGLISH ROYALTY

Dr residence at Balmoral. |jpY MINIMUM OF CEREMONY. i ' 'iO § LONDON, October 24/ treme simplicity characterises the ay routine which the King and lyijepn follow at Balmoral. Certain trie itional features' always observed—tHE, presence ,of the pipers in force each nifelit after dinner, for instance—give & £ )ic|iiresque Betting ; to V the daily xcifjid,' but Royal pomp is reduced to a mMmum.

fgbw guests 'beyond members of the 'BJgjjal family/are invited to' stay the nijfellt. Even the presence of a Cabinet fiVlmster in residence is. no longer cornpttdjory, and women guest* are rare intHed apart from those Summoned to thfj pleaeant, informal luncheon and diifiuier parties whim it is the pleasure ofQhsir Majesties to give to their neighbours around. fejnner at Balmoral' is usually quite a moTt affair. The Royal dining hour 'is ?Bj3o, and. even when outside guests jarCj present and the evening:- meal bemore ceremonial , in character it seMm lasts more than three-quarters of i®n hour. " Anowy-white ddmagk with the sheen iof&tin is spread on .the dining table— by, the way, often brings out the gayer-coioured linen /cloths nowajdays—and even in the far North there

are always quantities of flowers decorating the rooms. Cold luncheons are rather a feature at Balmoral; the King, whose tastes in Tegard to food are simple to a degree, often prefers & cold dish in the middle of ~ the day. Good use is made of th e game supplies' in planning the menus each day. Vegetables are cooked attractively with cream, as is venison, and another speciality served at Balmoral is the famous Windsor pates, which are really quite small mutton pies made with a biscuit-like crust.

Buckingham Palace, historic Windsor, the country hou-e charm of Sandringham—each of; the Royal residences has its own distinctive features. But. while th e Scottish atmosphere is well maintained at Balmoral, many changes have been made since the elltartan days of Queen Victoria. Upholstery, carpets, curtains, cushions, even the china used to show the tarton note in its design.

Queen Mary, with • that instinctive knowledge of what is harmonious in hoftie decoration, has introduced soft green silk • draperies in the principal rooms as the appropriate background for the- severely plain furniture of Balmoral.