INVITED TO SANDRINGHAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 5 (Supplement)

INVITED TO SANDRINGHAM.

Ax opportunity of spending a few days at Sanddingham is an honour which no one would regard lightly, and as the invitation is also a command it is. of course, complied with. Here it may be noted that no answer should be sent to invitations from the King and Queen: they are necessary to a Prince or Princess, but must be written in the third person. There are distinct sets of visitors bidden to His Majesty"* beautiful Norfolk home: those who go from Friday to Monday, those from Monday or Tuesday to Friday, and the busy men of the Cabinet or services who go down to dine and sleep. The first group will sometimes- include a bishop, dean, or canon for the Sunday service, one or two eminent. Statesmen and noblemen, with their wives and daughters, and occasionally a sprinkling of musical, literary, and art celebrities. THE "" ROVAT. SI'D 1.'.1.." Needless to say, all guests must arrive in time for. dinner. When the guests step out on the platform they lino some of the Royal footmen waiting to show them to the pair-horse brougham, while grooms hurry the luggage off to a fourgon, which also takes the valets and maids. A smart drive of three or four miles through beautiful country, up the broad avenue of the park, and the carriage stops at the principal entrance. This gives..on. to the saloon, a favourite place with the Royal Family. Here visitors are received, often by Their Majesties; and those who have arrived by an early train have time for a cup of tea. which, by the way. Her Majesty often dispenses. THK ROYAL DINNER HOTTB. Then it is time to prepare for dinner, : which is now a fixture for a-rpiarter to nine. But here a word of warning. His Majesty — most punctual manhas a special method of bringing everyone lip sharp to time. Every clock on the place, from the loud-voiced one over the stables to the tiniest of Continental masterpieces, is kept half an hour fast. The ringing out of the hour thirty minutes before it is expected is startling indeed to one who is paying a first visit, and the maid or man has rather a bad time of it until the discrepancy is discovered. About fifteen minutes before the appointed time the' whole of the company, with the exception of any Royal visitor who may be in the house, assembles in the large drawing-room, where they wait until Their Majesties pass through, followed by the Royal Princes and Princesses. Then the guests follow in order of precedence, and take theit places at an oval table in the dining-room, at which the King and Queen sit facing each other. Of course there are tin imposing array of servants clad in splendid liveries, these consisting of scarlet coats,, waistcoats, gold stocks, white satin breeches, and white silk stockings. There is a special footman immediately behind the chair of the Queen, and one known as the " sergeant" footman immediately behind that of the King. These men retain their positions throughout the dinner, the dishes being brought to them by the footmen, the former handing them to Their Majesties. A guest of Royal rank has also a man specially to wait upon him ; but all commoners who dine at Sandringham are waited upon as follows—one man to each two guests. There is a superb amount of gold and silver plate, a wealth of rare flowers, and a dinner-service of pure white, decorated with the Royal Arms and Garter. Neither the King nor the Queen like protracted dinners, and from one hour to one hour and a-quarter is the general time covered. At the termination the Queen signals to the most exalted guest in the usual way, and the whole of the diners then rising Her Majesty and all the ladies retire to the drawing-rooms, the King and the gentlemen soon following. From then until about midnight the time is passed in much the same way as at any society house; music, the inevitable ping-pong, and other amusements being shared by all. When Her Majesty the Queen has retired* then King Edward and his gentlemen guests, will adjourn to the billiard or smoking rooms. THE INFORMAL BREAKFAST. A State piper is now added to the establishment at Sandringham, and the music of his bagpipes awakes the morning echo at an early hour. But no one thinks of getting up unless there is an early shoot. Breakfast is quite an informal meal, and guests find tables and attentive servants at any hour from 8 a.m. until about 10.30 in the large dining-room; or, if they so please, they can take that meal in their own apartments. This the King and Queen always do, seldom appearing until 10.30, or later. Nearly everyone has correspondence to see to in the morning. The King goes through his, with the assistance of his secretaries, in a business-like room, fitted and "furnished in light oak; and Her Majesty transacts hers in her boudoir, some of the guests' being engaged in a similar maimer in the libraries. The postal arrangements are, of course, first-rate. There is a post office inside the house, which is also a money-order office. Mounted men meet all the trains at Wolferton Station for the transmission of the bags, as well as cards for all bulky postal matter. There is also telegraphic and telephonic communication with Central Loudon,, Buckingham Palace, Marlborough House. Windsor, and all the principal agencies of His Majesty. Any guests leaving by the third morning train, or by any one direei-.y after luncheon, are often honoured. by the personal farewell of Their Majesties; and if in the game season a hamper accompanies them, on the label being "With the King's Compliments." SEPARATE TABLE FOR LUNCHEON*. \ The monarchs and the whole of the house. -party meet at luncheon, this being partaken of at a series of small tables, the King and Queen sitting at separate ' ones, each with some of the most distinguished guests. Both for luncheon and dinner only such, of the household as are " commanded" join the Royal dinner-party, the remainder taking those meals in the household dining-room. Luncheon over, the King, and often the Queen, together with the guests, will visit the stables, paddock, kennels, poultryrun, or stroll round the beautiful grounds, occasionally uriving through the villages of the estate, visiting the working men's clubs founded by the King, the technical schools, or other places of interest. Afternoon tea in the winter is taken in the entrance saloon, and is a pleasant, informal meal never hurried over. Should the second day of the visit be Sunday everyone attends the little church in the park for morning service, the King and Queen and the guests often walking to the edifice by the private path which crosses the corner of the park direct from the gardens of the house; and if the visit should include an additional weekday enjoyable interest will be found in seeing the King's model farm, the Queen's dairy, and n<any .other things, not forgetting the historical avenue of trees, every one of which has been planted by some personage of note, chief of all being one placed thera by the late Queen Victoria.Mary Spencet Warren. .