ROYAL COURTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11999, 23 June 1902, Page 6

ROYAL COURTS.

HOLYROOD PALACE.

There are again rumours that the King intends to give Holyrood Palace a good share of his time and his attention. The historic old house has, at any rate, been very much refurnished and refitted. The last Royal resident at Holyrood was Prince Charles Edward, the " Young Pretender," who held Court there for a short time in his invasion of Scotland in 1745. Queen Victoria and the Georges 111. and IV. made short visits to the old Palace, too, and the glories of the levee held by the latter Sovereign are remembered throughout Scotland to tins day. It was attended by over 2000 Scotch men and women of high"' degree, who were delighted to find the King wearing Highland costume. Some of the burly Scots°it is true, were inclined to approach their Sovereign with more regard for heartiness than for strict Court etiquette, but George IV. had a sense of humour, and was considerably more tickled than offended by his guests' bluffness.

he Royal apartments at the Palace, with the exception of the Mary C.ieen of Scots bedchamber, are, as a rule, occupied by the hereditary keeper of the Palace, as he is called In these rooms alterations are rarely made. The ill-fated Queen's sleep-ing-room never had been disturbed. It contains her great four-posted bed, canopied and hung with rich curtains, as well as several articles of old-fashioned furniture, and its walls are hung with tapestry, part of which conceals the small door leading to the flights ot stairs that the Queen used in going to and from prayers in the abbey, which now stands in ruins beside the Palace. Up this narrow stairway crept the band of assassins hired to make away with Ri&sio.