THE ROYAL BANQUET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 19

THE ROYAL BANQUET.

GUESTS OF EMPIRE. AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. [jmo.M OUR OWN COnnESrONDENT.] LONDON, Oct. 9. Outstanding in the memory of the Imperial Conference delegates will be the State banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was a scene of great splendour. Tho King and Queen received their guests—numbering 120—in tho music room, and talked with each member of the overseas delegations. In addition to Their Majesties, other members of tho Royal Family present were:—Tho Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, Princess Mary and her husband, the Earl of Harewood, the Duko of Connaught, and Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught. The Queen was in a beautiful gown of sapphire blue and silver pailette. She wore a diamond-fringed tiara, a diamond collar with a deep fringe of diamonds, and the Koh-i-noor diamond. Across her corsage was the blue ribbon of the Garter.

Selections of music were played by the string band of the Royal Artillery during dinner and afterwards the pipers of the Scots Guards played. There were no speeches. In addition to the delegates and their wives there were present members of former British Cabinets and representatives of tho Navy, Army and Air Force. Tho company included the High Commissioner for New Zealand and Lady Wilford, the Rt. Hon, L. S. Amory and Mrs. Arnery. The Duchess of York was unable to be present, and among those invalids prevented from obeying Their Majesties commands were General Sir Charles Fergusson, Bt., and the Lady Alice Fergusson.