RECEIVED BY ROYALTY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 20, 18 July 1911, Page 8

RECEIVED BY ROYALTY.

NEW ZEALAND GUESTS AT A PRINCESS'S "AT HOME." London, June 2. A party at which Royalty presides differs always in many ways from functions given by lesser individuate. Lady guests must bend the knee when presented and when saying good-bye. People do not remain as long SB at other receptions. And then, though entertainments given by princes and princesses are often not as elaborate as those provided by wealthy commoners, it cannot fail to be noticed that royal affairs are characterised by less fuss, noise, and crush, and infinitely greater smoothness and good management than are others. Royal hosts, too, are generally surrounded by ladies and 'gentlemen in waiting, and approached through lines of celebrities; On Monday afternoon, at Schomberg House, in Pall Mall, Prince and I Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein ] gave an afternoon party in honor of tha guests of the Imperial Conference and many other distinguished visitors from

overseas, and several New Zealander* were among the fortunate ones invited. So unostentatious was the gathering; that not even crimson baize and striped awning, so beloved by Bocicty papers, was in evidence in the street, and no special police were in attendance. Footmen, gorgeous in scailet, gold, and blue, with white silk stockings, black buckled shoes, and powdered hair, assisted guests from their motor-cars and carriages, and, within the hall, other lines of servants stood, like brightly-clad statues, while the company filed through. A temporary cloak room for the men was erected in the vestibule, and one for the ladies further inside. At the entrance to the hall Mrs. Dick-Cunying-ham, a lady-in-waiting, and the Comptroller for t)he Prince and Princess, received the arrivals, and directed them to the small staircase, up which all passed to the beautiful suite of rooms where Prince and Princess Christian, assisted by their daughters, Princess Victoria and Princess Marie Louise of

Rchleswig-Holstein, Inter joined by the fiiikn and Duchess of Cnnnaught and Princess Patricia, welcomed the guests. Prince Christian, though he was 80 this year, is a tall and straight and strong looking man, not at all blase, as the writer found when he asked her questions about New Zealand, but quite ready to enjoy his party and his guests. When he heaTd that my description would go out to the New Zealand paper* he kindly insisted on taking me in, before many 'guests had arrived, to see the dining room, a bright, effective chamber in gold and blue, with fine paintings on the walls, and beautifully decorated with flower*), where refreshments were served. He has a singularly gruff voice, quite like the orges of our childhood's imagination, and with his somewhat fierce-look-ing white beard, keen eyes, and upright bearing is evidently a being quite out of the ordinary. A greater contrast than that presented by the aged prince and the_ Duke of Connaught, that most polished and delightful of men, could hardly be imagined. Princess Christian, who is many inches shorter than her husband, and looks much younger, is g sweet-faced motherly-looking woman, ratiher plump in figure. She was on Monday dressed in grey charmeme. veiled in black embroidered in gold. By ' her stood her, daughter, Princess Victoria, in blue satin, veiled with black ninon and embroidery, and Princess Marie Louise, in grey silk voile. Mrs. Lewis Harcourt, wife of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, stood with the Royalties, and was in primrose-colored charmeuse veiled in fine, black silk nefc and a large black hat. Lord Richard! Nevill, so long deservedly popular in Australia, where for the last nine years he has been chamberlain to the GovernorGeneral, has come over to England by request to act as one of the Gold Staves at the Coronation, and on Monday announced each guest to the Prince and Princess, a band playing, meanwhile, softly in one of the rooms. Prime Ministers' wives, it was noticed, all came in advance with their lords—this was because the Defence Committee was sitting; the men paid their respects later. The New ZeaJanders present were: Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Miss Eileen and Mn Gladstone Ward, Mr. Hislop (private secretary) and Mrs. Hislop, Mr. Matthews (assistant private secretary), the Hon. Dr. J. G. Findlay, Mrs. Pindlav, Mr. Poulton (private secretary), Mrs. R. J. Seddon and Miss Seddon, Sir C. C. and Lady Bowen, the Primate of New Zealand and Mrs. Nevill, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. and Miss Rutherford, Lieut.-Col. A. Buachop, C.M.G., Lieut.-Col. R. Snow and Mrs. Snow (Christchurch), Mr. and Mrs. C. C. McMillan (Auckland), Mrs. Harold and Miss Beauchamp, Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C.

Lady Ward wore a handsome gown of sphinx blue satin with trimmings of wide cream spotted lace, veiled in black ninon and black hat with black feather. Miss Ward was in pale grey charmeuse veiled in ninon, and trimmed with laea ruffles and insertion, black hat trimmed with roses.

Mrs. Findlay was all in grey—a charmeuse frock veiled in grey guipure lactf, and % large grey hat. Mrs. Hislop wore floral ninon trimmed with reseda satin over white charmeuse, and a, black hat with plumes. Mre. Nevill, nattier blue satin draped with overdress of black ninon and trimmed with oriental embroideries; a laTge Hack feathere hat.

Mrs. Beauchamp was in nattier blue cloth trimmed with satin, a black plumed hat. Miss Beauchamp, pale blue crepe de chine gown and biscuit colored straw hat trimmed with feathers.

Mrs. Rutherford, mignonette San Toy poplin gown with a black and white toque trimmed with shaded feathers. Miss Rutherford, floral chiffon over pale blue silk, and large white hat with blue plumes.

Mts. Seddon, black lace dress and black toque with osprey. Miss M. Seddon, black ninon over black satin, and block hat with plumes. Mrs. Snow, gown of pale blue eolienne and large bla«k and white hat.

Mrs. McMillan, white satin veiled witK black moire crepe, and black hat with white plumes.