LONDON GOSSIP.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9190, 18 September 1891, Page 3

LONDON GOSSIP.

At Cumberland Lodge, tho residence of Prince and Princess Christian, tho silver wedding presents were impressively displayed in-several of the best rooms. There is nothing especially striking o* oven beautiful about the architecture of Cumberland Lodge, where " the Christians " have resided for the past sixteen years, and the restored portion (rebuilt after the fire of 1869) has evidently been erected with an eye to economy. But within everything is homely and substantial. The Princess Christian delighted in unpretentious surroundings ; and to this love of simplicity and homeliness must be attributed the osteem and regard in which both she and her hußhand are held. This has been abundantly illustrated by the congratula ■ tions and presents which have been showered upon the Prince and Princess on the celebration of their silver wedding and on the happy marriage of their daughter. Prince and Princess Christian gave a teaparty on Saturday, July 18, at Cumberland Lodge to the children of the Queen's Schools in Windsor Great Park, the entertainment being in commemoration of the recent Royal wedding. Princess Christian received at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, July 21, about 100 ladies, representing 2000 contributors to a handsome present in the shape of a tiara of diamonds, to commemorate her silver wedding. The tiara had been previously presented privately by the Countess of Arran, in order that the Princess might be able to wear it at her daughter's marriage. Prince George of Wales is expected to arrive at Cowes in Her Majesty's ship Thrush, from the West Indies, on August 2, and moorings are being laid down there for hia vessel, which will remain for a week in the Solont before proceeding to Chatham to pay off, and she is to bo inspected by the Queen and by the German Emperor. Prince George is to be promoted to the rank of commander directly after his return to England, and will then go on leave (on half pay) until the beginning of November, when he is to succeed Commander Milne in the command of the Royal yacht Osborne. Prince 3-eorge will pass most of the autumn abioad, in Germany and Denmark. The German Emperor has a ready wit, as the following anecdote will show :—: — The other day, at Hatfield, during luncheon, Mdme. Waddington's necklace became unfastened, and Senhor de Soveral, the Portuguese Minister, who was sitting next to her, hastened to aesist the Ambassadress in refixing the clasp. Observing this, the Kaiser exclaimed, jocularly, " Here's Portugal trying to strangle France !" and when the Prince of Wales came to the rescue, added " Worse and worse," went on His Majesty, "there's Great Britain helping her to do it !" — a remark which caused much merriment among tho Emperor's immediate neighbours, one of whom waa M. Waddington, who laughed heartily at this good-humoured sally, which was chiefly addressed to him. The House of Lords has affirmed a judgment of the Court of Session in Scotland deciding that under the law of Scotland a mother is not entitled to com pensation for the death of her illegitimate son. Their lordships substantially held that it was for the Legislature and not for a Court to determine whether a remedy ought to be given under such circumstances to a person in the position of a natural parent.