ENGLISH ROYAL VISITS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7203, 14 September 1901, Page 1

ENGLISH ROYAL VISITS.

Few Persons Wxo May Sope to Eatextaia. King Edward. (Alaerican Paper.) King Edward VII. is going to crisit William Waldorf Astor at Cliveden,' say the English papers. In the old days when the King was Prince of Wales his yi&ts wereshardly national events. He visited en jgarcon wherever his fancy led him, although he was a tremendous stickler as to the houses which his wife could honour by her presence. Queen Alexandra never went with her husband to a racing house-party, unless the host and hostess were great dignitaries of the realm, and never visited at a house Whose host was a bachelor, save in the case cif one visit to the Earl of Fife, who later became her son-in-law. Now that the Prince and Princess of Wales 'have become King and Queen, their visits will be hedged about by more etiquette than ever, and it is supposed that only the very elect of the Kingdom will be honoured by permission to entertain them. There is a certain small English set that has always been called the Royal house party set, its members being all eligible to invitations to a Royal house party, and most of tkem being eligible to the position cf host and hostess. Queen Victoria, who, though firm in matters of THE ETIQUETTE OP ROYAL VISITS, -was, when an invitation, bad once been ! accepted, a most genial and delightful guest, never issued orders as to tha guests she wanted invited to meet her. The list was, according to etiquette, presented to her and she examined 1 it, but,; of. course, there would be no one upcm it" wio-was not known to be Jjerstfnangrataij aSBTT:ne Queen never suggested additions to the list, unless there wers sbm« urgent reason why a certain person eh'ould be included. The Prince land Princess of Wales, on the contrary, often made out themselves the list of persons they wished to meet in a certain neighbourhood, and' the list frequently included person? who would not by position and precedence have naturally been invited. Whether the King and Queen will follow the same custom remains to be seen, Queen Victoria, during her reign, never once visited a subject wiho did not hold high hereditary rank or a distinguished position gained by intellectual and personal merit. She steadfastly ignored the invitations of the moneyed aristocracj ; and, if the King goes to Cliveden, he will do what his mother would not have done. Among the notables who are eligible to the position of host and hostess to the Sovereign, certain ones fcave always, on the ground of personal liking, been singled out for THE MOST FREQUENT ROYAL VISITS. The Duchess of Devonshire has , possibly entertained the present King and. Queen more often than any. other hostess in England, and has superb suites reserved for Royalty at Ghatsworth House, Devonshire House and Bolton Abbey. The suite at i Chatsworth is particularly fine, having been refurnished in a most elaborate fashion in preparation for a visit paid by Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort. The Duke of Portland at Welbeck Abbey has a magnificent Royal suite, wh'cee state bedroom contains what is perhaps the loveliest portrait of. the Queen ever painted. The Duke of Newcastle has entertained innumerable Royal house parties at Clumber. The Duke of Abercorn is the favourite host of Royalty in Ireland. Lord and Lady Londonderry are particularly favoured by the King and Queen,. and no place in Great Britain,; shows more- pomp in connection with a Royal visit than Wynward Park, Lord Londonderry's seat. Lord Alington's Crichel has iheld Royal guests from the time of Charles I. down. Then tber& are the Duke and Duchsss of Montrose, the Duke and Duche.vs o£ Sutherland, who have, at Dunrobin Castle, wlnait is perhaps the most splendid Queen's suite in the Kingdom ; Lord and Lady Cadwgan, tlie Duke of Richmond, who has entertained more foreign Royal personages than any other English noble, Lord Lonsdale, whom the German Emperor has visited, the Duke of Buccleugh, a t whoss Scottish Dalkeith Queen Victoria held her only Scottish drawing-room ; Lord Rosebsry, ilia Dake of Marlborough. All of these noble per-_ sons have entertained Royal house parties. There are others who belong to the elect, but the list is not very long. The young Duchess of Marlborough was the first American hostess-: to have the honour of entertaining the present Queen, but other Americans, the Countess of Cra-' yen, Lily. Duehe>s of Marlboroue-h. and Lady Randolph Churchill were favourite hostesses pf the Prince of Wale p. It will be interesting to see where the King draws the line, and what friends of the Prince of Wales are pushed uside by IIOYAL KTIQUETTE AXD DIGNITY. Entertaining Royalty isn't, after all, so comfortable and delightful a thing that men and women need cry for it. The honour is great, but tie trouble is greater, and the responsibility of the hostess is a trifle wearing. Everything is prepared wiih pomp and circumstance, but, of course, everything is subordinated to the whim, of the Royal guest. Ordinarily, the host and hostess and the other guests see comparatively little of the Knynl guests. Though the Prince of Waies wns always distinct l3- in evidence and most informal. Iv the 1 'tous-iH most frequented by Royalty the E civil suites are. quite shut off from ilie rest of the houss. having even their own private and secluded gardens attached. Jfcals are served in t&o private rofmis, difiintr b?ing v.i-jaiy the only meal which the Rcmi] guest elrcrs to eat in company with the htst and L •'■•:§■; acd the •other guests. Tha Royal visitors bring their own syrvanjts, so that they may be served

by attemdiamfts familiar with their baibilts aud tastes. . . . The chosen few, who ate likely at any; time to be invited to join Royal house par* ties, nev*r accept such,, an invaffcatnom Troth* out felting with them full outfits of xnfcrans* ing. It is imperative that every membeif of such a party shall wear exactly tihe d&* gree of mourning prescribed by tine court;) and 1 , now that Royal relationships are bo, complicated and far-reaching, . tihe coax* 14 likely to be throwni into mtorarning at a( anomenit's notice. A bouse party begixaiatagl in rose colour and sky blue often ends xnl dead black. . For tibs Royal visitor, as well' as lot ti+ host, the occaskm isn't all cakes ami ate^ All the local phiiantihropista rise 'cp aadt call upon the Royal guests to open tnasaan^' lay cornerstone!, plant trees, igive medalsu and make speeches. FlooVfe of letters, alf asking favours, pour into the Unease. Social delegations and magnates call to presenti petitions. Every shopkeeper nopes that id* Royal Highness will buy ecattetliiiDg of bunt and so give him the rigihit to. a spolndn sign bearing the name '• Purveyors to Oner King." Queeni Vietorkv »ad the Brinowe* were always delightfully goodwwtaired] aboutj the last fuaotsom, andi iroewvcr tfbey T&itotl every little shop in tW neighbouring T2b«* blossomed out IN -ROYAL COATB OF ABHS ANB ACCREDITED OLOBT, In one tiniy -village, tibe shops iwew M( small that the official attending to tnoihi matters sen* to the shopkeepera fiiangiefl otrt for €be honoxa: Royal sigaß Baualkr tbuu tho ordinary cmes. The otusdy v^^ enl rose and protested. They*i»«nilid.i, BlqAocicM like, lw.ve tiheir pound otf -wood and gildaog, no matter ibow it obscuredl the shops. S« th© signs were changed, and indignant! subjects w«re appeased* . - By tihe way, it was at tfto begmnang b* this same visit that an episode occurred Tvhii'bh makes ome's heart wanna toward. Royalty. When *he Royal gufigia ttcrwedy the yormgest Pionicess sank vpooi a fewrtcuil, and immediately, "witib raptraos, began bonnciDg violently Tip aaidr. down.; The Queen mnonfitoa-ted. "Oh, I cam't help at, gran," gasped tiw Princess. "It's *he JoveHiesfr, jumpiest ofW I ever struck." ' .-■■ A guest like that miglh* Beami WnHOW hmnian.