THE COURT BALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 229, 28 September 1931, Page 2

THE COURT BALL

BRILLIANT UNIFORMS AND DELICATE DRESSES QUEEN’S LOVELY GOWN. Every lady who was invited to the Court Ball was asked by the Queen to buy a new dress of British material for the occasion, writes a London correspondent of July 24. Her Majesty’s great desire was to give a fillip to British trade—indeed, this was one of the main purposes of what proved to be a brilliant function of State —though it had. not the formality of a State Ball. The guest honoured to receive invitations to Buckingham Palace numbered about 2000. The scene was a pageantry of splendid uniforms, glittering gold lace, delicate gowns, flashing diamonds, There were people of all ages, but youth and beauty predominated. The ladies mostly chose white or very pale shades, realising that such tones were the best accompaniments to brilliant uniforms. Within the Palace the traditional splendours of crimson, white, and gold made an ideal setting, and the floral decorations were everywhere lavish and tasteful. The flowers used were chiefly hydrangeas of light pink and blue, white lilies and crotons. Shortly before 10 p.m. the King and Queen entered the white and gqld ballroom, accompanied by members of the Royal Family and their suite. There the guests were all assembled in readiness for the Royal Party. Their Majesties’ entrance was made through the royal drawing room from their private apartments, and though there was no formal procession, the scene was impressive, dignified and beautiful. Np one could fail to be impressed by the splendid figure of Queen Mary —truly eVery inch a Queen. The King, bronzed and well, with health completely restored, wore the full dress kilted uniform of Colonel-in-chief of the Black Watch. The Queen was splendidly regal in a gown if ivory chiffon, richly embroidered with pearls and diamonds in a conventional design The corsage, which, like the long skirt, was almost completely covered with those embroideries, provided a background for the Order of the Garter, and Her Majesty’s ropes of pearls, and pearl and diamond ornaments. The royal circle was a large one, including the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, the Duke of Gloucester, Prince George, Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood, and the Earl of Harewood, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and Major-General the Earl of Athlone, Lady May Cambridge, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught. and Lady Maud Carnegie. As the King and Queen took their places under the canopy embroidered with the Royal Arms, the band played the National Anthem. Members of the family were all round them, and in positions specially appointed stood members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassadors, and High Commissioners of the Dominions with their ladies—Sir Thomas and Lady Wilford being among thp number. At the conclusion of the National Anthem dancing began. Tn the musicians’ gallery at one end of the ballroom the string hand of the Royal Artillery provided a programme of music which included modern waltzes, fox-trots, and other dances, as well as the older waltzes set to Strauss* music. The King did not dance, hut the Queen danced with the Prince of Wales. The Duke and Duchess of York danced together and with other partners. A Supper Dainty. Toward midnight the Queen signalled for the procession to supper, which she headed, followed by the Duchess of York, with Princess Arthur of Connaught, Princess Alice, and Lady Maud Carnegie. Behind the royal procession came the Diplomatic Corps and the High Commissioners. Sir Thomas Wilford walked with Lady Ryrie, and Lady Wilford with the High Commissioner for South Africa. All these guests supped in the Jloyal Room, which was lavish with flowers and resplendent with ornate gold plate. The Queen had personally supervised many of the preparations. There were flowers everywhere, and the Queen’s special dainty, tiny mutton “pies,” each little more than a mouthful, the j

prepartitm of which, is a secret known only to the royal chef, were served. They were declared to be very good indeed. Some Gowns j,nd Their Wearers. The dainty little Duchess of York was in ivory georgette, beautifull embroidered all over with silver bugles and diamante, with a coronet and necklace of diamonds; Princess Mary was also in white, the materials being of satin and lace, trimmed with diamante, worn with sapphires and diamonds. Princess Ingrid was in satin in a soft shade of pink, with a cluster of flowers of the same shade on the bodice. Princess Alice's gown of peach satin was gracefully draped and embroidered on the hips and corsage with diamond and peach-coloured diamante.

Lady May Cambridge -wore a girlish frock of cream peau d’ange, which had a short narrow train and narrow shoul-der-straps of crystal and diamante; Princess Helena Victoria wore silver grey lace with silver embroideries; and Lady Patricia Ramsay was in white lace with touches of diamante embroidery. The Marchioness of Cambridge wore pearls* and diamonds, with a tur-quoise-blue georgette dress embroidered with diamante, and Lady Louis Mountbatten was in ivory satin, cut on classical lines and embroidered with gold. Shoulder sprays of real flowers were much worn yith dresses of plain charmeusc and chiffon. Youthful frocks of broderie anglaise, organdie, and spotted muslin, with ribbon belts, were seen on some of the younger dancers. Every woman wore long white kid gloves, and many carried exquisite fans of ostrich feathers.

Among the guests known to New Zealanders were the Earl and Countess Jellicoe with the Ladies Gwendoline land Myrtle Jellicoe, Lord and Lady Islington, Lord and Lady Hampden, Miss Isabel Wilford, and Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Amery. Lady Jellicoe wore green —a favourite colour of hers; Lady Myrtle was in pale blue satin, and Lady Gwendoline chose white. Lady W’ilford was most becomingly dressed in a gown of pearl grey satin; she wore diamond ornaments, and carried a fan of white ostrich feathers. Miss Wilford was in coral pink chiffon embroidered with bugles, and she had a large ostrich fan to match. Mrs. Amery wore pale pink chiffon with flowering scarf draperies a and a diamond and pearl tiara. Additional colour touches along the galleries and up the great staircase were provided by the Yeomen of the Guard, in their picturesque uniforms. Guests privileged to attend say they will never forget the brilliance of the entire scene or the perfection with which the whole function was thought out and carried out. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York both wore kilts. Several hours before the ball was due to begin a crowd of nearly 10,000 people lined the Mall to watch the guests arrive. The traffic problem at the roundabout, which has its centre in the Queen Victoria Memorial, was dealt with by 100 police officers. The base of the memorial formed an ideal grandstand. Many girls climbed lamp posts in their endeavours to get a better view of the dfosses and uniforms. Sir William Phene Neal, the Lord Mayor, and Lady Neal, arrived in their State coach, drawn by beautiful chestnuts. They were preceded by two mounted policemen.