THE LATEST ROYAL WEDDING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume X, Issue 9, 4 March 1893, Page 206

THE LATEST ROYAL WEDDING.

INTERESTING CEREMONIES. O (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

BEFORE morning broke over the little town of Sigmaringen sleepers were awakened by the ringing of the church bells, followed shortly afterwards by the thunder of cannon. The sound was echoed and re echoed from the walls of the castle and the encircling hills. The gray dawn had not yet. fully mastered the darkness of the night, but many people were already in the streets. It was scarcely an ideal bridal morn. A fine rain was falling, and when the day fully broke it was seen that the crisp frost had disappeared, but the temperature was still below freezing point, and the rain froze as it fell upon the streets, which were soon covered with ice, making walking difficult, not to say dangerous, to those unaccustomed to the steep thoroughfares of the town. Within half an hour of the Urine the streets were thronged with townspeople and visitors. Most of these made their way to the old castle wall and gate to watch the arrival of the deputations from Hohenzollern and Sigmaringen, who had been charged to convey the congratulations of the subjects of Prince Charles. The deputations were received in the fine Gothic hall of the museum by the bride and bridegroom. All the members were clad in their local gala cos-

tume, and there were some attempts at allegorical display. Some curious flags have been shown in Sigmaringen as English, and the local idea of the British national colours is evidently rudimentary, as A LITTLE MAIDEN REPRESENTING BRITANNIA was gorgeously clad in blue, red, and yellow, which was supposed to be a typical British tricolour. At half-past twelve the bride and bridegroom drove down from the castle to the Prince of Hohenzolleru’s palace, and were cordially cheered by the people, although to English ears the salutations of the crowd sounded somewhat sedate. Shortly afterwards the German Emperor and the Duchess of Edinburgh drove to the Palace, where, at one o’clock, a dejeuner en famille was served. The other guests breakfasted in the new hall at the castle, ami while that meal was proceeding a few privileged persons were permitted to inspect such of THE WEDDING PRESENTS as had already arrived. These were laid out in the Red Room, a charming apartment, hung with fine landscapes and one large sea piece, beneath which is a striking bust of the old Kaiser Wilhelm. Alongside of this is a cabinet filled with the silver wedding presents of the Prince and Princess of Hohenzollern. In this room, at two o'clock, the civil marriage took place Irefore Herr von Wedell, minister of the household of the King of Prussia. This was entirely a family affair, and the ordinary guests were not called upon to be present.

As soon as the civil ceremony had been completed the guests assembled in the Bitter-hall in the castle, whence they proceeded down the red carpeted stairway, hung with pictures of sacred subjects, to the gallery, which led over the roadway from the castle to the church. By half-past two all the guests and others privileged to witness THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY, except the various royal personages, had taken their places. At a quarter to four there was a stir at the entrance of the doors, and simultaneously the bells of the cbnrch clashed forth a marriage peal, the organ commenced to play, and the cannon outside boomed a tremendous salute to announce the coming of the bride and bridegroom. A few minutes later the head of the bridal procession entered the church. Among the first to enter were Major-General Sir John Cowell, Master of Queen Victoria’s Household, and Sir Edward Malet, her Majesty’s Ambassador in Berlin. Immediately afterwards followed A DAZZLING GROUP OF EXQUISITELY-DRESSED LADIES of the Roumanian and Hohenzollern Courts. Most of them wore white or light-toned fnrs, which they threw open as they entered the warm church. The ladies were followed by an even more brilliant crowd of officers, wearing a variety of uniforms, and several members of the Diplomatic

Body, including the Roumanian Minister to Germany. The ladies ranged themselves on the right of the church and the officers and diplomats on the left, and then the hum of conversation was again heard, but almost drowned at times by the joyous ringing of the bells. Time wore on till it was considerably past four o’clock, the time appointed for the marriage ceremony to commence. Suddenly there was PROFOUND SILENCE, and all heads were turned towards the great door, through which entered the Abbot Walter Placidus and two soberlyclad Benedictine fathers. Then came three priests in the ordinary ecclesiastical attire of the Catholic Church, and quickly following them the German Emperor entered the church, escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh, who wore a suberb coronet of diamonds. Next came the King of Roumania, with the aged Princess Josephine ; and in quick succession and in order of precedence the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, the Countess of Flanders and her son, Prince Albert of Belgium ; the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, the bridegroom, escorting his mother ; several of the Princes of the House of Hohenzollern, and finally the Duke of Edinburgh with his daughter THE FAIR YOUNG BRIDE, looking very earnest and somewhat pale, clinging to her father's arm. The Princess’s train was borne by one lady only. She looked an ideal bride in her superb dress. It

was made in London, and was of rich white poult de xoie, a thick-ribbed kind of silk, embroidered in pearl, crystal, and silver. It was Empire in style, tbe plain skirt edged by festoon patterned embroidery, dotted with fine pearls and silver. The train was outlined by orange blossoms and white cord, small bouquets of tbe bridal flower having been cunningly introduced here and there amidst the embroidery. The bodice had an Empire corselet with lines of pearl, crystal and silver running round it in double rows, cut low, the decolletage being edged with fulled white velvet, which likewise formed the puffed sleeves. A band of white ribbon tied round the waist in a bow, and long ends served to hold the bouquet, long veil, with diamonds sparkling from her head and neck, the soft ruby plush forming an exquisite foil. The bride and bridegroom took their places before a priedieu, Prince Ferdinand wearing his Jager uniform, with the German Emperor on one side and tbe King of Roumania on the other, each clad in full uniform and glittering with orders and medals. A BLARE OF TRUMPETS from tbe gallery was followed by the opening strains of the marriage service, the choir singing the * Benedico Vobis ’ by Stehle in a splendid manner. Then the Abbot, in full canonicals, stepped before the altar, supported by the two Benedictine monks, and commenced an address in a clear voice to the bridal pair. THE ABBOT INVOKED UPON THE BRIDAL PAIR ALL THE BLESSINGS OF PEACE AND HAPPINESS. The echo of his last words had scarcely ceased when a choir of eight voices commenced the ‘ Bene Jesu ’ by Witt, which was sung with grand effect. Then one of the priests, proceeding to the altar, invited the young couple to prayer. As the Prince and Princess knelt at tbe altar the priest said a short prayer, and then, in a very distinct voice, put this question to the bride, *Do you, of your free will, take this man to be your wedded husband?’ to which she replied in clear tones, * I do.’ A similar question put to tbe bridegroom was similarly answered, and then the rings were placed on the fingers of each as a visible sign of the bond of matrimony. It was noticed that after the placing of the rings

THE YOUNG PRINCE HELD HIS BRIDE’S HAND in his until the ceremony had concluded. They were now man and wife, and the priest delivered a short address dwelling upon the fact, and upon the solemn duties and responsibilities attaching to it. This exhortation was followed by the sweet strains of the * Laus tibi, Domine,’ sung in a perfect manner by the small choir. Tbe benediction, pronounced by the Abbot, concluded the marriage ceremony. The now radiant bride, holding to her husband’s arm, led the way out of the church, smilingly acknowledging the congratulations of her royal relatives and guests, who formed a lane down which the young conple passed to the door. It was an impressive and brilliant spectacle, upon which the eye would willingly have rested at length. But the church speedily emptied, for there was yet another ceremony to be performed, that of the Protestant marriage, in the great dining room at the castle, towards which all the royal personages now hurried. The dining-room had been converted during the afternoon into a chapel, a com munion table, brought specially from England by the Rev. Mr Lowe, being placed across the end of the apartment and arranged as it would have been in an English church. ALL THE PEOPLE OF SIGMARINGEN TOWN and country side had apparently assembled along the route from the church to the castle, although they must have known peifectly well that they would not be able to see much, as the bridal procession and the royal visitors passed, as they had come along the coveied way through the

galleries already described. The Hohenzollern family and all the royal visitors assembled in the great hall, and there received the bride in the customary German way. The German Emperor was the first to offer his congratulations, and he also bad the privilege of escorting the bride into the dining room, into which were also crowded as many of the family and visitors as it would hold. The bride and bridegroom stood before the white and gold communion table, and near by stood the German Emperor, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Grand Duke Alexis, Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, the King of Roumania, the Princess Josephine, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Sir Edward Malet. Immediately behind the bride sat her three sisters, the Princesses Victoria, Alexandra, and Beatrice of Edinburgh, who acted as bridesmaids. The Rev. W. V. Lloyd, private chaplain to the Duke of Edinburgh, then proceeded with the Church of England marriage service. As was the case in the Catholic church the responses of both bride and bridegroom to the customary questions were loud and clear. Compared with the elaborate ritual of the Catholic Church, the Protestantservice seemed extremely quietand simple, and it had the advantage of being much shorter, as there was no music whatever. Princess Marie, leaning upon herhusband’s arm, led the way into the new hall, where the wedding dinner was served. The scene in the hall was a most brilliant one when all the royal and distinguished company had been seated. The bride and bridegroom sat in the places of honour at the centre of the chief table, and they were faced by the German Emperor and the aged Princess Josephine and the Duchess of Edinburgh. The Duke of Edinburgh, in accordance with the German custom, was placed at his daughter’s right band, and at the same table sat the King of Roumania, the Grand Duke Alexis, and the other royal and princely guests. The TABLES WERE LADEN WITH COSTLY AND BEAUTIFUL GOLD AND SILVER PLATE, silver candelabra, and many quaint old flagons of wonderful design. On a great sidehoard immediately behind the bride stood the enormous wedding-cake specially sent from England. After dinner the Prince of Hohenzollern rose, and in a short speech tendered his thanks to the illustrious princes who bad honoured him by being present in person or by deputy upon that auspicious day. Especially, he said, he owed a deep debt of gratitude to the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the parents of the dear young bride, and to her revered and illustrious grandmother, Queen Victoria. He raised his glass and begged to drink to their health and to the health of the German Emperor and all the princely guests. The toast was drunk in hearty German fashion, and all eyes instinctively turned to the Kaiser, who, it was hoped, would respond. But his Majesty drank, and smiled, and bowed, and remained silent, save to speak to his charming neighbour. The dinner was over comparatively early, and at half past eight the bridal pair drove off in a closed carriage for the quiet country house at Krauchenwies, where they will spend THE EARLY DAYS OF THE HONEYMOON. Their drive, although the house was only a few miles distant, was not a pleasant one, as it was freezing hard and bitterly cold. The roads after the rain which had fallen, were like glass, and the horses had to be driven with much caution. Everything passed off smoothly, pleasantly, and well. The only disagreeable feature was the weather, for the sun had not shone upon the English bride who will descend the Danube stream to her new home.