THE PRINCE OF WALES AT DINNER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XIV, 2 April 1898, Page 422

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT DINNER.

In the ‘Life of the Prince of Wales,’ just published, the following account of the dining arrangements at Marlborough House is given for the benefit of persons who like that sort of information: — The dining-room in which great dinners are served at Marlborough House is a very fine apartment, containing a considerable number of their Royal Highnesses’ wedding presents. The Prince does not sit at the end of the table, as is usual in most houses, but in the middle seat opposite the buffet, his guests being on the right and left and opposite to him. Good taste reigns over all the arrangements. Thus the tablecloths are severely plain, though of the finest quality, and simply worked with the. Royal arms, the rose, the thistle and the shamrock; while the table napkins are invariably folded into a small square to hold the bread, and never in the fancy shapes in vogue elsewhere. To each guest two forks, and no more, are provided, and these are placed prongs downwards. In addition, there are one large tablespoon and one large knife, for in no circumstances are two knives together given to any guest. A great many reasons have been assigned for thjs rule, but apparently no one has summoned up the courage to ask their Royal host and hostess. It has fieen asserted that His Royal Highness has the old-fashioned dislike to seeing knives inadvertently crossed. Small

water bottles are used, but the Princess holds to the Hanoverian habit of never having finger-bowls. The table decorations are quite oldfashioned, for their Royal Highnesses have remained very conservative in all their arrangements, but the flowers placed in the heavy old-world centrepiece are very beautiful, consisting often of roses and the rarest orchids. The menu cards are absolutely plain, with a narrow gold border, and the Prince of Wales’ crest. The menu is always printed in French, the courses being divided into a first and second service. The Prince of Wales has never concealed his great dislike to the immensely long, fatiguing banquets which were in his youth the rule rather than the exception; indeed, he may be said to have revolutionised the British dinner party. At Marlborough House dinner begins at a quarter to nine, and is never allowed to last much over an hour. Occasionally during the dinner soft music is played. The menu is always served a la Russe, that is to say, nothing is carved in the dining-room. Certain dishes afe constantly met with in the menu, notably genuine turtle soup, venison when in season, champagne sorbet (a kind of French ice, of which both the Prince and the Princess are exceedingly fond) and various sorts of salads. The wines are all deeanted, and the Prince’s favourite champagne is an 1889 vintage. The dessert service generally used is Royal blue Sevres.