Received by Royalty.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 3, 19 July 1911, Page 61

Received by Royalty.

NEW ZEALAND GUESTS AT A PRINCESS’S ‘AT HOME.” (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, June 2. A party at which Royalty presides differs always in many ways from functions given by lesser individuals. Lady guests must bend the knee when presented and when saying good-bye. People do not remain as' long as at other receptions, And then, though entertainments given by princes and princesses are often not as elaborate as those provided by wealthy commoners, it cannot fail to lie noticed that Royal affairs are characterised by less fuss, noise, and crush, and infinitely greater smoothness and good management than are others. Royal hosts, too, are generally surrounded by ladies and gentlemen in waiting and approached through lines of celebrites. On Monday, at Schomberg House, in Tall Mall, their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Christian of Schleswig-Hol-stein gave an afternoon party in honour Of the guests of the Imperial Conference, and many other distinguished visitors from overseas, and several New Zealanders were among the fortunate ones invited.

So unostentatious was the gathering that not even crimson baize and striped awn-

ing, go beloved by society papers, was in evidence in the street, and no special police were in attendance. Footmen, gorgeous in scarlet, gold, and blue, with white silk stockings, black buckled shoes and powdered hair, assisted guests from their motors and carriages and, within the hall other lines of servants stood, like brightly clad statues, while the company filed through. A temporary cloakroom for the men was erected in the vestibule and one for ladies further inside. At the entrance to the hall Mrs. Dick-Cunningham, a lady-in-waiting, and the Comptroller for the Princes and Princess received the arrivals >nd directed them to the small staircase up which all passed to the beautiful suite of rooms where Prince and Princess Christian, assisted by their daughters, Princess Victoria and Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, later joined by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia, welcomed the guests.

Prince Christian, though he was 80 this year, is a tall and straight and strong looking man, not at all blase, as the writer found when he asked him questions about New Zealand, but quite ready to enjoy his party and his guests. ,When he heard that my description would go out to the New Zealand papers he kindly insisted on taking me in, before many guests had arrived, to see the dining room, a bright effective chamber in gold and blue with fine paintings on the walls, and beautifully decorated with flowers, where refreshments were served. He has a singularly gruff voice, quite like the ogres of our childhood’s imagination, and with his somewhat fierce looking white beard, keen eyes, and upright bearing is evidently a being quite out of the ordinary. A greater contrast than that presented by the aged prince and the Duke of Connaught, that most polished and delightful of men, could hardly be imagined. Princess Christian, who is many inches shorter than her husband and looks much younger, is a sweet-faced, motherlylooking woman, rather plump in figure, (she was on Monday dressed in grey charmeuse veiled in black, embroidered in gold. By her stood .her daughter. Princess Victoria, in blue satin veiled with black ninon and embroidery; and Princess Marie Louise in grey silk voile. Mrs. Lewis Harcourt, wife of the Secretary ■Of State for the Colonies, stood with the Royalties, and was in primrose-coloured charmeuse veiled in fine black silk net, and a large black hat. Lord Richard Nevill, so long deservedly popular in Australia, where for the last nine years he has been chamberlain to the Governor-General, has come over to England bv request, to act as one of the Gold Staves at the Coronation, and on Monday announced each guest to the Prince and Princess, n. band playing, meanwhile, softly in one of the rooms. Prime Ministers’ wives, it was noticed, all came in advance of their lords—this

was because the Defence Committee was sitting—the men paid their respects later.

NEW ZEALANDERS PRESENT were Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Miss Eileen and Mr. Gladstone Ward, Mr. Hislop (private secretary), and Mrs. Hislop, Mr. Matthews (assistant private secretary ), the Hon. Dr. J. G. Findlay, Attorney-General, Mrs. Findlay, Mr. Boulton (private secretary), Mrs. R. J. Seddon and Miss Seddon, Sir C. C. and Lady Bowen, the Primate of New Zealand and Mrs. Nevill (Dunedin), Mr. and Mrs. A. W. and Miss Rutherford (Wellington), Lieutenant-Colonel A. Bauchop, C.M.G. (Dunedin), LieutenantColonel D'Arcy Chaytor and Mrs. Chaytor (Nelson), Lieutenant-Colonel R. iSnow and Mrs. Snow (Christchurch). Mr. and Mrs. C. C. McMillan (Auckland), Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Miss Beauchamp (Wellington), Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C. (Wellington).

Lady Ward wore a handsome gown of '.Sphinx blue satin with trimmings of wide cream spotted lace veiled in black ninon, and black hat with black feather. Miss Ward was in pate grey charmeuse veiled in ninon, and trimmed with lace ruffles and insertion, a black hat trimmed with roses; Mrs. Findlay was all in grey —a charmeuse frock veiled in grey guipure lace and a large grey hat: Mrs. Hislop wore floral ninon trimmed with reseda satin over white charmeuse. and a black hat with plumes; Mrs. Beauchamp was in nattier blue cloth trimmed with satin, a black plumed hat; Miss Beauchamp, pale blue crepe de chine gown and biscuit-coloured straw hat •trimmed with feathers; Mrs. Nevill, nattier blue satin draped with overdress of black ninon and trimmed with Oriental embroideries, a large black feathered hat; Mrs. Rutherford, mignonette San Toy poplin gown, with a black and white toque trimmed with shaded feathers; Miss Rutherford, floral chiffon over pale blue -silk, and large white hat with blue plumes; Mrs. Seddon, black lace dress and black toque with osprey; Miss M. Seddon, black ninon over black satin and black hat with plumes; Mrs. Snow, gown of pale blue eolienne, and large black and white hat; Mrs. McMillan, white satin veiled with black moire crepe, and black hat with white plume*.