PRINCESS OF FIVE REIGNS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 981, 23 November 1910, Page 9

PRINCESS OF FIVE REIGNS.

The title of Lady Dorothy Nevill's, reminiscences has stirred the pride of | every old-lady • who can also eay that she has - lived. under five reigns. I was talking to . one yesterday, says a writer ill the' "Manchester Guardian," ' a real Londoner, .who was a little' girl of ten going ..every day with her brothers and sisters to- play in Kensington Gardens when her. father was given the job of putting up seats at Temple Bar for the Proclamation of Queen Victoria, Asked what the Queen looked like, the old lady recalled that -she had long diamond earrings that roso and'fell with the, bowing of her . head. Another dim reminiscence was that of being taken to Rowland Hill's Chapel to hear the funeral sermon preached on William I,V, when the booming of the organ—doubtless the "Dead March" was played—made her cry. Another was that of tho last great review'of the troops held in Hyde. Park, when the' old Duke of, Wellington came riding -.close to Iter. "Kensington Gardens': was -a very-different place then," she said.' "There was the old notice on the gates, JNti' , dogs or. livery servants allowed,'. and Hoops and parcels of all - kinds had to.be left at the lodge before' entering." I expected a tirade against 1 inventions when I mentioned, motor omnibuses. Not a bit of it! "I find them very useful when I want to spent a-day shopping/' was the sporting reply- of- my old lady of eightj-three. ' But if tliero are many old ladies who. can boast of living under five reigns, I .doubt if there are any princesses but one. .1: happened to bo looking the other day at. a print of the picture of Queen Victoria's wedding at Windsor, -and so far as I, could'see only "one of the personages' whoso: portraits appear in-the picture is. alive,, now, and. she is the old Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. ■ She saw. William the" Fourth crowned, Queen Victoria, and King Edward, and it is particularly to' be hoped that she may. be able to be" at the Coronation next year, for Queen Mary, is her niece. But she is eighty-eight years old, and though it_ is ~only three years sincei sho was last in 'Eitgland she' is feeble now, and may well shrink; from making the journey again., ■