FIRST STATE BANQUET

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 97, 11 May 1937, Page 5

FIRST STATE BANQUET

Foreign and Empire Guests at Palace t (Received 11, 1-50 p-m.) LONDON, May 10Their Majesties held their first State " banquet amid unsurpassed splendour. The Royal procession to tbe banquetting halle proceeded througb picture galleries lined witb scarlet-coated, sil-ver-halberded gentlemen-at-arms. It eonsisted of tbe King iu f uil-dress uniform of an admiral, the Queen, a lovely figure in a frock embroidered with ► gold brocade and wearing a tiara and necklace of diamonds. Queen Mary, gowped with cloth of silver and wearing a diamond tiara in her silver hair, - Queen Maud, the Princess Royal, Visconnt Harewood, the Duke and Duch«se of Gloucester, the Duke and Ducbess of Kent and all adult members of . Royalty, eXcept the Duke of Conaaugbt. Great crystal ehandeliers giowed abov© the dinner-tables, which were decorated with'sprigs of myrtle from a plant strnck from Queen Victoria's wed " dfixg bouquet and with crimson roses In the gold and wbite ballroom, where the Kxng was host, and with pink rqses in the White and Silver Ball and Supper-room, where the Queen presided. The guests included fifteen foreign princes and processes, among whom were five heirs to thrones, Indian princes wearing jewelled head-dresses and ■ gorgeous uniforms, all Coronation envoys, Dominions and State Premiers. The soft shades of the women's dresses, contrasting with the myriad vividlycoloured uniforms, formed an unforgettable pageantry. The guests were served at round tables s/iting 12 grouped round the round central table. The famous gold plate and Garter dinner service, each stamped with. the motto of the Garter, were used.