Royal Garden Party.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1922, Page 1

Royal Garden Party.

THE KING’S GUESTS IN A SUNLIT PARK. LONDON, August 1. The sun, inconstant and treacherous i though he has shown himself during 1 most of the season, this year shone 1 with loyal allegiance on the occasion of 1 the royal garden party at Buckingham . Palace yesterday. j The gardens of the palace, with their fine trees and their roses just now in full flower, made a perfect background for the brilliant assembly of their Majesties’ thousands of guests. A pretty frock never looks better than on a sunlit lawn, and the debutantes yesterday had come out in their most frivolous and fascinating clothes, i Most remarkable to witness was the trimph of the one-time scorned long skirt. The short variety was conspicuous by its ahsenee, and all the lace and chiffon frocks were inclined to trail on the ground. I A SKIRT TRAGEDY.

One frock in particular trailed rather too far, with the result that it came into disastrous contact with a patentleather boot. Result, a horrible sound of tearing, a yawning chasm in the lace, distracted apologies and top-hat doffing by the owner of the boot; which were received with honeyed and brilliantly assumed smiles Tiy the wearer of the lacerated frock. Despite the smiles, her thoughts as she drifted away across the lawn were without doubt blacker than tho Styx hut a woman’s self-control on such distressing occasions is marvellous.

There seemed to he two distinct policies in regard to the best way to enjoy the garden party, the first being that of the people who made their way determinedly towards chairs beneath the plane trees or near the scarlet-coated band and sat surveying the scene in general and waiting to see their friends walk by; and the second, a more energetic method of procedure adopted by those who wandered about on the lawn actively seeking out acquaintances and friends. Tho sun about four o’clock became so hot that the “sitters out” were perhaps the wisest people and those who had the best of the party.

At one corner of the lawn there was a strong naval element to be seen; at one moment, at least six admirals were congregated together there. Garden parties seem always to attract a good contingent of the Senior Service. BUTTONHOLE DECLINE.

Tho only two men wearing bottonholes wore distinguished admirals, 4 both of whom had donned carnations in honour of the occasion. The decline of the button-hole is regrettable. There is something too sombre nlxmt the ordinnrv black coat without one

The Queen as she made her way about the lawns between tho lanes of bowing guests, looked remarkably handsome in maize-coloured gown with a small feathered toque. A garden party must he a singularly arduous affair for their Majesties, as they are indefatigable in their efforts to recognise and converse with the greatest possible number of their guests. It was noticed that his Majesty was frequently in earnest conversation with many of the Labour leaders who were present.

Tho Mayor of Shoreditch, Councillor W. IT. Girling, attended in company with the mayoress and their daughter Rose. The Queen recognised the mayoress and surprised her hy asking how her ten children were and particularly her little son, adding that tlie mother must have a busy time, which made it surprising that she could devote so much time to public work. To the daughter the Queen remarked that they had met before. The allusion was to the occasion of the Queen’s visit to .Shoreditch when Rose was invited to accompany her Majesty in her motorcar when making a tour of tho district. The invitations issued for yesterday afternoon numbered G.OOO, and there were quite .1,000 people nelna'ly present at Buckingham Palace. Such are the extent and space of the palace gardens that, despite the numbers there was never at anv time in the afternoon an impression of too big a crowd; rather there was room for everyone to move about with that measure of dignity and elegance which a royal garden p.irtv demands.