HISTORIC SETTING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4435, 3 April 1930, Page 4

HISTORIC SETTING.

NAVAL CONFER ENCE

ILL-FATED QUEENS

; St. Palace, tlie Prince of Wales’ residence in London, where the Five Powers Naval Conference luis been holding its sessions, has many links with some of the most famous women in the long history of '.British royalty. Women all over the world arc looking hopefully to the conference now meeting at the palace, in the , expectation that it will increase the prospects of world peace for the future. In the past many of the women whose lives were bound up with the history of the palace have had tragic rather than rosy destinies. Its walls could unfold many Jules of bitter unhappiness. Centuries ago, in Norman times, a hospital tor 14 maiden lepers ,stood on Jim site, dedicated to St. James. Unfortunate lepers were cared for there until the time of Henry VIII., who, admiring the site and knowing that leprosy was then rare in England, acquired the hospital, pulled it down and built in its place a beautiful structure, the present St. James’ Palace. He built it for Anne Bolcyn, the second of his six wives, when she was a hride. In tlie presencechamber, where the naval conference is holding its sessions, an “H" and an “A” carved side by side over the chimneypiece may still be seen, a relic of the days when Anne still held temporarily the fickle Henry’s affections. Henry’s daughter, Alary, another ill-fated queen, lived at St. James’ ; when deserted by her husband, Phillip 11. of Spain, and died there in absolute desolation in 15S8. In Stuart Limes brilliant courts were held there when Charles I. brought his French bride, Henrietta Alaria, to St. James'. .For her he added to the palace a beautiful chapel Royal, which architects admire so much. Since then many royal weddings have been celebrated in it. Queen Anne was married there to Prince fleorge of Denmark and in 1795, ten years after his morganatic marriage to Airs. Fitzherbert, George IV. was married in the ■Chapel Royal to his cousin, Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Nearer our own times it was the setting for the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In recent years it used to be considered smart to attend service on Sunday morning at the Chapel Royal. Dot would-be worshippers had to come in good time, for droves were unable to gain admittance each Sunday morning. Charles I. was one of the masculine royalties who lived at St. James’ Palace. It was his prison while awaiting his trial for high treason at Westminster and he (walked out from it lo his execution iu 1049. Press representatives are being accommodated during the Naval Conference in the guard room where lie passed the last night ,of his life. Charles 11., James H., “James H 1.,” tlie Old Pretender, and the Princess Mary, who was later to

i nit* England jointly with her husband, William of Orange, were among the English sovereigns born at St. Janies’ Palace. Some of the sessions of the Na-

val Conference are to be held iu u gorgeous gilt and scarlet decorated drawing-room, designed for Queen Aime centuries ago.