THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BUCCLEUCH’S FETE AT RICHMOND.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 55, 7 February 1843, Page 2

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF BUCCLEUCH’S FETE AT RICHMOND.

On Thursday afternoon the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch gave a princely fdte at their villa at Richmond, to her Majesty the Queen, and his royal highness Prince Albert, when the Queen Dowager, the King and Queen of the Belgians, their serene highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Meiningen, and several members of the royal family, at the same time honored the Duke and Duchess by their company. As might be expected, the intended royal visit* created the liveliest interest in Richmond and _ the ‘neighbouring villages, and the inhabitants generally, testified their loyalty by decorating and illuminating their houses on the occasion. Every house in George-street and along Hillstreet to the Rise, was liberally ornamented either with flags or flowers, and a splendid triumphal arch was erected on the Rise. It was a triple arch extending across the carriage way, with galleries on the top, and on each side, the latter for the accommodation of the children of the local parochial school, and, in the centre gallery, was the fine band of the Bth regiment, from Hounslow. In addition to' being elegantly adorned with flowers, a great number of flags surmounted it. Over the principal arch was inscribed in large characters, “ God bless the Queen and Prince Albert,” having on each side “The Prince of Wales” and “ The Princess Royal.” At dusk, the arch was illuminated by several thousand lamps. - The arrival of the Queen was expected about five o’clock, and long before that time hundreds of persons began to congregate on the Rise, and along the Barnes and Kingston roads, in order to obtain a glimpse of their beloved sovereign and her illustrious consort. At the windows of all the houses from the entrance of the village to the Duke’s villa, parties were assembled, and, indeed, the most intense enthusiasm was manifested by the inhabitants and visitors. At half-past four the carriages began to arrive, and some of the equipages were remarkably elegant, those of the Duke of Beaufort, Earl of - Pembroke, Duchess of Northumberland, Marquess of Downshire, Sir Wm. Middleton, Marquess of Londonderry, Earl of Egliriton, Earl Brownlow, Marquis of Ailsbury, Duke of Sutherland, &c., taking the lead. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by ■ their serene highnesses the Duke and Duchesses of pSaxe Meinengen, and attended by the Earl of Denbigh, master of the horse, Lady Gore, and several of her Majesty’s household, arrived in three carriages from Bushy-park shortly before five o’clock, when her Majesty was received with all the honors due to her elevated station. The Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch were in waiting to welcome the arrival of their illustrious guests on their alighting from their carriages. Her royal highness the Duchess of Gloucester, attended by Lady Caroline Legge, arrived shortly afterwards; and their royal highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Princess Augusta, attended by Major Stephens and Lady Augusta Somerset, his excellency Count Mensdorf and his four sons, came within a quarter of an hour before the Queen. At a quarter to six o’clock her Majesty the Queen and his royal highness Prince Albert, accompanied by their majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians, and attended by the lord and lady in waiting, and the other members immediately connected with the court arrived, her Majesty and her august relatives being received with loud acclamations by the thousands assembled along -the .royal route. The arrival of her Majesty was proclaimed by a royal salute being fired on the island, arid on the royal cortege reaching the villa, there was a discharge of ordnance in the meadow on the oppositeibank of the Thames., .The Duke and j Duchess having been apprised of the Queen’s \ approach, received her Maje ty and his royal highness at the entrance to the villa, when the Queen took the noble Duke’s arm, Prince Albert, offering his to. the Duchess of Buccleuch. Her Majesty .and his royal highness Prince Albert, with the King and Queen of the Belgians, were almost immediately conducted to, the front lawn, where the band (the royal horse guards, blue) saluted the royal presence by playing the national anthem. The Thames, in front of the villa, at this period, presented a gay and animated appearance, from not only the number of pleasure-boa.ts which literally covered its surface, but from the two admiralty boats, and the Trinity yacht-boat, with the watermen in their state liveries,, moored in front, and a large yacht which was what is j termed dressed with all the signals used in the maritime service, stationed in the centre of the j river. The opposite shore, which commanded j an uninterrupted view of the lawri. and gardens in front of the villa, was thronged -by a vast concourse of spectators. After her Majesty and Prince Albert, and the other illustrious gqests, had promenaded the gardens and romantic grounds attached to the villa for some j time, dinner was announced. The entertain- j ment was served up in a spacious and beauti- ,

fully furnished marquee, on the lawn, almost adjoining the mansion, lined with blue and white draperies, and carpetted with crimson cloth. The table was illuminated by a richlywrought chandelier and various candelabra, we believe by Messrs. Hancock & Co. The banquet was of the most recherche character, and the fruit displayed on the royal table was of the finest culture. Another temporary saloon for it had more the appearance of a noble apartment than a marquee —was erected in the back grounds belonging to the villa, to which the company passed through a covered pathway. It was in that marquee that the general visitors partook of a sumptuous entertainment. Some conception may be formed of the erection by its dimensions, it being nearly two hundred feet long by thirty-six wide, and the height of the dome in the centre was fifty feet. The interior was hung with scarlet and white drapery, the walls being surrounded with festoons and rosettes, of blue, .white, and scarlet silk. It was lighted by seven enormous chandeliers, giving additional brilliancy to the otherwise splendid interior. Both tents were furnished expressly for the occasion, by Benjamin Edgington, of Duke street, Southwark, and were highly creditable to that respectable establishment. The circle invited to the royal table was very select, and comprised the Queen and Prince Albert, the Queen Dowager, the King and Queen of the Belgians, their royal bignesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Gloucester, their serene highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Meiningen, Princess Augusta of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, the Prince of Saxe Meiningen, his excellency Count Mensdorf, the Dujie of Wellington, Earl of Aberdeen, and the more distinguished of the visitors of the noble Duke and Duchess. Prince George of Cambridge, accompanied by the hereditary Prince of Saxe Meiningen, arrived a short time before the Queen.. The fine band of the Coldstream guards was engaged in addition to that of the royal horse guards. At the close of the evening the principal marquee was cleared for dancing, which commenced soon after nine, to Weippert’s full band of thirty performers. The grounds were illuminated at dusk by thousands of variegated lamps, intermixed in the shrubs, and parterres, and along the whole extent of the lawn facing the river were festoons of lamps. The architecture of the bridge was traced by numberless illumination lamps, which were lighted at dusk, and over the three principal arches were devices. There was a grand display of fireworks on the meadow on the opposite bank, under the auspices of Southby, the artist, in which there were nine set pieces, some displaying transparencies of the Queen and Prince Albert, the Duchess of Kent, &c. At the hour our reporters left Richmond, shortly before eleven, the bridge and leading approaches were lined by thousands of people, who were loud in their praise of the rare treat afforded them by the duke and duchess’s fete. The Castle Hotel and the shopkeepers generally illuminated at night.