WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 76, 8 July 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

POSITION OF THE QUEEN MOTHER. TABLES OF PRECEDENCE. London, Slay 13. There is one woman—the most cruelly bereaved in all the nation—to whom the i hearts of the British in every comer of the globe must go out.now in the most | loving sympathy as she leaves her posi- j tion as Queen Consort and the First j Lady in the Land and gives place to another, and that one is our beautiful, | tender-hearted and deeply-loved Queen Alexandra. It was a kindly desire on the part of the new King that his widowed mother should not be known by the harsh title* of Dowager, but should, instead, be in future called the QueenMother, a name that seems singularly fitting for the gentle, gracious lady to whom it has been our privilege to pay most devoted fealty, though for all too short a. time. No longer "Her Majesty." It is strange to think of Queen Alexandra as any but a leading figure in the land after the many years, since the death of the Prince Consort, that she has played her exalted role. AH through the seventies and eighties,- when Q

Victoria remained in retirement, uuil took no part in public ceremonial, such duties were relegated to the Prince and Princess of Wales, and right nobly were thev performed with the kindliness and delicate tact for which Alexandra has always justly been noted.

PROBABLE FUTURE PLANS. Another stage of life begins now for the Queen-Mother, and she will, it is thought, probably divide her time in future between England and Denmark. Three years ago she had built for herself a summer residence on Klampenborg Bay, about seven miles from Copenhagen, which, during the last two summers, she has shared with her sister, the Dowager Empress of Russia. The sisters have always been deeply attached, and will probably spend a great deal more time together in future. There will, of necessity, be many changes among the officials of the new Royal Household, but they will be gradual. Mr. Sidney Greville—a Groom-in-Waiting—will probably retain his position as private secretary to Queen Alexandra. The Queen-Mother will no longer have a Mistress of the Robes or Maids of Honor. Lord Howe, Lord Gosford, Lord Ripon, Lady Hardinge, and, of course, Miss Knollys will remain in her service. TABLES OF PRECEDENCE.

It is so long since there was a Queen Dowager in this country that the tables of precedence now in use do not indicate the precedence she enjoys. As a matter of fact, her place is after the Princess of Wales, who immediately , follows the Queen; hut as Prince Edward is not likely to marry for some years to come, Queen Alexandra now simply changes places with Queen Mary, unless King George assigns his mother any other position. In all other ranks than that of Queen, a dowager while a widow takes' precedence of the wife of the incumbent of the title. So little i 9 the position of Queen-Dowager accounted of in the eyes of the English law that she ceases to be under the protection of the Jaw of 'treason. The dower house of the QueenMother will be Marlborough House. It was her first home in London, for she was brought there as a bride in 1863. Marlborough House, it may' be mentioned, was used as a dower house in 1837, when it was settled by Act of Parliament on Queen Adelaide, widow of William IV., for life. The house, which is exactly 200 years old, was built by Wren. It did not become the property of the Crown until 1817, when it was given to Princess Charlotte, the only child of George IV. The Princess, who died in child-birth at Claremont that year, never lived there. It was occupied for several years bj her widower, Prince Leopold, before he became King of the Belgians. The late King, into whose possession Marlborough 1 House passed in 1861, lived there for thirty-eight years. It is suggested also that Sandringham House and Park may be used by the Queen-Mother, although the extensive estate and shooting may be devised to the Prince of Wales. , NEW MISTRESS OF THE ROBES.

There will be many changes in the Court circles with the new reign. It is almost certain that the Duchess of Bucleuch will resign her office as Mistress of the Robes, and much speculation exists as to who will succeed her. It is thought possible that the office will in' future be held by the Duchess of Devonshire, a daughter of the Marquis of Lansdowne, and a niece of the Duchess of Buccleuch.

QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S MESSAGE. Queen Alexandra on Tuesday wrote the following touching letter to the nation:—

From the depth of my poor broken heart I wish to express to the whole nation and our kind people we love so well my deep-felt thanks for all their touching sympathy in my overwhelming sorrow and unspeakable i anguish. Not alone have I lost everything in him, my beloved husband, but the nation, too, has suffered an irreparable loss by, their best friend, Father and Sovereign, thus suddenly called away. May God give us all His divine help to bear this heaviest of crosses which He has seen fit to lay upon us—His will be done. , Give me a thought in your prayers, which will comfort and sustain me in all I still have to go through. Let me take this opportunity of expressing my heartfelt thanks for all the touching letters I have received from all classes, high and low, rich and poor, which are so numerous that I fear it will be impossible for me ever to thank everybody indkidually. I confide my dear son into your care, who I know will follow in his de»r father's footsteps, begging you to show him the same loyalty and devotion you showed his dear father. I know that both my dear son and daughter-in-law will do their utmost to merit and keep it. Alexandra