THE QUEEN'S ROBES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 89, 23 July 1910, Page 9

THE QUEEN'S ROBES.

SOME ACCOUNT OF HER ROY A 1., WARDROBE.

Queen Mary's gowns and robes are divided into two categories—State and ordinary—and are kept in two separate apartments at Marlborough House known 1 as the robe rooms, which open into each other; the walls of these rooms are lined with solid mahogany wardrobes, each wardroue containing from four to eight ' gowns. The robe rooms are in charge of three maids, who, on the instructions , of one of the Queen's Ladies, bring whatever gowns or dresses her Majesty may intend to wear to the Royal dressingroom. The -instructions are sent to the head robe maid over night; they are written on a card on which is set out the gowns that will be required on the following day and the time each is to be left in the Royal dressing-room. Each gown, by the way, in the Royal wardrobes is numbered, and is referred to by its number in the instructions to the robe maid. Every gown and robe in the Royal wardrobe is-entered in a book with the date when it was ordered. When it is sent to the Royal dressing-room, the words "in use" are written against it,| and, as a general rule, after an ordinary gown has been worn a dozen times, it I leaves the Royal wardrobe. ORDERING A NEW GOWN. When the Queen desires to order a new gown, the proprietor or manager of the firm of modistes who is to receive the order is instructed that her Majesty will be at his establishment on a certain ' date and hour, when he is expected to be ready to attend on her Majesty. He must, of course, receive his Royal customer in a private room. Several firms who are patronised by Royalty al- ( ways arrange for a Royal customer to enter their establishment by a private door when they are honored with a Royal visit; neither the Queen Mother nor Queen Mary have insisted on such an arrangement, though Wiey both undoubtedly like it to be made. I The Queeii is shown a number of model gowns which are generally exhibited on a living model, but this is mainly done for the purpose of showing materials to her Majesty, and how they look when they are made up, for, as a matter of fact, the new Queen, like the QueenMother, practically never orders a copy, or, at all events, an exact copy of a model gown. •Her Majesty, after she has inspected various models, indicates very exactly how she desires the gown she may order to be made up; her instructions are taken down by a shorthand writer, and are then read over to her Majesty to see that her orders have been properly and correctly noted. The gown is usually fitted on* the Queen at Marlborough House, and it is always understood that she desires to have a gown fitted only once, so that the greatest care has to be taken to avoid ffie necessity of making any alteration in a Royal gowni after it has been fitted on. ROYALTIES AND THE FASHION. Royalties need not, by the way, trouble to think of what is, or is not fashionable, for whatever they may choose to wear becomes at once the mode.. But, at the same time, one very rarely sees a lady dressed quite like the Queen, except Royalties. The reason of this is obvious. In matters of dress Royalties are a law unto themselves and desire to remain so. It has been understood among, the ladies of the Queen Mother's and Queen Mary's entourage that their dress must not follow too closely, or so closely as to be noticeable, the style and character of the Royal gowns; and the wishes of Royaty, of course, have been observed by the Ladies of the Household, and among their immediate friends, and society in general follows their example. The Queen's mode of dressing is, of course, far from being conspicuously different from that of any English gentlewoman in good society, but there is, nevertheless, a difference to the observant eye, at all'events, between the fashions adopted by Royalty and those of their subjects, and it is right and proper that this difference, finely and delicately drawn as it is, should exist.

INEXPENSIVE COSTUMES.

The Queen, of" necessity, spends upon her State robes a great deal of money, but on ordinary attire her Majesty's anmal outlay is, comparatively speaking, by no means large. Queen Mary's yachting costumes, for example, though made of the best navy blue serge, are very simply cut, .and do not cost more than six or seven guineas. Her Majesty has several hats which did not cost more than three or four guineas apiece. Three guineas is the usual price wliieh the Queen pays for boots, which are made of the best kid. Of course, her Majesty has several almost priceless possessions which find a permanent place in the Royal wardrobe, and wnich could not be purchased for money. For instance, there are various examples of exquisite lace which have been used to adorn many of the Queen's gowns, and some magnificent embroidery work which the Queen has worn on several of her dresses,

FOR CHARITY'S SAKE. At regular intervals a certain number *f gowns and robes are removed from the Royal wardrobe, some of which- are given to the robe maid or some near dependent of Royalty, and.others are sold and the proceeds given away to charity. The Royal gowns are usually sold through a dress agency, and the transaction is conducted, as a rule, by the head robe maid. One strict condition of the sale to the dress agency is that the Royal gowns are never to be sold to anyI one in this country.

This condition has been rigorously in-j sisted upon since some, few years ago a' lady in Society was seen at a wedding at St. George's, Hanover Square, in a gown that had unmistakably once belonged to the Queen-Mother. , Her Majesty was present at the wedding and was greatly annoyed at the in-' cident; ever since, the strictest orders have been given that the Royal gowns must never be sold for wear in this coun-, try. ; When the Queen travels, her gowns are packed in long robe trunks. A list is given to the robe maid of the dresses the Queen desires to take with her, and the list is returned to one of the Queen's ladies when the packing of the robes has i been finished, signed by the robe maid < who is responsible for the.packing of the, dresses and gowns mentioned in the list. ; —London M.A.P.