BANQUET IN STATE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 335, 23 June 1911, Page 4

BANQUET IN STATE.

A\ UNPARALLELED AFFAIR. j REPRESENTATION OF THE WORID'S I POWER. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London. June 21. All the gentlemen attending the State banquet were in uniforms, and wore orders and decorations. The various members of the Royal Family were distributed among the 'several parties. Nearly a hundred of the principal guests were served from the Sovereign's gold plate, brought under escort from the treasure vaults' at Windsor. ; Within the annals of Royal functions there is no record of an assembly so representative of the world's power as last night's State banquet at Buckingham Palace. There were 560 Coronation guests, including the colonial Premiers: Their Majesties excused' the guests early, to enable those desiring to attend the Shakespeare ball, where 40OA attended, including the German j Crown Prince and Princess, Prince | Henry of Prussia, the Emperor Francis Joseph's representative, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, and numerous foreign Royalties. The programme included quadrilles, wherein notabilities of the Tudor age : and characters of most Shakespeare's plays were represented. Their Majesties did not attend the ball. Huge eager crowds viewed the illuminations in the streets till a late hour.