WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 34, 3 August 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by " Eileen "),

THE PEERESSES AT THE CORONATION

A MiAZH OF JEWELS AND KRESS.

London, June 23

The purely social point of view of the Coronation was extraordinarily interesting, and almost everyone of note in London at present was to be seen ia various parts of the great Abbey. The assemblage began to gather at half-past six, and from then until nine o'clock the Gold Staff officers had a'very difficult task to deal with the thousands of people who arrived and who had to be conducted to their seats.

Quite a number of peers and peeresses arrived in state coaches. These vehicles presented a very magnificent appearance, the more noteworthy being those owned by Lord Bute, which was of powder blue and apricot yellow; Lord Lonsdale, whose bright canary-colored coach was easily recognised; Lord Beauchamp, Lord Cadogan, who was accompanied by Lady Cadogan and whose carriage of Cadogan blue and brown was superbly turned out; Lord and Lady Londonderry, Lord and Lady Salisbury, Lord and Lady Galway, the Duke and Duchess of Somerset, and others far too numerous to mention. MAGNIFICENT ORNAMENTS.

The peeresses' seats very soon began to fill up, and a more magnificent tout ensemble could not be imagined. Splendid tiaras and jewels of all kinds were to be seen and the fact that all were wearing the orthodox robes of crimson trimmed with ermine over white satin skirts contributed in no small degree to the beauty and uniformity of the spectacle.

In the front row of duchesses sat. first I of all, the Duchess of Norfolk; then camel the Duchess of Somerset, the Duchess of! Beaufort, and then the Duchesses oil Hamilton, Montrose, Portland and Suth-| erland. Further along on the side of the| gangway in the same line, were several duchesses, including the Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe, the Duchess of Leeds,! the Duchess of Rutland, the Duche*ss of] Buccleuch, and several others according to precedence. In the second row, immediately behind the Duchess of Norfolk, sat the Duchess of Roxburghe, then came the Duchess of Manchester, the Duchess of Newcastle, the Duchess of Northumberland, the Duchess of Wellington, Katherine Duchess of Westminster, and the Duchess of Westminster.

Some of the most magnificent diamonds were those worn by the Duchess of Northumberland, which are of immense size. T'sc D ichess of Ruxburghe wore a gorgi oi.s diamond tiara with true lovers' knots in diamonds, which formerly belonged to Marie Antoinette, on her shoulders. Down the centre of her corsage were enormous emeralds surrounded with diamonds, and a drop of seven pearls terminating in one enormous diamond was worn on one side. The Duchess of Winchester wore a big, upstanding tiara of diamonds, a necklace to match, and other gorgeous jewels. The Duchess of Beaufort wore an all-round crown of diamonds rather far back on her i head.

THE QUEEN'S FRIENDS. " The Duchess of Marlborough wore a small diamond crown and rows of pearls round her neck, while her whole corsage was blazing with jewels. The Duchess of Portland wore the famous high tiara with the Portland Diamond swinging in the centre, and instead of the ordinary veil she wore lace lappets, as did the Duchess of Hamilton. The Duchess of Sutherland, who has recently Had her tiara reset, had her lace lappets swathed round the head and hanging down on either side of the head in the most becoming fashion. The Duchess of Westminster wore a lace veil on her head with a diamond crown round it. One or two others adopted this fashion, among them Lady Chesterfield and Lady Lytton. Lady Mar and Kellie looked very beautiful in her robes with a diamond tiara and a diamond necklace and the front of her dress covered with diamonds and pearls. Lady Bute wore magnificent jewels, including several large emeralds, and by her side sat Lady Waterford, and then came Lady Downshire, who wore no tiara on her head at all. Naturally it would be quite impossible to mention all the peeresses who were present, for very few absentees were noticed, but those particularly noted for their jewels were Lady Londonderry, who wore her enormous diamond crown tipped with pearls, certainly the highest in the Abbey; Lady Derby, Lady Winchester, Lady Granard, who positively blazed with diamonds; Lady Yarborough, Lady Tweeddale, Lady Powis, Lady Galway, Lady Garvagh, Katherine Duchess of Westminster, Lady Craven, Lady Newsborough, Florence Lady Nurburnholme, Lady Carnarvon, Lady Mayo, Lady Lansdowne and Lady Ripon, who sat to the extreme left of the marchionesses' row of seats, and who wore a great crowd of diamonds tipped with pearls. It was very remarkable how all the head-dresses of the peeresses varied. Some wore big all-round crowns of diamonds, others ordinary tiaras, while a few wore no jewels at all, contenting themselves with veils and their coronets, which were assumed when the Queen was crowned.

No two tiara 3 were alike in form. The Duchess of Newcastle, for instance, wore a crown of diamonds with an ostrich feather standing up in the centre. Lady Aberdeen wore her famous Oriental tiara of gold studded with diamonds, rubies, j emeralds and sapphires, and she wore a| gauze veil over ■her head and hanging down the shoulders. She was one of] the very few peeresses who wore a bouquet of flowers in the front of her gown. Some magnificent embroidered kirtles were to be seen among the peeresses, probably one of the finest being that worn by Lady Cuffolk. This kirtle was embroidered with the family coat of arms worked in colored stones and gold thread. Lady Ormonde wore very old but beautiful robes embroidered in bay; leaves, which were at one time worn byj her ancestress, the beautiful Duchess of Sutherland, who was Mistress of the. Robes to Queen Victoria. i

As a rule the greater number of peeresses' robes were simply bordered with

ermine, but a few had heraldic devices! embroidered in gold in the corners. Nearly all of them wore crimson velvet embroidered, bags, in wliich were carried handkerchiefs, fans, and in many cases little boxes of chocolates or lozenges. These bags were very beautifully embroidered in gold and silver and suspended from tlie waist by cords. In the boxes set apart for personal friends of the Queen and Queen Alexandra were to be seen Lady Beatrice PoleCarew and Lady Constance Butler, Lady Mary Ward, Lady Theo Acheson, Lady Marjorie Manners and Lady Diana Manners, Lord Algernon Gordon-Lennox and Miss Ivy Lennox, Lady Irene Demson. Miss Sybil Codrington, and a few others whom, owing to the position of the box, it was difficult to see. Lady Paget was a resplendent figure in the King's box, where also were to be seen Mra. William James, Mr. and Mrs. Leopold <le Rothschild, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur S'assoon and Mme. Melba.

The various Royal guests began to J arrive shortly aften ten o'clock, and they were conducted with much pomp and ceremony to their places. The German Crown Prince and Princess were easily recognised, the latter wearing-a dress of ;>old with a cloth of gold train. Prince Henry of Prussia was a striking figure, wearing the cloak of the Order of the Garter. Cheers in the streets, which were distinctly heard in the Abbey, denoted the arrival of the Prince of Wales, who was habited in full Garter robes with the high beplumed hat which the rei cent photographs of his investiture have made familiar. The Prince's train was borne by Lord Ashley, the little son of Lord and Lady Shaftesbury, and his coronet by Lord Revelstoke. THE ROYAL TRAIN-BEARERS.

Then, according to precedence, came Prince Albert, in naval uniform, and Prince Henry and Prince George, in the Highland dress. They were followed by Princess Mary, who wore a lace dress over satin with a blue velvet train, which was borne by Lady Bertha Dawkins. Princess Mary wore round her neck two beautiful rows of pearls. The next to arrive in the Eoyal box was the Princess Royal, with her two daughters, Princess Alexandra and Princess Maud of Fife. The Princess Royal wore a dress of white brocaded satin, with the conventional train of purple velvet worn by all princesses of the blood Royal. Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll, in white and silver brocade, with magnifi-1 | cent jewels, followed her elder sister, her train being carried by Miss Violet/ Douglas-Pennant . The next to appear] was Princess Henry of Battenburg, who, ■ like the other members of the Royal I Family, wore a brocaded silver dress I with purple train. She was followed by the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotlin, who was resplendent with diamonds and sapphires. Next came the Duchess of Connaught, with Princess Victoria Patricia, their trains being borne by Miss Pelly and Miss Clementine Adam. The Duchess of Albany came next, with Lady Evelyn Moreton bearing her train. Alexander of Teck, who looked perfectly charming in white and gold, her train of purple velvet being borne by Miss Edith Heron-Maxwell. I The Queen wore nothing on her head when she entered the Abbey, and her train was borne by Lady Eileen Butler, Lady Eileen Knox, Lady Victoria Carrington, Lady Mabell Ogilvy, Lady Dorothy Browne, and Lady Mary Dawson,' Lady Eileen Butler and Ladv Mary Dawson, the tallest of the young ladies, being placed at the end of the train. They wore very charming dresses of white satin trimmed with pearls, and in their hair they wore what appeared to be a large butterfly in pearls, with the regulation feathers and veils.

Immediately after these train-bearers came the Duchess of Devonshire, wearing a very high all-round crown of diamonds, and her ducliess' robes were heavily embroidered in gold. Following the Duchess were Lady Minto, Lady Shaftesbury, Lady Desborough, and Lady AmpthilL Lady Mmto's dress was of soft pink and' gold brocade. Lady Shaftesbury wore a peculiar shade of what may be termed lemon-tinted gold, while Lady Desborough was m water-green brocade and Lady Ampthill in white and gold. Lady Mary Trefusis, Lady Eva Dusdale and Lady Katherin Coke followed the Ladies of the Bedchamber, and then came the four Maids of Honor, Miss Venetia Baring, Miss Sybil Brodrick. Miss Mabel Rye and Miss Katherine Vi' liers. All these ladies just enumerated wore the Queen's cypher in diamonds on ni, i' , Lord Herachell, as ViceChamberlain to the Queen, followed the Ladies-m-Waiting.

" PRINCESS EDGWIDGE." Miss Dorothy Firmin, the "Princess Ldgwidge of "Jack and the Beanstalk," began her stage career as a child "I am an ordinary person to whom no adventures fall," she says. Her journey to the Antipodes is the first time' she ■as been away from Great Britain. Miss lirmin, although recognised as one of the principal girls in England, has had considerable experience in other lines of the profession. She has played a number of the Shakesperean heroines, and she has also appeared in many Gaiety theatre musical comedies. She was prominent in the cast with Marie Lohr in Alice Sit by the Fire." She regards Miss Lohr s success as due to her creat personal charm. Miss Firmin is an ardent golfer, and has won several amateur championships in England.