ROYAL SHOPPING.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1921, Page 6

ROYAL SHOPPING.

CHANGES FROM THE PAST. QUEEN VISITS THE SHOPS. The Queen, like most of us, has been much occupied this week in the pleasant task of choosing Christmas presents, says a London paper of December last. In her quest for what will be most acceptable to the honored recipients, her Majesty has been visiting some of tne leading shops and stores, making her purchases across the counters or in the show rooms in the same way as any of the less exalted customers. Her Majesty, it may be said, does her shopping in a manner that sets an admirable example. The class of article desired is mentioned, and the Queen soon sees what meets. her wishes, inspecting each item before final selection. Further, Her Majesty is a good jqdge of value, and does not hesitate to decline anything submitted to her inspection if the price seems at all unreasonably high. Princess Mary has not only accompanied the Queen on some of these visits to the shops, but also goes with her lady-in-waiting on similar expeditions for herself.

In this connection, it\is interesting to note how much change has come during the present reign into the Royal methods of selecting the seasonable gifts. Queen Victoria, it is said, hardly ever entered a shop at all, though the longgone establishment of Messrs. Howell and James could claim that her late Majesty had accorded them the extremely rare distinction of a personal visit. Tn the dairy of Queen Victoria, however, there is an interesting description of her Christmas gifts in her year spent at Claremont:— “Christmas Eve.—Went down to' ar-' range mamma’s \table for her. At six wej dined. Very soon after dinner mamma sent -for us into the gallery, where all : the things were arranged on different! tables. From my dear mamma I received a beautiful gold buckle in the shape of two serpents, a lovely little delicate #old chain with a turquoise clasp, a lovely colored sketch of dearest Aunt Louise, by Partridge, a beautiful drawing by Munn, one lovely sea piece by Purser, and one beautiful cattle piece by Cooper, a book called ‘Findon’s Tableaux.’ Heath’s ‘Picturesque Annual for 1837. ‘lreland’—both these are - very pretty—two handkerchiefs, a pretty black satin | apron trimmed with red velvet, and two I almanacs... .1 then took mamma to the library where my humble table was arranged. I gave her a bracelet made of my 'hair and the ‘Keepsake’ and the ‘Oriental Annual.’ ”

During her long reign Queen Victoria used to issue orders early in December to the Royal Warrant holders to send to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or wherever the Court Was in residence, selections of their wares, and a room or two was allotted for their display. When convenient to herself, the Queen would come to inspect them, choosing what she liked best and regarded as appropriate for different members of the Royal family, the household, and those outside whom she desired to remember. Duplicates or replicas would sometimes be ordered.

The same plan was followed generally by Queen Alexandra, though rather more elasticity began to creep into it, as Princess Victoria began to visit a few of the shops for 'herself. /King Edward, who bestowed seasonable gifts most generously, also made his selections from the collections sent for his examination, and 'books in {beautiful bindings figured largely in them. Perhaps the changes in the shops themselves have had much 'to do with the present altered attitude of the Royal family towards them. The mid-Victor-ian shop even of the highest order was very different from the palatial establishments of to-day, with their speciousness -and artistic arrangement, their methods of display, and beyond all, the enormous veriety that they can offer. No one enjoys seeing novelties more than the Queen, and in visiting the big stores Her Majesty comes into direct touch with all the latest developments. The great houses, on their part, are extremely proud of the honor of the Queen’s personal inspection and patronage of their goods, and probably not a few customers will be assisted to a decision as to what they shall buy when/ the assistant can say, “That, madam, is similar to the one just purchased here by the Queen.”