DIONNE QUINTUPLETS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1939, Page 5

DIONNE QUINTUPLETS

RECEIVED BY THE KING & QUEEN INFORMAL AND HAPPY MEETING. AN EXCHANGE OF PRESENTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) TORONTO, May 22. Their Majesties spent nineteen minutes with the Dionne quintuplets, says the special representative of the Australian Associated Press. The little girls were not content with a formal presentation, but later spontaneously came up and put their arms around the Queen’s neck, giving her a very affectionate kiss, which her Majesty returned. Yvonne thought the King should receive some attention, so approached him and took him by the hand. The quintuplets gave the Queen photographs of themselves, which each had autographed. Their Majesties gave them each a little blue coat. The little girls were pictures in frilly frocks of white organdi, white mesh mittens, tied with little ribbons, and with white poke bonnets, slipped back over their shoulders, setting off their brown hair and wide brown eyes.

Each quintuplet was allowed one spot of colour, expressed in her favourite flower. Marie had yellow rosebuds in her hair, Annette, green blossoms, Cecile, blue, Emile Rose, rosebuds, and Yvonne, mauve heather. Each carried a little bouquet, matching the blossoms in her hair.

The meeting took place in the music room of the Lieutenant-Governor's suite in the Ontario Legislative Buildings, in the quiet dignified atmosphere of a Mayfair drawing room. It was a wonderful birthday celebration for the quintuplets, who are. wards of the King. They complete their fifth year a week from today. The girls were as composed as young debutantes, as they sat on a chesterfield couch awaiting their Majesties’ arrival, and chatted quietly and happily with their parents, Dr Dafoe and the three nurses, who had no difficulty with them whatever during their visit to Toronto, although this was the first time they had left the few hundred yards area around their home at Callander. They are in wonderful health. Weighed this morning they showed an average of fifty ; one pounds, compared with one and a quarter pounds at birth. Their eyes lit up when the King, in the glory of an Admiral’s uniform and the Queen, looking beautiful in blue, entered, accompanied by the Ontario Premier, Mr M. F. Hepburn, Mrs Hepburn and Mr Mackenzie King. Dr Dafoe and the nurses were the first to be presented. Then the children all rose, one by one, and curtseyed very sweetly. Their Majesties turned to Dr Dafoe and were questioning him when the quintuplets noticed the superb bouquet presented to the Queen earlier in the Legislative Chamber and spontaneously they approached and four of them gave her their posies, which she smilingly accepted. Marie, however, had been watching the King closely throughout and with a disarming smile she gravely presented her posy to him and slipped her hand into his. Cecile then put her arms round the Queen's neck, as her Majesty leaned forward, and embraced her warmly and the others followed suit, forming one of the loveliest pictures possible. Only a few, however, were privileged to see it, as photographers were not present.

The Queen talked in French for several minutes with Mrs Dionne and the King engaged Mr Dionne in conversation in the same tongue. The children meanwhile clustered around their Majesties’ knees, gazing up wide-eyed. Then, to attract attention) Yvonne cried out: “I’m Yvonne,” and eagerly the others took up the chorus, calling out their names.

The quintuplets were decorous, but starry-eyed as their Majesties took their departure. Yvonne’s eyes were still glued to the King’s buttons, which fascinated her. Their Majesties naturalness and delight in the children at this unique meeting was to the handful of observers precious and a com-plete-revelation of their rich humanness.