|
OUEEN Victoria never held any
royal ceremonial in her Palace of Holy' rood House. It may be reasonably
conjectured that she felt unable to hold any festivities there, as her last
great visit had been clouded over by the immediately following death of her
husband, who probably caught his fatal sickness in Holyrood Palace. Not long
after his accession, the late King Edward and Queen Alexandra came in state
to Edinburgh. A levee and a drawing-room were held, to the great
satisfaction of Edinburgh society. The drawing-room took place in the
daytime, and therefore in morning-dress, bonnets or toques being prescribed
as the headgear of etiquette. Of course your common man does not know how a
toque differs from a hat. But there were Court lady observers—I almost said
"detectives"—to see that no infringement of rule took place. I was informed
by a lady that there was one head-dress which fell under censure as being a
hat, but the royal inspectors had it removed, and they pushed and prodded it
about, converting it into what might pass as a toque, to the great relief of
the owner, who feared she would not be permitted to make her curtsey.
The duties performed in
London by the Gentlemen-at-Arms were fulfilled by the Royal Archers —King s
Bodyguard—and on the day following, His Majesty held an inspection of the
Bodyguard in the garden of the Palace. There was a high wind, and the eagles
feathers which adorned the bonnets were flying in dozens, chased by members
of the King's household and A.D.C.s, which rather detracted from the dignity
of the proceedings, and afforded much amusement to the ladies.
Only once did King Edward
visit Edinburgh again, when he held a great review of Territorials in
Queen's Park, at which 38,383 troops were present, On that day I had the
privilege, as honorary Colonel of the Army Motor Reserve, to be in command
of the motor contingent, which was authorised to be present, thus being the
first motorist that ever officially marched past the Sovereign. When the
King rode along the front of the motor line, he, as he passed me, put up his
hand and spoke from behind it, saying jocularly: "Take care you don't exceed
the regulation pace." I solemnly responded, "Yes, sir." It was the last word
I ever heard him speak, and it is a pleasant memory of his kindly nature.
After the accession of King
George to the throne, he and his Queen Consort visited Edinburgh n 1912, and
held a levee and drawing-room at Holyrood Palace. To the delight of the
ladies, the presentation was held in the evening, and went off with great
eclat. There is little that a man can be expected to describe satisfactorily
as regards the dresses. heir variety was bewildering, but I am led to
understand from my lady friends that in their judgment—possibly biased—the
show could compare w ell with Buckingham Palace. However that may be I will
ask to be forgiven for telling my own sensations.
Being in attendance on duty
as an Officer of State, I had a fixed position not far from the door at
which the ladies entered, and it was just opposite me that the long trains
were lowered from the arm and spread out by the attendants as the ladies
moved past. ro me the sensation produced was like watching the billows
breaking on the shore. The wave came over the arm and fell in a billow on
the floor, then it spread out towards me, and went away from me as the lady
advanced. The regular sequence time after time produced a strange effect;
which I cannot describe, but I began to understand the late Queen Victoria's
need, when holding a drawing-room, to stop the flow of the billows for a
short time every now and then, and to give the eyes a rest from that
unbroken succession of slow, tide-like movements of the trains over the
floor. It was a sensation which I shall never forget. I confess, though
professing to be a man of strong nerves, this succession of waves had an
effect upon me. If I ever have the same duty to do again, in the same
position, prudence will lead me to have strong smelling salts handy.
I have already spoken of the
ceremony in the new bijou chapel of the Order of the Thistle, to which, of
course, I was not admitted. But I had a duty to do that day which I shall
always remember with gratification. While the King was in the Chapel the
Queen remained on the throne in the transept, and to the Lord-Advocate and
myself, as the two Scottish Officers of State,, was given the duty of
attending on her during the King's absence, and of leading her up to join
him in the chancel on his return, where they stood during the benediction.
It was the first time I ever did duty directly to the person of King or
Queen, and I valued the honour. The memory of that whole ceremonial is most
pleasing. It had not the magnificence of Westminster Abbey, but it had a
sober dignity in the old rough Cathedral Church, which was more in
accordance with the character of the King's dominion of Scotland.
The King on this occasion
held a military review, when new colours were presented to the Royal Scots,
and he also inspected the Veterans, who form the National Reserve, and who
paraded to the number of 4247. Lord Minto, whose recent death all good
citizens deplore, was in command, and I was told off to command one of the
battalions, probably my last official appearance at any military parade. |
