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Social Victorians/1889-07-04 Garden Party

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Marlborough House Garden Party with the Queen and the Shah

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Logistics

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Who Was Present

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  1. Queen Victoria
  2. Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia

Anthology

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From the Morning Post

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<quote>The knowledge that both the Queen and the Shah were to be present at the Marlborough House garden party, sufficed to draw large bodies of sight-seers — a considerable percentage of whom were ladies — into the streets and roadways which the two processions were to traverse. The crowds were thickest at the bottom of St. James's-street along the west side of Pall-mall, opposite Marlborough House, and on the paths between the side of Marlborough House and St. James's Palace. But, lines from three to six — and, in some places, 10 — deep crowded all the way from Marlborough House to Buckingham Palace. Carriages, conveying guests to the garden-party, began to arrive soon after half-past four; but a quarter of an hour elapsed before there was anything like a steady and continuous flow. From about a quarter to five, however, until the time when vehicular traffic was suspended for a little while to admit of the free passage of the two royal cortéges, the strong force of police at the Pall-mall and Garden entrances to Marlborough House, had as much as they could do to regulate the carriages, and to give the coachmen the necessary directions for the prevention of a block. As some of the vehicles came along Pall-mall, others across St. James's-park, and yet others down Pall-mall, this proved by no means an easy task, especially as a cross-line of traffic was caused by some of the carriages entering through the Pall-mall gateways and others — the bulk — on the side nearest to St. James's-park. Some of the occupants, growing tired of waiting, alighted in Pall-mall, and made their way on foot into the enclosure, through the small side gates on either side of the carriage entrance. Lord Arthur Hill, Comptroller of the Household, was an early arrival, and among the first of the general visitors were Lord Harris, Under Secretary for War, and Mr. Carbutt, A member of the House of Commons in the late Parliament. Lord and Lady Lamington also came early; and were followed, almost immediately, by Sir John Millais and his daughters, Sir Henry and Lady Selwin-Ibbetson, Sir Massey and Lady Lopes, Viscount Cranbrook and the Hon. Miss Gathorne-Hardy, Lord and Lady Herschell, the Earl of Selborne, Sir Frederick Leighton, the Earl of Derby, the Greek Minister, Lord Kensington, and the Marchioness of Salisbury. The carriage, with Marchioness of Salisbury. The carriage, with coachmen and footmen in royal scarlet, conveying the Prince and Princess Christian went by rapidly, and the great gates of Marlborough House were closed behind it, almost before the public were aware that the Queen's third daughter and her husband had passed; but the Duke of Cambridge, who himself drove a park phaeton, with a groom seated behind, was recognised with a hearty cheer. Succeeding, came Mr. Robert Lincoln, the United States Minister, with Mrs. Lincoln in an open landau; and the flow of equipages was then so rapid that a detailed account of their distinguished occupants was rendered impossible. At 20 minutes past five, however, a squadron of mounted police cleared the way, and distant cheering notified the arrival of her Majesty. A gleam of grey and scarlet — the roll of wheels — a momentary glimpse of the Queen and Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg bowing acknowledgments to the vociferous plaudits of the assemblage, and all further view was lost behind the escort of Royal Horse Guards that followed the during which the appearance of a red fez denoted the passing by of the Turkish Ambassador; and then, again, distant cheering and the suspension of general traffic proclaimed that the Shah was on his way from Buckingham Palace. The Grenadier sentries in Pall-mall presented arms as the carriage, horsed by four bays and ridden by postillions in purple jackets and white breeches, went at a trot through the principal entrance of Marlborough House. His Majesty, who saluted the crowd at every few yards, wore a plain Astrachan kolah, and his uniform was hidden by a dark-blue, scarlet-lined military cloak. Accompanying him were Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, the Grand Vazir, and Prince Malcom Khan; and the members of the Persian suite followed in three other carriages.</quote> ()

Questions and Notes

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Bibliography

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