His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VII — John Shaqi
His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VIILowndes, Marie Belloc
History
His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VII
Lowndes, Marie Belloc
Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 1841-1910
Princess Alexandra, who was given away by her father, wore, according
to the notions of that day, a very beautiful and splendid wedding
dress. It consisted of a white satin skirt, trimmed with garlands of
orange blossom and puffings of tulle and Honiton lace, the bodice being
draped with the same lace, while the train of silver moire antique
was covered with nosegays of orange blossom and puffings of tulle. In
addition to the necklace, earrings, and brooch presented to Her Royal
Highness by the bridegroom, she wore the _rivière_ of diamonds given
by the Corporation of London, and three bracelets, presented to her
respectively by Queen Victoria, the ladies of Leeds, and the ladies of
Manchester. On her beautiful hair, which was very simply dressed, lay a
wreath of orange blossoms covered by a veil of Honiton lace.
The bridal bouquet was composed of orange blossoms, white rosebuds,
orchids, and sprigs of myrtle, the latter being taken from the same
bush as that from which the myrtle used in the Princess Royal’s bridal
bouquet was cut.
As the Princess moved slowly up the Chapel her train was carried by
eight bridesmaids, Lady Victoria Scott, Lady Victoria Howard, Lady
Agneta Yorke, Lady Feodora Wellesley, Lady Diana Beauclerk, Lady
Georgina Hamilton, Lady Alma Bruce, and Lady Helena Hare. They each
wore dresses of white tulle over white glacé silk, trimmed with blush
roses, shamrocks, and white heather, with wreaths to correspond, and
each also wore a locket presented to her by the Prince of Wales,
composed of coral and diamonds, signifying the red and white which
are the colours of Denmark, while in the centre of each was a crystal
cipher forming the letters “A. E. A.” twined together in a monogram
designed by Princess Alice.
It is an interesting fact that all these ladies are still living, or
were until quite lately, and many of them became Queen Alexandra’s
personal friends. Even now Her Majesty occasionally wears the splendid
diamond and enamelled bracelet, made in eight compartments, each
containing a miniature of one of the Royal bridesmaids, which was their
gift to her on the occasion of the marriage.
The ceremony itself did not last very long. The Prince is recorded to
have answered his “I will” right manfully, but the Princess’s answers
were almost inaudible. As soon as the Prince of Wales and the Princess
Alexandra were man and wife, they turned to the congregation hand in
hand, bowing low to the Queen, who, in returning the salutation, made a
gesture of blessing rather than of ceremonious acknowledgment.
The late Bishop Wilberforce thus describes the scene in the Chapel:--
“The wedding was certainly the most moving sight I ever saw. The Queen,
above all, looking down, added such a wonderful chord of feeling to all
the lighter notes of joyfulness and show. Every one behaved quite at
their best. The Princess of Wales, calm, feeling, self-possessed; the
Prince with more depth of manner than ever before.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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