Replicating Royal Etiquette for Big Visit

To a woman encumbered with a train, and condemned to back down, or up a flight of stairs, this difficulty presents an interesting exercise in calisthenics. It is quite out of the question that all the women who are going to the ball should surmount it successfully, and even if they should, this is only one of many points of Spanish Court etiquette their struggles with which, are likely to amuse the Infanta, who has several times since she arrived upon these shores, betrayed a sense of humor which she will have some difficulty in concealing when society undertakes to treat her as she would be treated at home.  

—Public domain image of Infanta Eulalia of Spain, from Wikipedia 

The Infanta and Society

No feeling heart will withhold its meed of sympathy from the women of New-York society who have been, for three or four days, struggling with the mysteries of Spanish Court etiquette, and whose struggles have straggled into the public prints. It is not known who is instructing them in these intricacies, which are many and various. That which is reported to weigh most upon their spirits, is the approved method of backing before Spanish Royalty. 

To a woman encumbered with a train, and condemned to back down, or up a flight of stairs, this difficulty presents an interesting exercise in calisthenics. It is quite out of the question that all the women who are going to the ball should surmount it successfully, and even if they should, this is only one of many points of Spanish Court etiquette their struggles with which, are likely to amuse the Infanta, who has several times since she arrived upon these shores, betrayed a sense of humor which she will have some difficulty in concealing when society undertakes to treat her as she would be treated at home.

The curious point about all this futile training, is that it is superfluous as it is futile. The Spanish Government has already shown its faith in the good-will of the American people by waiving, in effect, the ceremonial of Madrid, and leaving the American people at liberty to entertain the Infanta in the American way. It is not the way of the Court of Madrid, but it is not a bad way in its way. The ball to the Infanta is to be exclusive, and hence it is expected to eclipse the ball to the foreign naval officers. 

That was the most democratic and comprehensive function from which nobody was excluded, who could and would pay $10 for a ticket. It was also highly successful, and every New-Yorker who attended it must have been proud of the appearance and behavior of his promiscuous fellow citizens. Unless the projectors of the ball to the Infanta abandon their absurd notion of entertaining her as if she and they were in Spain, the ball to the Infanta is likely to furnish more occasion of satisfaction to the satirist than to the patriot. — New York Times, May 24, 1893

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia