Royal Row Breaches Etiquette

“According to report, previous to the ceremony and while the Queen and Prince of Wales were standing beneath the bow of one of the ships, they quarreled for several minutes. Both Queen and Prince, as the result ot their quarrel, had an apoplectic appearance when it terminated.”– The Royal Arthur - Public domain image

Queen Victoria and Wales Have a Quarrel at Portsmouth

Portsmouth, February 26th.– Great throngs of people gathered here to see the royal pageant accompanying the launching of the new warships Portsmouth and Gosport. The Queen launched the ironclads with the usual ceremonies.

According to report, previous to the ceremony and while the Queen and Prince of Wales were standing beneath the bow of one of the ships, they quarreled for several minutes. Both Queen and Prince, as the result ot their quarrel, had an apoplectic appearance when it terminated. The cause of the royal quarrel is believed to have originated in some trifling breach of etiquette. 

The two war vessels were christened “Royal Arthur” and “Royal Sovereign.” The only foreign war vessel present was the German warship Oldeborg, the flagship of Admiral Von der Coltz, who was specially commissioned by the Emperor of Germany to be present at the ceremonies as the representative of Germany's young ruler. 

The Royal Arthur is a screw cruiser of 7,700 tons, 12,ooo horse-power, and carries twelve guns. Her name was originally the Centaur, which was changed to Duke of Connaught, and finally, at the last moment, by the Queen's command to Royal Arthur. The Royal Sovereign is a screw battleship of 14,150 tons, 10,000 horse-power and carries fourteen guns. – Daly Alta, 1891

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