Thrifty Ex-Queen’s Manners and Meals

We can well believe that the French Reds are mightily tickled with the notion of the ex-Queen of Spain, the lineal descendant of Charles V. and Philip II., being sued by her provision dealer and grocer. This is certainly unlike the grand manners of the Kings and Queens of other days. The chief cook of Charles V., for example, wore decorations, which he doubtless earned in the kitchen, and his cookery-book was for two centuries an authority in great houses and palaces of Europe. 

 

A FRUGAL QUEEN

Let extravagant Americans who never know what goes on in their kitchens, and who think it a light matter to spend fifty or one hundred dollars for “a little dinner for a few friends,” read the contract of ex-Queen Isabella with her cook. Here was a thrifty Bourbon, who not only had presence of mind enough to seize her jewelry aud loose cash when she fled over the Pyrenees, but who rigorously binds down her cook to all of the details of breakfast, dinner, and supper. It cannot be said that her ex-Majesty of Spain is pinched for cash. She has had money enough to help set up Alfonso when that rash youth went into business as King of Spain. She even helped that hapless pair, Prince Perkins and wife, when they were skirmishing with Paris boarding-house women, and passing around the hat among the Bourbon family. Isabella comes of a money-making stock; the Bourbons have usually put aside a snug sum for a rainy day. Wherever they are found, all of that house, unless we except the eccentric Chambord, of the elder branch, are supposed to be at least “forehanded.”

The ex-Queen, in her contract with Mr. Alfred Blanchard, her chief cook, stipulates for the class of food and drink to be put upon her table, and for their price. Not only so, but she compels that functionary to specify the kind of provender to be furnished to the servants in the house. And, in order that there shall be no waste, it is set down that, in addition to certain dishes, the people below stairs shall be given “some leavings from her Majesty's table.” We see no provision as to “dripping,” that frequent cause for strife in frugal households. It is uncertain whether it is a perquisite of Mr. Blanchard or a subject of royal bargain with the soap-fat man. But it was agreed between the ex-Queen and the cook that the latter should "some leavings from her Majesty's table." We see no provision as to "dripping," that frequent cause for strife in frugal households. It is uncertain whether it is a perquisite of Mr. Blanchard, or a subject of royal bargain with the soap-fat man. But it was agreed between the ex-Queen and the cook that the latter should pay for the “wasting” in the kitchen, a prudent arrangement which must have put a stop to all larceny of coal, candles, and sugar by that imaginary foe of the household, the “harmless, necessary cat.” 

But Isabella, though the Queen, like John Gilpin's wife, had a frugal mind, she was also on pleasure bent. Her bill of fare was liberal as well as cheap: Two soups, eight dishes of meat, vegetables, cheese, and stowed fruit, were the daily fare of her Catholic Majesty. And all this was washed down with Spanish and Bordeaux wines. For this comfortable allowance of food and drink the ex-Queen agreed to pay only twelve francs a head per day, ten persons being guaranteed by the royal “party of the first part” to this unique contract. Two dollars and forty cents a day is certainly not high living for an ex-Queen. There are plenty of New Yorkers who spend more than that on what they eat and drink, and yet think they are severely republican in their tastes. But we do not believe that our lavish housekeepers would be at all satisfied with Isabella’s arrangement for the entertainment of her guests.

In order to screw down the cook to the lowest point, the exiled Majesty of Spain agreed to pay for each extra cater at the rate of six francs for breakfast, and twelve francs for dinner, and due notice was to be given the cook at that. No ordering “dinner for ten, with plates for twelve” in that house. Doubtless the frugal Bourbon thought to herself, as she regarded the poverty-stricken Perkins, or his managing spouse, at her table: “You cost me twelve francs this day,” which must not have been pleasant for poor Perkins. We can well believe that the French Reds are mightily tickled with the notion of the ex-Queen of Spain, the lineal descendant of Charles V. and Philip II., being sued by her provision dealer and grocer. This is certainly unlike the grand manners of the Kings and Queens of other days. The chief cook of Charles V., for example, wore decorations, which he doubtless earned in the kitchen, and his cookery-book was for two centuries an authority in great houses and palaces of Europe. 

The chefs of the time of Louis XIV. and “Good Queen Bess” were very fine folk indeed; and a nobleman's account of the good things that loaded royal tables in those days would almost create an appetite under the ribs of death. But the times have changed, and the manners of royalty have changed with them. If the ex-Queen does not like the quality of garlic and macaroni with which she is served, there is no good reason why she should not complain to her cook, and invite a civil process from her green-grocer. An ex-Empress of France brings a suit in the courts to recover her share of the loot of the Chinese Summer Palace. Why should not another royal relic scrutinize her provision bills and insist upon having her money's worth of victuals and drink? We have heard so much ill of this royal exile from Spain that her sensible little stroke of business should be put down to her credit. If she is economical, she has at least one virtue. She reminds us of that frugal Queen whose disposition of a famous plum pudding is celebrated in English rhymes:

“And what they did not eat that day

The Queen next morning fried.”

—The New York Times, 1875

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

Crowned Heads with Clear Heads

“George V is probably the most abstemious King who has ever ascended the British throne. I do not say that he is a Good Templar, or a Rechabite, or a pledged teetotaler. But I do say, with confidence, on the authority of men who know him intimately, who have lived with him, dined with him, supped with him, that, although he sometimes takes a glass of wine, his usual beverages are distilled or mineral water and milk. There is not a man more abstemious in the use of intoxicants among all the millions who own his sway.” 

Some Sovereigns are Teetotalers 

King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, who has been fighting against such tremendous odds in the Balkans, gave up beer, wine and alcohol in any shape or form, some years ago on the advice of his mother. The King is one of the least nervous among monarchs and keeps his temper in the most trying circumstances. It is due to his coolness that he has been able to show to such a big advantage when dealing with the hot-headed races of his Balkan peninsula. King Ferdinand is an exception among the Balkan rulers. King Peter of Servia, the King of Greece, the King of Roumania and the King of Montenegro, all like their glass of wine. 

It was in December, 1908, that the Kaiser became a confirmed teetotaler. His favorite drink is one invented by the Kaiserin a few years ago. It consists of orange juice and lemon juice placed in the interior of a pineapple, from which part of the fruit has been taken and the juice from it returned. The pineapple is then placed on ice and filled up with mineral water, the drink being transferred to a glass with a ladle. This drink is, however, only taken as a special treat, the more usual beverage being a mixture of the juice of three oranges and two lemons, with a little sugar, mineral water being added. The Kaiser has done everything he can to encourage temperance. He stated publicly a short time ago, that the next war will demand healthy men. “War calls for strong nerves and history will crown the colors of the nation which consumes the least alcohol.” 

Contrary to popular belief, the amount of beer drunk per head of population in Germany every year is considerably less than the amount drunk in England. Very little alcohol is drunk by the German Royal family, though the Kaiser is the only absolute teetotaler. When he is invited to dinner, he drinks a special temperance drink that is supplied to his host in advance, and is served to the Emperor in champagne bottles. The reason for this is that according to strict etiquette, alcoholic drinks would be banished from all dinners at which his majesty was present in the ordinary way. But the Kaiser waives etiquette and drinks mock champagne while the guests are drinking real variety. 

King George the Crown Prince, though not a strict teetotaler, has very strong views upon those who drink to excess. While a student at Bonn he gave offense to the university by protesting vigorously against the drinking of an exaggerated quantity of beer by the students. His sister, Princess Victoria, who was recently married with such pomp and ceremony, has an occasional glass of champagne, but when she is alone with her husband, the beverages consumed on the royal table consist of non-alcoholic drinks of various kinds. 

The late W. T. Stead wrote in the “Review of Reviews” when King George came to the throne: “George V is probably the most abstemious King who has ever ascended the British throne. I do not say that he is a Good Templar, or a Rechabite, or a pledged teetotaler. But I do say, with confidence, on the authority of men who know him intimately, who have lived with him, dined with him, supped with him, that, although he sometimes takes a glass of wine, his usual beverages are distilled or mineral water and milk. There is not a man more abstemious in the use of intoxicants among all the millions who own his sway.” 

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, or rather, one should say the proof of the drinking is in the shooting. King George is one of the finest shots in the Kingdom, a position which he could not hold if he were not practically a teetotaler. The King by the way, very rarely indeed takes a cup of afternoon tea. Tea, on the contrary, is the favorite drink of Queen Mary. She drinks it, as a rule, without sugar. 

Queen Emma of Holland is almost a fanatic on the question of strong drink, and she has instilled her temperance ideas into the mind of Queen Wilhelmina Neither mother nor daughter touch alcohol in any shape or form. Until Queen Wilhelmina was married, in fact, wine was never seen on the Royal table. Prince Henry, however, who likes a glass of wine, insisted that it should be provided for himself and guests, though his wife and mother-in-law are still strict teetotalers. —Healdsburg Enterprise, 1913

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

Royal Baby Eases Etiquette Woes

In 1906, King Alfonso of Spain married Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena) She was a granddaughter of Great Britain's Queen Victoria and the first cousin of King George V of the United Kingdom, Queen Maud of Norway, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, Queen Marie of Romania, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, Queen Louise of Sweden, and Queen Sophia of Greece. Felipe VI of Spain is her great-grandson. 

Queen Eugenie is Homesick 

August 28.—Unable to endure her homesickness longer, Victoria Eugenie, the young Queen of Spain, has just cabled to her mother Princess Henry of Battenberg, that she will pay her a visit as soon as the formalities of the Spanish court will allow. The Queen has been very depressed lately, according to friends of her mother, who say the daily letters from Madrid show how severely she feels the restraint imposed by Castilian etiquette. If it were not for her baby, it is said, she would be inconsolable. 

According to the rules of the court, the Queen must be attended everywhere she goes by her Ladies in Waiting. This annoys her exceedingly, and accounts for her recent interest in golf. This exercise. and brisk walks, invariably give her a little time to herself, as the true Spanish lady is too indolent to exert herself. King Alfonso has expressed every sympathy for his Royal wife, and just as soon as their engagements will permit, he will come to England with her. Besides paying a visit to the Princess on the Isle of Wight, they probably will be the guests of the Duke and Duchess of Portland at Walbeck Abbey. – London, 1907

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Etiquette, Education and Royal Babies

“King Edward is, of course, related to all the Princely babies of Europe, for his near relatives are either ruling or will one day rule the continent. No doubt he is consulted often by parents who wish to obtain the guidance of the most influential man of his time...”  –Margaretta Eagar with the Russian grand Duchesses Tatiana, Anastasia, Olga and Maria, circa 1902. For more than half a decade, the Romanovs’ inner circle included a humble-born Irishwoman, Margaretta Eagar. One of 11 children, was born into a family in Limerick city in 1863. In 1898, after training as a nurse in Belfast, she was recommended for the job of nanny to the Romanov children. – From the Irish Times.com

THE Kaiser's eldest son is still pursuing his education, although he himself has an heir, who is now a fine boy of three years, says Answers. Prince William is being initiated into the mysteries of government, and he is taking his place in the great departments of state, having started in the capacity of an ordinary clerk, so that he might see how the actual work is done. He will, no doubt, apply many of his father's principles when training his own son. Despite internal troubles, the Royal family of Russia never doubts. that it will continue to hold the throne against all comers. The heir to the Crown is not six yet, but his education has begun, and he is already the Colonel of a regiment. The lady who acted as governess to his sisters has described how even the toys with which the Prince plays were selected for educational purposes. They like to knock military glory and Royal pomp into the heads of these infants, so that the very first idea a Prince gets, is his absolute right to rule. The Czarevitch has a large idea of his own importance.

In the years to come, the baby who is now heir to the throne of Spain may have cause to congratulate himself on the fact that his mother was an English Princess. The Queen has done much to rid the Royal nursery of the stupid etiquette which ruled the Palace in the old days, and his education will be conducted on up-to-date lines. The time is certainly coming when Kings will have to depend upon their personalities for their power, and not on their armies. King Edward is, of course, related to all the Princely babies of Europe, for his near relatives are either ruling or will one day rule the continent. No doubt he is consulted often by parents who wish to obtain the guidance of the most influential man of his time. 

Prince Olaf of Norway is his grandson, and the baby who will be King of Sweden in the years to come, is the son of his niece. Norway and Sweden, once united, and now divided, will eventually be governed by very near relatives of King Edward VII. Prince Olaf appears to be having a jolly time of it, but he will have to study earnestly soon, although the comparative smallness of his Kingdom will make his educational course less arduous. The elder son of Princess Margaret of Connaught is at present the second direct heir to the throne, and, as his grandfather, the reigning Monarch, is in the prime of life, it must be many years before he is called upon to wear the crown. All the same, the Prince will be carefully prepared and is likely to give a good account of himself in national affairs. – Los Angeles Herald, 1909

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

Etiquette, Royalty... and Insanity?

Countess Feodora Georgina Maud von Gleichen, was the eldest daughter of Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (a British naval officer and sculptor, and half-nephew of Queen Victoria) and his morganatic wife, Laura Seymour. – Photo from Pinterest 

From “Items of Interest Clipped for the Busy Reader”

“The Coming Princess Albert Victor... I hear from a high English source that the Princess Feodore of Schleswig-Holstein, who did the Eiffel Tower the other day, chaperoned by her elderly maiden aunt, Amelie, of the same house, is in all likelihood the coming Princess Albert Victor of Wales. She is a sister of the German Empress and a niece of Prince Christian, the dull old husband of the best of Queen Victoria's daughters, is going on 16, looks a good sort of girl, and is almost pretty. But she is not likely to improve when the bloom of youth departs, and she wants winsome graces. Evidently, she has not come to her full height. When she does, she will probably be as tall as her Imperial sister.

The Queen would like to secure to her the Crown of Great Britain, because she is descended from her Majesty's mother, the Duchess of Kent, whose first husband was Prince Leiningen. Princess Feodore has been a good deal here with a party of aristocratic English friends, some of whom are connections of her aunt-in-law on the maternal side, Countess Gleichen. Count Gleichen abandoned his high born German status to marry Laura Seymour, and is a professional sculptor, high in the Queen's favor. Against German etiquette, she has been latterly styling them both Serene Highnesses. An objection to the proposed Royal match is that the young lady's mother is in a madhouse. There is already more than a touch of insanity in the Royal family of England.”—Paris Letter, 1891

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

Etiquette and Royal Notes of 1890

“Princess Elizabeth of Austria, the daughter of the late Crown Prince, can't take outings with her mother, Princess Stephani, because, by the will of her father, she must always remain in the immediate neighborhood and under the eye of her grandfather, the Emperor.” — After Prince Rudolf's death, in a murder-suicide, Franz Joseph took over guardianship of Erzsi; by his order, she was forbidden to leave, not only the neighborhood, but Austria, with her mother. At a young age she displayed a strong personality, as well as an opposition to the Viennese court. She eventually became known as “The Red Archduchess” for her Socialist beliefs.

Royal “Goings On”

• The Empress Frederick has collected $125,000 for the new Children's hospital at Berlin.
• It is now definitely settled that Prince George is to open the Jamaica exhibition about Christmas time. The Emperor of China has sent the German Emperor a large box of playthings — little dragons and things—for his five littie sons. 
• Princess Dolgorouki, the morganatic wife of the late Czar, has published her memoirs In Russia, and every available copy was seized immediately by the police. 
• The Princess Louise, who for the past ten years has presided over on art school In Sloane street, London, West, is the first English woman to employ Irish needlewomen. 
• Emperor William has contributed 10,000 marks toward the fund which is being collected for the purchase of the famous Sulkowski collection of bric-a-brac and curiosities. 
• Prince Bismarck, seen striding recently through the groves of Friedrichsruhe park, was manifestly as sound in wind and limb as the toughest of his foresters or the hardiest of his keepers. 
• The Prince of Wales is a great stickler for court etiquette. No one knows bettor the exact way in which every band and order and medal should be worn. He is very particular about good manners in Princes and Princesses. 
• Princess Wilhelmina Montleart of Saxony, who has a pretty Castle near Vienna, and is the last of her family, recently invited the mayor of an eastern suburb to dinner, and at dessert gave him 1,000 florins to build a hospital for Bernals, the suburb of which he is mayor. 
• The little Princess Elizabeth of Austria, the daughter of the late Crown Prince, can't take outings with her mother, Princess Stephani, because, by the will of her father, she must always remain in the immediate neighborhood and under the eye of her grandfather, the Emperor. 
• Prince Lobanoff, the Russian Ambassador at Vienna, is a man of rare intellectual endowments. The Prince is a perfect type of the grand seigneur. He is a wealthy bachelor and has only had one “grande passion” in his life, namely, that for Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, of whose letters and relics he possesses a remarkable collection. 
• Princess Victoria, the Empress Frederick’s youngest and favorite daughter, is rather pretty, having a nice figure, blue eyes and fair hair. She has always been fond of an out-of-door life and enjoys exercise in any form. She is an indefatigable walker, an accomplished rider and lawn tennis player, and can drive four-in-hand in a masterly style. — Press Democrat, 1890

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

Duke’s Rx for Etiquette Chafing

Karl Theodor, Duke of Bavaria and Doctor of Medicine — His father, Duke Maximilian, was a poet and writer, and brought his family up so simply that all chafed later at the Court etiquette that was forced upon them, and showed their independent spirit. 

An Oculist, In Spite of Royal Birth

A man who distinguished himself, in spite of Royal birth, Karl Theodor, Duke of Bavaria and doctor of medicine, died yesterday. Dissatisfied with the social duties and perfunctory military routine that pertain to his rank, he gave way to his natural bent, became one of the most skilled oculists in Europe, and for years worked hard in the charitable clinic and hospital he had established. The fatal results of close intermarriage among the Wittelsbachs that were manifested in King Ludwig and his lunatic brother seem to have passed over Duke Karl's branch, the former Sovereigns in the remnant of the Palatinate, unfortunate as it has been. 

His father, Duke Maximilian, was a poet and writer, and brought his family up so simply that all chafed later at the Court etiquette that was forced upon them, and showed their independent spirit. One sister was the Empress Elizabeth of Austria, who built the Achillelon; another, Queen Marie Sofia of the Two Sicilies, the Defender of Gaeta; a third the Duchess d'Alençon, who was burned at the Charity Bazaar fire in Paris. Their brother was permitted to turn his striving for freedom of action into a useful and honorable calling that endeared him to the people of Bavaria and of all Germany. — Los Angeles Herald, 1909

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

The Etiquette Sharps on Royal Titles

The question arose as to the etiquette of a U.S. President, and how he should address royalty.

Calls One King “Sir,” and Another, “Your Majesty”

Washington, Jan. 16 —Why did President Wilson, in replying to the speech of King George V of England, call his Royal host “Sir,” while in a similar position with King Victor of Italy he used the expression “Your Majesty.” The sharps on etiquette and Royal Court procedure noted the differences in form, and while granting either was correct from one ruler to another, were at a loss to account for the difference. What is, at least, the most probable explanation was furnished by an Italian attache, who said that what was probably in the President’s mind was that “Sir” rendered into Italian, might be retranslated as “Mister.” In using the “King's English” to an English King, there was not the same danger. – Los Angeles Herald, 1919

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

Etiquette and an Italian Queen

Though her father “was utterly lacking in royal etiquette” it did not preclude him from making advantageous and successful matrimonial matches for all of his Princess daughters. – Queen Elena of Italy was the daughter of King Nicholas I of Montenegro and his wife, Milena Vukotić. As wife of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, she was Queen of Italy from 1900 until 1946 and Queen consort of the Albanians from 1939 until 1943.

We Celebrate – Italian King and Queen Seventeen Years Married 

Old King Nicholas of Montenegro is famed as a warrior, poet and playwright, and he is also entitled to rank as the world’s greatest matrimonial matchmaker. Once somebody remarked, in the presence of the Montenegrin Monarch, that the little Balkan state had no exports, “Sir," said the King, “you forget my daughters!” Through the marriages he arranged for his feminine offspring, Nicholas is related to most of the royal families of Europe. But his great coup, his matrimonial masterstroke, was when he married his daughter Elena to the King of Italy just 17 years ago today.

The alliance between Vittorio Emanuel III, ruler of a world-power, and the daughter of a petty Prince —for Nicholas has not yet proclaimed himself King —startled all the Courts of Europe. Not only was Montenegro small and unimportant, but it was hardly considered civilized. Nicholas, the Prince of “Gospodar” was utterly lacking in royal etiquette. He often held Court under a tree, acting as judge and rendering verdicts on petty quarrels of his people. He clung—and still clings—to the picturesque costume of his ancestors, consisting of gold-embroidered coat, baggy trousers, high boots and tambourine cap, with a pair of pear-handled pistols sticking from his belt. He wore such a costume to Rome when he arranged the details of the wedding. 

Europe stood aghast at the match, and yet there can found no happier wedded pair in Europe than little Victor Emmanuel and his stalwart Montenegrin wife. Like all her countrywomen, Queen Elena is “most divinely tall” and towers far above her husband. The Italian King will celebrate his seventeenth wedding anniversary today without a regret, and the Queen is the happiest of wives and most devoted of mothers. Yet, it may be stated as a fact that the King has utterly failed in living up to the three favorite Montenegrin proverbs for the government of wives. 

“He who doesn’t beat his wife is no man,” is a proverbial bit of wisdom that is still in full force in Montenegro. Another cynical saying of male Montenegrins is, “Twice in a lifetime is a man happy—once when he marries his wife, and again when he buries her.” Among Montenegrin women there is a proverb which runs, “Love me true, love me quick; pull my hair, and use the stick.” It is safe to say that Victor Emmanuel has never lived up to the latter part of this proverb. 

The youth of Queen Elena was spent in the ramshackle old Palace of her father in Cetinje, and in wandering, gun in hand, about the mountains of her native land. Like her sisters, who all married well, Elena had a French governess, and she was taught the French and Italian languages, as well as her native Serb tongue. She is a crack shot with the rifle, and if the Italian Royal family should be dismissed from the job of reigning, Elena could be depended upon to keep the larder supplied with game. King Victor and Queen Elena have had four children, one son and three daughters. The Crown Prince, now in his tenth year, has many of the physical characteristics of his mother, and promises to be a true Montenegrin in stature. – Sacramento Union, 1913

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

Manners, Marriage and Money

Princess Radziwill was a devoted wife and mother. She cared little for society, but entertained her intimate friends constantly. Her manners were simple and unaffected, her generosity unbounded, and in no way had she the appearance of a parvenu, but she disliked the cares of housekeeping and preferred the first floor of the Hotel Meurice, Rue de Rivoli.

A Rochefoucauld to Wed a Princess with a Dowry of Six Million 

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Two Well-Known Families, Each With a Long Line of Ancestors, to Be United

Paris, March 4, 1894 — I hear on good authority that the engagement of Princess Louise Radziwill with Count Armand de la Rochefoucauld, although often contradicted, is a fact, and the marriage will soon take place. Princess Louise Radziwill is the daughter of Prince Constantin Radziwill and of the Princess, nee Louise Blanc. In 1880 Prince Roland Bonaparte married Marie Blanc, but she died in 1881. A few years before Prince Constantin Radziwill had married her sister, Louise, and their family consists of several sons and daughters. Constantin Radziwill has been naturalized French, and, as the republic does not recognize foreign titles, the children are not legally Princes and Princesses. At one time the Radziwills owned a superb mansion in the Avenue Bouquet, but the Princess disliked the cares of housekeeping and preferred the first floor of the Hotel Meurice, Rue de Rivoli. The proprietor has made many changes and transformations to please the Radziwills, and they consider themselves much happier than in a private house. 

Princess Radziwill is a devoted wife and mother. She cares little for society, but entertains her intimate friends constantly. Her manners are simple and unaffected, her generosity unbounded, and in no way has she the appearance of a parvenu. Her sister-in-law, Princess Dominique Radziwill, is not so beloved by Parisians. She is domineering and snobbish, although belonging to a Cuban family of modest position. Constantin and Dominique Radziwill are inseparable, and are called Orestes and Pylades. They dress alike and might be taken for twin brothers. Princess Radziwill believes in fortune-tellers and in all those who predict the future by cards; strange a Blanc should have such confidence in cards. Prince Constantin has purchased the Chateau d' Ermenouville, near Paris, and here the Radziwills will occasionally give hunting parties and fetes champêtres.  The family is very ancient and came from Lithuania ; the name Radziwill was given to a high priest— radzi signifying "who advises" and "will" being an abreviation of Wilna. – Baroness Althea Salvadoe, 1894

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

Etiquette and Esterhazy Temper

The Holy Week religious scene  at the Calvary at the Prater was imposing; but it is on record lhat it led to much secular love-making, which was deplored by the clergy.— Esterházy is a Hungarian noble family with origins in the Middle Ages. Since the 17th century, they were among the great landowner magnates of the Kingdom of Hungary during the time it was part of the Habsburg Empire and later Austria-Hungary.

The mania for etiquette and piety which prevailed at Vienna under Maria Theresa and Joseph II was exactly suited to the Esterhazy temper. The Duke of Richelieu complains bitterly that during one Lent when he was Minister at Vienna he spent 100 hours at church with the Emperor; the Esterhazys did not mind that, they rather enjoyed it. They were spared the infliction of dining with his Majesty; no one ever did that. 

The Emperor dined with his hat on in the presence of his wife and her ladies of honor, and at some distance from the table stood the foreign Embassadors, also with their hats on. They remained standing, 'til the Emperor had taken his first draught of wine, when they retired. The Esterhazys and other nobles remained in an anteroom.

They fared better at the "taverns" and "Sledge" parties. Each gentleman sent to the Master of Ceremonies, a card bearing the name of the lady of his choice, and for that evening she belonged to him. She drove with him, danced with him, supped with him; everybody was masked, and naturally there was a good deal of fun. Etiquette required each gentleman to pay for the dress and mask  of his lady. 

In Holy Week it generally devolved on an Esterhazy to conduct the procession illustrating the Passion. The Wise Men of the East, Herod and Pilate, the Virgin Mary and Joseph, the Twelve Apostles, Mary Magdalen, all mounted on asses and led by Esterhazy, journeyed to the Calvary in the Prater, followed by a stream of men with false beards, some flagellating themselves, some carrying a placard on which their sins were enumerated, some bearing crosses. The scene was imposing; but it is on record that it led to much secular love-making, which was deplored by the clergy. — San Francisco Call, 1897

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

Etiquette, Dignity and Position

Queen Wilhelmina — Although she is a warm-hearted woman, she is mindful of the dignity of her position.

Holland’s Little Queen

Queen Wilhelmina of Holland never under any circumstances makes use of a closed carriage excepting at night. No matter whether it is cold or hot, whether it snows, rains or storms, she invariably drives about in an open equipage, in full view of her subjects, accustomed thereto from her infancy by her mother, who trained her in the most admirable manner for her mission as a constitutional sovereign.

She is usually accompanied by a lady-in-waiting as sole escort, and, although she is a warm-hearted woman, she is mindful of the dignity of her position. Thus the other day when she met an officer while out driving, who happened to be the brother of her lady-in-waiting, she returned his military salute with a most gracious smile and inclination of the head. But noticing that her companion had waved her hand in a familiar way to her brother, she frowned and exclaimed coldly: "I should be much obliged to you, my dear, if you would avoid these little family effusions when you have the honor to accompany me."

True, after she reached home, the Queen endeavored by every means in her power to atone for the chagrin to which she had subjected her attendant, and among other things, presented her with a handsome piece of jewelry. But the lady, while restored to favor, is not likely to forget the lesson which she has received or even to render herself again guilty of such a breach of etiquette. The Queen is jealous of her prerogatives, as she showed at the time of the trip to Europe of old President Kruger.

It was she alone to whom belonged the initiative of placing a Dutch man-of-war at his disposal for the journey, and when the Ministers, assembled in Cabinet council, ventured to question the policy of this move, pointing out to her that it might cause complications with foreign, powers notably with England, she exclaimed sharply: "The constitution invests me with the supreme command of the navy, as well as of the army, and, as far as they are concerned, my Ministers have no other duty than to insure the prompt execution of my orders." The Ministers looked at one another in dismay, offered no further objections and fulfilled her directions, with the result that the cruiser Gelderland was dispatched to Delagoa Bay to embark President Kruger and to bring him to Europe.

The young Queen, in addition to her private secretary's department, has organized a sort of private political chancellery, which is entrusted with the duty of making a brief explanatory report of every document submitted to her for signature. She absolutely declines to sign any paper unless she has a sort of "précis," containing the necessary information about the matter for which her sign manual is required. 

If the report appears to her to be inadequate, she asks for further data, and, if necessary, even summons Ministers or experts to her presence in order to obtain the fullest kind of explanation. Not only her Ministers, but likewise every official of the Dutch Government service knows this, and the result is that in the hope of avoiding all unnecessary detail every one endeavors to make the matter in question as clear and concise as possible. — The San Francisco Call, 1901

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

Etiquette Perplexed the Royals

Thousands will not breathe freely until Germany's Emperor has left.

The Kaiser's Travels
 English Society Excited Over the Coming Event

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Queen Victoria Confers With the Prince of Wales on Matters of Etiquette

London, July 1891 —The Prince of Wales today had a long interview with the Queen,who summoned him for the purpose of discussing and settling a number of perplexing questions of Court etiquette and precedence on account of the approaching visit of the Emperor and Empress of Germany. 

Court and military society, and nearly all other circles, are more or less stirred up by the Emperor's coming, and thousands will not breathe freely until Germany's Emperor has left. German detectives, British detectives and police of all kinds are already attending to business, for the fact that there are hot-headed Emperor hating Germans and Frenchmen in Great Britain, is not lost sight of by the authorities. — Los Angeles Herald, 1891

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

Royal Etiquette Confusion

"In an era of gentlemen adventurers, Theodore Roosevelt stood apart." — Travel and Leisure Magazine

Shortly after leaving the White House, the former U.S. President left for sites beyond the U.S. borders. World Monarchs did not know how to treat someone who no longer carried the title of "President," but that of "Colonel" and wherever he went, confusion followed.

The Colonel's Triumphal Progress in Confusing the Royal Courts 

Sore disturbance is caused by the advent of the Colonel among the crowned heads. The Court Chamberlains, the Lords of the Powder Closet and the lesser dignitaries who regulate the ceremonial observance that doth hedge a King are deeply agitated, making search for precedents and finding none. 

If Roosevelt were President of the United States the matter would be comparatively simple, but here is a man without official rank, who, nevertheless, must be received with almost royal honors. As the favorite son of the most powerful nation on the globe, Citizen Roosevelt bears a representative character that defies all precedent. 

Contemporary European Monarchs, who are men of the world, recognize the conditions and act on their judgment, ignoring traditions. But the situation causes acute distress to the custodians and interpreters of the severe and rigid etiquette that governs Courts. Any breakdown of these rules takes on the aspect of sacrilege among the minor dignitaries, who, in fact, owe their official existence to their function of making a hedge for royalty. 

At Copenhagen, for instance, the Chamberlains and superior Butlers of the Court were perplexed because the Colonel was compelled, by non-delivery of his baggage, to sit at the Royal Board in his old clothes. But the King of Denmark had more sense and at once accepted the situation. 

Emperor Wilhelm has announced that he will personally meet the Colonel at the railway station in Berlin and conduct him in one of the Royal automobiles to the castle. This is a distinction hitherto reserved for crowned heads. 

It need not be doubted that King Edward will not be outdone in courtesy by the Kaiser. It is a triumphal progress that the Colonel makes, breaking all precedents and shattering the consecrated code of Court etiquette. — San Francisco Call, 1910

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

Etiquette for Former President

Theodore Roosevelt in Egypt, 1910 — Of all US Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt is the only one whose greatness and popularity increased when he left the office. When he toured Europe in 1910, as "Colonel Roosevelt," he was hailed as the most famous man in the world. Crowned heads vied to put him up in their castles and palaces. Etiquette note: When a President leaves office, the title of President is not supposed to be used, unless it is used in the title "Former President." But we continue to see and hear former US Presidents referred to as "President" on television and radio programs. The job is a temporary one and the title belongs only to the current office holder. 

Monarchs Perplexed About Etiquette Regarding “the Colonel”

WHAT to do with Roosevelt, or rather about Roosevelt? Lord Cromer is reported to have audibly thanked his God that the Colonel made no sally upon India, where the relations between the British Raj and the natives are even more strained than in Egypt. 

The cautious British statesman conceives of the Colonel as one who goes about dropping matches in any convenient powder magazine that lies in his itinerary. The Colonel has such an overpowering personality, that they never know what he will do next. But they always know it after it is done.

Therefore King Edward is reported to be no little perplexed and, in a word, frightened about the advent of the Colonel. A nice, old gentleman who has been carefully fenced about all his life with rigid barriers of exacting Court etiquette and saturated with an atmosphere of polite deference may look forward with some dread to meeting one who speaks his mind so bluntly. 

The Colonel is not skilled in the observances of a court where the worst crime in the calendar is the faux pas. So the King is reported to be anxiously considering whether the rules of Court etiquette might not be used as a convenient shelter in which to hide.

The Kaiser is different. He is not bothered by etiquette and precedent. He makes precedents, and is ready to meet Roosevelt, man to man. There is no flutter in the Imperial dovecotes at Potsdam. The Kaiser has a homely taste for plain living and high thinking. He bid his guest to potluck on sauerkraut and sausage, it may be and bids Polly put the kettle on, for a big talkfest is on the way. 

Princes and potentates are all human in their, several ways, and some prefer the heady brew, while others like to look upon the tea when it is pink. — San Francisco Call, 1910

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