The Queen's Ball Was To Take Place The Evening On Which I
Closed My Last Letter.
My dress was a white crepe over white satin,
with flounces of Honiton lace looped up with pink tuberoses.
A
wreath of tuberoses and bouquet for the corsage. We had tickets
sent us to go through the garden and set down at a private door,
which saves waiting in the long line of carriages for your turn.
The Diplomatic Corps arrange themselves in a line near the door at
which the Queen enters the suite of rooms, which was at ten
precisely. She passes through, curtseying and bowing very
gracefully, until she reaches the throne in the next room, where she
and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Saxe-Weimar and her
daughters, who are here on a visit, etc., sit down, while Prince
Albert, the Prince of Prussia and other sprigs of royalty stand
near. The dancing soon began in front of the canopy, but the Queen
herself did not dance on account of her mourning for Prince Albert's
grandmother. There was another band and dancing in other rooms at
the same time. After seeing several dances here the Queen and her
suite move by the flourish of trumpets to another room, the guests
forming a lane as she passes, bowing and smiling. Afterward she
made a similar progress to supper, her household officers moving
backwards before her, and her ladies and royal relatives and friends
following. At half-past one Her Majesty retired and the guests
departed, such as did not have to wait two hours for their
carriages.
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