In Britain we are in the throws of mega media coverage for the royal wedding on Friday of Prince William and Kate Middleton, so I felt it was time to unearth a copy of "The Illustrated London News", issue no. 2074 , March 15th 1879. Many years ago when in London I discovered a pile of the magazine in a shop by the Victoria and Albert Museum and bought several editions, as I love the old engravings.The occasion featured here was the marriage in 1879 of Queen Victoria's third son Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught to Louise Margaret Alexandra Victoria, third daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia.
The wedding report was very lengthy and extremely fulsome in style. A short extract is given here:
The princess's dress was described as "made of thick white satin, the waist trimmed with lace 4" wide, the skirt also trimmed with lace 12" deep with bunches of myrtle. The train was 13 feet long, with a rich lace flounce 3 feet wide, upon which was laid a branch of myrtle......
The pearl necklace worn by her Royal Highness was a wedding gift from her most illustrious and venerable uncle King William I, emperor of Germany.........
The bridal veil was richly decorated with real point-de-gaze lace, ornamented with flowers, crown and the royal coat of arms of Prussia, in relief, all worked with real white lace. The order was given at the beginning of July last and the work has been done by the hands of 300 peasant girls in the mountains of Silesia".
Copyright © 2011 · Susan Donaldson. All Rights Reserved
And I would bet that the myrtle came from the Queen's own garden. I am waiting to see if there is a sprig of myrtle in Kate's gown, bouquet, hair or where.
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