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1 January 1872 — Madrid | |
Monday. 1st January 1872. Waking with a bad headache I laid in bed until ½ past 11 when I had to get up & dress to go to Court. I wore a white tulle dress trimmed with Brussels lace headed with moss roses & brown leaves—& a pink silk train, from the shoulders, trimmed with tulle ruching & roses—feathers & a small wreath of rosebuds & diamonds in my hair. We got to the Palace at 12.30. The grand staircase looked very well being lined on each side with the King’s new guard of honor—dressed in white breeches with high boots, red coats faced with white & kind of bear caps—altogether having a faux air of our Guards– The Corps Dip: assembled in the private apartments of the King & Q. There were present the Ambr of France & the Marquise de Bouillé. The German Minister & Mme de Canitz– Ourselves—the 1st French Secy & Mme de Vernouillet—The Belgian Chargé d’Affaires & Mme Jooris, the 2nd F. Secy & Mme de la Rochefoucauld—& later came the Portuguese Min: & Mme Mendez Leal– After waiting some time the King & Queen came in. The King in uniform. The Queen in a plain blue velvet gown the bustle of wh was trimmed with a little old lace—& a train of the same velvet trimmed with ermine– Pearls (6 rows) round her neck & her hair done, (as is the fashion) in quantities of curls behind & only a diamond tiara with uncut sapphires– The tiara being a very fine one & abt 6 inches high– She had in waiting upon her the Dss de la Torre—The Dss of Tetuan & The Css of Alamina. The Dss de la T. was magnificently dressed in white satin with a blue velvet body & train trimmed with gold braid & gold lace & with a tunic of gold braid made into a network. From under her Ducal coronet in diamonds fell 2 long lapels of white tulle spangled with gold. The Dss of Tetuan & Mme Alamina were both in white satin. As soon as the King & Q. had spoken with us all round they retired to their apartments & we went & took up our places in the throne room opposite the throne—the ladies in front & the gentlemen behind– Mme de la Rochefoucauld did not choose to stay out the ceremony & went away– The K & Q then came & took up their place at the foot of the steps to the throne with their household on one side & the Ministers on the right—& then began the defilé wh lasted abt 1 hour & ½ & a more frightful set of men it is difficult to see in so short a span of time in any country– There were officers, generals, deputies &c all in their order– The doors being shut & all over the K & Q. bowed to us & retired & we hastened home– We had all to let down our trains to day wh was not the case last time. On getting home I was obliged to lie down again & only put on my dressing gown to go & dine with Henry. After dinner I dressed for our usual Monday reception—but we had a very small party, there being several other balls especially one at the Dss of Fernan Nuñez, wh swamped us. However it was all the better in that I was able to get to bed at 7 o’cl: quite tired eno’. | |
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