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19 May 1909 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Wednesday. 19th [May 1909]. Today the Royal yacht “Victoria & Albert” came to Venice with the Queen & her sister the Empress Marie of Russia on board. Violet Vivian & I went off in gondola together to see the yacht come in. She looked splendid as she steamed up from Malamocco. But the pilot that brought her in made a muddle of it somehow & for one moment it seemed as if she was going to run down an American yacht wh was anchored there. She is a big vessel & it was not easy to turn her near S. Georgio & bring her back to her moorings opposite the Schiavoni. At one moment Capt. Belmondo Caccia was so anxious as to the result that he called to me from the shore & asked me to take him across to the vessel in my gondola. However before we reached the yacht the danger was over & he got into a launch & went home– As soon as the Queen saw us in the distance she began waving to us & when at last the yacht was anchored Violet & I went on board & I was presented to the Empress whom I had never seen before. Both she & the Queen wore white serge short dresses with white flat caps to match sailor fashion. Lady Antrim is the Lady in waiting—a pretty charming woman. Poor old Miss Knollys, the woman of the bed chamber—looked fearfully ill. She nearly died of pneumonia & influenza & was carried on board at Genoa when the K & Q set out on this cruise. It would have killed her to have been left behind & she has certainly picked up a lot. After a short interview with the Q & Empress & Pss Victoria we took Miss Knollys & Lady Antrim off to shore to have a turn in the Piazza before dinner. It was a fine hot night & after our dinner my guests all went out for a row. | |
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