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24 June 1912 — Chateau Le Muette, Paris | |
Monday. 24th [June 1912]. This was the day of the civil marriage of the Duncannons. Sophy was going in to town at 9 & she allowed me to accompany her—& she deposited me at the Westminster at 9.30 where I remained with the family seeing them all come in & out till at 11 Blanche & I went out to try & buy me a bonnet for tomorrow’s ceremony. As I wear a style of my own & do not follow the modes, I have difficulty in getting what I want—so we searched in vain & had to give it up & hope that a little bonnet maker near La Muette wd do what I want & we parted—Blanche returning to the hotel—& I in a taxi to La Muette to lunch. At 20 to 4 I drove off in Sophy’s carriage to the Mairie in Rue d’Anjou to attend the civil wedding. I found the 2 families already assembled there & we were shortly after shown into a room where there was a sort of front pew into wh was shown the fiance’s parents & temoins of the marriage, Sir Francis Bertie (our Ambassador), Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Baron Mallet & another. Benches in the back ground received the remaining guests. After a little pause, “Il le Maire” was announced & a gentleman in white tie & having the tricolored echarpe across his chest entered & took up his place at a table before the marriage party. All rose as he entered & sat again to hear a huissier read out the act for the occasion. The Mayor proceeded to admonish the couple & then asked the parents of each whether they gave their consent to the marriage—& the same to the fiances. He then pronounced them man & wife & proceeded to read a very nicely written address in wh he extolled both families & referred to the entente cordiale between the 2 countries. This done the signing took place & all was at an end—& we went off to the Neuflize home & partook of tea & strawberries. The assembly consisted only of the members of the two families. I returned to La Muette in a taxi to rest until time to dress for dinner. The Franquevilles took me in their carriage when they went out to dinner & left me at the André de Neuflize who were giving the family dinner on the occasion. I arrived there at 10 min. to 8—very uncomfortably early as my hosts were not down & we did not sit down till ¼ to 9! Our hostess is an American & very nice looking. She was dressed in the height of fashion in so tight a skirt opened up on one side that when she sat down her leg was uncovered up to her knee! At 10 the Franquevilles called for me & conveyed me back to La Muette. | |
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