6 JULY 1844, Page 7

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TEE Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the infant Prince and Princesses, left Buckingham Palace on Saturday for Claremont ; where the Royal party enjoyed the luxury of rural retirement till Tues- day, when they returned to town. Prince Albert presided in the after- noon at a meeting of the Commissioners of Fine Arts, which lasted three hours.

The Queen had a dinner-party on Wednesday ; the Dutchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, Viscount and Vis- countess Palmerston, and Sir Martin Archer Shee, were among the guests. Her Majesty afterwards gave a concert in the grand saloon, to which a large party was invited: Persiani and Grisi, Lablache, Forna- sari, Mario, Staudigl, and Moriani sang ; and Costa presided at the pianoforte.

The dinner-party at the Palace on Thursday included the Duke and Dutchess of Norfolk, the Duke and Dutchess of Beaufort, the Marquis of Granby, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce, Lord Forester, and General the Honourable Sir W. Lumley.

On Thursday, Prince Albert visited the Surrey Zoological Gardens to view the pictorial model of " London in the Olden Time " ; which he is said to have pronounced " perfect."

The removal of the Court from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle will, it is understood, take place on Wednesday or Thursday next. A banquet at the Palace on Monday will close the Royal festi- vities in London.

Early on Thursday morning, the Dutchess of Cambridge left town for Dover, to receive the Hereditary Grand Duke and Dutchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, who arrived from the Continent at two o'clock. The Royal party came to town by the railway, and proceeded to Cam- bridge House; where the Dutchess of Gloucester arrived on a visit dur- ing the evening.

The Duke of Cambridge dined with the Noblemen and Gentlemen's Catch Club on Tuesday ; on Thursday, he was present at the Duke of Somerset's party, and at Lady Charlotte Guest's assembly.

The Dutchess of Gloucester went to the Dutchess of Buccleuch's fete at Montague House on Thursday.