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THE Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Prince of Leiningen, returned to town, from Osborne House, on Tuesday; arriving at Buckingham Palace about six o'clock. Her Majesty held a Court on Thursday afternoon. Audience was given to the Count de Jarnac ; who delivered his credentials as Minister Pleni- potentiary from the King of the French in the absence of the Ambassador. The Queen also gave audiences to Lord John Russell, Lord Palmerston, and several diplomatic gentlemen. The Queen gave a grand ball last night, at Buckingham Palace, to royal, diplomatic, official, and other distinguished persons, to the number of about a thousand. The state rooms blazed with wax-lights and lastres, and were profusely adorned with exotics and rare plants. The Queen was dressed in blue—a gauze over silk and tulle; the trimmings were roses panachees, ornamented with white and pink diamonds; on her head was a wreath of roses. The Prince wore a Field-Marshal's uniform, and various orders. The dreeses of the company were very splendid; the gentlemen being either in uniform or Court dress. Her Majesty opened the ball with Prince George of Cambridge; Prince Albert and the Dutchess of Sutherland forming the opposite couple of the quadrille. Supper was served about midnight, in the State Diningroom. The tables and buffets shone with plate, set off by a profusion of flowers and wax-lights, A peculiarly pleas- ing effect was attained by placing two simple water-lilies in graceful little vases of gold.
The Queen and Prince Albert went on Tuesday, with the Prince of Lei- ningen, to the Covent Garden Opera; on Wednesday, with the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, to the exhibition of the Royal Botanical So- ciety; on Thursday, first to Her Majesty's Theatre, where Jenny Lind was performing, and afterwards to the St. James's, where the amateurs gave their second night for the benefit of the distressed Irish and Scotch.
The Dutchess of Kent visited the Queen's children, and the Queen Dow- ager, on Saturday. Her Royal Highness went to Her Majesty's Theatre on Tuesday; and on Wednesday visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace; dining afterwards with the Dutchess of Gloucester.
The Queen Dowager went to Her Majesty's Theatre on Tuesday; and visited the Queen and Prince Albert on Thursday, at Buckingham Palace.
Altogether, there has been an unusual interchange of visits this week among the different members of the Royal Family.
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