gbe QTAUtI.
THE business of pleasure has chiefly engaged the Court this week. The Queen gave another state ball, at Buckingham Palace, on Mon- day evening ; which was attended by the members of the Corps Diplo- matique and a numerous party—the list of names, closely packed, fills more than a column of the Morning Chronicle. Among the guests, be- sides the Royal visiters at the Palace, were the King of Hanover, the Dutchess of Kent, the Duke and Dutchess and Prince George of Cam- bridge, and the Dutchess of Gloucester. The Ball-room and Throne- room were used for dancing. The Queen opened the ball in a quadrille, with Prince George ; the vis-i-vis being Prince Albert and the Prin- cess Clementine. Supper was served in the Dining-room. Dancing was resumed after supper, and kept up till two o'clock in the morning; when the Queen and Prince Albert retired.
The Royal visiters to the Queen have continued their active round of sightseeing. On Saturday, Duke Ferdinand of Saxe Coburg Gotha, with Prince Augustus and the Princess Clementine, and Prince Leo- pold, went to see the cartoons at Westminster Hall. They then met the Queen and Prince Albert at Westminster Palace (the New Houses of Parliament); and having viewed that, all went to the present Houses of Parliament. In the evening, the party repaired to the Italian Opera: where several others of the Royal Family were present. On Monday, the party went to the exhibition of the Royal Academy ; being re- ceived by Sir Martin Archer Shee, the President. The young Princes of Saxe Coburg and the Princess Clementine proceeded to see Green- wich Hospital. The three visited the East India House on Tuesday ; the Duke and Prince Leopold, Sir George Hayter's pictures ; and after- wards the whole party, including the Queen and Prince Albert, went
to view Stafford House. The Saxe-Coburg family looked over the A theme= Club on Wednesday, and visited the Crown Prince of Wurtemburg. On Thursday, the two young Princes and the Princess went to see Guildhall, and made visits Cambridge House and Glow cester House.
Visits have been paid at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday by the Princess Sophia Matilda; on Wednesday, by the Queen Dowager, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge ; on Thursday, Prince George. The Datchess of Kent continued to be at the Palace almost daily.
The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by Prince Augustus and the Princess Clementine, left Buckingham Palace for Windsor, at a quarter past three o'clock on Thursday. The children and their pre • ceptress, the Dowager Lady Lyttleton, followed in another carriage ; Prince Leopold and two ladies of the Court in the next ; the remaiuder of the suite in a fourth. The party proceeded under an escort of Hussars to the terminus of the Great Western Railway at Paddington ; thence by a special train to Slough ; and so, under an escort of Royal Horse Guards, to Windsor ; which was reached at twenty minutes past four ; the ringing of bells and the firing of artillery sounding a welcome. Duke Ferdinand accompanied the Dutchess of Kent to Frogmore, and joined the party at the Castle later in the day. Yesterday, Prince Peter of Oldenburg visited the Castle, to take leave of the Queen, on his departure for the Continent.
The King of Hanover left town on Saturday, for Kew ; where he gave a dinner-party on Sunday ; the Dutchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Wellington being among the guests. On Tuesday, his Ma- jesty was visited by the Dutchess of Gloucester, and dined with the Earl and Countess of Jersey ; who gave a splendid entertainment, at which most of the Royal personages in town were present. On Wednesday, the Dutchess of Gloucester again visited his Majesty ; who dined with the Earl of Shaftesbury ; and then repaired to a grand concert given by the Duke of Wellington, meeting the Dutchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, the Crown Prince of Wurtemberg, and Duke Ferdinand and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg Gotha. On Thursday, visits were paid by Duke Ferdinand and his sons, and Prince Peter of Oldenburg. The King attended a performance of Dr. John Bull's music, in Christchurch, Newgate Street; and afterwards met the Dutchess of Gloucester and a numerous party at a dinner given by the Duke of Sutherland; the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge also joining the Dutchess's evening-party. His Majesty, Prince Peter of Oldenburg, the Dutchess of Gloucester, and a numerous party, were entertained by the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge last night.
The Datchess of Kent lunched with the Queen Dowager, at Bushy Park, on Saturday. Queen Adelaide arrived in town, from Bushy Park, on Wednesday. Visits have passed between the Dutchess of Kent, the Dutchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, Prince Peter and the Princess of Oldenburg.
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