Conferring the Order of the Garter.
--The foreign news has announced that at
Windsor Castle, on the 17th ult.,
Victoria invested the
Duke of
Newcastle with the Order of the Garter.
The Prince Consort and the
Prince of
Wales assisted Her Majesty in the ceremony.
A letter says:
‘
By the
Sovereign's command, the
Duke of
Newcastle was received at the door of the
Chapter Room by the
Duke of
Devonshire and the
Earl of Harrowby, the two Junior Knights Companions present, and was conducted between them to the
Queen, preceded by Garter, bearing the ensigns of the Order upon a velvet cushion, and by Black Rod.--The
Duke knelt near her Majesty, and the
Queen, assisted by the Prince Consort, buckled the "Garter" on his left leg, the
Chancellor pronouncing the usual admonition.
’
Garter presented the Riband with the "George" appendant, and the
Queen, assisted by the
Prince of
Wales, passed the same over the
Duke's left shoulder and under the right arm, the
Chancellor pronouncing the admonition.
His Grace kissed again her Majesty's hand.
The
Duke of
Newcastle having received the congratulations of the Prince Consort,
the Prince of
Wales, the
Duke of
Cambridge, &c., the
Knights Companions retired.
The
Queen gave a grand dinner in the evening in the
Waterloo Gallery.
The knights and officers of the Order of the Garter had the honor of being invited.
The dinner was served on the service of gold plate, and on the plateau and other portions of the table were displayed a selection of the most beautiful and magnificent specimens of art and articles of vertu in gold plate in the royal collection, the candelabrum of
St. George occupying the centre.
