3-065-734 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh at Gravesend: Miss Lake presenting a bouquet to the bride, 1874. Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, with his new bride, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia. '...the Duke and Duchess were met by the Mayor and his daughter, Miss Beatrice Lake, Mr. Standish O'Grady, the Recorder, the Town Clerk, and the Bishop of Rochester. Miss Lake had the honour of presenting her Imperial Highness with a beautiful bouquet, composed of lilies of the valley, white camellias, sprays of spiraea, and maidenhair fern, held in a beautifully-wrought gold handle. The design of the latter is Hymen's torch set with pearls, the arms of Gravesend on one side and those of Kent on the other side; acorns, oak-leaves, and the rose, shamrock, and thistle were chased upon the holder, on which was the Duchess's monogram, with the words: "Presented by the Ladies of Gravesend to the Duchess of Edinburgh, March 7, 1874." The flowers were supplied by the Clarence Nursery at Gravesend. The bouquet was surrounded with a beautiful garland of Honiton lace...Her Imperial Highness was attired in a purple velvet mantle edged with fur, a pale blue silk dress, and white bonnet'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.