Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1912 — KING IS FASTIDIOUS! [ARTICLE]

KING IS FASTIDIOUS!

British Monarch l& Attended by Three Valets. George Usually Dresses Himself — Duties of the Chief Man Servant, Who Stands Between lvlng and His Tailors. London.—His majesty has three valets —a chief and two assistant valets. The chief valet has been with his majesty for the last twelve years. His duties are to superintend the care of the royal wardrobes, to attend on the king in the royal dressing room and to take all instructions concerning the king’s clothes which may be given him either directly by his majesty or by one of the private secretaries. His majesty’s clothes are kept in a large room adjoining the dressing room. The walls of the room are lined with wardrobes, which are divided into two sections. One section contains the king’s uniforms and the other his majesty’s ordinary walking and evening suits of clothes. Over night the chief valet is instructed regarding the uniforms, if any, and the suits of clothes which the king will require for wear the following' day, and these are placed by the assistant valets In the royal dressing room. Before a suit or uniform is sent into the royal dressing room it is inspected by the chief valet, to see that it is properly brushed, Ironed and ready for wear. Every morning the suits which the king has worn the day previously are brushed and ironed by the assistant valets. The king, It may be added, never wears the same suit two days running. As a rule, his jnajesty would not wear the same Buit oftener than once in a week, and when it had been worn about two dozen times it would be put out of the royal wardrobe. The present king keeps earlier hours than did his late majesty. King George customarily rises at seven o’clock, when he takes a cup of light coffee, which the chief valet brings him directly the king enters his dressing room. His majesty then has his bath, which is always a cold one; while the king is in his bathroom the chief valet puts the links and studs into his majesty’s shirt, puts out an assortment of ties on the dressing table and places the boots or shoes the king Intends to wear on a mahogany bootstand, and then retires. The king dresses himself without the aid of a valet, except when putting on a uniform, when the chief valet is generally in attendance. When the king travels, the chief valet superintends the packing of his majesty’s luggage, which is done by the assistant valets. A list of everything that is to be packed is made out by the chief valet, and on the arrival of the luggage at the king’s destination the list is checked over l)y the chief valet while the portmanteaus are being unpacked. The king’s chief yalet Is a well educated and well informed man. He Is a first rate linguist, speaking French, German and Italian In addition to his native tongue, perfectly. He has traveled all over the world with the king, and is known and held in high esteem by all the great European monarchs. from whom he baa received on their visits to this country many tokens of their esteem. King George rarely or never tries

on a suit of clothes, and seldom is seen by the tailors who have the honor of his majesty’s custom. When the king desires to order any new clothes he informs the chief valet of the fact, who gets patterns for the king’s inspection. When his majesty has selected the patterns, the chief valet gives the order to the tailor, and the clothes, when ready for trying on, are fitted oii>a dummy ggure of the king. The chief valet inspects the suit when it is fitted on the model and gives the tailor all the necessary directions concerning it. A suit is generally fitted on the model three times.