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THE Queen continues in excellent health ; and although her Majesty's confinement is expected to take place about a week hence, she is daily seen walking in the garden of Buckingham Palace with Prince Albert. The event of the week at Court has been the consecration of the new Chapel Royal at Buckingham Palace. The ceremony was performed on Saturday, by the Archbishop of Canterbury ; the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Norwich assisting in the proceedings. The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Dutchess of Kent, and attended by the chief ladies and great officers of the Household, entered the Royal closet at noon. The seats in the central aisle were occupied by the officers of the Household; and in the side-aisles were seated ladies con- nected with the Household, and the Lords and Ladies in Waiting. The Queen's warrant for the consecration having been read at the com- munion-table by Mr. F. H. Dyke, the Registrar, the Archbishop pro- ceeded with the ceremony appointed for the occasion. After the cere- mony, the Archbishop and Bishops, the clergy, and the ladies and gen- tlemen of the Household, partook of a dejeuner at the Palace.
The following description of the new building, of which Mr. Blore is ,the architect, appears in the Court Circular-
" The chapel is erected on the site of one of the conservatories. The in- terior has a very light and elegant appearance. The side-aisles are divided from the centre by two rows of fluted composite columns, supporting a pointed ceiling, divided into compartments, and ornamented in stucco. It is lighted by windows at the sides, finished with architraves, and surmounted by pedi- ments.
"The Queen's closet is elevated on Doric columns across the West end of the chapel ; the altar fronts the Royal closet at the opposite end. The com- munion-table had a covering of crimson velvet embroidered with gold ; the back of the altar, the seats, and the cushions, were likewise of the same rich materials. The front of the Queen's closet, the pulpit, and the reading-desk, were also covered with crimson velvet, edged with bullion fringe, and bordered with gold lace. "The Royal closet is lighted by a number of small circular-headed win- dows, and corresponding windows are also introduced at the other end of the chapel over the altar. "The pews in the side-aisles occupied by tbe Lords and Ladies of the House- hold, aud the seats in the middle aisle, are covered with crimson." The Queen and Prince Albert attended Divine service in the new chapel on Sunday.
The Queen held a Court on Tuesday. at Buckingham Palace ; and her Majesty gave audiences to Lord Hill, the Marquis of Anglesey, and the Duke of Wellington. Lord Hill delivered the insignia of the Order of the Bath worn by his uncle the late Lord, and also the gold stick of
office held by the late Lord as Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards. The gold stick was delivered to the Marquis of Anglesey as Colonel of the regiment.
Prince Albert held a levee on behalf of the Queen, at St James's Palace, on Wednesday. The Prince arrived at the Palace, with his suite, in three of the Royal carriages, shortly before two o'clock. Prince George of Cambridge and Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar were present. The levee was well but not very numerously attended. Among those presented were, Sir Eardley Wilmot, on being appointed Governor of Van Diemen's Land, Captain Robert Fitzroy, R.N., on being appointed Governor of New Zealand, and Colonel Rolt, on being permitted to pre- sent to Prince Albert a copy of his work on Moral Command.
The Queen held a Court yesterday ; at which the Prince Royal of Wurtemberg, attended by the Wurtemberg Minister, was introduced by the Earl of Aberdeen.
Prince Albert afterwards visited the Prince Royal, at Mivares Hotel. The Queen gave audiences, on Monday, to the Judge-Advocate-Ge- neral ; on Thursday to the Earl of Haddington.
The Queen and Prince Albert went to the French Play, on Monday. On Tuesday, they visited the Queen Dowager. On Wednesday, a por- trait of her Majesty, by Sir Martin Archer Shee, was submitted to the Queen and Prince.
Prince Albert visited the Duke of Sussex on Monday. On Tuesday, he went to see the Glaciarium, or artificial skating-ice, and Madame Tussaud's wax-exhibition at the Baker Street Bazaar.
The Queen Dowager has been repeatedly visited by the Dutchess of Kent, the Duke, Dutchess, Princess Augusta, and Prince George of Cambridge, and the Dutchess of Gloucester. The Datchess of Kent visited the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge on Thursday. On the same day, the Dutchess of Kent, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, and the Princess Augusta, dined with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Duke of Cambridge dined with the Catch Club on Tuesday. All the members of the Cambridge family, and the Dutchess of Gloucester went to the Egyptian Hall yesterday, to see Sir George Hayter's collection of pictures of the House of Commons, &c. The Dutchess of Cambridge, the Princess Augusta, and Prince George, went in the evening to the performance of the Sacred Har- monic Society, at Exeter Hall. Sunday was Prince George's birthday ; when he completed his twenty-fourth year.
It is stated that the Queen has fixed the month of August for her visit to Ireland ; and the Dublin Evening Post says that alterations for the reception of her Majesty have for some time been going on at the Viceregal Lodge in Phcenix Park.
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