Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Saturday 18 January 1873, page 5


THE GOLDEN WEDDING OF THE KING OF

SAXONY.

Dresden, November 9.

The Emperor and Empress of Germany arrived here at 3- o'clock this afternoon, and were received by the King, Queen Dowager, the Prince and Prin-cesses of Saxony, and many other princely person-ages. The meeting between their Imperial Majes- ties and the King and Royal Family of Saxony was most cordial. Great enthusiasm prevailed at the station, and along the route to the Castle, an im-mense crowd having assembled. At five o'clock the King and-Queen of Saxony entertained their guests at a family dinner, all the Princes in Dresden being present. To-morrow morning the ceremony of blessing the King and Queen on the occasion of their

completing-the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding will be celebrated in the Cathedral.

Dresden, Nov. 10.

The Golden Wedding of the King and Queen of Saxony was celebrated to-day. The city was pro-fusely decorated, and early this morning all the church bells were rung in honour of the event. The religions ceremony of blessing the Royal pair was 'celebrated in the Royal Castle, whither the King and Queen were preceded by a brilliant bridal proces-sion, and followed by the Emperor and Empress of Germany, the members of the Royal Family, in-cluding the Austrian Archduke Charles Louis, Charles Theodore, Prince of Bavaria, the Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg, the Duke of Anhalt, the Count of Flanders, and Prince Christian of Augustenberg.

The King and Queen of Saxony met the Emperor and Empress of Germany under a canopy erected before the altar. The Imperial Crown Prince of Germany stood immediately behind the Royal couple, and he was succeeded by the Protestant Princes, while the Catholic Princes stood on the left of the alter; Bishop Forwerk, assisted by eight clergymen,

gave the benediction. In an address from the altar

he alluded to the honoured presence of the Emperor and Empress of Germany and other illustrious guests, and reminded those present of the glorious military leadership of the two Saxon Princes, which had been acknowledged by the Emperor William. He con-cluded by asking the King and Queen: "Do you promise, in the sight of God, to remain true till the end of your days to the indissoluble tie entered into fifty years ago, and with conjugal unity and mutual help to serve God until God ye doth part?' The

King and Queen answered in a loud voice, "Yes!" Thereupon the priestly blessing was bestowed. The whole party proceeded to the Court Church, where a Te Deum was sung amid rifle firing and salvoes of

artillery.