July 22, 1898
The Daily Telegraph today has a dispatch from St. Petersburg, "which says the ladies of the Russian court are greatly upset at the fact that the Czarina has forbidden cigaret smoking in her presence."
The dispatch, which was reported by the Chicago Daily Tribune, adds that the ladies have petitioned Her Imperial Majesty "to withdraw the prohibitory ukase, pointing out that the ladies smoke cigarets at all the courts of Europe." The petition adds that many of the crowned heads and "Princesses of the blood royal," including the Dowager Queen Maria Cristina of Spain, the Empress of Austria, the Queen of Roumania, the Queen of Portugal and the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, while, "they allege, the greatest devotee of all is Princess Henry of Prussia," Empress Alexandra's older sister.
2 comments:
I'm not sure of her exact reasons, but if it had to do with the smell of cigarette smoke, then I am in total agreement with The Empress. It can trigger an instant headache for me..
On those other royalty boards administered by the Scandinavian fellows, if the subject of smoking royals comes up they get very uptight, especially if the anti-smoking posts come from Americans.
And no one thought smoking was bad for you at that time. Here in the US, it is very difficult to smoke in public places, even outside. Baseball stadiums may have smoke free areas - in the case of the Washington Nationals, you get a wrist band if you want to smoke because the Nats have designated only one place - and it is outside the stadium. I approve.
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