The MAUVE ROOM and its adjoining dressing room came to be known as The Royal Suite, having given sweet slumber and other delights to numerous royalty, such as Queen Margaret of Sweden, The Duke and Duchess of Connaught (Queen Victoria's youngest, and by far her nicest son, also Desmond’s godfather), and to Prince Pierre of Monaco, (the father of Prince Rainier III): also to a delightful black prince, Prince Kessee of a pre-war African kingdom no longer existing, whose subjects may have eaten him at the banquet celebrating his return because we never heard from him again. Before leaving he gave Lady Leonie Leslie a beautiful little Sealyham pup called `Boozoo', (Swahili for kiss) which decorated the carpet whenever anyone called its name. Prince Pierre gave Lady Leonie the fine triptych silver mirror on the dressing table, bearing her initials entwined in a double L, the same device used by the `Sun King' Louis 14. who was much less fun. Hence the loo beyond the bathroom is called "The Throne Room" in honour of all the royalty who have rained.
Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful also slept here. Unfortunately on a weekend when the inmates of a girls' reformatory school run by nuns chose to picnic by the lake. On hearing that "Mr McJeager" was in residence, they chased him round the lake screaming for blood. The only place where he might possibly be safe was on the top of the (Protestant) church tower. So up he was sent, while we worked out a hostage rescue plan with the good nuns. Finally the tough delinquents agreed to moderate their behaviour in exchange for autographs, and Mick was eventually coaxed down.
Problem - no one had any paper, only thick green felt tipped pens.
No problem – arms, legs, bottoms, even bosoms were bared, and the girls went away whooping with joy. Six weeks later the Head Nun rang in despair. The girls would rather go on hunger strike than wash. What was she to do? Desmond suggested `Tattoo them, then scrub them.' And so passed another tranquil weekend at Glaslough.
In 1910 while he was Commander in Chief at Kilmainham Hospital, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, graciously honoured Castle Leslie with a visit. Triumphal arches of flowers were erected, the carpenter fell off his ladder, and the bell ringer’s rope broke from practising. An extra footman was summoned to wait at table. For this, the Grand Central Hotel in Belfast loyally sent us their "best waiter"; a purple faced drunk who was thrilled at the prospect of actually serving royalty. He was squeezed into the green Leslie livery, and given a huge soufflé to carry into the dining room. This he carries proudly up to the duke, shouting: "Yer Royal Highness, here's yer dinner. It's a Poooooooooooooof----!" blowing the soufflé all over the dinner table. Hasty to make amends he pounds the table with his fist while declaring: "er Royal Highness, I'll have you know we're so loyal in Portadown, we're still mourning yer Mum." (Queen Victoria had died 10 years earlier in 1900).
A right royal time was had (though not always as planned) whenever the duke and duchess came to Glaslough. When old they rather touchingly told Granny that the only fun they'd ever had in their lives had been with her.
A noble potty neighbour, not exactly known for romance, was so enamoured by the lovely Margaret of Sweden that he hid himself in the big white wardrobe before she came up to bed, not realising the catch cannot be undone from inside. Halfway through the night, disturbed by muffled thuds and weird groans, Queen Margaret threw open the wardrobe, and a suffocated earl tumbled out. She was not amused.
From one window you see largely meadow and cattle, from the other you see formal terraces. Lady Constance liked formality, Sir John preferred the rustic. So they devised the curving balustrade accordingly.
This room is unchanged since it was first built, save for the curtains. All the white furniture was designed by Sir John Leslie and built on the estate. The original ones crumbled after 110 years, and the new ones are being specially made by hand for us and should be gracing the room shortly.