The young King was always genial and affable, and anxious to avoid too much ceremonial etiquette when it might cause discomfort to those who followed it.
One day he came unexpectedly into the Archæological Museum of Madrid with an Austrian Prince. There he found two men studying with their hats on; for all those who use public institutions in Madrid know that the cold is intense during the winter in these buildings. At the entrance of Alfonso the students promptly bared their heads.
“Don’t do that,” said the young King kindly; “put your hats on again, or I shall have to take off mine.”
Alfonso was a bright and attractive figure in Spanish Court society. His gift of making verses, either gay or sentimental, as the occasion warranted, was always attractive, and he slackened the stiff rules of Court life as much as possible.
The Ilustracion Española y Americana publishes an excellent account of the historic ball given by the restored monarch:
“The festivities which celebrated the restoration of King Alfonso XII. in the feudal mansions of Spain finally saw their culmination in the magnificent ball given at the royal palace by the young monarch and his widowed sister, the Infanta Isabella, the heir to the throne, on January 15, 1877.
“The state apartments were illuminated by millions of candles in the crystal chandeliers; the double-winged splendid staircase—guarded at the foot by the historic white marble lions, and lined with the Royal Guard of the Halberdiers in their high black-cloth leggings, slashed scarlet cutaway coats, tricorn white-banded hats, and their glittering Toledan steel halberds, at attention—was crowded with thousands of guests in gorgeous uniforms and lovely toilettes, who were radiant at this opportunity of once more greeting royalty at a great fête.
“The King, with his sister, looked smiling and happy, and their genial words of welcome warmed the hearts of the guests.
“The fine ballroom was soon filled with the stream of people in gorgeous array; the large mirrors on the wall reflected the dancing of the stately rigodons, so that they could be seen from the entrance of the room even by those who could not obtain a place within its precincts.
“A magnificent supper was served, and so perfect was the arrangement that 3,000 people were able to partake of it without confusion.