Read it through once

A duty which was congenial in one sense and sad in another was the unveiling of a statue of the late Prince Consort at the entrance of the Holborn Viaduct in London on January 9th, 1874. A luncheon followed in the Guild Hall attended by some eight hundred guests and at which the Prince made a short speech. A few weeks later the Prince and Princess of Wales were at St. Petersburg to attend the marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh with the Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia on January 23rd. The marriage ceremony was performed in much state with the successive rites of the Greek and English Churches--Dean Stanley presiding over the latter. Four future Sovereigns were present on the occasion, the Prince of Wales, the Crown Prince of Prussia, the Czarewitch of Russia and the Crown Prince of Denmark. During this visit the Prince and Princess were treated with great distinction by the Czar and a grand military review was held in honour of His Royal Highness. The anniversary festival of the British Orphan Asylum was attended on March 25th, in London, and a speech was made by His Royal Highness explanatory of the useful objects of the institution. The subscriptions announced during the evening amounted to £2400. An important incident of the year was the visit of the Shah of Persia to England and the splendid entertainments given in honour of an Oriental Sovereign whose friendliness was of serious import in the event of trouble between Great Britain and Russia. The Prince of Wales devoted considerable time to the task of welcoming and entertaining the Royal visitor and gave one great banquet, in particular, at Marlborough House which was remarkable for its effective magnificence.