Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward of Wales, eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was born at Frogmore-house, near Windsor Castle, on the 8th of January, 1864, and therefore attains his majority to-day.

The preparations for the celebration at Sandringham are nearly complete, and great interest in the event is being shown throughout the county of Norfolk. The following is the list of those staying in the house:-The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince and Princess Christian, Princess Louise (Marchioness of Lorne) and the Marquis of Lorne, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, the Prince of Leiningen, Count and Countess Gleichen and Countess Feodore Gleichen, the Hon. Julia Stonor, Miss Knollys, Major-General Du Plat (Equerry to the Queen), Colonel Teesdale, C.B., V.C., and Colonel Ellis, C.S.I. (Equerries to the Prince of Wales), Sir Oscar Clayton (Extra Surgeon in Ordinary to the Prince of Wales), Mr. F.W. Gibbs, C.B. (formerly tutor to the Prince of Wales), Mr. R.P. Cockerell (Groom of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales), Rev. J.N. Dalton, C.M.G. (Governor to Prince Edward), Captain Durrant, R.N., C.M.G. (Governor to Prince George), Mr. Knollys, C.B. (private secretary to the Prince of Wales), Mr. Holzmann (librarian to the Prince of Wales and private secretary to the Princess of Wales), Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. O. Montagu, Mr. C. Sykes, M.P., Captain Welch, R.N., Mr. John Baring, Mr. J.K. Stephen, Lord Colville of Culross (Chamberlain to the Princess of Wales), Lady Colville, and the Hon. Blanche Colville. The following are staying with Lieutenant-General Sir Dighton and Lady Probyn at Parkhouse:-Lord Suffield, K.C.B. (Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales), Lady Suffield (Lady-in-Waiting to the Princess of Wales), and the Hon. Alice Harbord, and Captain H. Stephenson, R.N., C.B. (Extra Equerry to the Prince of Wales). The following were likewise to have been at Sandringham, but have been unavoidably prevented from coming:-Lady Macclesfield (Lady-in-Waiting to the Princess of Wales), and the Rev. Canon Tarver (formerly director of studies to the Prince of Wales). The principal feature of the programme will be the presentation of addresses of congratulation to the Prince. The addresses will be three in number-one coming from the tenants, one from the town of King's Lynn, and the third from Norwich. In addition to the addresses, presents from the various bodies will be offered. The deputations will consist of the Mayor, members of the Corporation, and selections from the principal tenants, and the ceremony will take place at 11 o'clock. After the presentation, which will be attended by all those at present staying at Sandringham, Prince Edward will reply. Subsequently there will be a luncheon and in the evening a county ball will be given. Both the luncheon and the ball are to be private. To-morrow evening there will be another ball at Sandringham, to which the tenants are to be invited; while on Saturday the only special feature will be a lawn-meet.

In the towns and villages round about Sandringham efforts are being made by the inhabitants to display some token of the esteem in which they hold the members of the Royal Family. In Lynn preparations are being made to illuminate the more imposing buildings, while in nearly every street there is already a liberal display of flags and bunting. In consequence of the number of invitations which have been issued for the two balls, a great strain has been put on the hotel-keepers and others in the neighbourhood, and now it is almost impossible to obtain a bed or a conveyance. The weather is very fine and frosty, and the latter circumstance is likely to interfere somewhat with the lawn-meet on Saturday. According to present arrangements, however, it will be held whether the weather breaks or not. The Town Councils of Dover and Bath have resolved to send loyal addresses to the Queen on the occasion, and at Bury St. Edmunds the Town Council will give a public dinner to celebrate the event. The Town Councils of Colchester, Yeovil, and Stockport decided yesterday to forward similar addresses to Prince Edward.

The following address, illuminated on vellum, was forwarded last night by the Mayor and Corporation of Windsor to the Prince:-

"To his Royal Highness Albert Victor Christian Edward of Wales.

"May it please your Royal Highness,-We the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the borough of New Windsor respectfully ask you to receive our warmest congratulations and heartiest good wishes on the attainment of your majority, and we do so with a peculiar pleasure, in that we rejoice to be able to claim your Royal Highness as a native of the Royal borough.

"Descended from a line of Sovereigns ennobled for all time by the rare and the right royal wisdom of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen; born of a Prince and Princess dearer, and deservedly dearer, to the nation than any previous inheritors of the title of our first Edward, well-informed in all that pertains to the welfare of your native land, as well as of the possessions and dependencies of the Empire, and endowed with a name which is indissolubly associated with all that is noble and refined, your Royal Highness has, indeed, received a splendid birthright. May God grant that the hopes that have been formed for you by your people, the lofty aspirations which your Royal Highness will have conceived, and the fervent prayers which your illustrious parents will have offered, may all find an abundant fulfilment [sic]."

Last evening the Mayor of Norwich, Mr. J. Hotblack, gave a children's ball in St. Andrew's-hall, Norwich, in celebration of the occasion. The ball was very numerously attended.

At the meeting of the Liverpool City Council, yesterday, an address of congratulation to Prince Edward, on the attainment of his majority was adopted.

The Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Alderman W.H. Stephenson, in view of the coming of age of Prince Edward has generously contributed £100 for the benefit of the deserving poor in that city. The distribution will be made to-day under the direction of the local relief committee.