NEW SOVEREIGN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 84, 21 January 1936, Page 8

NEW SOVEREIGN

STORY OF HIS EARLY DAYS.

PROBLEMS IN HIS TUITION.

(Continued from Page 7.)

Queen Victoria and hei* Consort, Prince Albert. had from their earliest days been brought up on the assumption, and with constant reminders that they would probably be future rulers, and consequently in the ordinary sense of the word, never enjoyed a natural youth. With the Prince, however, it was 'an entirely different . matter. Breaking away from tradition, the Prince of Wales (afterwards King George) appointed Sir H. P. Hansel! as tutor. He was . not a flatterer • lie commenced by being a strict disciplinarian, and the Prince never ceased to be grateful for what was done for him in those early days.

His Tutor’s Problems. Mr Hansell had some difficult problems to face. He was torn between the temptation to make of his charge a model prince, steeped -ini mediaeval chivalry and royal tradition, or an ordinary, unassuming, healthy young man. There was always the danger that if he compromised the Prince’s education' would fall between these two stools, and there would result a yopng man without any of the individuality so necessary tb a future ruler of men. “Inspired,” is the only word that can adequately describe Mr Hansell s methor of training his charge. Without drawing a fine line of demarcation between Edward and Albert, wnom he was also preparing for Osborne, he managed ‘ with infinite tact ana resource to keep in mind the relative positions which these two brothers would ultimately fill. The Prince’s love of sport was ever to the fore, and there was little dancer of his developing into a bookisn voun*r man through Mr Hansell s tutelage ° Indeed, Mr Hansell would not have allowed his charge to have developed a studious* nature; that woiild have been ill-fitting for a future rulci of the Empire. A Shook in Store. " The Prince entered Osborne Naval College after passing his examinations with honours, and there' he learned,, with something of a shock, that he was up against lads of his own age who could probably beat him at games and at study. He lias always been known for a certain shyness of manner, and it was at Osborne Naval College that he adopted that manner, foi he was most sensitive to ridicule, . or iather to the chance that people nugh ridicule him. ~ , • , His chief fear at that period was that he might not be able to keep up his end” among the easy-gomg cadets but nothing is recorded to show that his bearing w r as not a great success. He did not take advantage of the tact that he would one day be the King o England. On the only occasion that he did mention ,; mv grandfather, the King,” a fellow cadet took exception to the remark and he and Edward of Wales fought for half an hour to satis-" -fy the honour of the mess room. The Prince did not go out of his way to make friends as did his grandfather though he shared King Edward’s democratic taste in preferring the man before the title. During his stay at Osborne the Prince made friends from among the number who took lessons and enjoyed the Spartan sports with him. Of these friends it is said that the Prince chose them not because of their particular outstanding brilliance, but because he liked them for "their modest outlook upon life. Rapid Progress Made. In 1909 it was decided that the Prince should continue his training at Dartmouth and his colleagues there attached more importance to his position" than the 11-yearrold lads at Osborne had done. The Prince soon became a popular figure in the school; his progress in his studies was rapid, and he became one of the most advanced pupils in the centre. The Prince found more time in which to indulge in his love of sport than he had at Osborne, and being two years ■ older, was now competent to take part in certain pastimes which had hitherto been denied him. He became whip of the Beagles, and made a local fame fpr himself as a cross-country runner. One of the secrets of the Prince’s thoroughness lay in the fact that he mixed discriminately pleasure and duty. He was a firm believer in tjie idea that, in order to do the best in one direction, the other must have a full share of consideration. Prince Edward’s naval training valuable though it proved, was of lesser importance compared with the benefits he received from mixing freely with other young men. He was not slow to ‘ study the different types of trainees with who mhe came in contact. There were sons of wealthy * aristocrats who; would.have fastened themselves on to him; but Edward had little to do with tliem. He had wisdom and aptitude beyond his years, and preferred the sober minded, generous-spirited young men who would, when instruction hours were over, join him in a cross-country run or talk shop during leisurely walks. He never did care for the “worldly man about town” type. The Prince, of course, was at Dartmouth at the time of his grandfather’s death in 1910. First State Appearance. It was at the coronation of his father and mother that the Prince] made his initial Btato appearance and there he began to realise that the historis folds of the purple robes of his high estate were about his shoulders. Soon after this, there commenced in Wales a patriotic agitation for the proper in-vestituto of the Prince on Welsh soil and eventually this was agreed to, Carnarvon Castle being chosen as the scene of the ceremony. On March 30, 1911, the Prince left Dartmouth and travelled to London. During the following summer three important events followed closely upon each other. On June Prince Edward of Wales was duly fnvested with the Einsign of the Most Noble Order] of the Garter in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, in the presence of representatives of all divisions of the Order from Foreign Sovereigns to Knight • Companions. The ceremony was a solemn one. and the Prince conducted himself with the dignity and composure that the occasion demanded. Only when his r father knelt to adiust the Garter on his right leg did. Edward betray emotion, but at this seemingly undignified action on] his father’s part the voung Knight of! the Garter made n slight movement of nvotest. He runicldv recovered himself, however, but his bearing did not become normal again until he was kneel-

ing. before the King to receive the accolade. Then came the third great event, for amid the fanfare of. trumpets, a wealth of colour and' splendour, and before a background of ancient masonry the Prince of Wales was finally invested at Carnarvon Castle with his title. The people of Chester had been bitterly disappointed that the King and Queen could hot visit Chester and thus allow the Prince of Wales to be invested with the Earldom first created by letters , patent in 1247 by King Henry 111. Yet arrangements could not have been otherwise; royal engagements had taken up the whole of tho time of the King and Queen and their programme was a heavy one ion many months ahead. A Simple Ceremony. The ceremony at Carnarvon Castle was delightfully simple compared with the grandeur of tho setting. The Prince bare-headed, knelt at his father’s feet while Mr Winston Churchill, then the Home Secretary, read in an impressive voice the letters patent. Meanwhile the Prince was invested with the various articles of the insignia—the mantle of purple velvet; with collar and cape of ermine, tli9 sword, the coronet, the gold ring and the golden verge. After the" ceremony an address from the people of Wales was read to the Prince. His reply spoken in Welsh, was brief, but none the less sincere. “Tho many links of the past, ray Tudor descent, the great title that . I bear, as well as my name David, all bind me to Wales, and to-day I can safely say that T am hen wind fy nhadan ” (/the old land of my fathers’,).” Clieers * greeted the Prince as, like the first Prince of Wales, he was presented' to tiro people from the two gates— King’s and Queen’s —and to the crowds assembled fix tbo interior of the castle grounds. Significance Appreciated. Any doubts there might have been that'the 'Prince was too- young to fully appreciate the significance of that ceremony were set at rest when, in March, 1912, he addressed the following words to a deputation of Welsh Bishops who waited upon him to present an illuminated scroll: — “To-day, St. David’s Day. you revive the memories of that splendid: scene of which I was not too young, I think, to understand tho meaning and the beautv, I shall always treasure this record of the thoughts' inspired in you by a ceremony so noble and so sacred. “As I'grow older and have to take m ; y part in public life there will be difficult duties for me to face, but I shall meet them with good courage for the confidence I have in your prayers and good wishes,go with me, and whatever new ties and associations the vears may bring, nothing can change these first feelings of affection, which always bind me to the land from which I take the historic title that I am so proud to bear. i;“I shall ever pray to God to make me worthy of being the Prince of Wales.” Naval Life Continued.

ISitne little time after the Carnarvon oeremcnv, tiro Boval Family, in consultation with the Ministers of the Crown decided that the Prince should continue his life in the Navy. The Prince was brought to the Palace and informed of the decision, and no more welcome news could have been received by the Prince. Deeo'down in Iris heart there still lingered a regret that he had to leave Dartmouth Naval College to take up the responsibilities of his rank, and now that he was to go back—not to college—hut to the eagerly-looked-for-ward-to first shin of every naval cadet. Wildlv excited at the news, lie shook his father warmly by the hand embraced his mother and excitedly dashed off tc- tell his sister and his brothers. The King had been, a sailor himself, and well, knew tho benefits to ho obtained both physically and mentally, from a naval training obtained; under the supervision of a good disciplinarian. Out of all tho .ships in his Majesty’s fleet King George singled out the Hindustan, a battleship of 16.500 tons, as the most suitable vessel to receive the Boval ‘cadet. Captain Henry H. Campbell, in command, was well known for his thoroughness in training voung officers, and his strict impartiality towards individual Although these qualities were not officially noted they had not escaped the keen eyes and ears of the King and he knew that during his cruise Prince Edward. would receive no favours because of his elevated position, and that whatever he achieved 'fluring his stay in the navy would depend entirely upon his own merits as a sailor and a man. And that was exactly what his father wished to happen. Princess Mary’s Pride. Princess Mary was very proud of her sailor-brother, and together with her father and mother visited the ship as soon as the Prince settled in his new quarters and with her Majesty brought a. collection of signed photographs so that during his absence at sea the Prince would have his relations near

At once the young officer felt his “sea feet,” arid proved immune from tlrose attacks of mal-de-mer which, humiliate far older and much wider travelled men. The Prince cruised about in home, waters, and during his training made acquaintances with the North Sea. in some of its most treacherous moods. Tins in itself is a recommendation'of his sailor-worthiness.. There were those who imagined that the voung Prince’s three months’ cruise in H.M.S. Hindustan was merely, “an experience.” in whicli his Roval Highness gratified the members of the senior service and introduced himself m a congenial way to sea travel. How far they were wrong can he gathered from the facts volunteered by those who served on hoard the ship with the Prince on both upper and lower deck. He was allowed no special privileges, and worked as hard as any other junior officer, and probably a great deal harder for, whereas his fellow snotties” confined their attention to the studv of things nautical, Prince Edward had to sandwich in between ms, ordinary duties and studies long spells of application to studv of widely divergent, subjects under Mr Hansell s supervision, which were to serve mm long after his association with service afloat*was concluded. The Prince’s life on hoard the Hindustan can be summed up briefly and comment is unnecessary. He was not excused ope single duty, and performed in strict rota bis share of the most arduous as well as the humblest duties.] iHo received a thorough insight into the whole workings of a great battleship, hml managed to compress within three [months a much longer period of training. ____________ i

A BOTTLE IN TTME SAVES NINE. ! A bottle of HEENZO (Hean’s Essence) made up at home will provide a supply equal to eight or more ordinal v-size'd-'bottles of cough mixture and saves you 10/-. Get a bottle o, HEENZO to-day and be prepared for ail colds, ’flu a lid other minor winter ailments. Safest and most efficacious. 2/6. All Chemists and Stores.—(Advt.)i