ROYAL ROMANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 204, 29 August 1934, Page 7

ROYAL ROMANCE

BRITISH PRINCE.

GREEK PRINCESS.

Engagement Announced of

Prince George,

COUPLE IN AUSTRIA,

(United V.A.— Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 2S,

The "Sun" learns authoritatively that Prince George is engaged _ to Princess Marina, daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece.,

Tho "Daily Mail" says that Prince George is at present at Salzburg. Last Bight he attended a performance of "Don Giovanni" accompanied by Princess Jlarina, her sister Princess Olga and her husband, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia.

During the interval Prince George was Been affectionately guiding Princess Marina by the arm as they went out to smoke a cigarette. The Austrian nobility watched smilingly. A later message states that the engagement of Prince George and Princess Marina was oilicially announced.

Princess Marina is first cousin to exKing George 11. of Greece, who spends mainly between England and Rumania, where the iloyal houee headed by King Carol is favourable to his inter* ests. King George wae driven out of Greece by the .Republican Revolution of 1924, two years after he had succeeded his unfortunate father, Constantine. The latter was forced by the Allies to abdicate first in 1917 by reason of his pro-German sympathies, his second son, Alexander, taking the throne, and the elder eon, Nicholas, going with the King into exile. Alexander was murdered m 1920, and Constantine returned following 8 jlebiecite, but had once more to abdicate as a result of Prince Andrew's disastrous campaign in Asia Minor in 1922. A President has ruled in Greece since 1924.

Few royal families in history have Buffered such misfortune as those which 6tarted with the assassination of King George 1., father of Constantine and Nicholas, in 1913, and culminated in three abdications and the murder of yet another king, to say nothing of the degradation and exile of Prince Andrew, younger brother of Constantine and Nicolas, after jthe campaign of 1922.

Prince Nicholas caused a sensation in J927 with the publication of his memoirs under the title of "My Fifty Years," in which he made a carefully argued defence of Constantine, holding that the latter was perfectly willing to join the Allies, tut, seeing as a solicitor that some of iVenizelo's proposals were unsound, he had vetoed them and had awaited events. gave an exhibition of his paintings in London in June, 1931, which was yisited and patronised by King George «nd Queen Mary of England.

Fourth son of King George, Prince George ie well into his 32nd year. He entered the Navy in 1916, and became midshipman in 1921. He received the order of Knight of the Garter on his 21et birthday in 1923. He retired from the Navy for health reasons, and joined the Department of the Foreign Office in 1929. He was later attached to the Ministry of Labour as an inspector of factories. With the Prince of Wales, he made a triumphant tour of South America in 1931, and last year the two brothers travelled together to Scandinavia and Denmark. It was during this visit that rumours became rife of the younger Prince's romance with Princess Ingrid, daughter of the Swedish King and Queen. The Princess, who had met Prince George on her several visits to England, gave the pair a most cordial welcome at the station at Stockholm, and appointed herself guide to the younger brother during the brief etay in Sweden. Prince George returned to England, and earlier this year toured South Africa, where he wae greeted with almost frenzied enthusiasm. It was understood at the time that he was to visit Australia and New Zealand in connection ■with the Melbourne Centenary, but thjs was cancelled owing to the effect on his never robust health of the strenuous African tour, and his elder brother, the J)uke of Gloucester, was substituted.

Prince George, debonair and always tectremely popular in the society of ladies, a good dancer and brilliant conversationalist, has been described as resembling Jus father, the King, more than any of Iris brothers.

PRINCE QUESTIONED.

''PLEASE DENY ALL RUMOURS."

(Received 1 p.m.)

LONDON", August 28.

Rumours of the engagement were rife fen the Continent over the week-end as the couple were present at the musical iestival at Salzburg, where they heard "Don Giovanni," but on being directly questioned Prince George asked a newspaper man to deny it. He said: "Please 6ay there is no truth in all these rumours."

Prince George's grant in the Civil List is £10,000 a year, and will be increased by a further £15,000 a year when he marries.

Ho reached Yugoslavia on hia present visit in an aeroplane lent by the Prince of Wales, flying via Le Bourgefc, Munich and over tho Alps to the Carinthia Lakes.