A PRINCE'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 74, 25 September 1934, Page 14

A PRINCE'S DEATH

DON GONZALO

HEREDITARY WEAKNESS

A MOTORBT4 MISHAP

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, August 17.

Much sympathy is felt for the exKing of Spain and Queen Victoria Eugenic at the tragically sudden death from haemophilia, of their youngest son, Prince Gonzalo, 'before he could receive medical assistance.

The Prince, who was 19, was taking an evening drive along the shores of the lake between Klagenfurt and Portsehach, in Austria, in a car driven by his sister, Princess Beatrice, when they overtook a cyclist, Baron Niemans. In swerving to avSid him the car crashed into a wall. So severe was the impact that the right mudguard was torn off and the radiator damaged. The Prince was thrown violently forward. He showed no external wound, and was not taken to hospital. He was not aware that he had any serious injuries and returned to the castle of Count Hoyos, with whom he and other members of the Eoyal Family have been staying.

The King, having no idea that aiiytliing serious ivas wrong, went out to the casino at about 10 p.m. He was told that Don Gonzalo was ill, and returned home., A doctor was immediately summoned. The Prince's condition grew steadily worse, until he died at 1 a.m. from internal hemorrhage following on heart failure and an advanced stage of haemophilia. An operation which might have saved his life could not bo carried out because his- heart was too weak. King Alfonso stated that Ids' son was suffering from haemophilia to such a degree that the slightest - shock was always liable to prove'fatal. . ■

THE FUNERAL OBSEQUIES,

Queen Victoria had a 000-mile car journey from . Divonne-les-Baines, France, to get to Portscliaeh, where she arrived in a greatly distressed and exhausted : condition. The funeral took place in the small local cemetery. During the removal of the coffin to the motor hearse the military band of the mountain, troops from Klageufurt played the Spanish National Anthem. At the head of the funeral procession was a guard of honour furnished by the Carinthian Alpine Eegiment, followed by the military band. Then came three coaches filled with wreaths tied with the Spanish national colours. Prince Gonzalo 's favourite flowers were roses, and his father sent a wreath of red, his mother of yellow, and his brothers, and sisters of white roses, which were placed on the coffin. Behind the hearse the Order/of the Golden Fleece, 'of which the Prince was a member, wiis carried on a velvet cushion. Then followed ex-King Alfonso, Queen Victoria, ■ and the members of their family. Later ex-King Alfonso thanked Major Fey for the sympathy of the Austrian Government. Ho was particularly grateful for the military escort. '.■■■■ :

DIED IN. HIS SISTER'S ARMS.

The Infanta Beatrice said: "I am broken-hearted. Gonzalo 's injuries were not severe, but_ because of his weak constitution the doctors were unable to operate on him and he had not the strength to resist the loss of blood. We brought him back to here and he died in my arms. ' My own injuries were only slight and I am practically all right today, but'l cannot forget that I was driving the car, although the accident was not iny'fault.".' ■ Don Gonzalo had intended to study as an agricultural engineer at the University of Madrid, and he had, for some time been a student of engineering at the University, of liouvain. He was reputed to be the most studious member of the Boyal Famil/, and it is recalled in Madrid that on one occasion, at a .reception in the French Embassy, he gravely excused his cariy departure on the grounds that he would otherwise be late for his lesson. ■ He paid his first visit Jo England two years ago and -Jsvas then described as the most English-looking of Don Alfonso's children, being very much like his mother. Although his two eldest.brothers had renounced their rights of succession to th-j Spanish throne, Don Gonzalo was no. heir-presumptive. This ;is Don Juan, the third son, ivho is" now an officer in the British Navy.

QUEEN ENA'S TKIALS. Queen Ena, who was a niece of King Edward, has had a tragic life. As a child she is quoted as saying: "I do not want to be a queen—they are all unhappy people." She was the favourite grandchild of. Queen Victoria, and after the death from fever of her father, Prince Henry of Battenberg, on 'the Ashanti' Expedition, she was largely brought up by the Queen. On her wedding day a bomb was thrown at the Royal carriage, and 20 of the escort and onlookers were killed and GO injured. Next day the young couple drove unescorted in an open carriage through the streets of Madrid. Queen Ena married a man who had more escapes from, death than any monarch of his day.. She has shared in many of them. Almost every month brought some danger—bombs found on the railway line or in the streets, or hidden in the Koyal palace. The attempts assassins failed, but the revolution of 1931 robbed the King and Queen of their, kingdom', and they became exiles' from Spain.

Haemophilia is a hereditary disease as the result of which uncontrollable bleeding is apt to follow upon very slight wounds.