THE KING OF BULGARIA

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 5

THE KING OF BULGARIA

ECONOMY IN ROYAL HOUSEHOLD. The Sofia correspondent of the London 'Times' was recently received in audience by King Boris 111. of Bulgaria in the Pa-lace at Sotia. He writes that until the ireturn. a few days previously of the King's sisters, the Pliocenes Kudoxia and Nadejda, King Boris had seen no members of his family since 1918, when his father, his mother, his sisters, and anumerous suite left Bulgaria for Coburg. Although there was no estrangement between "father and son, the young King has, for .political reasons, bad no communication with his exiled predecessor. Tall and slim, in looks the young King, who succeeded to the throne on October 3, 1918, on his father's abdication, take.s very much after his mother, tho late Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma, and has an expression which, without being dreamy, conveys the impression that he is a- deep thinker, who has had too manv worries for his years. It is difficult" to remember that he is tho son of King Ferdinand, as his face is quite devoid of the hitter's somewhat proud-and cynical air, and he lias a charming voice. THE KING'S GARDENS.

The Royal Palace is a large and not over-beautiful building situated in the very heart of Sofia. It is here that King Boris spends the greater part of his time, although in tho summer he usually visits the Chateau of Euxinograd on the Black Sea, while for the autumn there is the shooting box at Kritchim, which lies on the western edge of the P.hilippopolis Plain. The everyday life of-King Boris is thoroughly simple, and is an object lesson to those who imagine that- kings do nothing but amuse themselves. Rising early, he" receives his secretaries, transacts the ordinary routine work of the palace, and devotes the rest of the morning to study or to consultations with his Ministers. "After luncheon be invariably motors out to his estate of Vrana, which is some ten miles from Sofia. There on a find's all tho botanical treasures, chief among which is the collection of alpine plants that King Ferdinand gathered from all over tho world. The young King has inherited .from his father the love of flowers, and the happiest hours of the day are spent at Vrana-, wandering about the grounds, often assisting at the work that is going on. Returning to Sofia, in the evening, the King has more work before him. Although not a musician himself, the King loves music, and sometimes attends the local opera, but more often prefers that one of tho members of his suite should play the piano to him. _ Immediately attendant on the King are threo officers, the senior of whom, Lieu-tenant-colonel Kalfoff, is his Sovereign's close friend and companion. The chief Court officials are M. Dobrovitch, the Chef dn Cabinet, and Colonel Kurtoclieff, Grand Marshal of the Court. Consequent on the King's love of simplicity, the Court has been considerably cut down, and tho number of officials, excluding servants, does not now amount to more than fifteen.

Entertaining, owing to motives _of economy, has been cut down to a minimum, and as a rule the King dines very simply, attended only by one or_ two members of his suite. King Ferdinand was a rich man, but his son has no private income; and owing to tho present low value of tho leiv (before tho war it was worth lOd, to-day only a third of a penny) the State grant amounts to an insignificant sum. 'A SKILLED MECHANICIAN.

Almost every week-end King Boris is away in the country driving his car along tho "indifferent'Bulgarian roads. _ Besides being an expert driver, tho King is a first-Tate mechanic.

On these motoring expeditions frequent halts are made in'order that the King may talk with tho peasants, in whose life ho takes a keen interest; Next to motoring, the King's chief pleasure consists in driving a railway engine. He is a fully certificated driver, and not long ago ho drove the "Orient Express" on if« journey through Bulgaria. Riding, shooting, and fly-fishing are favorite recreations with King Boris, who is also fond of climbing, and often makes expeditions to the highest peaks of tho Kilo and Ehodope Mountains.

It is impossible not to bo charmed with King Boris. His nature is essentially frank, and he lias a most human outlook on life, which manifests itself by his dislike of all forms of ceremony. He has inherited the brains of his father, and, besides being exceptionally well read, can converse fluently in several languages; Bulgarian is the language used at Court, but Boris speaks French and German like a native, while his English, Italian, Hungarian, and Russian are very fluent. King Boris is a popular monarch, who moves freely among his people, whose confidence and respect he has won by his strictly constitutional conduct. His coming into p'ower two years ago of nn Agrarian or Peasant GovcrnKent, presided over by M. Stambnlisky. was destined yet further to consolidate the power of the throne. Stambnlisky understood that tho monarchy was'one of the mainstays of tho country, nnd did not hesitate publicly to declare that the presence of Kin.j Boris was vital to Bulgaria, and that the Government would not let him abdicate even though he desired to. Of late matters have proceeded very smoothly, as is proved by the action of the Government in .allowing the two princesses to return, at any rate temporarily, to 'Sofia.