THRONE DECLINED

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11355, 15 June 1931, Page 7

THRONE DECLINED

TOO MUCH> TROUBLE.

BRITISH PEER’S RIGHT- IN ' U. l FRANCE.' - '

A British peer considers it too much trouble to establish his claim to a throne. 'He is Lord NeAvborough, whoso homo is in North Wales'. According’ to a 1 family legend he is the rightful heir to the throne of Franco. But Lord NeAvborough does not seem to think the knoAvledgo very thrilling. At any rate, although positive proofs— r it is said—are Contained in*documents kept 'at the Vatican, he is so little oxoited that he has definitely made up his mind not to bother AA-ith them. The story of. tho Newborough family’s right'to tho throno of France is not a nO\v one. Actually, it • dates from 1773, when, through an exchange of babies at a: town in North Italy, a gaoler’s son aaus • passed off as a prince, and afterwards became Louis Philippe, King of France. A i '

“DOES s fT MATTEB ?”

The baby Avhoso place he took, according to tho legend, was tho daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Chartres, and she' eventually married the then Lord NeAyborqugh AA'hile he was. travelling ill Italy. Sho should have been* Queen of France; and the present family of Newborough are .direct descendants. •; . “But what does It 1 all matter?” said Lord Nowborough: to a representative of “Tlio People,” following a report, that lie intended to take steps to establish his claim as the rightful heir. “Then you. do not mean to do anything about it?” ho Avns asked, “Not a thing,”’ he said. “It would cost a lot of money and trouble, and Avlmt good Avould it do? You can take it as quite definite,” Lord NeAvborough added, “that I, at any rate, havo no intention of packing Aip arid dashing off to force my way into the Vatican in order to prove an old story. “Years ago, •an aunt, of 1 mine, Avho Avas A'ery firmly' impressed by tlio legend, and was convinced of its truth, spent a lot of time trying to establish oip‘ claim. Bulb nothing came of ib.” “But surely it would be ' some p.atisfactiori',” it Avas suggested. “Not a bit. There has-.never boon any really serious effort to establish «>ur claim, , and so. far as I am concefrietl, there never will, be!”