ROYAL SWEETHEARTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 April 1927, Page 11

ROYAL SWEETHEARTS

► PRINCESSES YET TO WED

GALAXY OF ROYAL BEAUTY

C\ ENTURIES ago Germany, in particular, . was a vast, camp of kings, dukes, princes _ 1 and princesses. In the seventeenth century there were no fewer than 350 soidisant Rqyal families between the North Sea and the Alps. And even fifty years ago there were more than a score of such kingdoms, all complete with their own armies and palaces, their own princes and princesses.. Yet, despite their comparative fewness, the list of eligible princesses—at th'e beginning of this year of 1927—is a particularly interesting one. Take, for instance, Princess Hilda of Luxembourg who has six sisters as pretty as herself. It has been repeatedly asserted that Princess Hilda, wlp is the third sister of the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, would be obliged to take refuge in a Carmelite convent. (where her sister was a novice) for fear of being married to Prince Sigismund of Prussia, the young nephew of the ex-Kaiser. She is still unmarried, although a short while ago she was stated to be engaged to Duke Phillips Albrecht of Wurtemberg. Princess Hilda, like her sister, has a large fortune inherited from her grandfather, the Grand Duke Adolphus. She is, indeed, one of the richest princesses in Europe, although he country is almost the smallest. Then there is pretty 20-year-old Princess Giovanna of Italy, who has the distinction of having been engaged—by popular fumour many young men. Giovanna, who is the third daughter of the King and Queen, was once said to be betrothed to the son of General Diaz generalissimo of the army during part ol the war. Almost the youngest princess is Beatrice daughter of the King and Queen of Spain She is 17 and is being brought up as an English girl, speaking her mother’s native ton S*J fluently Princess Beatrice has be . e .^ of a tomboy in the past, and she still a healthy love of outdoor games inherited from both her father and her mother. Princess Ileana of Rumania, aged IS, is another lover of outdoor sport, speaking English with the charming accent of the games-playing girl. “If I can’t get a real English accent,

her governess records her as once saying, “at least I mean to get a real English husband.” Princess Ileana is well called the “Beauty of the Balkans.' She is tall and slim, with a fresh and natural complexion. Not long ago she was confidently' “engaged” to Prince Amadeo Umberto, eldest son of the Duke of Aosta; but the two had never even met. A famous artist described her as having unusual grace, and being a most’accomplished dancer. About twice a year announcements of her engagement appear in the papers. Princess Irene ef Greece, the 22-year-old sister of the ex-King, is another beauty among princesses whose “engagements” occur with steady frequency. The last time she'was “betrothed” to the Duke of Apulia, a cousin of the King of Italy. Some day Princess Irene, who, curiously enough, was born with a profile of classic Grecian beauty, will become really engaged. Pretty Princess Marie Jose of Belgium, who “came out” last year, is almost the most interesting personality among the princesses. First, she has all the charm of speech and manner that have won fame for her parents, King Albert and Queen Elisabeth. She is, too, the most English of all the princesses, for she spent the war years at a boarding school at Brentwood. It is almost impossible to compute the number of times Princess Marie Jose has been “engaged.” In her case, as happens tp most princesses, rumour has coupled her naihe with that of a prince of the Italian Royal house, which is plentifully supplied with good-looking young bachelors. Princess Eudoxia, the daughter of King Ferdinand by his first wife, the Princess Mane Louise de Bourbon, is also unmarried. One of the loveliest of princesses is Martha of Sweden. She it was who, with Princess Astrid, came to London on a private visit m November, 1925.' The list of the young unmarried princesses also includes Princess Louise of Holland, who is in her “twenties,” and pretty Princess Foedora of Denmark, who is only seventeen.