A FRANK BIOGRAPHY

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1929, Page 2

A FRANK BIOGRAPHY

LONDON, Oct. 11

Something of a sensation has been made by the frankness of a biography of the Prince of Wales, for it discusses two questions of perennial interest—whether Ii.R.H. means to accept the burdens royalty and his vieivs on marriage. ’ The boox is a'curiosity, tco, in that it is the work 1 df two authors who actually did not live in London, but in-the north of England—-Hull to be precise. •• The tAvo brothers,-W, and ij, Townsend, aa’lio are the authors,have, however, spent .ft good 'deal oi time in,. -London getting together the material,,;and they say on the subject of the Prince of Wales as his father’s successor -“It has often;, been suggested that; the Prince.is not enthusiastically ,l>een to ascend the throne:of England, and .A/e remember his youthful lugubriousness at the knoAvledge that lie would one day be called to the throne. The Prince of Wales has probably spent moie rifne and thought upon the science of royalty than any other living person, and if he has come to tire decision that his attitude and outlook are practically sound, then AA’ho shall deny him the right to his opinion. Few knorv the Prince’s problems on the subject of Royalty. He is. faced on ,th'e| one hand j\]ri^h. piejJfeval. .radition. . ~ -.and oi^ jother .with .theithousands who are not; at,Ml sure Avhether,,they believe Royalty is nqcesr sa-ry to-day or not. The Prince AAjilt, make as, goo<| ft king ,as his father, but lie is a different type ,pf ( maii allopj-etjir. He is, a ,king of the futuijei .'those who haye'some misgivings; as'to .the kind of "icing he Aviil . make fall into' the cdhirpoii erroi, of. supposing .that 'the Prince ‘ will conduct himself the same as lie does today when later‘.sitting on the throne.” The authors go on' to say:—“He realises, despite his elevated position, that being unmarried as yet, the only ues that bind him to take preautionary measures against the chance of accident to himself are those of State. Willing enough to meet the State’s demands half-way, the , Prince, .contends that any of his 1 brothers could take ills place should the, need arise, and fill it Avith 1 the utmost 1 satisfaction andefficienby, ’"Ari tile King !of 'England, however, the' 'Prince of Wales would of necessity' take a different, view. His life Avdu'ld be of the- utmost importance to tli-fe 'nation, and—if lie married —to his family.”' ‘ ” In tlie'inifoduction'.to tbe'bpok it is. stated :j “X 1 matter on Avliicn his Royal Highness has perhaps plainly demonstrated Iris ideas the position of Royalty in a nerv Avorld is that ot marriage. When it became knoAvn to him that rumor and gossip were current respecting 'his ‘overdue’ marriage he had the courage to emphasise the fact that he had no Avish to marry in any direction but that which his /heart might dictate.” P