An Important Royal Wedding

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6943, 24 June 1929, Page 11

An Important Royal Wedding

One of the most important and the most picturesque marriage ceremonies (writes Coralio van Paasen in the Sydney Sun) will be the marriage of Umberto, Crown Prince of Italy, with Marie-Jose, only daughter of King Albert and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium.

The- love affair between Prince Umberto and Princess Marie-Jose is of long standing.' Thcj’’ first met when the Belgian Royal family paid a visit to Rome shortly after the war. Princess Marie-Jose was then only a child, and Umberto had not completed his studies at the Royal" Military school. From that visit onward the matter was practically settled, and the young people began to correspond. Apparently the Royal parents on both sides approved the likelihood of an alliance later on. For Marie-Jose was sent to a boarding school for girls in Florence with special instructions to learn the Italian language. Umberto and Marie-Jose met again last year at the wedding of tho Duke of Apulia with Princess Anne of France, daughter of the Bourbon Pretender fo the throne of St. Louis. They walked together in the gorgeous procession from the ancient palace of the kings of Naples to the church, and the Italian people grasped at once, from the affectionato attitude of the young couple, that the bob-haired Belgian princess was destined to be Queen of Italy some day. Tho marriage will be held in Turin, and not in Rome. Prosent plans indicate one of the most elaborate and

gorgeous ceremonies that Europe has seen for many years. After tho wedding in tho basilica of Turin, a military display and a parade will bo held in Rome before tho altar i of the Fatherland, during which King Victor will promoto liis son to the rank of major-general in the Italian army. The list of foreign princes and dignitaries to be present on that occasion indicates something of the splendour I and pomp that will mark the marriage ceremony. King Alfonso and Queen Victoria of Spain, accompanied by the Royal Infantas, will make the journey I on a Dreadnought to Naples. They I will be accompanied by General Primo de Rivera and a suite of Spanish grandees.

Tho Belgian sovereigns and their son, the Duke of Brabant, will bo present, as well as the Prince of Wales, King Gustave Adolphe of Sweden, the Norwegian Crown Prince, the PrinceConsort Henry of the Netherlands, tho King of Bulgaria, Prince Nicholas of Rumania, King Alexander of Jugo-Sla-via, and the ex-King Manocl of Portugal.