Too Many Kings, Too Few Thrones

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 49, 27 February 1943, Page 3

Too Many Kings, Too Few Thrones

The war which so far has ironically restored one monarch, Haile Selassie, has toppled many thrones. In Europe there remains only Sweden’s Gustav, Italy’s puppet, Victor Emmanuel, Bulgaria’s pro-German Boris, Rumania’s immature Michael, Denmark’s near-serf Christian. Only Gustav rules freely.

But in England, six crowned heads of European countries, now under Axis rule, function in exile. Tall, courageous, 72-years-old Haakon, of Norway, who shared the last days of fighting with his countrymen, became one of the most bombed personages in the world, holds court with cheerful, burly Crown Prince Olaf at a residence in the Thames Valley. Ilis chances of regaining the throne of Norway, without splitting the anli-Fascist cause, seem good. Equally likely to return to her country is buxom, cycle-loving Queen AVilhelmina, of Holland, whose daughter Juliana gave birth in Canada to her third daughter this week. Twice exiled George II of Greeec holds court in a back room of a London hotel, may be chary of trying a royal life a third time, even if a postwar Greece should want a monarchy. For many years before tlie war he was the butt of intrigue by foreign Powers seeking to force their interests cn Athens. Young King Peter of Yugoslavia, who came of ago in Britain, studies law at Cambridge, visits his mother, Queen Marie, his brothers Tomislav and Alexander, at week-ends. King Peter may find it easier to make a living at England’s Bar than in Yugoslavia’s troubled x>olities after the war. Tall, elegant, 45-years-old Grand Duchess Charlotte, of Luxemburg, and husband Prince Felix Bourbon Parma, may one day return to their tiny principality, but havo been sufficiently farsighted to send their two sons and four (laughters to learn new ways of life in Canada. Bored, one-time bandit warrior, King Zog, who lives comfortably with his retinue in Buckinghamshire, doesn’t expect to rule Albania again. Trapped in Switzerland is Ihe Aga Khan, living quietly in Canada is Iran’s Riza Pahlevi, his bullet-proof Rolls-Royce still in Teheran. The Has-Beens Scattered over the world arc monarchs and pretenders who may figure in post Avar intrigues. Rumania’s thrice exiled King Carol, recently refused permission to enter the United States, is a night club king in Mexico City. Ilis titian-haired mistress, Lupescu, superintends ' the club decorations and costumes. King Carol

lias been stripped, with Japan s Emperor Hirohito, of all British decorations. , Ilis passport description: Age 39. Profession, King. Economic resources, 500 piastres monthly^ Portuguese Pretender, 35-years-old Dorn Duarte Nuno, Duke of Brabanza, lives in Rio de Janeiro, but claims that Portugal will soon restore the monarchy. Austria-Hungary’s Archduke Otto, and his mother, ex-Empress Zita, are in the United States. Otto’s brothers have enlisted ill the American Army, but some of Otto’s supporters have roused anger bv propaganda advocating a postwar return of the Hapsburgs to Austria. 1 Even Scotland looks with tolerant amusement oil the half-dozen rival Stuart Pretenders to the British throne, who annually visit King Charles’ statue, reiterate their claims.