A ROYAL WILL MISSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5496, 28 June 1879, Page 7

A ROYAL WILL MISSING.

i The Berlin correspondent of the London Globe gives the following rather strange information : —"After the sudden demise'of Prince Henry of the Netherlands, it was whispered about that his last will and testament, in favonr of his young wife, the Princess Mary "of Pruesia, who had been married to him only for a short time, was misaing._ _ The Dutch papers denied the authenticity of the reports current in the German Press, although they were unable to contradict them entirely. The Magdeburger Zeitung, a very influential provincial paper, whose Berlin correspondent has proved himself well informed on alt matters pertaining to the German Court, publishes some interesting details on the subject, which will not fail to cause a sensation, both here and ia Holland. According to this information, the Dowager Princces, on the death o£ her husband, took his watch and chain, to which her portrait in miniature and a small key were attached. The key belonged to a small casket in which the latib Prince preserved important documents, including, as hs had assured his wife, a statement drawn up by him after his wedding in reference to his marriage settlement. A few hours after the decease of His Royal Highness, Baron Blockhausen, the President of the Government of Luxuuibourg, of which Prince Henry was Stadholder, hastened to the Castle of Walferdangen, where the lamented event had occurred, to request from the afflicted widow the key to the box and some other valuables. The Princess immediately complied with his desire, particularly aa it was strengthened by the assertion that important State papers might be therein inclosed. On the arrival of Prince Frederick Charles, who heard of this strange course of proceeding, he, as father of the young widow, insisted on the return of the objects to thoir rightful owner. The contents of the casket were examined by the Prince and his daughter in the presence of several witnesses ; but, most inexplicably, no documents relative to the deceased's last wishes were discovered. Suspicions are unquestionably rife that the box was tampered with during the time it was in the hands of theLuxerabourg authorities. In compliance with the prescriptions of Dutch law, nine months must elapse after the obsequiesof the Prince beforo it can be officially ascertained whether he died intestate or not. As Prince Henry, of the Netherlands, was reported to be immensely wealthy, the final decision is of the greatest significance to his bereaved consort, who either enters on unrestricted possession of all his property—a contingency doubtless contemplated by him —or is limited to the enjoyment of a comparatively small annual revenue. Baron Blockhansen, on the expiration of the period mentioned, will have to render a fall account as to what happened with the box while it was under his care. His position, in the face of such grave charges and insinuations, is certainly not enviable."