HE RECEPTION OF THE NEWS OF PRINCE HENRY'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10079, 14 March 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

HE RECEPTION OF THE NEWS OF PRINCE HENRY'S DEATH.

GREAT DISTRESS OP THE QUEEN AND PRINCESS BEATRICE. Her Majesty received the news of Prince Henry's death direct from Siorra Leons via London before it had reached any official quarters. The Queen has a private wire

from London, which goes straight to Osborne House, without the necessity of repetition at Coves or any other interm«diate point. The message was, as usual, sealed with wax, and sent to the Queen's private apartments. This, as before stated, was about breakfast time, and Her Majesty usually takes the morning meal alone, On breaking the seal the Quean found the brief but sad announcement that Prince Henry died at sea on Monday. Overwhelmed with grief she sent for the Duke of C'onnauKht, and in a short time they procoaded together to break the terrible news to Princes!" Beatrice. Recent reports as to the condition of the Prince had been 90 encouraging at first that H§r Royal Highness did not seem to realise the tidings that had been conveyed to her, A moment later there was a terrible outburst of grief, and all attempts at consolation were quite futile. Sir James Reld, the Queen's private physician in residence at Osborne, was quickly in attendance, and, needless to say, everything possible under the melancholy circumstances was done for the relief of blip sorrow-stricken Priucese, Sir James states that the Queen and Princess Beatrice are well in health, but overwhelmed with grief, in which they derive some small consolation from the knowledge that Mr. Butcher, Prince Henry's trusted personal attendant, was with him when the end came.

SYMPATHY WITH Till! ROYAL FAMILY. Telegrams of condolence from a|l parts of the globe were pouting into o<borno until a late hour, many of these coming from crowned lipads, while others wefe fropi public bodies, municipal ai)d local functionaries, etc. Almost the first message to arrive was, jt is said, from the German Emperor. It was oouohed in the kindliest) and msst affectionate terms. The Empress Eugenie, it is understood, sent a very touching message to the Queen, in which she alluded to the circumstances of the death of the Prince Imperial. The Lord Mayor of London sent a telegram express ing ill* sympathy of the citizens; and a number of Americans in London, who were mucl- touched by the 'ad bereavement w|iica had fallen upon the Royal Family, called » meeting, at which the following' resolution was approved and wired to Osborne "At an assemblage of Americans here to-day it was resolved to communicate to Your Most Gracious Majesty and Empress ! of India that they join in the deep sympathy of Your .Majesty's subjects in respect of His Royal Highness I'iinco Henry of Battenberg's death. —C'iiahles A. Giluo, Hon. Secretary." The following telegraphic answer was received [—"Osborne, January 23. Queen desires to sincerely thank you and your fellow-countrymen for your kind sympathy, w,hich Her Majesty much appreciates." On paying a visit to Osborne House ne*t morning it was ascertained that the Queen passed a very bad night, and that Her Majesty was not at all wall, Princess Beatrice was no worse, but, to uso the words of those in porsunal contact with H.R.H., "she is quite broken-hearted." She baa around her all her children, the eldest of whom, Prjnce Alexander, who is nine years of age, suffers much grief at the loss of his father. Very little rest was obtained by any of the members of the royal household, tfr James Raid, Hor Majesty's private medical adviser, was at the palace during the night, anil Df. Hullmeistcr again paid a visit. Although the Queen passed a bad night Her Majesty rose at the usual hour, anil breakfasted in her private apartments. She afterwards examined some Statq papers, and prepared certain despatches for the messenger.