THE HEIR-APPARENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11602, 16 March 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE HEIR-APPARENT.

A SAILOR PRINCE WHO WILL ONE DAY BE OUR KING. [from the daily express.] One of the most interesting consequences of the death of Queen Victoria and the accession of Edward VII. is the transformation which takes place in the position of the Duke of York. As next in order of succession he must henceforth fill a very large space in. the life and progress of the nation. - The Heir-Apparent has thrown upon him social and public duties which do nob strictly belong to the category of State obligations, but which are necessary for the complete association of the throne with the people at large. How sedulously these duties have been discharged by the present King is well known to all of us, and there is every reason to believe that the Duke of York will follow in his father's footsteps and tpply the. same conscientious and intelligent recognition of his responsibilities to the performance, of these simple but still necessary duties. a POPULAR FRINGE. From his birth upwards the Duke of York has been one of the most popular of our Princes. As second son of the Prince of Wales lie was not fettered by the limitations imposed upon the direct heir. For one thing he was able to adopt the profession' of the sea with that seriousness which belongs to the practical pursuit of a career. 5 When he entered the .navy lie had no prospect before him but that of rising to such rank as time and opportunities mights bring him. How zealously he entered into the studies which were to qualify him for a command is too well-known a story to be repeated here. During the whole period of his tuition and training lie was the delight of his teachers, and it was, often remarked that lie would make as good a sailor as his uncle, the Duke of Connaught, had made a soldier. Two events stand out prominently in the Duke of York's life. The first was his cruise in the Bacchante, which took place in 188082, when he and Prince Albert Victor visited Australia,-, and the second was his succeeding Prince Albert Victor as heir in line, followed by his marriage with the Princess May of Teck. The first of these events may be closely connected with the lately-completed Federation of the Australian colonies. . It was the •first manifestation of the real affection which subsisted between the colonies and the Mother Country. A KEEN" NAVAL OFFICER. From the date of his return Prince George, as he was known until in 1890 he was created Duke of York, devoted himself exclusively to the navy, and after passing through the various grades lie was appointed to the command of a gunboat in 1890, and continued to perform his naval duties even after the death of the Duke of Clarence in 1892. He rose at last to command the cruiser Melampus. The manner in which he bore himsey under the double- burden of brcavement .'and'' the heirship to the throne won the hearts of all the British people, and the ''native modesty of his character was never better exemplified. Next to his sorrow at the death of a brother to whom lie was always warmly attached, he felt his severance from tho navy. It meant for him the closing of a career in which be took a great interest, and in which he always took pride, and the beginning of a new one of responsibility, carrying with it the heaviest burdens that can be borne by any man. Still, lie faced his new future bravely, and in the public duties which fell to his "lot illustrated to the full the tact and prudence which seiT&i to be the special gifts of our Royal family. The announcement of the betrothal of the Duke of York to Princess Victoria May of Teck was made on June 4, 1893. Enormous interest was caused by the information, owing to the fact that the Princess had previously been engaged to Prince George's brother, the deceased Duke of Clarence. QUEEN APPROVES HIS MARRIAGE. At all events, the manner in which the Queen made the announcement satisfied the public that all had happened for the best, for the Queen expressly said that she had gladly given her consent to the union, and repeatedly gave proof of the fact by inviting the Princess to stay with her and by taking opportunities of showing how attached they were to each other. Another fact which made the match a popular one was that a Prince who in the natural course of things was destined to be King had found a consort in an English girl instead of adding to the numerous foreign alliances which had hitherto been the rule with English Royalty. It happened at that 1 time that we were not on the best of terms with Germany. As in other cases, the misunderstanding was soon cleared away, and at this moment Germany, as represented by her Emperor and Government, though perhaps iiot by the whole of her press and people, stands on a far friendlier footing with England than at any time since Wellington and Blucher shook hands on the field of Waterloo. Happy in his married lift, with his beautiful Princess and his four children, rivalling in popularity his father (who is now King), blessed with good health and spirits, and endowed with a strong devotion to duty, there is no doubt that the career of the Duke of York as Heir-Apparent will correspond to the obligations of his high position. The nation will rejoice when, as undoubtedly will be the case, lie is raised to the higher dignity of Prince of Wales. Nothing would do more to mitigate' the sense of loss under which the nation is now suffering. Long, life to him, and good luck to him and his Princess and all their children!