PRINCESS FOR SPAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14133, 7 August 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

PRINCESS FOR SPAIN.

QUEEN ENA GIVES BIRTH TO BLUE. * EYED DAUGHTER. Spain's desire for the birth of a daughter to the Royal House was gratified on June 22 v * The Queen was present at dinner as usual the previous night, and" later withdrew to ' her apartments without feeling in any way'', indisposed. , Towards eleven o'clock, how. ever, the King gave orders for Dr. Gutierrez, the physician accoucheur, to be sum - moned. .

In the early hours of the Tuesday morn. > ing the Queen Mother and Princess Henry ' of liattenberg were informed that the birth " of a child was imminent, and immediately < went to the Queen's bedside, where they remained until the happy event was an accom- ■ plished fact. The King also summoned Senor Maura, the Premier, and the Marquis de Figueroa, Minister of Justice, who were in Madrid, and an hour later all the members of the Royal Family, the high dignitaries of the Court, and the authorities of Segovia and of La Granja, who were to witness the presentation of the child.

The announcement of the birth was received with a salute of 19 guns. Twenty minutes after the happy event Ben or Maura the Premier, arrived in a motor-car. King Alfonso, who was dressed in the uniform of a captain-general, presented the infant, upor, a basket decorated with rich lace, to th'i Ministers and- other dignitaries in the antechamber of the Queen's apartments, and received their hearty congratulations.

In honour of the occasion the King has signed an order cancelling or reducing the sentences on a, number of prisoners. The new princess is fair with blue eyes, and a trifle smaller than her two brothers wens' at their birth.

This is Queen Victoria Eugenie's third child since her marriage three years ago, on May 31,1906, the first being Prince Alfonso born May 10, 1907, and the second Prince Jaime, who was born on June 23, 1908.