ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14235, 4 December 1909, Page 5 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[from the society papers.]

Thf latest son of the Crown Prince will probably bo christened Henry Adalbert, after two Royal sailors, his great, uncle, Prince Henry of Prussia, and hie uncle, the Kaiser's third son. This is taken to indicate that the Royal infant is destined for a naval career.

In the Isle of Wight much interest has been taken in the troubles in Spain, and fears have sometimes been expressed lest the young Queen should involve King Alfonso in further difficulties by saying or doing anything foolish, for, charming and beautiful as she is, she is utterly devoid of tact. At any rate, so it is said, and on the island she is well know],, having spent a large portion of her lif-» .here.

From ballet-dancer to barrister is the remarkable record of Mile. Maria Rutkowska, a clever and beautiful Russian lady. Five years ago she was mistress of the Imperial Ballet Corps at St. Petersburg, and she resigned that lucrative post in order to study law at Zurich. She has lately passed her final examination with honours, and is entitled to practise as a barrister in .Switzerland. Mile. Rutkowska, who enjoyed the friendship of the Tsaritza when in Russia, has chosen Lucerne as her future home and sphere of work.

Lady Maud Barrett, sister of the Earl of Cavan, has cut herself off from the outside world by entering one of the strictest Roman Catholic nunneries in Belgium. There is only one reservation in the convent's rule that she shall never see her friends and relations again. That is, says the Onlooker, that " when at the point of death, should she then express the wish, she may send for her nearest relative to make the final earthly adieux. In one of the forms in the ceremony the novice will lie before the high altar in the coffin which will 6erve for her last resting place."'

Besides the eighteen peeresses in their own right, now in possession of their titles and estates, there are several peers whose titles on their death will devolve upon females. Lord Robert's earldom will go to his daughter Lady Aileen, the viscounty of Lord Wolseley to his daughter, the Hon. Frances. The heir to the barony of Strathcona is Lord Strathcona'e onlv child, the Hon. Margaret, married to Robert Howard, M.D., F.R.C.S. Baron Clinton will be succeeded by his two daughters, the Hon. Harriet and Hon. Fenella, as coheiresses. The barony of Vaux of Harrowden will, on the decease of the present holder, descend to his three daughters as co-heiresses; while the barony of Zouche is entailed upon Lord Zouche's sister, the Hon. Darea Curzon.

Lady Anglesey is slight and delicate-look-ing, with masses of Titian red hair, a beautifully white skin and fine eyes. She has very artistic tastes, and she prefers dressing in a picturesque fashion of her own to following the dictates of Dame Fashion. She owns wonderfully fine jewellery, for her husband had quite a passion for beautiful gems, and gave her the most glorious emeralds and other jewels. Lady Anglesey is comparatively little in England, but she has a town house in Ovington Gardens. Having no children, ©he is free to .wander, and she spends a large part of her time in Paris and Rome. In Paris she sees a good deal of her husband's stepmother, Minna, Marchioness of Anglesey, who lives there, and with whom she is on the best of terms.

It is some twenty-eight years since the Earl and Countess of Warwick (then Lord and Lady Brooke) were bride and bridegroom, and Queen Victoria, hearing of her beauty in her long wedding-dress of white satin, invited her to dine in it, and after dinner commanded her to " walk about" that she might "see it better." Lady Warwick, for many years known as the lovely Lady Brooke —sometimes also as the Babbling Brooke, because she is said to have gossiped about the famous baccarat scandal at Tranby Croftis a beautiful woman still, though she is a grandmother. Nowadays Lady Warwick is a great socialist, but her socialism did not at all militate against her splendour when she appeared at Court last June to present 'her new daughter-in-law, Lord Brooke's bride.

Princess Louise of Belgium, the divorced wife of Prince Philip of Coburg, who has been, in financial difficulties for some time past, is making strenuous efforts to raise loans of money. The following is a copy of a letter recently received by the Hamburs; Bank —" I beg to inquire whether your bank would bo prepared to grant a loan on the security of an inheritance exceeding £5,000,000. It may be mentioned that the person from whom this property will be inherited is still living, and he is seventy-six years of age, and that he cannot disinherit the recipient of the loan, because the law of his country prevents him from so doing.'' Having received a reply to the effect that negotiations could be begun, the bank then received another letter as follows : — In reply to your letter of September 19 I beg to inform you that Princess Louise of Belgium desires to raise this loan by pledging a portion of her father's inheritance. The Princess now has a yearly income of about £7000. She cannot live on this amount, and she is now seeking a loan which will enable her to live in a style befitting her rank until the death of the King of the Belgians,_ who is now seventy-six years old." With this letter was enclosed the statement of a Belgian lawyer that it will be legally impossible for King Leopold to disinherit his i. daughter.