OUR YOUNG PRINCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16497, 24 March 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

OUR YOUNG PRINCE.

_ — «o- ——...;', I'he Prince of Wales in now in his : twentythird year, ' and rooner >; orV later !he will lake unto himself a wife, says ; tho London Opinion. It is one of ; the penalties of his station that this should be a ■'• public matter. The whole nation, nay, .'the- whole Empire is deeply interested : in . it. The bad old rule limited th© mavriageables for a, British prince to a few royal families. If that bad old rule were' swept away, the price of royalty would \bo , much lighter. There would, be no need to inflict a diplomatic alliance upon any member of the Royal family. The Prince of Wales could marry V anybody 'ho' chose, provided that , ho obtained the consent of his father and 'mother. Legally, I believe that the consent of King. George would necessary. lam sure that it would not be withheld, for King George is in a very real ' sense of the word a good democrat. He is the very opposite of the Kaiser in his perception of the change in modern sentiment towards kingship. He has never departed by a hair'sbreadth from the constitutional doctrine of kingship. If anything, he has- erred on the side of modesty, reticence, and self-abnegation. He has pushed simplicity to its extremes! point. If the British Empire were a republic, it could not possibly elect a president with a character more austere, more unselfish,' or more averse from posturing in the limelight. Hie Court of King George and Queen Mary is every whit as simple- and as pure-as the household of any republican president that ever breathed. The White Court of Britain need not fear comparison with the White House at Washington. In saying this, I am not using the language of the courtiers: I am saying what everybody knows to be true. Do not let us undervalue our White Court. It is going to bo a great power in the perilous days before us. The people will then see its virtues more clearly, and they will reverence them more earnestly. Other-landmarks of the constitution may vanish, but the steady flame of duty will burn brightly in the royal house. ' And I am confident that if tho British people ask for an all-British wife for tho Prince of Wales they will be forcing an open door, so far as King Georgo and Queen Mary are concerned. The future of the dynasty in any case is secure, for we are too republican to desire a republic, seeing that our monarchy gives us all the advantages and none of tho disadvantages of republican institutions. But if anything could add to the stability of the British throne it would be the union of the Prince of Wales with a British wife. Then our descendants would not be saddled with a royal cousinhood that looks like an invasion.