EXILED KING CAROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23993, 17 June 1941, Page 8

EXILED KING CAROL

JOURNEY ON LINER PASSENGERS' IMPRESSIONS NEW YORK, May 15 Passengers, officers and crew of the American liner Excambion, which carried former King Carol of Rumania and Mine. Elena Ltipescu from Lisbon to Bermuda, described the couple as highly congenial travelling companions when the liner arrived at Jersey City. "He is a regular fellow." Nicholas Scolamero, the barber, declared. "Others on the boat called him 'Your Majesty,' but I called him just plain 'Sir' and he liked it." Scolamero disclosed that the former king had given him a 35-cent tip "The day before we reached Bermuda he came to my shop." the barber said. "He asked for a haircut and he needed it. I also gave him a shampoo and hair tonic, but he would not take a shave. He took his tie off and sat in tho chair just like anyone else." It was learned that General Ernest Urdareanu, Carol's chamberlain, who travelled with him, had startled the ship's purser, when he attempted tho first day out of Lisbon to cash a ten thousand dollar cheque on Carol's behalf. The liner didn't have so much cash, so the general settled for one thousand dollars. A five-year-old English girl. Eithne Whittaker, in transit from England to Canada, found particular favour with Carol He bought her candv and toys. Other passengers reported that the former monarch had a keen sense of humour and was quite gay. although once or twice he expressed longing for his native land and his son. King Michael. Mrs. Avmer, shared a small stateroom with Mme Ltipescu from Lisbon to Bermuda. She described Carol as "charming and cultured." and Mme. Ltipescu as "kind," "sweet" and "lovely." She added that Carol was "intensely" pro-British.