THE HOBBIES OF ROYAL PERSONAGES

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4259, 19 January 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE HOBBIES OF ROYAL PERSONAGES

To have a hobby is a sure way to escape being dull, and those who axe really interested m anything, however insignificant r • are certain to escape many hours of tlie boredom which is the portion of most people. For a prince or princess to nave a iiobby is almost a necessity and there are few of the members of the Europe 311 ■ reigning houses who have not some iavouiitc pursuit which can be spoken of under tins term. A lively interest keeps people healthy and cheerful, does no one any harm, and serves to while away many a weary hour. The eldest daughter of our Queen, the impress Frederick has so many and varied interests that it is diffi- „ cult to speak of any special fancy of hers, but perhaps the greatest pleasure that her .Majesty has is in collecting antiquities, old porcelain, ancient furniture, rare old engravings, tapestry, brocades; in fact, all beautiful ancient works of art give the Empress the greatest pleasure, and her jov is enhanced when she has herself discovered the treasure, and been able to buy Jt and bring it back with her to its honoured home, at Cronberg. Of late, the km press has been interested in collecting al! the reliquos she can fin! Of .the ancient House of Cronberg. which she intends to place 111 the old castle, which’she is restoring at Cronberg. anti which is to be a museum for the recovered possessions of the iajnily. and for other interesting antiquities of the neighbourhood. It is not generally known that the Em-. I 1 rederick and the present royal house ot Great Britain, as well as the Prussian Koval Family, are descended from the very Mouse of Cronberg. whose ancestral scluoss is now in the possession of her fi.ujcsty. The ancestress both.of the Jiv ish Royal Family and of the HohonzolJcrns was one Anna von Cronberg, who lived some hundreds of years ago. .-. The Gorman Empress lias also a favourito hobby. Her Majesty is particular! v toiid ot photographing, and her collodion is both very large and very interesting. At the recent Exhibition of Amateur Photographs held at Berlin, which was tinder her protection, her Majesty exhibited a largo number of her own pictures, taken, during Tier various journeys, the latest having been views of the departure .pi the troops for China. There wore also Family pictures of the,Kaiser ahd his chil-;dmi,-snorting pictures t^ken-during the weeks the Empress spends with her Imsiband at Hubertnssock and many views of .the. Holy Band., c , . It. Briticess of Wales is an ardent rJiototographer. and has had a great success’ in her efforts; Her Royal Highness lias'also transierred some of her ’photographs to china; and she has a most interesting co - lection of family.groups taken ron various occasions. 1 ' .' -■ The Queen' of Portugal- has found her greatest interest in.the study of medicine, and it is said that, she, has recently taken her doctor s degree, and' intends to practise what she has learnt. Her Maieslv is energetic and determined to do all in per power to improve the condition of the Portuguese hospitals. The present King of Italy is a collector of coins, and his Majesty possesses the most perfect collection in the world. Ho has 20,000 rare specimens, and has written 1 a treatise on coins,'as well as a guide to his own collection, giving the history of all coins. The Duke of York collects postage stamps, and has a most valuable collection; in fact, his Royal Highness has some almost unique specimens, and his collection is said to bo worth several thousands of pounds. The late Bake of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, as befitted a sailor, had a magnificent collection of nefs, one of the most interesting things in the world to collect. His Roval Highness had specimens of nil dates, some made of silver and gold, others being only of inferior metal. The Grand Duke of Hesse has a curious taste for a man. His Roval Highness is most skilful with bis neoale, and his embroidery is exceedingly beautiful. Ho takes the greatest interest in his work, and is particularly clever in the arrangement of colours. Ho has a vdry artistic nature, as he is devoted to music, dancing and acting; while he docs not care much about more active pursuits, though be both shoots and rides. The Oueen of Roumania is known to all as a clever writer, a poet and a musician. She has beautiful thoughts and a very poetical manner of describing places, perl sons and events. The poet Queen, as she is often called, has many interests, and perhaps her chief pleasure, after her writing and music, is the. encouragement of Roumanian industries, the bringing into fashion the national cdstume. and the improvement of the women’s work, of embroidery and fine needlework. It is wonderful how much her Majesty lias done to improve the condition of her husband’s subjects, and she has not only thought of (heir bodily necessities, she has also endeavoured to improve the manners and customs of the country which has become hers.