EX-KAISER'S WEDDING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18723, 29 November 1922, Page 8

EX-KAISER'S WEDDING

WILHELM’S SECOND BRIDE. CEREMONY AT DOORN. PRINCE KICKS PHOTOGRAPHER. LONDON, November 5. In beautiful spring-like weather, the ex-Kaiser’s wedding took nlace at Doom to-day. The civil marriage service was performed at 11.30 a.m. at the lodge, where the Princess Hermine slept, the burgomaster reading the service. The bridal pair signed the register as “Wil helm the Second” and “Hermine von Reuse. ”

The wedding party then formed a procession to the castle and ascended the gorgeously-decorated stairs lined with the household staff to the main hall, where the religious ceremony was performed by Dr Vogel, court chaplain at Potsdam.' The bridal pair sat in two crimson gilt chairs draped with gilt covers and decorated with crowns, in front of the pulpit, with relations and witnesses in fours behind.

After the service a reception was held in the ex-Kaiser’s smoke room, after which luncheon followed. The ex-Kaiser and his bride sat at the head of the oblong table, with guests on both sides. A silver model of St. George and the dragon occupied the end opposite the ex-Kaiser, and the centre-piece consisted of a massive ornament 2ft high, engraved “W.1.R.” The whole table service was silver and red roses were everywhere. The presents included flowers from the Queen of Holland, and the Junker Order of St. John, of whicn the ex-Kaiser is head, sent a souvenir explaining that poverty prevented an expensive present.

All Wilhelm’s domestic entourage were threatened with the direst penalities if they disclosed information before or after the wedding, and even the notable guests were warned of the grave consequences of violating the pledges of secrecy. One acocimt states that the following is a translation of the German composition sung at the wedding— They _ married him darkly at dead of night, With a knot there’s no untying, Only the priest had a taper light. And the bride in the dark was sighing.

Wilhelm wore his field-marshal’s uniform, and his sons were arrayed in the gaudy trappings of militarism. Princess Hermine’s magnificent robe was of lilac chiffon and velour.

The Weekly Despatch’s correspondent at Doom describes tho armies of press photographers playing hide and seek with Wilhelm and Willie before the wedding took place, the latter showing an unsuspected turn of speed in evading the camera. Tho Princess Eitel Friedrich, and Hcnrv suitably “gilded the whole business Arriving at Doom station, they were confronted by the usual squad of cameras. An operator lit a magnesium flare, and Prince Henry rushed and kicked him in the stomach with the true Hohenzollem spirit. Then he turned, with royal condescension, to address the crowd of German servant girls, but interrupted himself, heatedly and repeatedly, to cry “Stupid! stupid!” at the camera men. Prince Eitel is now huge and bloated, like the war caricatures of the Germans, so that it is quite possible to understand that he was anxious to avoid the lens. He swore furiously at the photographer on the platform. Count Bentinck roused indignation by ordering the police to drive back the people standing quietly near. The correspondent adds that the exCrown Princess’s policy of retirement and patient waiting for a recall of the monarchy is ended. The direction of the Hohenzollem policy is passing to the energetic and ambitious Hermine, who is prepared to attack with tho most daring monarchists, and is determined to restore Tier new husband in his old castle at Berlin.