A GRAND DUCHESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18803, 5 March 1923, Page 6

A GRAND DUCHESS

STAYING IN WELLINGTON. AWAITING HER HUSBAND. WORTH MILLIONS, BUT SMOKES “ GASPERS.” IFeom Oue Own Coebespondent.l WELLINGTON, March 5. “Have you seen her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Princess Henriette Ivanowitch?” That is the question of the day hero. The lady is staying at the Midland Hotel, and yesterday was interviewed by a New Zealand Times reporter. She was sipping a liqueur, and smoking a “gasper” when he first noticed her, but she quickly put down her glass. “You are one of those awful reporters, ’ she said, indicating a seat bv her side, which the reporter availed himself of. “ I came over here as Mrs Brewster-Fullcr, hoping to escape your attentions, and also to avoid the Bolshevists, and now I suppose I shall have to talk to you.” She was aji elderly woman, ami her regalia was hardly in keeping with her name, for she was dressed in a stained skirt with a much-travelled fur coat, while she adopted rather unrcgal manners by lighting a mutch upon her shoe. She showed a good deal of a pair of stoAings, and leaned back with a languid air. “Yes,” she said, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air, “I am the princess, and I am just awaiting the duke, when we propose to tour New Zealand and then the South Sea Islands.” ’ “What is his Highness's title?” the reporter asked. “I hardly know myself,” she replied. She astonished everyone in the lounge by her answer, and interest circled round the room, now thronged with visitors who had come to peep at the regal visitor. “I have 12 palaces and villas in all the principal Continental cities, and my husband, the Grand Duke Ivanowit.ch, is now on hi’s way out to New Zealand to meet me. I was left £22,000,000 by my late husband, and I have a yacht worth £300,000, which I lent to mv friends in San Francisco.” said the mysterious woman, who says she is English. Her husband is heir to the Russian throne, but would sooner die than bo the next Czar. It appears that ho is delayed “owing to trouble with the Russian peasants.” 'The good lady’s yacht named the Henriette, is “the most wonderful yacht afloat. Built in Glasgow, it cost about half a million of money.” King George boarded it at Cowes, and in what we may imagine his ordinary kingly way saidl: “Duchess, I have never seen such a yacht in my life. 1 am the purchaser if it is for sale.” But the duchess would not sell it, even to a King. Small wonder, for her boudoir is “lined with pure tortoiseshell set with solid cold ” There are cows, sheep, poultry, etc., on board (for the duke won’t eat anything that conies off the ice), and a Swiss dairymaid. The yacht co*ts £20,009 a year to run and is manned by 190 men, including the captain.” The Grand Duchess says she has a beautiful collection of jewels, including Marie Antoinette’s pearls. Of course, she doesn’t carry those about vyith her;. they are in a safe in Paris. Meantime she feels so awkward without her maids. febe lost two of them in Paris “owing to sickness Meantime she is waiting for the Grand Duke, and so is all Wellington.