THE LIFE STORY OF H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20522, 25 September 1928, Page 10

THE LIFE STORY OF H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]

EDITED BY EVELYN GRAHAM

Highness,

CHAPTER VII

THE PRINCE AT OXFORD

It is not hard to imagine the Prince of Wales being or doing practically anything—and .no matter what his duty called him to do or his inclinations led him towards undertaking, you would still find him the perfectly correct and unassuming young man which had brought him the tremendous world popularity which is his to-day. . 1 am now going to introduce his Royal Highness to you in cap and gown as a "Varsity undergraduate at Magdalen College. To-day he holds several degrees from various universities, but there was a lime not so very long ago when ho was just an ordinary “ freshman at the greatest of the world’s universities. On October 9, 1912, the Royal Family concluded its annual visit to Balmoral, and returned to London. Two days later the Prince took his seat in the train at Paddington for Oxford, there to commence iiis university education. He was accompanied bv Mr H. P. Hansell and Major the Hon. William Cadogan (some years inter killed in France). It was twilight when the Prince arrived in the station at Oxford, and as he stepped out on to the dimly-lighted platform he was received with cheers by a small number of people who bad obtained special permission to meet the tram. But no such special permission was needed for the crowds who congregated outside the station building, and as Prince Edward, accompanied by the chief constable of Oxford, stepped into his car, which had been provided tor his special use during bis term, rousing cheers of welcome greeted him. _ The young “ freshman ’’ composed himself to meet the totally unexpected reception. It was slightly disconcerting—this suggestion of limelight after the quietness of the Balmoral Highlands —always a refreshing change from the busy whirl of Court life." Prince Edward gravely acknowledged the acclamation, however, with his usual politeness. But what he most dearly wished was that he should be regarded from the outset as an ordinary undergraduate; while at Oxford however long he stayed, his one desire was to work hard and be able to meet men on on n common level. For IS years he had fulfilled obediently every wish of his parents. His character, still plastic, had been moulded on lines of stern discipline; the navy had given him more self-assurance: his trip to France had made possible the introduction into his mind of less conservative and more generous ideas and ideals; religious instruction and parental example had onenod his eyes and heart to more than a glimmering of the truth of existence; his well-grounded theoretical education was only just beginning to feel the desire for further “ light.” He was a good linguist, and, following the wise adage that a “ man with two languages is worth two men.” realised that above and beyond race-unity—a fine thing in itself—there was need for a wider co-operation between men of all lands and climes. In stature he was slight—apparently more so than actually because of his modest, unassuming bearing. He was extremely young, however, for his age in many ways, with perhaps too many ideals—more than would ever survive the life at Oxford and the contact with all shades of opinion and intellect which it would bring. There was at this time in the Prince a peculiar Mending, of the boy and the man despite the fact that already he had reached his

official majority and bad received commissions both in the army and navy on that old-established principle that the Heir Apparent should be connected with both services.

Xow he experienced a desire to fend for himself. Unlike King Edward, who had. comparatively speaking, never tasted the sweetness of liberty during the whole of the period he was Prince of Wales, tin' present Prince was allowed —by the wisdom of bis father—the. utmost freedom compatible with his royal position. It had now been definitely decided that Prince Edward should, for a length of time to be decided by future circumstances, take up his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford, while his brother Albert entered Cambridge. The King bad not been a little influenced in this decision by tbe Prince himself, who almost took it for granted that he would become an Oxonian —even spoke with some pride of the time when he would be able to call himself such.

Amidst continued cheering the Prince was driven to Magdalen, where Dr (now Sir Herbert) Warren, the president, received him in the quadrangle. It was a momentous occasion when the Prince made his first evening visit round the famous college with his tutor, who explained the history of the famous buildings and other interests. The Prinqc did not speak much. He was awed, as must every young man be, by the quiet atmosphere of traditional learning and illustrious memories which breathes so lively in these precincts. Clad in cap and gown, he walked across the flagged stone pavement of the cloisters, and as he came up to one of the Gothic windows, looked wistfully beyond, and fell into a deep reverie. The shades of the glorious departed have messages, for. kings and princes as well as those of lesser estate. That evening he dined in the hall. What s contrast with his Royal predecessor, who had. 300 years before, graced Magdalen with bis presence When Prjuce Henrv, son of James I, and the Prince of Wales at that time, was entertained in 1605 at Magdalen, he. dined in solitary state in the. middle o| the high table, • surrounded by his suite, while the students, garbed in their robes, humbly seated themselves round the wall jmd awaited the Prince’s pleasure. When he had eaten, the Prince seized his wine cup and drank the health of Magdalen and its scholars, referring to it as “ his own college.”

Our own Prince Edward could still say the same, but not with pomp and splendour. This was the last thing he desired. • There was a marked difference between the conditions under which the Prince conducted Ids stay at Oxford and those which appertained during King Edw'ard’s university life. The Prince’s grandfather, for instance, did not slip into college life with that ease and lack of ostentation which characterised young Edward’s entry into Magdalen. A house in Oxford was engaged for Xing Edward’s residence during term, and a great deal of his instruction was given to him personally at this house, while he matriculated as a nobleman and wore a special cap and gown. In effect. King Edward never belonged to Christ Church —the college to which he was attached formally. What complete absence of elaborate display characterised the younger Edward’s residence at the famous university! He was to be treated as an ordinary member and to matriculate as a commoner. No exceptional treatment was meted out to him except the very modest suite of rooms on the north —and quiet—side of the cloister, overlooking the chapel and hall and tire “new buildings.” Even his equerry did not reside in the college. The outer room of the Prince's suite on

No. 4 staircase was tastefully furnished

with Sheraton pieces, and adorning the walls were old plans and maps of Oxford, Winchester, and other historic places. The inner room, however, was more congenial and warmer in colouring. There were a few good pictures, including prints showing game birds. As a military career was already planned for the Prince after his Oxford days, the subjects he studied were modified from the usual course, and he concentrated on history, geography, French, German, English _ literature, political science, and political economy. Despite the modifications necessary in the Prince’s education —he had always had to study twice m rapidly as other young men, in order to cover the ground in quick time —he attended, unlike his grandfather, (he ordinary lectures, and tooic his essays to the president. He also attended lectures not delivered in Magdalen—his course of sti-lv lb at Up -ebmild

Read and approved by Sir Godfrey Thomas, K.C.V.0., Principal Private Secretary to his Royal

attend the professorial and intercollegiate lectures delivered by the college tutors, and open to any undergraduate. Though he was somewhat longer in settling down than the average “fresher,” he soon made up for lost time. None of the Prince’s activities were obscured from his colleagues; they knew his comings and goings—his intimate friends, his disappointments, hopes, and ambitions. His Royal Highness has never had any literary ambition; he has always preferred active to passive pursuits. But at Oxford he learned to put together very fair original compositions, which earned the commendation of the president, Sir Herbert Warren. To-day, in his thirtyfourth year, the Prince shows no special interest in authorship, but often finds pleasure and satisfaction in answering, personally, part of his private correspondence. In his desire to progress in his studies as quickly as possible. Prince Edward found that he preferred the system of writing his work and having it criticised, rather than attending the general lectures. He was not by himself, however, in this predilection. He soon acquired an astonishingly good memory, both for facts and figures, while later he developed an uncanny “ remembrance ” for faces. The latter was well illustrated in the Great War, when, much to their mystification and delight, he could greet in postwar London soldiers whom he had met in France.

When the first whisper went round that the Prince was destined for Oxford, speculation amongst the undergraduates was rife as to which college would receive him. Opinion finally settled that the honour would fall upon Christ Church — the late King Edward’s college. Surprise and not a little consternation, was felt when fact proved speculation to be wrong. It was suggested at first that Christ Church was no longer the “ purple riband.” until one student cleared doubt by explaining: “Of course, the Prince of Wales wishes to come into contact with the ordinary Tom, Dick, and Harry—what then is the use of his coming to Christ Church? ” A subtle implication, perhaps, but typical of the amusing jealousy displayed by the undergraduates.

The Prince of Wales was not following the accustomed course in tak'ng up his studies at the university. Indeed, apart from isolated cases, it had always been deemed inadvisable for the sons of kings to mix freely with the commoners. Even King Edward’s restricted career at Christ- Church had been considered as a violation of royal convention, albeit arrangements bad been made to preserve his dignity to the utmost, and uphold his elevated position as far as was possible. The manner of the Prince of Wales’s entry into Magdalen, therefore, was something of a distinct departure from the royal precedent, but neither Prince Edward’s dignity nor his outlook appears to have suffered by this early cutting away of the ropes of restriction which have bound members of the Royal Family for so many generations. The Prince was allowed an entirely free hand at Magdalen, and for the first time was not so much in Mr Hansell’s company. Apparently suitable companions were not selected for him, as so many people believed at the time. He attended lectures freely with the other undergraduates, and dined with them in hall, and frequently talked without reserve in the junior common room. In short, he could truly say he was “of Magdalen.” With his tutors he was charmingly polite ant always attentive. Between the late Sir William Anson and the Prince there sprang up a warm friendship, a bond which made the one eager to learn and the other anxious to impart. Naturally the young Prince revelled in this new-found freedom, and extracted from it the maximum enjoyment. He met all types of men, from the provincial scholarship student to the wealthy, cultured men from the great public schools. When he left Oxford he was representative of the best product that onr universities can develop. Any attempt to curb his freedom by the students themselves was frowned upon by Edward. The story is told of the little party at which the Prince had agreed to attend on the strict understanding tint there were to be no speeches. As the dinnei was drawing to a close, howe/er, one of the students called on the Prince for a speech. Despite the previous injunction the cry was immediately tiken np, only dying down when the honoured guest lose to his feet. The noise subsided but the Prince waited, tapping the table with his fingers impatiently, until there was complete silence. All eyes were tinned upon him expectantly. “J wish. you fellows wouldn’t make such a fuss! ” the youthful orator declared, and then continued his meal amid a somewhat awkward silence.

The pursuits in which the.young Prince indulged when.study hours were over were many and varied, but were not of the “strenuous” order; he recognised that his slender physique did not have a fair chance against such giants as studied with him, and he contented himself with shooting, motoring, running with the beagles, riding to the hounds with his equerry, playing golf, tennis, polo, and Association football. Hot a little of his time was devoted to the 0.T.C., in which he took a great interest. This “ soldiering ” training was to stand him in good stead later on when he took up the duties of a soldier in real earnest. Though the Prince was occasionally seen on the river resplendent in his purple blazer, he had not the satisfaction of rowing or “ coxing ” home Magdalen. After arduous practice at “ soccer ” and receiving many hard knocks Prince Edward won a place in the Magdalen second team. How must some fortunate men to-day recollect with a smile the time when they splashed mud over’ the good-humoured heir to the Throne in one of those inevitable collisions round the home goal mouth! The Prince found much enjoyment in polo at Oxford —a game in which he subsequently played with King Alfonso of Spain, a really crack player, and acquitted himself wonderfully well. On fine mornings he would be up and doing good practice in the Port Meadow. Later he kept half a dozen polo ponies at Oxford, As had been the case at Dartmouth, the Prince experienced those same misgivings that he might prove inferior when compared with his colleagues. But he need have had no qualms on this account, for the 49 other “ freshmen,” who came up with him, were torn with the same hopes and doubts as their distinguished colleague. Edward did not expect to prove himself a formidable champion in athletic achievements, or to elevate himself to such a pinnacle of knowledge and learning that his fellow undergraduates would seem dull and backward in comparison. He had no especial wish to shine in anything—all he wished to do was his duty, and that thoroughly! Because of his complete absence of conceit it was not long before even those who had looked askance upon the probability of a Prince being human voted him “a good chap!” Indeed, after the novelty of having the Prince of Wales amongst them had worn oIT, his contemporaries neither went out of their way to converse with him nor shrunk from chaffing him if opportunity occurred. He was one of them —and that summed up the situation in a few words. Life at Oxford was decidedly pleasant. This mixing with all types of men—heirs to old titles equally with sons of manufacturers —was bringing about a remarkable change in the Prince’s outlook. The mirple robes of State were rarely glimpsed in these peaceful days of 1913 so far as the Prince of Wales was concerned: not, however, that his democratic status reacted ou his dignity. He was still the Prince of Wales. There was a great danger, not unknown to his parents, that the Prince, in his earnest desire to he “ one of the crowd," mLAit Dlcasc a certain .section of kla

Majesty's subjects, yet might, from the viewpoint of the great colonies, and even other European countries, belittle the dignity of the Crown. The Prince, however, has never been unmindful of his royal position, and whereas he at first signed his name as plain “ Edward ” when occasions demanded his signature, later he used the title “Prince of Wales, and to-dav just signs himself “Edward P. But there was never any real chance that lie would jeopardise his position, for beyond his normal personal wishes, which he felt justified in satisfying, the Prince strictly kept in mind the fact that the duty of princes in constitutional countries is not to force upon the people a dominant or outstanding character, but to retain all the sacredness of historic tradition, and to show the worM an attractive, amiable personality, which is able to keep pace with changing social conditions and appreciate their significance. Some may have considered the Prince too young to appreciate the necessity of adjusting his outlook to meet changed circumstances and conditions inevitably lesultant upon race progress. That he contradicted these opinions is cxampied in his discussion of the Eton ’ topper, so redolent of apparently meaningless tradition, when the Prince prophesied that in the future it would be bound to clisajipear whether we liked it or not. . The public school spirit so manifest in the youthful Prince of Monies did not. as it so often does, rob Edward ot his individuality. He possessed two entirely different sides —one, the almost casual self-unconsciousness of the ordinary undergraduate, perceptible when he was half-listening to the “talk of the union Society—sometimes insufferably .weangome—and the other, when he was surprised by some fellow undergrad enjoying his own company, on such occasions proving the same thoughtful, rather wistfulcan the Prince’s demeanour be bettor described to-day?—boy as he was when home ties were first broken at Osborne. Actual contact with men whose partraits, savings, and deeds are chronicled the world over, has not made the Prince cynical. He is as fresh and enthusiastic in his appreciation of really great men. as any commoner, and of inventors and explorers is not above hero-worship. Signor Marconi’s first wireless experiments greatly interested him, as well as Claude Grahame White’s experiments in flying. No one was a keener admirer of that early hydroplane which this pioneer airman experimented with at Cowes in 1912, and when White cir-;l*d round the Solent at night time, with his aircraft illuminated in outline by myriads of electric globes, the Princi dearly wished to try a flight. But, of course, his father could not allow him. Disa; pointed, the Prince watched wistfully the notabilities who accompanied the airman on short flights.

Apart from a few public ceremonies in which the Prince took part, his studies at Oxford were not unduly disturbed until the early spring of 1913. Then, in order to broaden his education further by travel, it was deemed advisable that he should again visit the Continent. There was no hint of the world-wide upheaval in 1913, when the Prince left London to pay the first of his two visits to theGerman Empire. Again, ns the Earl of Chester, he visited the great industrial centres ol Coblenz, Dusseldorf, Heidelberg, Stuttgart. and Darmstadt. The prime reason for his visit, similar to that of Franco, was in order that he might improve his knowledge of the particular language, and to this end Professor Fiedler, professor of German at Oxford, accompanied him. During his stay many of the beauty spots of Germany were visited, and the Prince expressed his great delight with- the splendid scenery of the Taunus Valley and the district around Weisbaden.

At Stuttgart he was the guest of the King of Wurteraberg at Wilhelm Palace for some days. He spent many enjoyable hours riding through the Black Forest, attending at the court theatre, and generally making himself conversant with the surrounding district. On one occasion he journeyed to Cnnstatt drill ground in order to witness the arrival o f an airship which was being tested for duration flight. Although the Zeppelin was delayed, the Prince was greatly in terested in the masses of soldiery who were rft the time being paraded. It seems grimly ironieal to recollect that that broken exiled figure at Doom gave instructions that the son of his Royal English cousin should be taken to r >-icdrichshafen to inspect the airship works there. The Prince was received and greeted by Count Zeppelin, who conducted his guest through the building yards and the motor manufactory. It was even arranged that the Prince should take a flight in Z 4. the latest war Zeppelin which had just been constructed. The weather, however, was not suitable for flying, and the flight did not 'take place. The Prince, however, had the privilege, as indeed it was in those days, of witnessing a war Zeppelin leave its moorings and take the air.

As he had his curiosity and sense of adventure whetted, it was not surpris ing therefore that a few weeks later, when in England and camped at Mychett Lake with the members of tha Oxford University Officers’ Training Corps, he should for a taste of the thrills of aviation. While at Aldershot he drove over to Farnborougli, and was allowed n half-hour cruise in the airship Beta. He expressed himself very pleased with his new experience.

He visited the Fatherland again in July, and stayed at Berlin. Dresden. Leipzig, and Prague, his hosts being from time to time the German Emperor, the King of Wurtemberg, the Grand Duke of Mecklenberg-Strclitz, and the Duke of Saxo-Coburg. Returning to London, invigorated by bis new experiences, the Prince continued his studies at Oxford, where, he was delighted to learn, he was to stay a second vear. But that second year had scarcely run its cours-' before the German hordes were pouring shot and shell into the brave heart of Belgium

Previen- instalments of “The Life Storv of the Prinee' of TVales ” apnea r ed in our issues of September 3. September 7. September 11. September 14, September 18. and September 21.