EDWARD THE SEVENTH

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 10, 4 August 1930, Page 7

EDWARD THE SEVENTH

STORIES BY A FRIEND DIPS INTO A DIARY. For a number of years the late Sir Lionel Cust was brought into close personal contact with King Edward VII. He was Surveyor of the King's Pictures, a Gentleman Usher of the Court, and n personal friend of the monarch whose fascinating personality has been the favourite subject of many biographers. Sir Lionel's reminiscences of this association have been published witli a memoir of her husband by Lady Cust. Much that is new and interesting about the King and those around him in his life-time will be found in the pages of the volume. Sir Lionel was an acute observer and a discriminating diarist and he probably heard and overheard more from his royal master than has been given to the public in these reminiscences. There are many intimate glimpses. Sir Lionel, in one passage, says:—"As the King and Queen passed through Windsor Castle discussing plans for the future it was difficult to avoid being an eavesdropper owing to the Queen's unfortunate deafness and the King's rather penetrating voice. "At one time, passing through the corridor, they passed by a recumbent marble effigy of a baby. Queen Alexandra asked who it was. The King replied: "Don't you know?—if that child had lived you and I would not have been here.'" The child was Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King William IV. and Queen Adelaide, who, for a few months in 1821, was heir to the Crown of England. Another story is of an amusing incident in which the present Prince of Wales and the Duke of York were concerned when they were children. Command to the King:. "On one occasion at Buckingham Palace, after luncheon, while the King was enjoying a cigar and talking to his friends the door opened and in ran two little boys, Prince David and Prince Bertie. They came and stood on either side of the King, looking rather shyly at the rest of us. "At last the boys got fidgety, and one of them —I think the elder boy—said: 'Now then Grandpa, you must not sit too long here, or else you'll keep Mr. Hansell waiting.' Mr. Hansell was their tutor. The King was immensely amused at receiving this command, which he very shortly after obeyed with due humility." How the great medical scientist, Lord Lister, was invested with the Order of Merit is thus recorded: —"lord Lister advanced, and dia due obeisance to his Majesty, kneeling on one knee. The King took the ribbon with the jewelled Order hanging from it, and tried to pass it over Lord Lister's head. So wide, however, was the great man's head, that the ribbon could not get over it, and remained halfway on, the jewel resting on Lord Lister'o nose. The King tried to press it over, but in vain. The situation was embarrassing and becoming ridiculous. At last Lord Lister said, T think, sir, that I had better take it away in my hand,' and, lifting the ribbon and the jewel off his head, retired in good order, leaving the King and ourselves. Labour Leader and Two Kings. Mr. John Burns and Mr. Lloyd George are introduced into one episode. It was at a time when both were Ministers in a Liberal Administration, and they were attending a gala opera, at which the King of Denmark was present with King Edward. Sir Lionel was sent to fetch Mr. Burns to see the King. "So I went and found Mr. Burns, who was talking to Mr. Lloyd George, also in a gold-embroidered coat, which did not fit him as well as Mr. Burns', and took him up to the King, who at once introduced Mr. Burns to the King of Denmark. • "It was an interesting moment to watch Mr. Burns, who, to some minds, represented the 1 Red Flag Republicanism, conversing cheerily with two reigning Kings at the same Lime. He was quite at his ease, and they all three seemed to be pleased at the meeting. "When I escorted the Minister back to his box, I found Mr. Lloyd George f.till there, looking rather expectant, as if he were waiting to be summoned to interview the two Kings. No message, how- ' ever, to this effect arrived." King Edward, according to Sir Lionel, I did not hesitate to say at the outset of i his reign that he would like to see his I Court transferred back to Hampton Court Palace, were it not for the cost and difficulty of re-organisation. | "More Jam, King." It will be news to most people that the present Prince of Wales is a cricketer, and once captained a side. It was when he was a boy, and he was "skipper" of one j eleven of Eton boys and the Duke of York of another. The Prince's side won, and he himself scored 17 not out. The match was watched by King Edward and Queen Alexandra and members of the Court. King Edward wa-3 always fond of children, and v/as seen at many of their parties. At one of them he was attending to the little son of one of his more intimate friends, and asked him what ha , would like. I "The child at once said: 'More jam. 1 King.'" »