"TITLES MAY GO!”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 726, 27 July 1929, Page 20

"TITLES MAY GO!”

Diary of Ex-Kaiser’s Sister Tells §f Her Strange Infatuation

FJUIERE is a remarkable concluding chapter to “My Memoirs”—published by Nash and Grayson—by Princess Victoria of Prussia, sister of the ex-Kaiser. The princess gives passages from her diary telling how she fell in love with Alexander Zoubkoff. the young Russian whom she married in 1927, and from whom she separated last year. The diary extracts begin on a Monday with a record of Count. Jch bringing Zoubkoff to tea. The princess was 61 years of age and the Russian visitpr but 24, and she apparently fell in love with, him at once. If he Should Propose The diary continues, telling the story of the princess’s infatuation: Tuesday.—. . . What an interesting young man he is! . . Tall, dark and handsome. He seems to be very intelligent, and I shall continue to invite him to the palace. , . . Thursday (midnight).—There were several people I know at the opera. Tltpy do not know M. Zoubkoff, and I noticed that they were very interested in him. He is attracting me a good deal, and I think he enjoys my company. He has become very poor owing to the Russian Revolution, but is not ashamed of his poverty. His parents l had a fine palace and were very | wealthy. He related to me that he was wearing a borrowed suit of clothing at our first meeting. I admire his frankness. Friday.—Today we have been on the Rhine. I was wearing some flowers, and as I was stepping into the boat they became unfastened and fell into

(lie river. He insisted on buj-ing me some more from an old flower-seller. Saturday— . . . He told me that ae was at one :ime a deck-hand and sailed to Newcastle and Srimsby. He was in England for a few weeks . . • He tried his hand at cards, and told

me that one day ie would win sev?ral hundreds, and the next day be almost penniless . . . Saturday— . We played tennis again. 1 anl getting very' fond of him, and dreading his departure.

Monday—Friday.-—. . . How I miss Sasha! X dread to think that one day he will leave Bonn. It will seem so desolate without him. He has become part of my life. Monday.—He came to tea and stayed to dinner. He told me how he had missed me. How much I have missed him no one will ever know! I care for him a great deal, and I know he cares for me. I wonder what people would say of a marriage between us? . . . Even so-called society people are beginning to stare and to whisper. If he should propose to me some day I wonder what the world would say and invent? Tuesday.—He came again today and we are going to dine together. I shall put on my prettiest gown. 12.30.—We had dinner at home and Sasha proposed! Am overjoyed.! have, of course, accepted. What will one’s relations say? But I shall overstep all barriers. • shall not sacrifice my own happiness and that of my fianed People will sa> that there is too great a difference in our ages for complete happiness: hot if two people really care for cacn other, nothing else matters. Titlesj money, everything may go, but I win keep our happiness. My fianed loves me and I love him. . . . Her First Romance

It will be recalled that Zoubkoff. who turned out to have been a film supe? and a dish-washer in bis time, married the princess despite the ex-Kaiser» opposition, . The princess’s reminiscences a> s ° include an account of her firj* romance, nearly 50 years ago. Prince Alexander of Bulgaria. proposed marriage threw the dipW" matic world into a frenzy. 811 although the prince abdicated his succession to the Bulgarian throne, Bismarck declared he would resign if tn wedding look place. The engagem en was broken off. . , The princess afterwards marrw Adolf. Prince of Schaumburg LipP* who died during the war.