THE DUCHESS D'AOSTA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8200, 27 December 1904, Page 3

THE DUCHESS D'AOSTA.

■ * : ».- A DISAPPOINTED MOTHER. It is rather doubtful if the world contains at present a more disappointed and dejected mother than the Duchess d'Aosta (writes the Rome correspondent of an American paper), -whose fondest hopethat of seeing her eldest son acclaimed King of Italy— has been shattered by the birth of an heir to the present King. When the Duke d'Aosta begged her to marry him nine years ago ' the Duchess, then Princess Helene d'Orleans. asked only one question. That was, "Will the rrince of isaples ever many?" The Prince of Naples was the present King, and,, as his cousin, d'Aosta stood next in line for the throne. "2^0," replied the latter. "Victor will never marry. He has an absolute abhorence of tho idea, so I shall undoubtedly be sovereign. He is delicate and weak and I shall outlivft him. Anyway, if I have a son, ha will sit on tha throne." So the Princess Helene said "yes," and her marringe to the duke was consummated soon after. One year later, before any child ha-d blesssd the union, tine Prince of Naples suddenly fell in love with, the Princess Helene of Montenegro, and, to the secret horror of the d'Aostas, married her. At that moment the feud began,) which* 1 has existed ever since between tine Duchess d'Aosta and the Queen "of Italy. "I have been deceived," was the burden of the duchess' plaint, followed by scathing references to " peasant girls from the mountains," and to* " delicate men who must go wife-hunting." Tho then Princess of 'No.pies, ivifch her sensitive soul, was quick to understand and resent this attitude, 60 war was declared. However, time passed, and within three year 3of her marriage the duchess had a son, the heir presumptive to the throne, followed by another two years later, while the Crown Princess still remained childless. Hope revived, and " deception " was less talked of, and "my son, the King," became the duchess' dearest phrase. Five ysars passing without children being vouchsafed to the Prince and Princess of Naples, I tb« lady of Aosta allowed herself to be i more gracious all round, while her eldest son, Prince Amedeo, was treated and surrounded with ceremonial as though direct heir to the throne, and this without the least effort to conceal her hopes and desires. Simultaneously with the present Queen's accession to tho throne, however, came the whisper that her Majesty was in a delicate state of health-^a whisper which later proved to be tru*. One can sympathise \ with the agony of the ambitious woman I who thus saw her hopes vanishing. It was indeed a tragic moment for her. and she took it tragically. "Is it true," she asked her tbaajbaiwi, with) faoe as white co death. "Yes," was the low-voiced reply, whereupon .she fell to the floor as one dead, and when she revived, some hours later, > refused food, crying hopelessly over her son, murmuring in ncr madness that he was about to be deprived of his rights, and that he should be King in spite of all if it lay within her power to compass it. But the expected baby proved to be a girl. "It is in answer to my prayers," the duchess whispered, so the cloud lifted! som&wtat, to fall agaan blacker than ever a year later when another baby was expected. This, too,'was a, girl, and m her joy the duchess gave little heed to the grumblings among the lower classes, who declared that she had cast the evil eye on tho Queen, who would thus never have a eon, and, perhaps, that was her own conviction, as when, for the third time, the Queen became delicate, she took little notice* of the fact, and continued happily to consider her son as the future" monarch. Thus eighteen inches of humanity had plunged one household into tJie deepest : depths of gloom and another into heights of joy never before experienced. A boy ! The news, before many hours had elapsed, rang out all over Italy, throwing an entire nation into paroxysms of patriotism- and loyalty. T Prince Humbert, as he is\ called, is a [usty youngster, who decidedly resembles his mother. When in the course of na- . iure he comes to manhood, he will be one ■ | of the most sought after princes of Europe. I He will be heir to the throne of a pros- ' j perous country,, will not be rich, as he has | no property in hi 3 own right/ but will make up for it hy the wealth of his titles, •which puts a simple citizen to shame, and are sufficient to smother any able-bodied J man. Among, them will be the high- p. sounding one of King ;of Cyprus, Crete and Jerusalem, but at present he has only one. Prince of Piedmont. • i . ....i— ——■■■. .. s*