FAMOUS ROMANCES OF ROYAL HOUSES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16736, 18 May 1922, Page 6

FAMOUS ROMANCES OF ROYAL HOUSES.

PRINCESS STEPHANIE, DAUGHTER OF LEOPOLD II

WIDOW OF CROWN PRINCE RUDOLPH DEFIES TWO MONARCHS.

(By

R. L. HADFIELD).

(COPYRIGHT).

The life of Princess Stephanie, of Austria, who died at MeVerling-, wi bv her father, detested by Francis .1 about Europe, without friends and faithful gentleman-in-waiting. Count The Royal houses of Europe have produced many tragedies, but few that can compare with the long list that goes to make up the history of the house of Hapsburg. From earliest tunes, by their follies they have brought misery upon themselves and upon all with whom they have come in contact, amongst whom the women they have married have not been the least sufferers. Princess Stephanie, daughter of Leopold II- of Belgium, was no exception. Her life had never been happy. Disliked by her father, who loved no one but himself, she exchanged the house of a parent, who treated her shamefully. for that of a husband who made her life a long martyrdom. The extravagances and the scandals with which the Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria was mixed up need no emphasis. Forced to make a marriage of State, ho sought relief from a tie he hated, and scorning his wife gave his heart into the keeping of an adventuress. For days he absented himself from his palace, and when he returned from his wild debauches vented the illhumours of the aftermath upon his wife. Not only with words did he assail her. but with blows. The sou of the Emperor of a great country was not above striking the Princess, his wife. Such was his conduct towards Stephanie that when at last his time was run. and there came that night of mystery when, with his mistress, he died in the hunting box at Meyerling. she could not pretend any sorrow.

A ROYAL EXILE. But the Princess, rid of tho man who had made life hideous for her, found little relief. Though no longer subjected to physical assault, she was made the victim of even more painfui attacks. Leopold, her father, ordered her to keep out of his sight, forbidding •her even to visit her mother, whilst the Emperor, her father-in-law, refused to have anything further to do with her. When on one occasion she visited Vienna ho had her escorted across the frontier by agents of the secret service. Without a place on the earth that she could call her home, the unhappy Princess wandered through the cities of Europe, spending the greater part- of her time on the Riviera. There, amid the glittering throngs of pleasure-seek-ers, amidst the bustle and gaiety of fashionable resorts, she passed, a silent, melancholy figure in black, at sight of whom, heads would turn and mysterious whispers fly, but to whom none of the highly placed ones dare speak for fear of earning the displeasure of one or other of the two monarchs who hated her. But in all the darkness of her sorrows, there was one gleam of lightAmongst the few personal attendants of the Princess was Count Lonvay, a gentleman-in-waiting, of whom she was very fond. Though it meant the abandonment of ambition and made him an exile, the count stood by Stephanie through all, faithful and watchful. It is not surprising, in the circumstances, that a close bond of sympathy should have been built up between these two. broadening at length into love. But Count Lonvay was in a. difficult position. Though he loved the Princess and felt that her heart warmed towards him, it was impossible for him to make any advances. He, a gentle-man-in-waiting, could not ask lor the hand of his mistress, once Crown Princess of Austria and very' nenrlv Empress. But love scorns the conventions, and the man and tho woman, knowing that they loved one another, knew that a way out would be found It was the Princess who first voiced the statement that their position was impossible, and she announced her intention of marrying her lover. When the news reached tho respective kingdoms of Belgium and Austria both Leopold and Francis Joseph lost their tempers. They raged and stormod about their rooms, and swore that they would destroy Lonvay. In the meantime, both wrote to Stephanie giving their opinions of the intended union in the most offensive of terms. Leopold, too. set to work. Suddenly and mysteriously the Princess began to receive letters from various parts of Europe purporting to give intimate details of the past life of the Count, each one of which was calculated to make him abominable in the eyes of any woman about to become his wife Princess Stephanie knew something of the methods of her father, and she disregarded these inuendoes utterly. Then Leopold attempted to find a wife for ! Count Lonvay, and had search made amongst the women of his kingdom for someone willing to play the part of a long-deserted wife. Fortunately, the old king’s plans went astray, producing the most laughable result. For one day. there arrived at tho house in which Stephanie was staying near Nice i two women, both positively stating that they had been married to Count Lon yay for some years! THE SECRET MARRTAGE. Whilst this comedy was being enacted at Nice, a strange change was going on in Vienna. Francis Joseph suddenly faced about, and wrote to Stephanie a kind, courteous letter, giving the match his entire approval. The reason for this unexpected change of attitude was simple enough. The Emperor and Leopold, as it happened, detested one another more than anyone else in the world. The Emperor, therefore, learning that Leopold was bitterly opposed to the marriage, saw in it a chance of scoring off his enemy, and in mere spite turned a. friendly face, to Stephanie and approved the match. He gave the marriage his blessing and invited the Count to come and see him. Of course the marriage was to be morganatic. There could be no suggestion of raising the Count, to the f rank of bis wife ; but none the less ! Francis Josebh received him and assisted in the arrangements for the wedding. Therefore, to Vienna the lovers went, and in tho chapel of the royal palace were made man and wife. Things worked out as the Emperor had hoped Leopold was furious, and uttered the most terrible threat* against his daughter. His first act . ■ to .-mi down Stonhanb - nil

widow of the Crown Prince Rudolph , s not a happy one. Spitefully treated oseph, her father-in-law, she wandered without a home, until she married her Lonyav. and the Emperor retorted by sending her a handsome cheque. inr more cruel and subtle was Leopold s act in forbidding Stephanie to visit her mother. Leopold set spies upon them both, and it was only after the greatest difficulty, and by the use of bribes, that Stephanie was able to bare one last interview with her mother. hoe was compelled to enter Brussels secretlv and in disguise, to see for the la = „ time the unliapr--- Queen LnliappT j is a mild term. Leopold, King ot | Belgium, in his treatment of bs «« 1 and daughters, was a monster. " J his wife died he resolved that none oi her great wealth should fall into the hands of Stephanie or her sisters. _ | Into the quiet life of Stephanie arc. . her husband came. then, the matter | of the famous lawsuit in which Leopold j strove to set aside tho legacies left by ; hi, wife. Though she lost the day | leaving her father in possession of a great fortune for the further pursuit of doubtful pleasures, Stephanie never expressed any regrft. She was g ««- to escape the limelight of public interest and go back into private life with ho. husband. THE EMPEROR’S INSULT. In tho (meantime, Princess Stephanie’s daughter by her first marriage. Elizabeth, had grown up at the court of Austria, whither she had been taken at Rudolph’s death. Shortly after tho termination of the lawsuit she announced her intention of following m her mother’s footsteps and contracting a morganatic marriage. The husband of her choice was Prince von "Windischgraetz, and to her surprise, and that of many, no objection was made to the union. But. though Stephanie was invited to the ceremony, she found it impossible to attend owing to the fact that Count I.onyay "; as not coupled with her in the invitation. Tho friendship that had been extended towards her by the Emperor was by means a genuine feeling for herself, but was the outcome of his desire to annoy L-oopold. Therefore, when, he saw a chance of snubbing Stephanie and her husband, ho did not hesitate to take it. But Stephanie’s troubles were almost over. In 1910. Leopold died and there came to the throne of Belgium a man of very different stamp. King Albert, throughout the 3' ears of his reign, has proved himself to be a man worthy of trust, whose character fs above reproach. He was always fond of Stephanie, and, on his accession, immediately extended to her and to her husband an invitation to make their homo in their own country, placing at their disposal a beautiful house in the capital. Glad to have a. haven at last after so many years of wandering, they gladly accepted the offer, and repaired to Brussels immediately. There thov lived a quiet, contented life until once again they were sent- into exile when the German hordes swept over their country in 1914. At the outbreak of war Stephanie found herself in a curious position. By birth a Belgian, she was by marriage an Austrian subject, and it was confidently expected that she would throw in tier lot with the Central Powers. But Stephanie decided otherwise, and. driven from her home in Brussels by the advance of the invading armies, came over to England with the Count and took up her residence in Surrey. There she interested herself in the care of Belgian and British wounded, exjwmding much of her wealth in alleviating the lot of her homeless countrymen, and with her own hands nursing the stricken. As early as possible she returned to Brussels and there in the care of her husband and secure in the friendship of the King, she lives and tries to for get same of the sorrows and hardships which in the course of her life she has been compelled to undergo. The third story of this series will he published in the ‘‘ Star ’’ next Thursday. Tt. relates the. st-ory of Queen Christina of Spain and Ferdinand Munov, the private soldier. Tho Queen fell in love with Munov, and despite all the pressure brought to bear upon her, anti the plots framed against her lover, she married him.