PRINCE OF WALES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 346, 18 August 1930, Page 9

PRINCE OF WALES

REORIENTATION OF LIFE. LARGER SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. BIRTHDAY CHARACTER SKETCH. An interesting character sketch of the Prince of Wales by Mr C. Patrick Thompson was published in the Daily Express on June 23, the 36th. birthday of His Royal Highness. The writer, who describes the heir apparent as “the best living example of the efficient modern prince,’’ says, in the course of his article:— The Prince possesses the most valuable quality of all—adaptability. He made the crossing from the war to the post-war world w r ith marked success. Dividing his life manly between his bachelor quarters in town and his hunting quarters at Melton Mowbray, ho seemed to be settling down, with his chosen circle, his favourite pastimes, his preferred haunts and pleasures, his round of duties, to a routine which would endure until, in duo course, he became King. But, if yuu look, you sec that the Prince’s roots were never deep in habit. Ho knows better than most men know how to manage himself. He is a good psychologist—perhaps without knowing it. Lately he has reoriented his life. . .

The Prince of Wales is in the van of young men—and women—who arc blazing the trail, into this larger and freer age, an ago made possible by the rapid and ever-growing harnessing of science to industry, and by tho willingness of the yougcr generation to take risks in all three elements with the new speed machines —which, despite their astounding performances to date, arc yet in their infancy. Tho Prince has his own land speed machine, a powerful car, of a make which in the last two years has left all others, the foreign cracks included, standing in track events and road races. He arrives at Sunningdale with his Cairn terriers, driving the big machine himself.

Also, the Prince has his own airplane and private aerodrome, and uses the airways as frequently to-day as the railways. To-morrow, w’hen these machines develop further, he w’ill be flying his own airplane as to-day he drives his own fast car. He could take his “A’’ and 4< B” pilot’s certificate to-morrow if he liked.

The reorientation of his life has been completed by the Prince lately—not that it may not be reorientated again at the end of his present phase, for at 36 he is still a very young man—by extending the range of his pastimes to include golf—at which he used to be no good—by enlarging his bachelor quarters, and planning a larger social life —his social contracts have always been very liberal—and by acquiring at last what he never had before, a country house of his own on the edge of Windsor Park.

More and more the Prince finds ways of meeting privately and informally men who matter —matter not because of inherited rank or high titles, but because of achievements. He rings up from his home commoner friends of humble birth. He finds time to write such friends friendly little letters in his own hand. And he addresses the big blue envelopes himself.