BETROTHAL OF PRINCESS BEATRICE.

Western Star, Issue 931, 18 March 1885, Page 4

BETROTHAL OF PRINCESS BEATRICE.

The suddenness of the announcement of the Princess Beatrice’s engagement is thus explained Not one of the Court papers had a single line on the matter, even so much as eon taining a hint of the event that startled the nation on New Year’s Day; and wo can only imagine that this is due to lie Q een s weil-koown J detestation of gossip, her ladies being atrictlv enjoined never to repeat a word of what they hear nor say a syllable about what they see at the Court. That Her Majesty is able to enforce this command is amply proved by the fact that not one of the journals that are generally aw fait With all possible gossip had even an inkling of the coming event. One lady-in-waiting, on being reproached by her friends for her silence in the matter, remarked that the Queen would never have forgiven her if a word bad come out before she herself made the announcement which has given the English people so much to talk about. “It is a fine landing for her,” was J dm Brown’s remark when he heard that the Luke of Albany was engaged to the Princess Helena of \V aldeck Prymont;' and most assuredly “the Highlander” would have expressed the same of Prince Henry of Battenburg’s coup in “landing” Princess Beatrice. Certain Royal personagi s entertain a very strong opinion that a younger sou in the morgantic family of the Grand Duke of Hesse’s uncle is not a proper match for the Queen of England’s daughter. It would be vain to seek a precedent for such a ' mesalliance , for it is regarded as such in Court circles.

According to present arrangements the marriage is vo take place early in May. It is not to be an elaborate ceremony of show and state, but will be celebrated as quietly as possible in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle. It is staled in the papers that Prince Henry inspected the Seaforth Highlanders at the Isle of AVigbt last week,

and, after making a close inspection of the ranks and many inquiries as to the regiment, was good enough to express his approval. “ Since warn, ’ asks a m lifcary correspondent, “ has it been tne custom for a lieutenant in the German army to inspect our English regiments ?”—‘ Truth.’ Briuce Henry is a lieutenant in the Prussian army, and his pay is about £do per annum. His father is as p,»or as a church mouse, so that the British taxpayer will have to provide for the young couple. Parliament will be asked to provide Princess Beatrice, like her otner sisters, with an income of at least £OOOO a year and a dowry of .£BO,OOO, and the Queen in addition will provide the young people with a suitable residence at the expense of the country. In addition to which some public servant will have to be superannuated, or denied preferment, or removed, to make room for the Queen s son-in-law in the army, as was the case in similar previous instances; thus making this country provide for him and his wile and offspring. At Berlin the news was received .with incredible wonder, and the Royal Ramil v of Germany are by no means delighted at it. Apart from the fact that the whole of the Hesse-Harmsladt clan are now in disgrace at the Court, it is thought remarkable that the Queen should have consented to such a marriage, especially after the ruthless manner in which the pretensions of Prince Alexander of Battenburg (Bulgaria) to the hand of Princess ‘V ictoria of Hoheuzoileru were snubbed last spring.