“WOUND IN HIS HEART.”

Western Star, 4 March 1938, Page 4

“WOUND IN HIS HEART.”

LEOPOLD OF BELGIUM. King Leopold of the Belgians, still grief-stricken by the tragedy of hi s beloved Queen Astrid, nearly two and aha.lf years ago, arrived in London, recently on a surprise incognito visit, accompanied by his mother, Queen Elizabeth. The visit was stated to bo a strictly private one. The departure of the King was not announced in Brussels until after he and Queen Elizabeth had embarked at Ostend for Dover. It is only three weeks since King Leopold wa s in England on, a State visit to King George. A high official in close touch with the Belgian Court told Stephen House in Brussels that King Leopold had been greatly disturbed by the recent suggestions that he will many again. , “According to these rumours,” said this authority, “the King ha s been—at various times—betrothed to Princess Juliana of Holland, to Princess Adelaide of Hapsburg, Princes s Maria of Savoia, Princess Eudoxia of Bulgaria, and to two Danish Princesses. "v. „ “The King has a deep wound in hts heart—a wound that is far from being healed.” Since the day Queen Astrid was hurled to her death from the car King Leopold himself was driving in Switzerland, he has been torn by regret. In vain hjs advisers have tried to console him. Yet, if, by some miracle, Queen. Astrid were to return to the small mansion of Stuyvenberg, where sh© spent- an. idyll id honeymoon with her • prince, she would find everything just a s she left it. ' It is not known among his people as file Chateau of the Sleeping Beauty. Early in the morning King, Leopold goes unnoticed to Stuyvenberg, where all the souvenirs of Queen Astrid are preserved. 4 He lingers in the room where - she kept her childhood dolls, brought from Sweden when she married’ He goes through the notes written by her about the education of her children, ■ He kisses a pair of glove s still lying on the table. King Leopold, to a great extent, finds consolation for his loss in the love of his three motherless, children (Princess Josephine ■ Charlotte-, image of her mother; Crown Prince Baudouin, andthe small Prince of Liege). AH were delighted by the numerous presents he brought back after his recent visit to Londos. Baudouin wa s particularly thrilled by a model locomotive given by an English railway company.