TRAGIC LIFE OF PRINCESS,

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19460, 27 December 1934, Page 10

TRAGIC LIFE OF PRINCESS,

STORY OF NEGLECTED GRAVE. A Transylvanian 'correspondent of ithc Magynrsag, a Hungarian journal, reports that the Rhcdey family vault, in -which lies the body of 'Claudine Tthcdey, Fruitless Alexander of Wur■lembcrg, and grandmother of Queen Mary. has fallen into a state of decay. The 'Rhcdey caslle, with one acre of garden, was bought for 270.000 lei by the '•Rumanian State lids year; hut since then nohody has been instructed to care for Ihe vault. The memorial ■stone, two stone crests, amt a tablet sent by Queen .Mary hi 1905, have been brought from the crumbling vault to the old church belonging to Hie Jthedey family. v 'l'lie writer recalls the tragic fate of Hie Princess, whose brief married idyll was spent at this castle. On one occfts'ion, when Prince Alexander was taking pari in Hie great manocmires at Graz, in Austria, the Princess decided to give him a happy surprise. Travelling lo the spot, she appeared: on the ground unannounced, and was run down by a squadron of racing hussars.

Before her death the Princess received a promise from her husband that she should: he buried near tier birthplace, the Bliedey castle at Erdoszentgyorgy, and her body was driven from ■Graz to the family vault in 38 days by Captain Sandor Torok, of the Wurteinberg Regiment, the best friend of Prince Alexander, The heart of his wife, however, Prince Alexander kept in a glass ease on his table for 4 4 years. At his death the heart was placed beside his bodv in the coflln.