DUKE OF GLOUCESTER.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19461, 28 December 1934, Page 3

DUKE OF GLOUCESTER.

SOME AMUSING STORIES.

THE PRINCE AT CRICKET. HE MEANT WHAT HE SAID. Some amusing stories are told of the Duke of Gloucester. One day the young Princes were playing cricket. Prince Edward was at the -wicket, Prince Henry was umpiring. The first time the elder boy failed to hit the ball Prince Henry cried “Out!" “But the ball didn’t touch the wicket,” protested the Prince of Wales. “I said ‘Out!’ ” replied Prince Henry. “And the umpire’s word is final. Not even ‘Edward the Eighth’ can dispute that." “Call Me Henry.”

Prince Henry was very popular at Eton. He worked and lived under the same conditions as the other boys, and as a junior had to do his share of “fagging.” He disliked being treated differently from any of the others, and when addressed as Prince used to get annoyed. “Gall me Henry,” he would say; I like it much better. That is what I am called at home.” His Shilling a Week. The Duke is fond of relating that he was allowed only is a week pocket money as a boy, while his two elder brothers each received 2s! “To make matters worse,” the Duke once laughingly told a gathering of friends, "my brothers and sister used to ask me to lend them money every Monday!” Prince Henry, from the age of five, was the proud possessor of a moneybox shaped and coloured like a post office pillar box, and every week he used to put 6d in out of his weekly 1 s I It is a tradition among old Royal servants that the one fight between Prince Albert (now Duke of York) and Prince Henry, which took place in a secluded spot on the.. Sandringham estate about 1912, was caused by the mysterious “borrowing” of some of the sixpences in Prince Henry’s “safe”! A Boyish Escapade.

As a small boy at Sandringham. Prince Henry entered into a friendly competition with his brothers in cultivating a garden plot. One June day Queen Mary announced that she was coming to see how the youthful gardeners had progressed. Prince Henry evidently decided that no plot should outshine his, for when his Royal mother came upon her tour of inspection she found his plot a mass of roses, but all were growing about six inches from the ground. Prince Henry had raided the wonderful rose garden of Sandringham and stuck the stems of the roses into his plot. Duke’s Own Anecdotes. The Duke has a fund of stories relating to horses, which is not unnatural in a cavalryman. He tells how a brother-officer once sought a wellknown veterinary surgeon’s advice regarding a hunter. “He looks well enough,” said the officer, “but he is subject to dizziness. What do you suggest?" “Choose a moment when the horse is not dizzy and sell him,” was the reply, and the Duke adds with a laugh that it was certainly excellent, if somewhat unscrupulous, advice. Another of his favourite stories is about the sale of a horse. A man advertised a horse for sale, giving as his reason that lie “wanted to leave town.” The horse was sold, but the purchaser was back in an hour, saying that 1 he had been swindled, and demanding the return of iiis money. “1 got him as far as the bridge, and there lie baulked. Nothing in the world will get that horse over that bridge,” he said. “You’re quite right," replied the seller, “and I spoke the truth in my advertisement about the horse. I said 1 was selling him because I wanted to leave town; and so 1 do, over that | Drove a Police Car.

At the Tidworth Tattoo of 1933 a mock car robbery was staged, and a police car disturbed the “bandits," sent out a wireless 3.0.5., and chased the supposed criminals. The .spectators were thrilled at the 7 0-mile-an-hour dash round the arena, and cheered when the police car caught its quarry. They did not know, however, that the driver of (lie police car was I lie Duke of Gloucester, who was taking part with his regiment in the tattoo. Dogs Stop IVlanoeuvres. His Royal Highness once possessed two dogs, from which he was almost inseparable —an Alsatian and an Irish terrier. During army manoeuvres these dogs were (lie cause of a temporary cessation of hostilities. The Duke, was with the t Oth Hoyal Hussars. who were carrying out exercises at llowberry Park, Berkshire, and though the dogs had been -shut up they escaped, and found the Duke,

whom they refused to leave. They interfered with the evolutions to such •an extent that they had to be bundled into a staff car and carried to the “front” —with, it is said, full army rations —until “peace” was declared. When the Duke was travelling to Scotland he gave up his ticket to the inspector, who glanced at the two dogs at his heels. “Dog tickets, sir?” the inspector asked. The Prince started. "I am so used to them that I forgot they required tickets,” he said. “I think, you will have to fine me to make me remember.” "Only Father Now.” The Duke’s earliest enthusiasm was cricket. As a child he captained a team, and the opposing side included his' father and the Prince of Wales. He dismissed the Prince of Wales for a paltry score, and then turned to the umpire, saying: “There’s only father now. Watch me get him out first ball." Prince Henry did.

DUKE’S TASTES SIMPLE. FOND OF PRIVACY. UNDERSTANDING OF CHILDREN. The Duke of Gloucester has many of the traditional attributes of the country gentleman. His tastes are simple, and lie jealously guards such privacy as he can snatch from his public duties. He dislikes being photographed except on public occasions, and he seldom yields to autograph hunters. He has a deep understanding of children and dogs. He enjoys the cinema and good musical comedy, but he is indifferent to cards. He is a good dancer, likes a detective story, and has a taste for antiques. If he has a personal foible it is for carrying an umbrella. lie is distinguished for strength of character, determination, and a certain reserve, lightened by a dry sense of humour. Lives at Buckingham Palace. When the Duke is in London he lives at Buckingham Palace, having his own quarters there. They are furnished comfortably, but without “frills,” deep armchairs and oak bookcases predominating. The walls are painted cream; the curtains are of dark red brocade.

When alone, the Duke amuses himself with his wireless set, or reading and smoking, settling down comfortably in an old jacket. Though the Duke’s library is largely composed of works on military matters, he frequently reads much lighter books, being fond of a good detective story and of humour. P. -G. Wodehouse is one of his favourites, the Duke never tiring of the adventures of the inimitable “Jeeves.”

Regular Church Attender. He is a regular church attender, the King and Queen having brought up their children in a sincere and quiet piety. When presiding at an annual meeting-of the British and Foreign Bible Society the Duke said: “It would be a happier and a more peaceful world if in our personal and public affairs we all made the Bible our final court of appeal and accepted its ruling as the law of life.” Is Exceedingly Thorough. The Duke is exceedingly thorough in all lie undertakes. He was once approached by the secretary of a newly-formed philanthropic society—the members of which were composed mostly of social climbers who lioped for Royal recognition—asking for his patronage. , “Certainly,” said the Prince. “But I shall first require a report of your scheme and an account of your workpng expenses.” The secretary gasped. He had been under the pleasant delusion that Royal patrons smiled on all good works and asked no questions. “1 fear we have nothing on paper,” he stammered. “Well, when you have, send it to me and I’ll go further into the matter,” was tlie quiet reply. And that particular society is still without Royal patronage. Interested In Scientific Work. His Royal Highness has taken an active interest in scientific work. Early in March, 1928, as president of the Lancashire, Qheshire and North Wales Council of Hie British Empire Cancer Campaign, lie inaugurated a Lancashire appeal at .Manchester and Liverpool. He is keenly interested in the Royal Agricultural Society and the Royal Veterinary College, and will be president for 1933 of the Hunters' Improvement and National Light Horse Breeding Society.