KING ALFONSO’S MOTHER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3, 21 July 1906, Page 60

KING ALFONSO’S MOTHER.

The marriage of the King of Spain witli Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg is an event which must exercise a most important influence on the lives of the two nations, as it undoubtedly initiates a new era of cordial political approximation between Spain and England. 'Therefore, the “cosas de Espana”—all those matters which are peculiarly Spanish, and distinguish Spain from other countries—are beginning to make a special appeal to the imaginations of E.iglish people. Next to his Majesty no figure in contemporary Spanish history can have such interest for your readers as the Queen-mother. Of medium height, with a melancholy face, Austrian profile, in aspect noble, a Queen in manners, soft of speech, and energetic in action, Dona Maria Cristina is the great figure of the Regency, the most difficult and critical period through which the monarchy had passed since the September Revolution. On the death of her husband, Don Alfonso XII., there remained of the marriage two princesses —Dona Maria de las Mercedes, Princess of the Asturias, now deceased; and Dona Maria Teresa, Infanta of Spain, who was recently married to Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria. But the Queen, on the death of her husband, was anticipating the birth of a third child, so the proclamation of the late King’s successor was postponed in view of the possibilitj- of a son being born. Thus arose a ease, unique in history, of a throne being vacant for a certain period of time. With the birth of Don Alfonso XIII., Queen Maria Cristina began to live for her son alone, and all Spaniards know that to the care and nurture of him she consecrated every hour of her life. She was, in reality, a slave to the King. Those in palace circles who are in a position to know assert that by night as well as by day, at all hours, she watched over the life of her august son with such assiduity that rare was the night in which the careful mother did not rise from her bed four or five times in order to see with her own eyes how that precious life was being guarded. Thus, a slave to her son, bringing him up under a strict regime, regulated to the minute under the beneficial influence of the open air, removing everything hurtful, fostering his gradual development, edu eating him in a marvellous manner, and surrounding him with good examples, the Queen-Mother lived without being separated for a single day from Don Alfonso. She dedicated herself entirely to him. defended him against the insidious attacks of illness, carried on the titanic battle of a mother and a queen. I have said, and I repeat: The Queen was a saint. For Queen Maria Cristina the regency was full of trouble, but Dona Maria Cristina fulfilled consumately her constitutional duties. In her politic 1 decisions the Queen-Mother on no occasions displayed any marked tendencies; but confined herself to following the counsels of her Ministers. A proof of this is afforded by the fact that during the regency the Liberals were in power longer than the Conservatives, and that Dona Maria Cristina never abused her position by working in a reactionary sense. Like all Austrians, Queen Maria Cristina is highly ceremonious, but, at the same time, extremely affable. During the period of her mourning, however, and later on during the infancy of her children, there were no festivities in the palace. Isolated as Spain was from the rest of the Powers, there only came to the palace a few of the relations and friends of the Queen. In silence they

came, and they departed in silence. The Royal Palace was in reality closed until the majority of King Alfonso XIII., and through its magnificent halls there passed on days of solemnity only the official world. On such occasions the Queen, who was usually dressed in black, put off her mourning, and with sovereign elegance arrayed herself in gala costume and adorned herself with jewels. Mauve, pearl-grey, and heliotrope are her favourite colours; pearls her chosen gems. She delights in flowers, not to deck herself with them, but to see them. Perfumes she uses scarcely at all, and those who are intimate with her Majesty aver that she sometimes says that the best perfume is plenty of water. In her jewel room are displayed some famous pearl necklaces, which, in the opinion of experts, are the finest in Europe. Her Majesty, however, only wears jewellery at Court functions, for she has a passion for simplicity, and holds the view that elegance is rather a matter of distinction than of display. A notable administrator of the property of her son was Queen Maria Cristina. Coming from exile Don Alfonso Xll. had not a large fortune, and the Palace was very badly managed. Waste and extravagance reigned supreme. During her widowhood the Queen organised all the services, suppressed the useless, put a rein on extravagance, fought every ambition, and, not content with this, regulated the administration of the Royal properties, which were converted into Crown mortgages instead of being fiefs of their administrators. This work of her Majesty was so great, so tenacious, so fruitful, that a President of the Council of Ministers is reported to have said on one occasion to some of his friends: “It is a pity her Majesty is Queen. If she were not I would make her Minister of Finance.” With this wise administration Queen Maria Cristina was able to renounce for the benefit of the Treasury her dowry, which thus became the foundation of a handsome fortune for her children. The Infantas, therefore, had very respectable dowries.which enabled them to contract marriages of affection with the Infantes Don Fernando and Don Carlos. Every day, after disposing of her large correspondence with the help of her secretary, Don Alfonso de Aguilar, the Queen-Mother received the reports of the administrator of the Royal patrimony, the Marquis de Borja, and then gave audience to her Ministers for the despatch of State business. After luncheon she would walk with her children in the Campo del Moro, one of the great parks surrounding the Palace, or proceed to the Casa de Campo, or El Pardo, returning at sunset. The spring season was spent at San Sebastian, and at all times her Majesty retired early, so as to rise with the sun. She attended the theatre very rarely, and almost < xclusively on occasions when the performance was being given for a charitable purpose. Queen Maria Cristina took no part in international politics. Whether ‘in this she did well or ill is for history to say. but she employed an argument of tremendous force. “Regencies.” said her Majesty, “are periods of transition. They are Governments during a minority. and nothing ought to lx- done to compromise the minor. Canovas and Sagasta were of the same opinion, and for this reason during the Regency Spain pursued a policy of isolation. After King Alfonso, having attained his legal majority, had taken the oath to the Constitution, the Queen-Mother

withdrew entirely from the direction of the affairs of the realm, and, giving proofs of her great talents, refused absolutely to speak one single word about politics. Certain Ministers state that, having endeavoured from time to time, when they were received in audience by the Queen, to approach the discussion of political themes, her Majesty interrupted them, saying, with a smile: “But. por Dios! you forget that the Regency is a thing of the past.” Since then the Queen, passing more and more into retirement, witnessed

with joy the action of her son, and although she became afflicted with new griefs, she could not temper them by sharing in the happiness of bis success. The loss of her mother, the death of the Princess of the Asturias, and of her grandson, the Infante Don Fernando, were bitter trials—too bitter, indeed, not to dim her felicity. Let us do justice, as history will do it, to this woman and to this Queen, saying that as a woman she was a saintly mother, and as Queen a faithful servant of the Constitution.