Eligible Princesses and the Prince of Wales.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4, 24 July 1912, Page 33

Eligible Princesses and the Prince of Wales.

European Courts Fluttered — The Possible Choice — Czar's Daughter, Grand- Duchess Olga, the Favourite with the Gossips— Kaiser's Daughter Considered Too Self-willed for Waiting Role in British Court Life —Many Eligibles if Choice Postponed a Few Years.

y HXG GEORGE’S heir, Edward, IV Prince of Wales, came of age IGv last month, and the gossips are * y busy with his domestic future. Now that his education has received its finishing touches in Paris, the Courts of Europe are discussing what Princess will •be selected to share with him the greatest throne in the world. The Royal Prince of Great Britain and Ireland belongs to the House of Saxony, seven members of whose different branches sit upon European thrones. These arc King George of England, King Albert of Belgium. King Frederick of Saxony. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar, the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and the Duke of SaxeAltenburg. His family dates back to Thiadmar de Wettin of Saxony, who flourished in the early part of the tenth century. His future subjects are not considered of age till they are twenty-one. but he has a royal advantage of three years. Though his father was almost twentyeight when he married Princess Alary of Teck and his grandfather was over

twenty-one when 'he won Alexandra of Denmark, the “Sea King’s daughter

from over the sea.’’ nevertheless there is a. feeling in high places that the Prince of Wales should consider his choice as soon as jx>ssible.

While political considerations are already being taken into account, the Prince will have several princesses from whom to choose. Queen Mary has given

much thought to the eligible princesses and within these limits opportunity will be afforded the Prince to select the one his heart dictates. Discerning observers can detect the care that is being taken by the diplomats to soften the present relations between England and foreign capitals as part of this matrimonial outlook.

Already the courts of Europe are preparing for the round of visits he will make later to extend his acquaintance with the possible partners of his life. His first visit will be to Potsdam. Here he will meet Princess Victoria Louise, the only daughter of the Emperor and Empress of Germany. She will be twenty next September. That is something of a drawback, for it would be better if she were a little younger than the Prince, though if Anglo-German relations mend during the sumuner the* nations will hardly be disposed to be critical. There is, however, a personal obstacle, in that Princess Victoria Louise has a will of her own and would scarce ly be satisfied to play second fiddle to Queen Mary. That is what Queen Alexandra had

to do to a large extent during the reign of her mother-in-law. Queen Victoria. It is not likely that the spoiled darling of the German C ourt would care to keep in the background and spend her time opening bazaars, visiting hospitals and performing similar humdrum duties. The Kaiser’s daughter rides a < well as a cavalry officer and it won hl not suit her temperament to be a mere

unobtrusive help during the reign of Queen Mary. I'he most beautiful princess in the world is Elizabeth of Roumania. If she were selected she would surely win th • hearts of the loyal people of England. She is quite accomplished and is literary

like her grandmother. Uarmen Sylva. Voting as she is, too. she has the reputation of being an excellent housekeeper. She is almost the same age as the Prince of Wales, having been born at Pelesch. September *29. 1894. She inherits most of her good looks from her mother, whose beauty is of European reputation. Were Elizabeth not a princess her face would be her fortun*. Her disposition is in harmony with her face ami her household accomplishments would recall to England the spacious days of Queen Victoria. Princess Elizabeth has a sister—the little Princess Marie—whose pet n.im • is ••Mignon.” As Elizabeth has the reputation of being the prettiest girl princess in Europe, so ••.Mignon” has the name of being the prettiest child prill cess. She is a little over twelve, but should the Prince of Wales not marry for four or live years. “Mignon” of Roumania -may well prove a serious rival to all oilier When we consider Russia, we arc in the field of the greatest probability, ’.rhe Czar ami Czarina of Russia have four daughters, the eldest of whom will be seventeen next November, ami the youngest twelve next June. Even if the talk of an engagement between the Grand Duchess Olga and Prince Boris of Bulgaria be serious, certain it is that her next sister, the Grand Duchess Ta liana is heart-whole, fancy-free ami eli gible, though as she Is only fifteen the Prince would have to wail some years. The ( zar’sfour young Grand Dmdie-s s are al! living brought up vei*v simply. They are closely related to the Royal House of Britain for their grandmother, the Empress Marie, is a sister of Prince Edward’s gran Imot her. Queen Alexandra. And their mother, formerly Princess Alix of Hesse, is a daughter of the late Princess Alice, the favourite rliildl of the late Queen Victoria. Should tin* choice of the Prince fall upon tin* Grand Duchess Olga the alleged engagement

with Prince Boris of Bulgaria would not be an insuperable obstacle. Such matters are very easily arranged when the diplomats get busy with royal sanction. Already there are strong reports in Court circles in London that Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra have long < ombin*.*d

in their hope to set* Princess (>lga and the Prince of Wales married. I'he Princess is something after tin* style of Queen Mary in that her brains ar* of practical. common-onse \ ir.ely. though she has no lack of feminine chirm, augmented by an engaging simplicity of nianm r. Iler hobby is a curious one th * study of international law. When a sportive mood seizes her >h • sets puzzles out of her store of learning t • her devoted father ami is coiisuim dly ainus d when he confesses his inability t • solve th * problem-'. There i> an impression abroad that her training has an along been inllm need by the possibility of some day being called upon to act as consort to a King of England. Sonic colour is given to this conclusion b\ the strenuous cU'orts made in the past live years by England to conciliate Russia. Proof of it has been seen in the Persian imbroglio and many other matters England is one of the few countries of Europe to which there is no serious protender. There is, however. a Legitimist League and the Leaguers look upon Primers Ludwig of Bavaria as the r:gh‘ful Queen of England. For their claim is that Mie is des.-e tided t rom Ihnrietta Maria, daughter of King ( h.i rh s 1 he First. They < all t his princess Queen Mary of England, just as the Bonapartists speak of Prime Victor Roiiij .irte a- Nap deon the Fifth and the (hleanists of the Duke of Or leans js King Louis Philippi*, or tin* tarlists of Don Jaime as King ( arloof Spain. Now ‘Queen Miry.” or Princess* Ludwig, his a pretty daughter cal led Prime-- Gomlclimle of Bavaria. Sim is in her twenty first year ami is the grand-daughter of the Aged Prince Regent who has ruled Bavaria since 18*2<’». The Prime Regent, who is in his ninety «erond year, dearly* loves the young Princess Gondelinde. If the Prince of Wales should make up his mind to marry the fair descend-

ant of tin* Stuarts he would wipe out tin- Legitimist league. But for her partisans in her own little realm the Hereditary Grand Ouchess Marie Adelaide, of Luxemburg, would probably be glad to escape to England, l or her succession to her father, who died recently, still rouses periodical objections. stirred up by an ambitious male claimant. The daughters of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy and of Queen Helena are all pretty. They inherit the good looks of their mother, the Montenegrin Princess, whom Humbert’s son married. The children are still more beautiful because they are the oil-spring ot a love match. But they are all very young. The pretty and high-spirited olanda will be eleven in June and the Princess Mafalda will be ten next November. Besides the strong vivid beaut-v inherited from their Llack Mountain mother, a fair share also comes from their grandmother. Q-i.-rn Marg.-rita, of t *i'- House of Savoy. 1 le-y do not seem to retain a single Race of the uglv facial expression of their great-grand-father, King \ ictor Emmanuel the Kirst. sometimes c »!l-d xhe dog-faced king. The religion, as well as the ages of these pretty princesses. might be a barrier, as they do not belong to the faith of tin- majority of the English |M*ople. This, however, is not an insuperable obstacle, as was shown for instance in the case () f Queen Victoria. <»f Spain. At all (-vents. i n a very f.-w years Princess \ olanda will be among the eligibles for some prim-? o i the threshold of manhood. Similarly, if the Prim e made no choice for a few years, the eligibles would be sensibly increased. for if a son arrived in Holland Princess Juliana would be treed from her prospective .Dutch responsibilities. and she has cousins also, the (laughters of the Grand Duke of Oldenburg. But for the present the Russian Grand Duchess Olga is the first favourite with the gossips. Ihe Prince is beginning to take up his responsibilities seriously. From Jane 23 he will have his own household and establishment. a rich heritage? to draw on. and all the advantages of sound parental advice. In his honour a formal dinner party was held at Buckingham Palace the. night following his birthday. That was his first appearance as the principal guest at a banquet. He will now go with his parents on a round of provincial calls and later he may accompany the Queen on a visit to Germany. Who knows what results such a visit might have on the future of tin- Prince and his country at such an impressionable age?