THE KING OF SPAIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 20, 16 May 1907, Page 23

THE KING OF SPAIN

BIRTH OF AN HEIR

King Alfonso's first message announcing the birtih of a son was sent to King Edward. Salutes were fired at Gibraltar and other stations. There wetfe tremendous .rejoicings all over Spain. 'Dr. Glendinning, a New Zealander, assisted at the accouchement. Our Home exchange report that- the King of Spain had telegraphed from Madrid to the Sovereign Pontiff towards the end of March, b'egjginig, him. to be g.odr fatfoer to the expected child. His Holiness graciously aceeeded to the King's request. It may le remembered that Pius IX. stood sponsor, by proxy, of course, for the late King Alfonso XII., and Le 0 XIII. for Alfonso XIII, In the latter case the Quetn Mother naturally wished to have her little son named after the, de^d father, who\ had never seen him. Her choice, however, was by no means popular in Spain, and she met with much opposition, as it was believed to be ilying in the face of fortune to burden a child-king, whose throne was by no means secure, with the ill-omened number thirteen. Leo XIII., it is said, brushed all such superstitious forebodings on one side by reminding the Spaniards thaf he bore tihe fatal number, yet the most pessimistic among them would scarcely - dare to affirm that his Pontificate had been unfortunate. An English nurse for the expected child was engaged some months ago by the Queen of Spain, the fortunate young lady being Miss Gertrude Bunting, of Nottingham, who had been for some years nurse to the child of La/dy Charles Bentinck, but, becoming a Oatholic about a year ago, she since then took service with the Marchioness of Bute. Her engagement at Madrid was brought about by Lady Bute and the Duke of Norfolk.