New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-07
THE BULGARIAN WEDDING
PRINCE FERDINAND AND HIS BRIDE-THE
JEWELS OF QUEEN HORTENSE
I AMONG THE WEDDING
ppESENTS
PRESENTS
Paris, April %

farls. Aprll "a.
Having seen the Prince of Bulgarias bride when
she was here with her stepmother buying her
trousseau. read with something akin to surprise
newspaper accounts Of her loveness II would
he impossible to find palmer girl in whom UGH
ness was not positive deformty. She has a long
horss-shaped visage narrow forehead with sunken
temples a long heavy nondescript nose, straight
in degree and still lumpy with unfinished look
inc nostrils an upper lip advancing in a point to
a clumsy chin. and dark muddy complexion.
Her eyes do not redeem any Of the positive and
negative defects Of the face, being small. beady,
and having a slieht cast. Her figure is fairly
Good BEING the niece Of the late Count of Cham
hcrd and descended from Louis XIV through the
Spanish and Parma Bourbons. she has social and
court prestige at Vienna. Her stepmothcr is
sister Of the Archduchess Charles Louis. whose hus
band now stands next in the order of succession
10 the throne Of Austria.
The wedding presents are spoken of as being
worth two millions of francs This l doubt.
Where could they come from? The Princess
Clementne is wealthy and is the Duke of
Aumale. her brother; but the Princess has al
ready disposed of the greater part of her iowelry
in favor of her two daughters. the Archduchess
Clotilde and the Princess Of Bavaria, and of
granddaughter, the Princess Of Thurn and Taxis.
The Emperor and Empress of Austria and the
Prince and Princess Of Saye-Coburg have been
spending good deal of money here at great
Rue de la Paix jewellers regalia for Prince
Ferdinand's bride.
The BRIDEGROOM presented his bride with
ROYAL or closed coronet. set with pearls. rubies.
emeralds and big sapphire This article in IT.
self points out his programme. He is Prince OF
Bulgaria but not yet king, and that is what he
means TO he.
The Princess Clementine is spoken Of as having
presented TO her new daughter-in-law pair of
sapphire earrings surrounded with diamonds, that
belonged to Marie Antoinette. NJ. Baptist, the
former jewcllcr to the French Crown assures me
that the origin attributed to these earrings is
apocryphal Marie Antoinette never possessed
them. They were given by Napoleon to his step
daughter Hortense when she became Queen Of
Holland. The set consisted of two diadems, one
20 he worn on the crown and the other on the
forehead: necklace earrings and brooch When
Queen Hortcnse was an exile at Arcnenberg, In
Switzerland, she came to Paris on her way to
London, ard secretly sent for Louis Philippe and
his wife to call to see her. She. being ILL., received
them in her bedroom in poor hotel The King,
there being only one chair in the room, sat on
the side of her bed. She then proposed to sell
them her sapphire and diamond set Of Jewels say
ing that they had grown-up daughters, and
might soon expect to have daughteren-aw, they
might be glad to buy them. To ingratiate her
eelf with them she offered them for considerably
less than what they cost Napoleon. The purchase
was made and one of the diadems was given to
the bride of the Duke of Orleans. along with the
necklace The other went to the Duchess of
Montpensier, from whom the Countess of Paris
received it, The Duchess of Orleans left the
necklace TO the future Countess of Paris Queen
Marie Amelie gave the Princess Clementine the
earrings and the brooch as wedding gifts, and
she in turn, passed the latter ornament to the
Archduchess Clotilde as family relic, keeping
only the earrings for herself.
NJ Baptist thinks it probable that Queen Hor-
tense, who was not noted for veracity, told Marie
Ame!ie that the jewels she proposed to sell them
came from the caskets of Marie Antoinette. All
that she was entitled to as private property were
given by the Government Of the Directory to the
only daughter of the ill-fated Queen on her re-
lease from the Temple Prison in 1896 The Prn-
cess took them TO Austria. They were of great
value After her death in 1s45 the Count of
Chambord inherited them under her will.
The wedding of the Prince of Bulgaria seems
10 have been festival of French Legitimacy
Don Carlos attended as first cousin and uncle-in
law of the bride. TO whom he scarf OF
Spanish lace having on it the arms of Spain and
Bulgaria. He. being an intimate chum OF the
Gar with whom he served volunteer al
Plevna, has been good deal courted by the Prin
cess Clementine and her son. The latter boosted
of having the blood of St Louis in his veins. anC
Of his pride at finding himself allied with the
elder branch of the house of Bourbon. This wa
making the most of his wifes family at the eX
nonse of the Orleans branch The Prince tried
10 get himself received by the King of Italy. wh'
excused himself the ground of no, havin'
time TO receive him properly at Florence. where
he was seeing the Queen of England The Prince
being a Catholic, could not consistently will
Italian etiquette visit the King at Rome withou
offending the Pope.
Prince Ferdinand is no bigot He attends a
head Of the State of Bulgaria the SUNDAY
Greek service at the Cathedral of Sofa on
throne beside the altar When the service is owe
he hears mass in Latin celebrated by Fathe
Timoeon. the superior of the Monastery Capucin
United Orthodox Christians, Greek Orthodox
Christians Catholics and MahOmetans all Inv
in harmony under him.
The health of Prince Ferdinands mother ma
been kept up her doctor says. by her acti'H
OF body ard of mind. had the honor OF oeih
sometimes received by her when she wac stdHih
in Paris at the Continental ana the Li'crpoo
hotels Her youngest son - the CARING vi ne
beart She keeps his portrait before her on IN
desk ~ which she writes He Is young rici
ambitious, and LETT the gaycties oil vienna u !"
his fortune as constitutional ruler in sparsei
settled country He has now been there II
wears and has made himself popular fefuhah
is the head of 100000 subjects, wi,"Vu
being formally recognized by Europe auo hoi'
his own against the ill will OF the gar an
of France: and all this without military 'a'''
The Prince of Bulgaria is tall, fair haired anu 10
hIua eyes that are singuary sharp and scrutlhi
ing. His profile shows the Bourbon ann -
minds one of that of his ereat-grahuia'"o
Philippe Egaltc. In appearance he Is the a.
comnlished gentleman. His mind is not a Mario
ono and he has the French qislity OF esprit
one, an" " ,.unos, Narrower he