New-York tribune., 1898-10-30

had been married to Queen Victoria for eighteen
years that he became officially and legally a
member Of the British royal family through
letters patent issued by the Queen in Council
comforting upon him the title OF prince Con-
sort Of Great Britain" Up to that time he had
been without any officially recognized status In
England, while abroad he was obliged to ac-
cept the precedence due to a mere Prince Of
the House OF Coburg. who was not even a
Royal Highness." At the time of his marriage
to Queen Victoria she made a strong effort to
give him rank and precedence Immediately next
to her. and a bill to this effect was introduced
into Parliament by the Government of the day.
But it met with so much opposition In the
House of Lords that. deeply chagrined. she was
obliged to authorize her Ministers to withdraw
it, and her husband was left until 1857 without
any defined rank. save that which he enjoyed
as Prince of Coburg.
At meetings Of the Privy Council presided
over by the Queen he obliged. il any of her
uncles were present, to take lower seat at
the table than they; and that he COM
PEELED to yield the pas even to his own chill
dren. and to acknowledge their superiority OF
rank. is demonstrated to the present day by
the fact that. whereas in the House OF Lords
the chair bearing the coat Of arms of the Prince
OF Wales is placed on the dais to the right of
the throne the stool embroidered with the ar
mortal bearings of the Queens lamented hus-
band is set at the left.
PRINCE ALBERTS sENsITIVENEsS.
a sensitive man, Prince Albert keenly felt
the many sights 10 which he was subjected
owing TO his absence Of proper status. and ar
ter having on one memorable occasion been
obliged at an entertainment given at Cologne
in honor of Queen Victoria to walk at the tan
end of the procession behind some Austrian
Archdukes remotely connected with Emperor
Francis Joseph and to the rear OF number
of petty German princes. he announced his IN
tention of taking no further part in any Official
function or Court entertainments when abroad
His position far from exciting any sympathy
on the part Of the people Of his adopted coun-
try was on the contrary, made more diihcult
by them. The London press was never tired OF
abusing him in the most cruel fashion for al
legged German interference" in the affairs OF
the British nation. The advice which he was
alleged to tender to the Queen was denounced
as unconstitutional. and The Times" IN par
ticular distinguished itself by the bitterness
with which it vituperated him as a foreign
intruder" and as a usurper Of privileges to
which he had no legal or constitutional right.
This goes to show how exceedingly difficult
and far from cnviable is the position of the con
sort Of the feminine ruler of a State-a position
for which there is practically no description or
designation in diplomatic phraseology, save
Of lie Marie de la IeinC." which is likewise
frequently used to describe in ordinary life a
husband who is reduced to an altogether sec
ondary role, and obscured by his wfes brill
fancy, beauty and imperiousness. Perhaps the
best proof of the fact that the position Of the
husband Of a Queen Empress regnant is abb
normal, is furnished by the circumstance that
so few cases Of this kind are to be found in the
history Of the Old World. Indeed there are no;