The times., 1898-09-26
MAKES MEN AND WOMEN STRONG,
HER SUIToRs.
1t Is Expected That WilheImina
VIII Soon Choose a Consort
(From the New York Tribune.)


From the New York Tribune)
Amsterdam, Sept. 9-Queen Wilhelmi-
mas five days of triumph in Amsterdam
have ended, and after a second series of
revels at The Hague she will return to
Soestdyk for a restful holiday. Her force
of character. her winsome and gracious
manner, and her radiant beauty have
been manifested. and she commands the
affections and admiration of her subjects
So closely has she followed the lines of
Queen Victoria 8 illustrious example that
a royal romance is confidently expected as
an early sequel TO the coronation or in
stallation. Indeed, the gossips in Holland
are already convinced that she has chosen
a prince consort. and that in due rIme she
will announce the betrot1aL The candi-
date for royal favor commonly mentioned
is Prince Bernhard grandson of the
Duke of Sake Weimar. He is known to
have paid a recent visit to Soestdyk and
TO have remained there for several days.
He subsequently went TO The Hague,
where he was introduced to several min
listers and pronounced an agreeable
young prince. The gossips consider the
match as already settled, but this Is GER
tainly premature. The young queen is
not likely TO marry until she has been
on the throne a year or eighteen months.
There is another German prince with
Orange blood who has been mentioned as
a possible candidate for Queen Wilhel-
mina's favor. This is one of the sons of
Prince Albert of Prussia. whose grand
father was a brother OF the first Ger
man emperor, and whose grandmother
was a daughter OF King William I of the
Netherlands. Prince Albert is Regent of
Brunswick and holds closer relations
with the German court than the Duke
OF Sake Weimar sustains. For this rea-
son there would be stronger objections TO
-
with Prince Bernhard. There has been
talk in England and Copenhagen of
Prince Harold of Denmark as a suitable
husband for the Queen. Such a marriage
would be unobjectionable as a matter of
State policy. but the Queen IS believed 10
have a strong aversion to marriages with
political motives. Like the English
queen in youth she insists upon taking
a sentimental view of her own marriage,
and has emphasized the fact that she
will not have husband assigned TO her
merely for reasons of State. Yet IL is
evident that she cannot exercise free
choice among princes. Roman Catholic
princes and those of the Greek church
are excluded for she must marry
Protestant; direct heirs to principalities
and Kingdoms cannot be considered; and
candidates who are under the influence
OF the Berlin court are regarded with
suspicion in Holland. The list of aYaiia-
BILE partners is short one, and the queen
will really have little liberty OF choice.
Prince Bernhard is the queens second
cousin. his grandfather having married
her fathers aunt, Princess Sophie. He
is German prince with Orange blood.
and is in his twenty-frst year The
Saxe-Weimar family is not under the
direct influence of the German emperor.
the reigning grand duke being one of the
most Independent of the minor sovereigns
of the Fatherland- The heir to the
grand-duchy is Prince Charles, and in
the event Of his death without issue Prince
Bernhard would succeed him. This is a
contingency which Will have TO be con-
sidered The grand duke of Saxe-Wei-
mar. as the head of the Ernestine line.
would ascend the throne of Saxony if the
Albertine line were 10 run out OF this
result there is slight probability. since
the kings brother has an heir, who has
nYe sons Prince consortS have to be
chosen with great care. Prince Bern
hard. as the heir to the grand duchy of
Saxe-Weimar or to the throne of Saxony.
would be ineligible.
The queen is now a national heroine.
and her subjects will easily be reconciIed
to any selection of a partner which she is
likely to make. She has touched the
imagination of the phlegmatic Dutch peo-
pie and is transfgured before their Won
dering eyes as romantic figure surround
ed with the glamour of enthroned youth
fulness. Glorious and honorable as their
history has been, they have fallen into the
background among the nations because
their country is small and of little repute
among the great powers of the Continent.
The unique position of their girlsh SOW
ereign has suddenly commanded the at
tention of foreign nations, and they-are
grateful to her for the distinction which
she has conferred upon them. As sturdy.
prosaic. thrifty Dutchmen they were of
little consequence in the world bur as
Queen Wilhelminas loyal subjects. unit
ing in the greatest fetes ever known in
Holland, their fame and artistic qualities
have been noised abroad. When the
queen makes up her mind to marry they
will be easily pleased. If she takes one
of her German cousins with Orange blood
and the explanation is offered that it is
a genuine love match, the home-loving in
stincts of the Dutch people will be
touched and her choics will be respected.