Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-15
A CONSORT FOR HER.
wuuELmINA HAS ALREADY MADE
MN CHOICE, 1T Is THOUGHT.
FEAR OF DERLIE'S COURT.
pscen, Coronation Fetes show the
dutch i'm a New and Interesting
Light-The queen a Nafion"i nero
Inc.


after a second series OF reveis at Inc
Hague she will return 10 Soestdyk TOT
restfui holiday. says the correspondent
OF the New York Tribune. Her force OF
character. her winseme and gracious
manner. and her radiant beauty nave
been manifested, and she commands inc
affections and admiration OF her SUBJECTS
So closely has she followed the lines 81
oneen Vicforia's illustrious example that
q royal romance is confidently expectel
as an early sequel TO the coronation W
installation. Indeed, the gossips III iio'
land are already convinced that she h's
chosen a Prince Consort. and that IN uue
time she will announce the betrothai. Inc
candidate for royal favor commonly men
,,ones Is Prince Bernhard, grandson
N the Duke of Saxe-Weimar. He Is
Known 10 have paid a recent VISIT 10
Soestdyk and TO have remained there for
several days. He subsequently went 70
The Hague. where he was introduced 10
several ministers and pronounced an
agreeable young Prince. The gossips con-
slider the match as already settled, put
this Is certainly premature. Inc young
Queen is not likely to marry until she
has been on the throne for year Vi
eighteen months.
Prince Bernhard is the Queehs secohu
cousin. his grandfather having marrleo
her fathers aunt, Princess sophia. lie
"a q German Prince, with Orange BLOOD
and ia in his lst year. The Saxe-Wei-
mar family is not under the direct inilu-
once of the German Emperor. the reign
ING Grand Duke being one of the most
independent OF the minor sovereiSns OF
the Fatheriand. The heir 10 the Grand
Duchy is Prince Charles, and in the event
Of his death without issue Prince Bern
hard would succeed him. This is con-
tineency which will have to be considered.
The Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar. as the
head of the Ernestine line, would ascend
the throne Of Saxony If the AlDefthe Hhc
were TO run out. OF this result there Is
slight probability, since the Kings brother
has an heir, who has five sons frhce
Consorts have TO be chosen with great
care. Prince Bernhard, as the nelr 10
the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar. or 10
the throne Of Saxony, would be lhehslpie'
There is another German Prince Win
Orange blood who has been Tentioned
as a possible candidate for Queen VIII
belmina's favor. This is one of the sons
OF Prince Albert. Of Prussia, whose
grandfather was brother OF the hrst
German Emperor, and whose grandmother
was a daughter of King William L., OF
the Netherlands. Prince Albert Is regent
OF Brunswick, and holds closer relations
with the German Court than the DUKE OF
Saxe-Weimar sustains. For this reason
there would be stronger objections 10 the
alliance in Holland than to the match
with Prince Bernhard There has been
talk in England and Copenhagen OF Prihce
Harold. of Denmark. as a suitable nus
band for the queen. Such marriage
would be unobjectionable as matter OF
state policy, but the Queen is believed TO
have a strong aversion TO marriages with
political motives. Like the English Queen
In youth, she insists upon taking senu-
mental view of her own marriage, ana mas
emphaslzed the fact that she will not nave
a husband assigned TO her merely Tor
reasons of State. Yet IL Is evident mat
she cannot exercise free choice among
princes. Roman Catholic princes ana
those Of the Greek Church are excluded,
for she must marry Protestant; direct
heirs 10 municipalities. and Kingdoms cam
not be considered. and candidates who
are under the influence Of the Berlin
court are regarded with suspicion in Hol-
land. The list of available partners Is
short one and the Queen will really nave
little liberty of choice.
The Queen is now a national heroine
and her subjects will easily be reconcilec
to any selection Of a partner when she
Is likely to make. She has touched the
Imagination of the phlegmatc Dutcf
people, and is TRANSPORTED before lheli
wondering eyes as a romantic nsuIe sur
rounded with the glamour OF enlhIoheN
youthfulness. Glorious and honorable "a
their history has been, they have fallen
nations
because their country is small and OF ut
tie repute among the great Powers OF
the Continent. The unique position OF
their sirlish sovereign has suddenly com
manded the attention of foreign nations
and they are grateful TO her Tor the as
tinction which she has conferred upor
them. AS sturdy. prosaic, thrifty Dutch
men they were of little consequence IL
the world, but as Queen Wilhelmina .
loyai subjects. uniting in the greates'
fe,es ever known in Holland, their fam'
and artistic qualities have been noise'
abroad. When the Queen makes up ne
mind 10 marry, they will be easily pleased
NJ she takes one of her German cousins
with Orange blood, and the explanation
is offered that II Is a genuine love match
the home-loving instincts or the outer
peopie will be touched and her cholce VII
be respected
The chief features of the Queens iete:
have already described either in caDl'
mr. mail letters, but there are two arusti'
triumphs 10 which ! would ike 10 refer
"a detail. One OF these was the hlstorlcd
and aIlegorical procession, when was seer
10 the best advantage in the broad helo
behind the Museum, but which also mad'
the circuit Of the principal elm-shaoee
canal streets and was heartily enjoyed pS
many Thousand of sighteers. 1t was
giittering pageant. rich in color ana iaith
ful I'm realism. II presented under tnre'
general groups a series OF pictures Illus
trating the history OF Holland from th'
end of the sixteenth TO the middle OF the
seventeenth century IL was not a gro
tesque bit OF mummery. clumsiiy con
trived, like the Lord Mayors procession
IN London. 1t was a brilliant spectacle
planned by artists ard costumers whC
understood the harmonies Of color ane
the principles OF scenic and decorative
art
What the young Queen witnessed as she
stood in the royal pavilion after the high
OF 5000 pigeons was a pageant whicf
brought before her eyes the past giorie:
OF her house and country. First came
troops OF arQuebusiers. pikemen. musket
GERS swordsmen. and ali the fighting mel
of the founders of Dutch Independence
with William, the Silent commanding
figure in gold armor. The Orange Princes
OF the opening decades of the seven
teenth century appeared with the infantr,
and artillery OF the time. and with rep
resentatives OF the foreign races whom
Dutch navigators and colonists were be
ginning TO govern. Barneveld. Jan de Witt
DE Ruyter. Tromp. and all the heroes