Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-04-25
HAS THE DUKE TWO WIVES

Philadelphia Record says: Much inter.
est hes been excited by keen Inquiries
today made Ia all directions regarding
the identity OF the Mrs. Hartman, to
whom, according to the Daily Mail, the
King hss just given the use for life oi
White Lodge, at Richmond, formerly
The residence Of the late Duchess ol
Teck, the mother OF the Duchess oI
Corn wall and York.
With the exception Of the Mail, oil
the papers preserve significant silence
but have the strongest reasons for be-
lieving Mrs. Hartman, II be Done
other than the morganatic wife OF the
heir apparent.
Ii any case, RS / happen to have
special means of knowing, the truth OF
the Duke OF Cornwall and York's re-
lations 10 the lady are that he was mar
ried TO her at Malta, a0d that she be 3
borne him several children, and / think
it to be OF pubic interest to state this
for the fret time in print.
Hints aud rumors have been in cir
culation ;Or years, accounting largely
for the lukewarm regard in which the
Duke was held by the Eoglish people,
but the absolute truth has never been
publicly divuleed, so ss know.
The lady in question Is the daughter
Of Admiral SIR Michael Culme-SeyEour.
The marriage took place in Malta, when
the Dukes eldest brother, Clarence,
was alive, and when the present Duke,
therefore, was not the heir 10 the throne.
At that time l am Informed that Miss
Culme-Seymour bad not wished 10 mar
~, but finally consented under pres-
sure Of her own father and after receiv-
ing consent of the present King, who
was then Prince OF Wales.
w ,en Prince Clarence died the Duke
OF York's marriage to Princess May
was determined on as an affair of stats,
though If the Duke had had courage
to remsin true to bis real wife, who
even then had borne him two children,
be would have been the most popular
man 10 England.
But his duty as the future King over
rode personal ties, and be consented to
regard his first marriage as morganatic.
Most generous settlements were then
made by the royal family, the late
Queen Contributing her share. / have
absolute s,owledse that In the settle.
ment the casrrisge was described es
aud contracted with the con.
sent of the Dukes father, then the
FriDce of Wales. The settlement pro-
vided large income and also for the
education of the two children already
born and the one expected.
The further statement that she is
personal friend of King Edward also
tallies with the fact. The lady in ques-
ton has always been on most friendly
terms with the most prominent MEM
bers of the royal family, though the
late Queen was never entirely recon-
cilsd II such q marriage, she sharing
the universal Eoglish adherence of the
very term "morganatic."
As an illustration Of this ! can vouch
for the truth Of the following:
At dinner at well-known political
club on the eve OF the marriage of the
Duke OF Cornwall to Princess May, the
Bishop OF Oxford, who was to assist at
the ceremony, was present as was also
a millionaire London merchant. The
latter referred to rumors even then 10
of the morganatic marriage
and affirmed his own thorough disbelief
in it. He finally directly challenged
the Bishop to deny it, but the Bishop
merely shrugged his shoulders and said;
"This is an affair OF state"
The merchant sprang to his feet,
saying:
"This, sir, is how you interpret the
law and the Gospel to conform to the
law of the land" He left the room at
once.
Finally, / may add, the Duke hss
been q constant visitor on the lady, and
1t seems that if 1t is true that the King
has given White Lodge to the lady in
question the situation is recognized by
the royal family ss "partie a trois,"
with two women In place Of the Gus
tomary two men.