The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05
MoNARcHs IN DISGUISE.
The Desire ID Cast Aside Royalty
Leads TO Amusing Experience,
fr-z-. IT.. III

From Tit-bits)
| Most monarchs desire occasionally to
cast aside all outward sembiance of roy
| atty. and to pass 70. time as subjects in
| stead of crowned heads; and to this rule
his Majesty King Edward is no excep-
| tion Indeed as Prince of Wales II was
almost one OF his favorite recreations to
| thts pass himself OF as some one Of ap-
J pare ntly less Importance than the heir to
| the throne and. in addition to the obvi-
Gus personal conveniences derived from
| II, MS Majesty rather enjoyed the feel
ing occasionally that he was doing the
| uItra-curious public out of a little of its
| usual royal sport.
| The method to which he most generally
resorted was that of the adoption of one
OF MS minor titles, especially that Of the
| Earl of Chester. which he -ery frequent
y employed. and which disguise, thin as
II was. was rarely penetrated
| On one occasion his Majesty. dressed in
| the quietest and most transformations
| manner. was strolling through the gal
lerles or the Louvre in Paris, In company
with an equerry, and. the conversation
between them being conducted in French
they felt safe from publicity. In little
| while, however, two Americans were dis
| covered to be staring hard at them, and
| an argument quickely arose between these
| Yankees as to the identity of one OF the
| other couple. I'll bet you 800 it is the
Prince of wales!' said one. Done re-
piled the other. and it was then decided
| to draw the equerry's attention and ask
\ him politely to crafty their curiosity as
4
tunity presented itself. and the equerry
was pleasantly communicative. Certain
ly." he exclaimed, my friend is the Earl
of Chester" Sold. by Jove.' burst out
| the all-unsuspecting Yankee, who thought
/ he had seen England's future King, and
| his ignorance cost him his s1Go. which he
paid up on the spot, while the equerry
turned away with an amused smile.
| What assists the King immensely in the
strict preservation of any incognito
which he may assume is his complete
| command of most European languages,
which in most cases he speaks with n
perfectly native accent Especially is this
the case with his French and his Majesty,
| who is exceedingly fond of sojourning for
| few days in Paris in absolute disguise,
| rarely experiences any difficulty in doing
| SO. AT these times his Majesty adopts a
little artifice which makes his security in
| this respect almost, perfect. He is an
officer of the French Legion of Honor,
and wnen he goes about he wears the
rosette which only such officers are en-
titled to. He is at once taken for a
Frenchman.
There was one time however when his
Fadajesty, through a most awkward COM
binatiOn of circumstances, came danger
| ously near to revealing his identity at
time above all others when he most
most wished to avoid doing So and the
way in which he saved himself is interest
ing.
1t was shortly after the close of the
franco-German war. and his Ma esty was
very DESTROYS of going over the battle
field of Sedan; but was at the same time
very much afraid that by doing so he
might run the risk of offending French
susce ptibilities, which were naturally keen
at the time. He did not wish il to appear
that he gloated over the German victories
Consequently he decided on a little trim
there in the very closest and strfctest in
cognito, and accompanied only by Gem
eral Teesdale. The two put up at a little
hotel there, and had decided that no one
should know where they were and that
no letters should be addressed to them
during their brief stay.
All went well until the time came for
their departure, and then the very dis
quieting discovery was made that even
between them they had not sufficient
ready cash TO pay their hotel bill. They
could not telegraph for any, for their Sc
cret would then be out. Ultimately they
adopted the simplest and least original
way out of their dilemma which suggest
ed itself. The general went to the near
est pawnshop, and there pawned, not on
~ his own watch, which would not have
realized sufficient to meet a somewhat
heavy bill, but that of his Majesty also.
The hotel proprietor was settled with. and
his Majesty feeling considera bly, relieved
went his way. the watch, Of course, be-
ing left behind
The king has also found it possible to
maintain complete disguise in the
streets of London itself Even Just recent
ly. Immediately on his return from Ger
many, he paid visits to Westminster and
two or three other places in the heart of
its becoming known at the time, except
to those in immediate attendance upon
him. His business was in connection with
the memorial to the late Queen.
And his Majesty has very frequently
driven about the London streets in a
hired hanson cab, and II is said that he
finds doing so one of his most pleasurable
experiences. He behaves Just like any
citizen, but always gives cabby half a
sovereign at the end of the journey even
though he may only have driven from
the Marble Arch to Victoria.
When wandering on foot or in hanson
through the streets Of the capital in this
way, particularly in the former case, his
Majesty often makes little personal pur-
chases which he could not at any other
time. Thus, there is in the hall at San
dringham at the present time a splendid
talking parrot which is a trophy of one
OF these peregrinations. He bought the
bird himself from street seller one day
when he was passing through Trafalgar
Square.