The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-27
Lady Henry Restored to Royal Favor

For many years Lady Henry Somerset,
the noted English temperance advocate.
has been persona non grata in the royal
household. The late Queen Victoria, who
fixed a glass Of toddy once in a while.
was offended at Lady Henry's denuncia-
ton of the drink habit, and the members
of the royal family were forbidden to have
aught to do with the reformer. 1t is now
announced that Lady Henry has been re-
stored to royal favor and has been the
recipient Of marked courtesies at the
hands Of some Of the princesses Of the
blood. The youngest sister Of King Ed
ward, Princess Beatrice, long her mother
most devoted slave, has recently, with
her brothers permission If not his COM
ianand, paid visit to the temperance
worker at Eastnor castle. It Is very un-
usual for princess of the reigning house
to accept the hospitality Of woman who
Is living apart from her husband. At the
time the separation Of Lord and Lady
Henry took palce, the late queen, in whose
household Lord Henry held a. high post,
privately investigated the charges brought
against him by his wife. and as a result
the husband was completely exor.erated in
the royal eyes, while Lady Henry, who had
failed to live up to the queens standard Of
wtfely self-sacrifice and devotion, was
obliged to continue her course without the
sunshine of royal favor.
This Is not the first instance in which
King Edward has reversed his mothers
decision, nor the first of the good If some
what narrow minded queens prejudices
he has set aside. It is explained that both
the king and the gentle Queen Alexandra
have long admired the brilliant and very
charming chatelaine Of Eastnor castle. It
IS probable, too. that Edward VII, with
his finger ever on the public pulse, recog-
nized the feeling Of a very large majority
of his subjects in the matter. For the
masses generally have great respect and
love for this daughter of a hundred earls,
this rich woman, who has devoted her life
and fortune so unselfshly to bettering
their conditions and tightening the bur-
dens under which they totter. Queen AL
exandra has a knack Of doing pretty
things. And what more graceful compil-
ment could be paid to Lady Henry than
that Princess Beatrice, who Is recognized
as the one upon whom more than the oth-
ers the mantle of the late queen has fallen,
should be the anlbassadress of the new
court to this greatest Of English reform
ers, this acknowledged leader of several of
the most important movements of modern
times.
Lady Henry has had an eventful life
She was born Lady Isabel, elder of the
two daughters Of Earl somers. She is the
famous daughter Of a famous house, be-
Ing descendant Of the great Earl somers
lord high chancellor Of England In the
reign Of William Of Orange. Her mother
was a celebrated beauty in her day and
was the daughter of that Chevalier de
L'Estang who persisted with Louis XVI
on the scaffold and whose wife was u lady
In waiting to Marie Antoinette. Ear
Somers was q man Of sterling qualities, a
scholar and a lover of art. who, as he
had no sons, bestowed especial attention
upon the education of his pretty daugh-
tiers. He was the friend Of Ruskin and
Turner and the intimate Of Garibaldi