The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-15
THE....
CHARMING
SPOUSE OF

E mlSIlc moment, the napplSSt VIZ
men are those who have no his
q tories, then must pretty Princess
Irene of Prussia live in a state or
earthly bliss. Who and what is
she? We know she is the wife of Ger
many's popular sailor prince. Henry,
that she is the sister-in-law of EInper-
or William, also of Gear Nicholas. also
of Grand Duke Sergius of Russia, also
that she was the third daughter of the
late Grand Duke Ludwig " of Hesse,
who married the English Princess Al
ice, Queen Victoria's fayorite daughter,
and that, therefore, besides being SIS
ter-in-law to so many royalties Prln-
cess Henry is the granddaughter OF
England's lamented queen. Who-may
she rest in g1ory-had descendants
enough to furnish op call a husband or
wife to every ruling house of Europe
when one was needed. Both the prin-
cess and her husband are therefore
grandchildren of Queen Victoria and
first cousins; more than that even, for
Queen Victoria herself married her
cousin. Prince Henry of Prussia and
his wife are consequently by blood al
most as much English as German.
Princess Henry is thirty-five years
old, but looks very youthful. That
must be because she has no history
and is therefore happy She was mar
ried in 1883, three weeks before the
death of her illustrious father-in-law,
Emperor Frederick of Prussia. Henry
was the favorite son of 10th his father
and mother and married with the dy-
ing emperor's blessing. Frederick was
unable to speak his fatherly blessing
because of the terrible cancer that was
eating out his throat and his life, but
he wrote his congratulations upon
slip of paper and pressed it feebly into
Henry's hands, and it contained these
words, inexpressibly touching: You at
least have never given me moments
sorrow and will make good hus-
band as you have been loving son.
To his credit it is recorded that
Henry fulfilled the prophecy and from
that day to this has been as good
husband as if he were just a plain,
common laborer living in a cottage
and not prince at ALL 1t is pleasant
to think there is at least one good hus-
band among the royalties of Europe,
showing that the thing is possible aft
er all Then, too, Princess Irene is so
fair, bright and sweet woman that
Americans like to think she is happy.
A German paper tells US that she, hrSt
as the betrothed, then as the bride of
young Henry, was his only stay and
consolation in the troubled days in
which, very close together, Emperors
William I. and Frederick died, or
when, quoting the words of a German
paper, our hero kaiser and his glori-
Gus son closed their eyes forever"
Prince and Princess Henry have
three sons, Waldemar, Sigismund and
Henry Baby Henry was born in 1900.
while his papa, who is now admiral of
all the German fleets, was still in Chi
ma Prince Henry betook himself to
China at the beginning of the disturb
ances there and remained two years.
There his wife paid him a visit at the
German settlement on the coast, and
an English paper in its toadyish anx-
iety to pay a compliment to a relative
of British royalty said:
THE presence of the gentle princess
in the German settlement of China
where their royal highnesses were inn
mensely popular. did much toward
reconciling the Chinese for the loss of
territory
Which statement, this being America
and free country, may be safely tax
en- with allowances. The princess e1ti-
est son. Waldemar, twelve years old
has been lately appointed by Emperor
William a lieutenant in the First Prus-
sian footguards. SigiSmund, the second
son, was born in 1886.
Now we know whose wife, daughter
and sister-in-law Princess Henry is
and how many sons she has and how
old they are In Europe that would
be all anybody would care to know