New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-25
GRAND DUKE ERNEsTs BRIDE,

7,-ircse. Fleonore Solms. whose betrothal 10 the
divorced Grand Duke Of Hesse has just neen oin-
ciallv announced is old Childhood s"eelhe0i u
her future husband. several years oIoeF ua'i i'
former consort being now in her tmrty-iouI' III 90
- --oors the medal for saving life conferred loF
an act Of great bravery. She belongs u" one VI
those houses OF the German NOBILITY "IIeLi az
,-,o-n &c THAT is TO say, winch eA-
ercised petty sovereignty in Germany prior 10 me
,apoleonfc wars ct the beginning Of the nineteenth
century and which retain many OF their formerly
sovereign nrerogatives. among others that OF mar
ryfrg on footing OF perfect equality win the
members Of the reigning dynastes OF Europe
one Of her sisters. Princess Anne SoiTns, ana one
20 her cousins Prince Louis Sonns have married
members Of that princey house of Lynar OF which
the half American Prince Ernest Lynar is the chief.
his mother having been Miss Amelie Parsons OF
Ohio.
The Solms are a very ancient family. and trace
their ancestry back in unbroken line to Count
Narouard Count Of Solus. who died in ll2s.
They have been settled ct Braunfels in the Prus-
sian Province Of thu Rhine, since 1925
II Is q pity that the grand duke did not marry
Princess Eleonore in the first place. for they have
thoroughly understood each other since early child
hood. But whatever prospects there may have
been OF a match between them destroyed by
those relatives OF the grand duke who deter
mined that he should marry Princess Victoria OF
England and Of Coburg. in spite Of the obvious OBJ
jections that there the union owing TO the
fact that the young people were first cousins and
diametrically opposed TO each other in character,
tastes-indeed in everything. For il would be din
cult find couple that had less in common with
each other. their blood relationship than the
Grand Duke Of Hesse and his divorced wife
This is by no means the first matrimonial alr-
ance Of prineesses of the house of Sons with
Yeigning sovereign, for the first King OF Hanover
uncle OF Queen Victoria and granduncle Of Ed
ward VII married Princess Frederick, VINO was the
widow of Prince Frederick Of SoInls, and made her
his queen. II may be remembered that her only
son by King Ernest OF Hanover who subsequently
succeeded TO the throne of Hanover under the name
Of George V last King of Hanover was stone
blind. So. too was her daughter by her previous
marriage with Prince Frederick Solms
This blind half-si6ter Of the last King OF Hanover
married of her cousins of the same name and
her children ali of them princes and princesses Of
Soirns, enjoyed in very marked degree the favor
and good Will Of their uncle who. indeed. showed
much more indulgence and fondness for them than
Tor his only son the present Duke Of Cumberland
One Of her killed near Vienna shortly
oeiore the outbreak OF the Franco Prussian War
N duel which he had forced upon Count WedeI
ne Master Of the Horse to the ex- King OF Hanover
me prince having charged the count wItl being re-
Apohslole for the loss OF portion OF the blind ex-
LEI fortune in certain unfortunate speculatIons
The princes mother never knew either of tho dueI
"f OF her sons death Her other children organ
,zed scheme whereby the old blind lady, y,as mad
" Del'e'e mat the dead prince had been suddenly
a4.eo Oh important business to Russia whence he
i.ao set forth on q trip around the world They
'"he advantage OF her lack Of sight to read
20 her letters processing to have heen y,-;.. -.
- I'm various points OF his journey describ,re
me scenery and the people and inst -,
,'s 70 set worried over his DELAY In ,a.,-,,t-
,r - 1 N4eo suddenly. succumbing 10 an ,,
- 'eatI before the pious fraud had 80 ~ -sl
her son Lar . )" ossini ignorance OF the fact ,ba+
great hereafter o preceded her to the