New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-24

were ascribed to him. and it was said that these
were among the causes OF dissenson between
his wife and himself The climax was reached
when a story. traced to a royal servant dis
missed in disgrace for gross misconduct was
circulated to the effect that officer OF the
Queens household, q Baron Won Taets. had sue
cumbed to injuries inflicted In duel which ne
was said to have fought IN behalf Of the queen
with her husband. the Prince It was adoeo
that the conflict between the Prince and the
Baron had originated IN the latteTs attempt 10
protect the Queen then in delicate condition
of health, from I'll usage by her consort IN a
fit Of drunken fury. And to this day, thanks TO
this preposterous and baseless calumny, there
are people outside. but not within. Holland VINO
believe that the Queens failure until now TO
present to the nation heir TO the throne Is
attributable to the cruelty Of the Prince.
The only peg upon which the story was hung
was the fact that just about that time Baron
van Taets was laid low by an attack Of appen-
dicitis. and that after being confined to his bed
n the Palace Of Het Loo for TWO or three
weeks he was conveyed 10 q sanatoTium at
Utrecht, where he underwent an operation
Prince Henry himself accompanying him 10 the
railroad station and helping 70 make him as
comfortable as possible on the train. The
prince has always been particularly fond Of
Baron van Taets whose brother was for many
years Dutch envoy at Berlin. and when the OIL
Ger fell i'll Queer. WiIheImina and the prince in
vtted his wife and children TO become their
guests at the Royal Palace, which would GER
tainly not have been the case had there been
one atom of truth in the stories circulated about
the alleged duel The baron still continues 10
form part Of the household Of the young Queen
as master of ceremonies, while a brother OF
his is chamberlain and gentleman in waiting TO
the queen mother.
It is hardly necessary for me 10 add that IN
der no circumstances whatsoever could there
have been any duel between the Queen's consort
and the baron any one possessed Of the
slightest mixing Of the etiquette which prevails
at the courts of Continental Europe would know.
Equality Of rank is one Of the first require
n2ents for meeting on the so-called field Of
honor. and. according TO the ethics which are
accepted in the Old World-that IS 70 say In
raonarchical countries-there can be no equality
between prince Of the reigning house ana
mere noble-just as little as there can be in
matters Of this kind between a noble and
tradesman.
While the story Of the alleged duel has done
Prince Henry a considerable amount Of injury
abroad. where nothing is known Of him save
through the columns Of the press it has been Of
a distinct advantage to him in the Netherlands
For II served to create revulsi0n in his favor
The tale was so palDably and manifestly false
and even ridiculous. that when the Dutch began
to realize the sensation which 1t had created
abroad. and when dispatches began to arrive
from all parts Of the world asking for particu-
lars, they grew Indignant. and appreciated. per-
haps for the first time. that by their unfriendli-
ness toward the prince, and by their manifesto
lions Of dlstrust they had themselves In =
measure given Encouragement 10 the circulation
Of ISLANDERS concerning him. This led them not
only to exercise a greater amount Of discretion
in discussing the prince, but to observe
him with more friendly eye He was sub
jected TO the closest sort of scrutiny. So. too,
was the Queen. And, finally the Hollanders
have come to the conclusion that their young
sovereign is happily welded. and that the only
sorrow Of her six years Of married life has been
the disappointment to which she has been sub
iected until now with regard to the birth Of an
heir Whenever the royal couple appear in
public the look of happy affection on Queen
Wilhelmina's face IN talking and laughing with
her husband indicates far more eloquently than
could any words the extent to which she IS
wrapt UP in him. while it is easy to see how
eager she IS that her people should learn to
know and appreciate her husband In what she
considers 10 be his true light
He on MS side is rnanifestly devoted to her IN
appeals to the Dutch. His face has lost that
rather disseminated and gloomy air which it
wore in the early days Of his marriage. when he