The Washington herald., 1907-02-24
The Prince of Holland
Queen WiIheIminas Consort Gradually Winning
the Good VIII of Her Subjects.

people outside. but not within. Holland
who believe that the Queens failure until
now 10 present TO the nation an heir TO
the throne IS attributable to the cruelty of
the prince.
The only peg upon which the story
hung was the fact that just about that
time Baron van Gaets was laid low by
an attack of appendicitis, and that after
being confined to his bed in the palace of
Het Loo for two or three weeks, was
conveyed to a sanatOrium at Utrecht
where he underwent an operation. Prince
Henry himself accompanying him to the
railroad station and helping to make him
as comfortable as possible on the tarin-
The prince has always been particularly
fond Of Baron van Gaets. whose brother
was for many years Dutch envoy at Ber-
lin and when the officer fell Ill. Queen
Wilhelmina and the prince invited his
wife and children to become their guests
at the royal palace. which would certainly
not have been the case had there been
one atom OF truth in the stories circu-
lated about the alleged duel The baron
still continues 10 form part of the house
hold Of the young Queen, as master Of
the ceremonies. while a brother of his IS
chamberlain and MISUNDERSTANDING 10
the Queen mother.
1t is hardly necessary forme TO add that
under no circumstances whatsoever could
there have been any duel between the
Queens consort and the baron as any
one possessed Of the slightest nkling of
tho etiquette which prevails at the courts
OF continental Europe would know.
Equality of rank is one OF the first re-
quirements for a meeting on the sO-called
field of honor, and according TO the
ethics which are accepted IN the old
World, that is 10 say. in m0u8rChiCdl
countries, there can be no equality be-
tween a prince of the Teigning house and
a mere noble; just as little as there can
DC IN matters of this kind between a
noble AMI a tradesman.
While the story Of the alleged duel has
done Prince Henry d 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
10 create Revision in his favor. The
tale was so palpably and manifestly
false, and even ridiculous. that when the
Dutch began 10 realize the sensation
which Il had created abroad, and when
dispatches commenced TO arrive from all
parts of the world asking for particulars,
they grew indignant, and appreciated,
perhaps for the first time, that by their
unfriendhuess toward the prince and by
their manifestations Of distrust they had
themselves in a measure give encourage
ment 10 the circulation OF SANDERS con-
corning him. This led them not only to
exercise a greater amount OF discretion
ia discussing the prince, bat in their OBJ
serving him with a more friendly eye. lie
was subjected to the closest sort of
scrutiny So. too, vas 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 10 which she has
been subjected until now with regard 10
the birth of an heir She mas. however.
by no means given up hopes of becoming
a mother. encouraged therein by the as
surance OF the principal physicians of tho
Old World. Whenever the royal couple
appear IN public the look of happy at
lection on Wilhelmina's face in talking
and laughing with her husband indicates
far more ClOquentiy than could any words
the extent TO which she is wrapped up in
him; while il is easy 10 see how eager
she is that her people should learn TO
know and appreciate her husband in
what she considers to be his true light.
He on his side is manifestly devoted TO
her I'm a rather stolid Prussian way,
which, however, appeals to the Dutch.
His face has lost that rather discon-
tented and gloomy air which il wore in
the early days of his marriage, when he
felt that he was disHked by his wife's
people, and that they barely tolerated
him. Feeling now current Of SYM
pathy between him and themselves. he
smiles toward them where he formerly
frowHed, looks good-tempered. and the
merry twinkle every now and again in
his eye when talking with the Queen
shows the perfect understanding between
them. They share each others tastes.
occupations. interests. and amuscments
in the same way as did Queen
Victoria and the Prince COnsort Of Eng
land. Nilhemina even accompanies
him on his shooting expeditions and she
insists upon his being by her side when
0ilt ticilS1NLH Vl-llidl UNSltltS-- whether IL
be receiving her ministers, signing and
reading state documents. or presiding at
council Like Prince Albert, he acts as
chief adviser and principal cOuhdant of
his wife, and so completely has public
feeling changed toward him that the
Dutch view this no longer with suspicion.
but with satisfaction For by means of
a patience ana tact OF which few believed
him capable at the time OF his marriage.
he has managed to completely ailay ali
Dutch fears as to his pro-GermaH pro-
clivities, and TO convince his wife's people
OF his entire devotion 20 her interests and
10 theirs. In fact. he is no longer looked
upon by them as a German. but with the
utmost good viii and favor us a Dutch
man.
How fond the Queen IS Of her husband
was shown in very striking way not so
very long ago. when all the arrangements
which had been made for an official visit
of the prince TO the Dutch East Indies
were countermanded at the last minute
by the Queens orders. because she could
not bear the idea of the separation of
the several weeks from her husband
which the trip TO the Orient would have
involved. She did this In spite Of the
pleas Of her ministers that tour by the
prince through her colonies would 10